From
$7,339
Luxury Lodge · Laikipia, Kenya
Solio Lodge
Africa's oldest private rhino sanctuary, reimagined as a luxury retreat in the Laikipia Highlands
Solio Game Reserve holds a distinction that no other private conservancy in Kenya can claim: it was the first private rhino sanctuary on the continent, established in the 1970s at a time when both black and white rhino were being hunted to the brink. Today, the reserve is home to one of the largest and most successful populations of both species on private land in Africa — a living testament to what patient, principled conservation can achieve.
Set within this extraordinary setting, Solio Lodge is a property of genuine restraint and elegance. Six stone-and-thatch cottages are arranged to face the sweeping Aberdare Range and Mount Kenya, each positioned to capture the landscape rather than compete with it. Interiors are warm and richly appointed — think locally quarried stone floors, open fireplaces for cool highland evenings, hand-crafted furniture, and private plunge pools that make it easy to linger long after the morning game drive returns.
What sets Solio apart from Kenya’s more celebrated safari circuits is the pace. There are no convoys of vehicles, no radio chatter between guides, no queue at a sighting. Your guide — intimately familiar with the reserve’s terrain and the individual animals within it — will take you to encounters that feel genuinely private. Tracking black rhino on foot is possible here, a rarity in East Africa that guests consistently describe as among the defining moments of their safari lives.
Beyond rhino, the reserve supports exceptional populations of lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, and buffalo. Birdlife across the highland grasslands is prolific. And the light — that clean, high-altitude Laikipia light — is a photographer’s quiet obsession.
Solio Lodge is often paired with Maasai Mara or Samburu for a seamless Kenya circuit, offering a counterpoint of intimacy and altitude to the more famous lowland parks.
Perched above Kenya's Solio Game Reserve, the birthplace of the country's rhino conservation story, Solio Lodge offers a rare intimacy with the wild that few properties anywhere on the continent can rival. This is Laikipia at its most unhurried: open skies, ancient volcanic soils, and a landscape
Why Stay Here
- Kenya's oldest private rhino sanctuary — home to both black and white rhino
- Just six exclusive cottages, each with a private plunge pool and open fireplace
- Guided walking safaris with rhino on foot — a rare East Africa experience
- Exceptional Big Five game viewing in an uncrowded, intimate setting
- Spectacular views of Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Range
- High-altitude Laikipia setting — cool, fresh, and unlike any lowland park
Our Commitment to Conservation
Solio Game Reserve is one of Africa's conservation success stories. Established as a private rhino sanctuary decades before conservation philanthropy became fashionable, the reserve has contributed significant numbers of rhino to reintroduction programmes across Kenya and beyond. The lodge operates with a light footprint — solar power, responsible water use, and a strong commitment to employing an
Rooms & Accommodation
The six cottages at Solio Lodge are crafted from materials native to the Laikipia Highlands — volcanic stone, cedar timber, and thatch — creating spaces that feel rooted in place rather than dropped into the landscape. Each cottage is generously proportioned, with a sitting area, en-suite bathroom, and a private veranda oriented toward the open plains and distant peaks. Open fireplaces make evenings genuinely cosy; the altitude ensures you’ll use them. All cottages include a private plunge pool, ideal for watching game drift across the reserve in the afternoon light.
Highland Cottage
Spacious stone-and-thatch cottage with a private plunge pool, open fireplace, and unobstructed views across the reserve toward Mount Kenya. The interior balances rustic warmth with genuine luxury — hand-carved furniture, quality linens, and an en-suite bathroom with a deep soaking tub. The private veranda is the ideal perch for sundowners as the Laikipia sky turns amber.
Private plunge pool · Open fireplace · En-suite bathroom with soaking tub · Private veranda · Tea & coffee station · Turndown service · Complimentary laundry
Family Cottage
A larger configuration ideal for families or small groups travelling together. Offers the same hallmarks of the Highland Cottage — plunge pool, fireplace, veranda — with a connected sleeping area and additional bathroom. Children are warmly welcomed at Solio Lodge, and the reserve's walking activities and rhino encounters make for an education in conservation that no classroom can replicate.
Private plunge pool · Two en-suite bathrooms · Open fireplace · Connecting sleeping room · Private veranda · Family safari activities available
Experiences & Activities
Every moment at Solio Lodge is crafted to immerse you deeper in the wild.
Rhino Tracking
Walk with an expert guide through Solio's open grasslands in pursuit of both black and white rhino. This is one of the few places in East Africa where guided walking encounters with rhino are regularly possible — an intimate, exhilarating experience that no vehicle-based game drive can replicate.
Big Five Game Drive
Morning and afternoon drives in open 4×4 vehicles, led by Solio's resident guides who know each animal's range intimately. Lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, and buffalo are all present in the reserve, alongside the extraordinary rhino population.
Big Five Safaris
Morning and afternoon drives in open 4×4 vehicles, led by Solio's resident guides who know each animal's range intimately. Lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, and buffalo are all present in the reserve, alongside the extraordinary rhino population.
Conservation Talks
The lodge's guides and management are deeply embedded in Solio's conservation story. Evening talks covering the reserve's rhino breeding programme, the broader Laikipia ecosystem, and Kenya's conservation challenges offer a layer of depth rarely found at even the finest safari properties.
Dining
Dining at Solio Lodge reflects the unhurried spirit of the property. Meals are served in the main lodge — a convivial space of exposed stone, timber beams, and a central fireplace — or, when the weather invites it, on the open terrace with the plains stretching out before you. The kitchen draws on the fertile produce of the Laikipia highlands and the Central Kenya region, with menus that shift with the seasons. Bush breakfasts in the field and sundowner setups at scenic lookouts are offered as part of the Solio experience. The wine list is thoughtfully curated; the atmosphere is intimate enough that conversation flows easily between guests and hosts.
Gallery
Best Time to Visit
Solio Game Reserve can be visited year-round, and its high-altitude climate makes it a comfortable destination in all seasons. The dry seasons — January to March and June to October — offer the best game viewing conditions, with shorter vegetation giving clearer sightlines and animals concentrating around water sources. Rhino, being resident rather than migratory, are present throughout the year.
The highland climate means mornings and evenings can be distinctly cool — temperatures at Solio regularly dip to 12°C overnight — making this a refreshing antidote to Kenya’s lowland heat. Light rains in April and May bring lush green scenery and excellent birding, and rates during this period tend to be more accessible. Solio pairs naturally with Maasai Mara (peak migration July–October) or Samburu for a well-rounded Kenya itinerary.
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Location & Getting Here
Destination
Laikipia, Kenya
Conservation Area
Solio Game Reserve, Laikipia
Nearest Airstrip
Solio Airstrip
Transfer Time
10 minutes by road
Getting Here
Solio Lodge is located within Solio Game Reserve in the Laikipia Highlands of central Kenya, approximately 170 km north of Nairobi. The reserve sits at around 2,200 metres above sea level, at the foot of the Aberdare Range and within sight of Mount Kenya. Access is by light aircraft to the on-site Solio airstrip (approximately 45 minutes from Wilson Airport, Nairobi), or by road transfer of around
Safaris That Include This Lodge
Explore handcrafted itineraries where Solio Lodge forms part of the journey.
