Solio Lodge
Solio Lodge is located on a private wildlife sanctuary, tucked in the valley between the lofty slopes of Mount Kenya and the peaks of the Aberdare Mountains, directly north of Nairobi. This intimate and luxurious lodge remains the only guest accommodation on the incredible 45,000-acre Solio Game Reserve. The Solio Reserve is internationally recognised as the most successful private rhino breeding reserve in Kenya and visitors will find that sightings of up to 40 rhinoceros at a time are not uncommon. The wildlife experience here is intense and exclusive with 19,000 acres of conservancy surrounded by 45,000 acres of ranch and just one lodge, Solio Lodge, in the middle of it.
Solio Lodge, Nyeri, Kenya
- See 4 of the ‘Big 5’ on safari
- Most successful private Rhino breeding reserve in Kenya
- Meet conservationists and discuss the programs being run
- Visit Abadares National Park
- Take a scenic helicopter flight
Kenyans are well known for their ingenuity when it comes to turning trash to treasure and Solio Lodge is no different. Old wine bottles become shiny new water bottles, tins turn into planters for seedlings and organic waste from the lodge makes excellent compost for the vegetable gardens. Chemical based cleaning products have been reduced to zero and Solio only uses natural, biodegradable products, including the toiletries and insecticide provided in the rooms.
There are over 250 rhinos on Solio Game Conservancy and it is internationally recognised as the most successful private rhinoceros breeding conservancy in Kenya. It is responsible for having trans-located over 100 black and 60 white rhinoceros to other parts of Kenya over the years, including 6 to Uganda. Each guest who stays at the lodge directly contributes to rhino conservation through their conservation fee and it’s possible to meet the conservationists if they are available.
Solio also helps in the community by offering free health clinics, empowering local women, having guides go into local schools to talk about conservation, funding an orphanage, building schools and raising awareness of HIV.
Every year Solio plants trees to offset its carbon footprint. The location where they are planted varies each year, but Solio always plants indigenous Kenyan species in a carefully chosen area which supports vital water catchments and where indigenous forests are in need of reforestation and protection.
Keeping their carbon footprint as low as possible is very important to Solio Lodge. Therefore, for every hour of flying in helicopters, six indigenous trees are planted. This offsets the carbon footprint by over three times, making it one of the first climate positive tourist helicopters in the world. The pilot also keeps a box of indigenous ‘seed balls’ on board. These come encased in compost ready to plant and germinate themselves when conditions are right. Guests can launch them out of the helicopter, literally planting trees as they fly.
