Il Ngwesi Eco-Lodge — Hotel in Laikipia County

We (myself and my husband) recently stayed for 3 nights at Il Ngwesi Lodge as part of a 16 night / 5 camp safari through Kenya, and it turned out to be one of the absolute highlights of our trip. Nestled in the hills with breathtaking views, this lodge is a bit off the beaten path for safari-goers but offers a truly unique and unforgettable experience—both because of its stunning natural surroundings and the warmth and hospitality of the local community who own and run it (a true rarity in Kenya, where virtually all lodges and camps are run by foreign entities).||||From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with genuine kindness by the incredible staff—members of the local community—who made us feel completely at home. Our guide, Joel, was very knowledgable, friendly, enthusiastic, and had a keen ability to spot wildlife even when it was far away and blended into the landscape. We learned so much not only about the wildlife but also the local community and people from him and his willingness to tell us about his life and story. Although we visited the Mara area later in our trip and yes, there is a greater abundance of wildlife there, there are some species that weren't visible there or seen only as individuals or small groups in the Mara rather than in the larger groups or densities here (such as the huge groups of giraffes - reticulated ones which you don't see in Mara - and elephants all over the place rather than in the smaller numbers further south), as well as species not found further south like the grevy zebras (both those and the common zebras are here), gerenuk, RHINOS - both black and white, so many ostriches (both Somali and Masai), and more! Daniel, Francis, Fred, and all the other staff also made us feel so welcome and made our stay not only fun and exciting but also very comfortable with our every need attended to.||||The lodge itself blends seamlessly into the environment, with beautiful open-air rooms made from local materials. Each space is designed to let you connect with nature—whether it's waking up to elephants and giraffes near the watering hole that you look out to from your bed, enjoying the endless variety of the parade of fun birds visiting the lovely watering spot right in front of the main desk (I am not a "birder" but oh it was so fun to see so many birds drinking, bathing, and playing just steps away from where I was sitting and looking out over the amazing view), or sleeping under a canopy of stars with the amazing star bed rolled out onto the deck. The experience of falling asleep under the stars was nothing short of magical. What a truly unique and special opportunity.||||Before we arrived I was a bit unsure about whether I'd be comfortable in the open-air rooms, but the design is very thoughtfully done and offers privacy with such amazing views. The veranda of our room (we stayed in the room named Olmara) was built into the side of a hill, so we were elevated above the ground to reduce the chance of wildlife wandering in. I was also very pleasantly surprised by how very few bugs there were; even though our bed was covered with a mosquito net at night I never actually felt the need to use the bug spray I'd brought since even when sitting out and reading, eating, or admiring the stars after darkness fell I didn't notice a single mosquito or other biting insect while I was there (!!). So that was very unlike my home (in Michigan, USA) where I would've needed to slather on the bug repellent every summer evening!||||Days were filled with unforgettable adventures: bush hikes with a guide and a ranger, a surprise bush breakfast in such a lovely butterfly-surrounded clearing (with made to order eggs and a full variety of hot breakfast foods all right out in the wild!), game drives (even for the full day through 3 different conservancies!) where we spotted an incredible variety of wildlife, the most up-close and thrilling of rhino encounters where you can safely closely approach the Il Ngwesi conservancy's rhinos ON FOOT if you wish with the guidance and safety of a guide and armed guard (and WOW, we got really close - what an exhilarating and awe-inspiring experience I didn't realize Il Ngwesi offered before I visited! A very unique and rare opportunity!), all of the cultural learning and community interaction at the cultural boma and through bead-making and local-staff interactions at the lodge, and sundowners overlooking the conservancy as the sun dipped below the horizon. We stayed 3 nights and had so much to do that we didn't have time for the lovely, inviting pool or the (way less expensive than anywhere else we visited!) massage offerings listed in their info booklet... so I suggest a 3 night stay as a minimum and more if you want to enjoy some of the relaxation options on offer. The staff, being from the area, have an extraordinary understanding of the land, community, and wildlife, and their passion is evident in everything they do.||||The food throughout our stay was excellent—thoughtfully prepared and delicious, even when served in the middle of the bush! It was also varied and abundant. We even requested after the first meal that they not make SO many different things for us because it was all so good but more than we could possibly eat! The manager, Daniel, joined us for some or all of our meals to discuss what we wanted to do and when, check that our every interest and need was catered to, and answer all of our questions about the local people and wildlife. We stayed at 5 different camps / lodges and the food here was among the best tasting, and the total personalization and customization of our stay to our interests and when and how and how long we wanted to do things was incredible.||||Il Ngwesi is more than just a lodge—it’s a shining example of community-led conservation and amazing hospitality. Staying here not only gives you an unforgettable experience in a breath-taking landscape, but also directly supports the people and the land that make it so special. None of the other places we stayed were actually fully owned and 100% of profits supporting the local people. Il Ngwesi shows that visitors can have a truly incredible stay that ethically and fully supports the community they are visiting, too.||||On our last night there the full staff surprised us by coming out to sing, jump, and dance with us and the other visitors who were there that evening, presenting each party with a customized (with our names) cake thanking us for our visit. Just wow, what a fun way to celebrate our visit!||||We feel incredibly lucky to have spent time at Il Ngwesi and will carry the memories with us always. We can't recommend it highly enough, and we’re already dreaming of coming back. If you are planning to visit Kenya, a stay at Ilg...

