By the Best Mountain Hotels editorial team ·
Ol Donyo Lodge stands at the foot of Kenya's Chyulu Hills, looking out across the plains to Mount Kilimanjaro. Run by Great Plains Conservation on land owned by the Maasai, it has just nine suites, each with its own pool and a rooftop star bed where you can sleep under the African sky with Africa's highest mountain on the horizon. It is one of the most romantic safari lodges on the continent.
Ol Donyo Lodge stands at the foot of Kenya's Chyulu Hills, looking out across the plains to Mount Kilimanjaro. Run by Great Plains Conservation on land owned by the Maasai, it has just nine suites, each with its own pool and a rooftop star bed where you can sleep under the African sky with Africa's highest mountain on the horizon. It is one of the most romantic safari lodges on the continent.
Location: Chyulu Hills, Kenya
The Chyulu Hills are a range of young volcanic hills in southern Kenya, between the Tsavo and Amboseli national parks, with grasslands, forest and lava flows, and views south to Kilimanjaro, just over the border in Tanzania. Ol Donyo stands on the Mbirikani Group Ranch, a vast area owned by around 4,000 Maasai, where wildlife roams freely between the parks.
Guests usually fly in by light aircraft from Nairobi to the lodge's airstrip, and it combines easily with Amboseli, the Masai Mara or the Kenyan coast.
Suites at Ol Donyo Lodge
There are eight deluxe suites and one two-bedroom family suite, the Sambu Suite, built of stone and thatch and set apart for privacy. Each has a private plunge pool or swimming pool and a rooftop star bed, made up each evening so you can sleep under the stars, with Kilimanjaro in view at sunrise. Inside, they are spacious and calm, with large windows facing the plains.
Facilities at Ol Donyo Lodge
Ol Donyo is famous for horseback safaris, riding out among zebra, giraffe and wildebeest, but there are also open-vehicle and night game drives, walking safaris, mountain biking and helicopter flights over the Chyulu Hills. A waterhole in front of the lodge draws elephants and other wildlife, and a hide lets you watch them up close.
The lodge works closely with the Maasai landowners, and guests can visit a Maasai homestead, the local market or schools supported by the Great Plains Foundation.
The mountain moment
The defining moment is waking on your rooftop star bed at dawn, as the first light turns the snows of Kilimanjaro pink and the plains below come alive with wildlife.
In the afternoon, ride out on horseback across the grasslands, then return for a swim in your own pool as the sun sets behind the Chyulu Hills.
Why Ol Donyo is one of the best mountain hotels
Ol Donyo earns its place for one of the great mountain views in Africa, its intimacy and its conservation model, which keeps the land wild and benefits the Maasai who own it. Few lodges anywhere let you sleep outside facing Kilimanjaro in such comfort.
For more of East Africa's mountains, see Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club, Gibb's Farm in Tanzania and our guide to the best mountain hotels in Africa.
When to go to Ol Donyo Lodge
The dry seasons, from around June to October and from December to March, are the best times for game viewing and the clearest views of Kilimanjaro, which are often best at dawn and dusk. The long rains, from around April to May, and the short rains in November bring green landscapes and fewer visitors, and some lodges close for part of the long rains, so check dates before you book.
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Questions, answered
- Where is Ol Donyo Lodge?
- Ol Donyo Lodge is in the Chyulu Hills of southern Kenya, between the Tsavo and Amboseli national parks, on land owned by the Maasai.
- Can you see Kilimanjaro from Ol Donyo Lodge?
- Yes. The lodge and suites look across the plains to Mount Kilimanjaro, usually clearest at dawn and dusk.
- What is a star bed at Ol Donyo?
- Each suite has a rooftop bed made up in the evening so guests can sleep under the stars, with views of Kilimanjaro at sunrise.
- How many suites does Ol Donyo Lodge have?
- There are eight deluxe suites and one two-bedroom family suite, each with a private pool.
- Can you go horse riding at Ol Donyo?
- Yes. Horseback safaris are a speciality, alongside game drives, walks and mountain biking.
