Game drives are scheduled in the early mornings and late afternoons, which are the best times for game viewing. The route covers the area around the lodge and neighbouring conservancies, home to a variety of indigenous flora and fauna. Guests can also experience a full day safari into the Maasai Mara, including a luxury picnic lunch, as an optional extra.

Night Game Drives

Unique to Olarro are night drives using infrared night vision binoculars to spot nocturnal game in their natural habitat with minimum disturbance to their behaviour. These include the white tailed mongoose, bush babies, African kangaroo or spring hare, Feraux owl and the Montane night jar. These night vision binoculars also offer the chance to see two of the most magnificent of nocturnal predators, leopard and lion, at their most active and interesting

Guided nature walks are offered to observe and explore the traditional medicinal uses of different shrubs and trees, identify the spoor of the different animals and review the geology in the area. Nature walks are normally scheduled from 9am to 11.30am and 3.00pm to 5.00pm, however they can be done at a time that suits guests by prior arrangement with the Management.

Olarro is a bird watchers’ paradise, and the area is home to over 150 species of birds. Our guides are extremely knowledgeable and guided bird-watching safaris are available on request.

We have special mountain bikes and guests can enjoy exhilarating guided bike rides along the specially designed biking trails in the area.

An optional experience - and one of the highlights at Olarro - is a scenic helicopter flight into the Masai Mara, taking off from the lodge’s private helicopter pad at dawn. After an exhilarating flight into the reserve, guests have the rare opportunity to float over the million-strong wildebeest and zebra migration in a hot air balloon, followed by a sumptuous Champagne breakfast in a remote part of the Masai Mara. This optional activity requires pre-booking.

This tour allows guests to gain firsthand experience and knowledge of Maasai life and culture. It includes a visit to the local Maasai village to see traditional Maasai homes, crafts including beadwork and Maasai customs such as the ceremonial rituals undergone when transitioning from childhood to warrior to elder. You can also enjoy traditional Maasai dances, such as the Warrior jumping contest, and experience other aspects of Maasai life lincluding fire making, spearing, and archery. These safaris are arranged on special request at the convenience of guests and our Maasai hosts.

The Eco Gardens at Olarro manages a combination of projects that serve as a model for conservation agriculture and a training centre for the Group Ranch, while supplying the Lodge with the freshest organic produce. These projects include several eco-gardens that grow vegetables, fruits, herbs and other crops and a vermi-compost unit that supplies fertiliser for all these gardens.

Guests are also invited to visit our eco and community projects in the area including the eco gardens, solar and wind power installations, conservation agriculture projects, water and irrigation systems, nurseries and tree-planting, beadwork by local Maasai women or the beekeeping initiative.

The gift shop at Olarro is stocked by Lisa Christoffersen of Sanza Company. The shop stocks authentic and unique African handicrafts, jewellery and accessories handpicked by Lisa. These include hand and travel bags, scarves and shawls, carvings and artwork, interior design home accessories as well as gift mementos, coffee table and story books about the continent, and Lisa ‘s exclusive collection of African-inspired hand-painted, hand-woven pashmina shawls. The shop also stocks items such as bracelets, belts and home accessories made by the women from Olarro’s community beadwork project, as well as our Olarro fleeces, caps and shirts.