Nomad issue #26

WEEKEND AWAY
can often be found in places of worship.
Nature is the focus.
Loisaba is known to be part of one of
East Africa’s largest elephant corridors and
our game drives in Elewana’s open Land
Rovers accompanied by a dedicated guide
clearly demonstrated that. The elephants
were shy and not used to human contact. On
close approach to a herd of 10 tuskers, the
matriarch flapped her ears and pretended
to charge as an act of warning, protecting
the young calves that were under her care.
It was a heart thumping insight into the
intelligence of these vulnerable creatures.
Shrouded in several layers of shuka
blankets, after sunset we tailed a lone lioness
for 30 minutes culminating in an unsuccessful
hunt of a skittish impala. Other wild game
that the conservancy protects, including
leopards, cheetahs and rare wild dogs, were
much more elusive, hidden in swathes of
towering bushland.
into dishes like freshly baked focaccia with a
soy dipping sauce or a warm and delicately
spiced mushroom laksa soup and vegetable
dumplings. In addition to the gourmet meals,
they also had a separate kids menu and
much to our amusement, chips and spaghetti
were also mainstay during mealtimes for our
fussy younger son. Breakfast and lunch were
an outdoor affair, overlooking an infinity
pool and the plains of Loisaba where a
solitary elephant could be seen in the valley
drinking from the Lodo Spring, a natural
water source that attracts nearby wildlife
and the namesake for the luxury property.
As our time came to an end, the
‘adventure’ that awaited in our journey back
home was at the back of all our minds. We
did however take comfort in two things. First,
that we had experienced the beauty and
majesty of this pocket of Kenya in the most
sublime way as a family. Second, that when
we came back to Lodo Springs...we’d take a
flight!
Dinners were in the cosy main dining
room over candlelight and wine, digging
to its elevation, a consistent breeze carried
the sounds of whistling thorn acacias and
weaver birds. After eight hours in a car with
two kids, finally, silence.
Elewana’s Loisaba Lodo Springs officially
opened in mid-2019 being the third of their
properties (others are Loisaba Tented Camp
and Loisaba Star Beds) in this 57,000 acre
conservancy and ranch. Unlike the other two
hospitality offerings though, this property
was a new build and a massive undertaking
creatively led by architects and spatial
designers Chris Payne (of White Elephant
Trading Co.) and Jan Allen. The focal point
for each of the eight stone-clad bedrooms
is the limitless and unobstructed sight of the
archetypal African plains with a high tented
ceiling evoking the same sense of awe that
NOMAD MAGAZINE 2020 35