This was one of the best experiences we have ever had traveling. It was enchanting and mesmerizing and peaceful and awe-inspiring. This place is beyond special. The drive from the airstrip takes 2-4 hours and it begins your journey into a whole new world. The drive includes looking for animals and a picnic with a view for miles of the bush. We saw elephants, a giraffe, and a cheetah just on the drive to the hotel. Once you arrive at this magical place you will know you have made the right choice. It is miles and miles and miles from anything else. You are in a completely remote and private destination. Your Maasi hosts treated us like family they had not seen in a long time - they were very kind and wonderful, wanting every minute of every day to make sure our time was amazing. All of the staff are from the Maasi community nearby and 1/2 of the cost of your stay goes back to the Maasi community. You will have a private guide that stays with you from the minute you land until your plane takes off again. We did 2 game drives a day plus they surprised us with a breakfast in the bush and an amazing dinner under the stars with traditional songs and dance of the Maasi. | It was absolutely magical. Stephen was our guide and our newest best friend by the end. You can tell he loves being part of his Maasi community and their conservancy where we took guided tours with him several times a day. It is so hard to put into words the level of welcoming and kindness that everyone there offered us so very many times. This is no hotel - this is like going home to family. When we hugged Stephen goodbye I truly had tears in my eyes because we felt so connected and welcomed - like we had been a true part of their...

We have just stayed at Il Ngwesi as part of our two week trip around Kenya, and it was such an incredible and special place. The scenery at Il Ngwesi was the best we saw on our trip, and was truly breathtaking, I could have stared at it for hours. ||From the moment we arrived the staff working at Il Ngewsi (all part of the local community) made us feel so welcome and at home. They are all amazing, however, our guide Joel deserves a special mention for looking after us throughout our trip. ||The lodge itself is rustic but beautiful, with locally made furniture and rooms that are open air and sensitively embedded in the local nature. The open air nature of the rooms, allows you to have a truly unique sleep, where if you would like they roll your bed out to sleep under the stars. There is also a lovely refreshing pool with incredible views over the valley. ||We were able to do some incredible once in a lifetime experiences that were organised by the lodge, such as a 6AM sunrise hike (with a guide and ranger), a bush breakfast with giraffes less than 50ft away watching us, game drives, and a sundowner in the bush overlooking the conservancy. ||The food was excellent throughout, even including the bush breakfast that they made on a river bed! ||I would implore anyone visiting Kenya to pay this beautiful lodge a visit, you will have a truly unique experience that you would not regret, and you would be supporting the local community at the same time. ||Thank you to all at Il Ngwesi for allowing us to make such speak memories - we will...