Oserengoni Wildlife Sanctuary

Oserengoni Wildlife Sanctuary is a privately owned 18,000-acre paradise for flora and fauna located in the central part of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya. Nestled west of the Aberdare ranges and northeast of the Mau escarpment, the sanctuary borders both Lake Naivasha and Lake Oloidien, the highest lakes along the Rift Valley floor. The topography rises dramatically from the shores of the 6,200ft lake to the elevated Maiella ridge at 7,748ft, creating a diverse and breathtaking landscape.

Serving as a vital safe haven, the sanctuary is linked to the neighbouring Hell’s Gate National Park and the lakeshore via wildlife corridors, allowing animals to move freely and promoting ecological balance. Home to a rich diversity of wildlife, Oserengoni supports over 50 species of mammals, including the leopard, Grevy’s zebra, Maasai giraffe, buffalo, bat-eared fox, spotted hyena, serval cat, and aardvark.

The surrounding lakeshores also host over 400 bird species year-round, such as the African fish eagle, Somali ostrich, Narina trogon, and long-crested eagle. Unlike larger, busier parks, Oserengoni offers an intimate and crowd-free safari experience. With luxury properties like Chui Lodge and the boutique Ranch House Bistro operating within its bounds, the sanctuary ensures exclusive nature encounters. Visitors can enjoy day and night game drives, guided bush walks, and boat safaris in a completely serene environment.

Oserengoni is more than a wildlife refuge; it is a prime example of conservation in practice. The Zwager family created this tourism venture so that funds raised are directly reinvested into the Oserian Two Lakes conservation programs, ensuring a sustainable future for the ecosystem.

How to Get There

By Road

✓ Distance: Approximately 90 km from Nairobi
✓ Travel Time: 1.5 to 2.5 hours via a fully tarmac road
✓ Route: From Nairobi, drive northwest to Naivasha town, then take the Moi South Lake Road directly to the sanctuary gate
✓ Scenery: The journey offers a scenic drive through the central highlands before descending into the spectacular Great Rift Valley

By Air

✓ Private charters and scheduled flights can be arranged for a swift arrival
✓ The nearest airstrip is Loldia Airstrip, located just a 20-minute transfer drive from the sanctuary
✓ Scheduled flights operate from Wilson Airport (Nairobi) to Loldia Airstrip (flight time is approximately 20 to 30 minutes)

History

Established in the mid-1990s by the Zwager family, Oserengoni Wildlife Sanctuary was created to provide a vital safe haven for wildlife in the Great Rift Valley. Surrounded by an electrified fence with added predator-proofing measures, the sanctuary protects resident animals from outside threats while preventing human-wildlife conflict on neighbouring farmlands.

The sanctuary covers an 18,000-acre expanse that is crucial for local biodiversity. By establishing wildlife corridors linking the sanctuary to Hell’s Gate National Park and the lakeshore, the founders successfully facilitated the free movement of animals throughout the ecosystem. Since the sanctuary and its corridors were created, populations of species that were once in decline, such as leopards and giraffes, have rebounded to healthy levels.

The sanctuary actively maintains a strong predator population, including hyenas and jackals, to ensure the natural control of herbivores and a balanced ecosystem. Today, Oserengoni stands as a thriving eco-tourism destination under the Oserian Two Lakes initiative. Through its luxury lodge, boutique bistro, and sustainable agricultural projects such as an organic fruit and vegetable farm and a dairy herd, the sanctuary seamlessly blends conservation, tourism, and community education.

Wildlife Viewing Experiences

✓ Morning & Afternoon Game Drives: Set out across the 18,000-acre sanctuary in open or closed 4×4 safari land cruisers. Uncrowded and completely private, these tailored drives allow guests to encounter a rich array of wildlife. Guided by friendly, professional experts, you can spot resident predators like leopards and hyenas, as well as unique plains game including Grevy’s zebras, Maasai giraffes, bat-eared foxes, and buffalo roaming against the stunning backdrop of the Rift Valley.

✓ Night Game Drives: When darkness falls, Oserengoni unveils a completely different ecosystem. Embark on a drive before or after dinner to experience the thrill of spotting nocturnal and elusive animals. Guided by spotlights, you may see aardvarks, spotted-eagle owls, Zorillas (African skunks), leopards on the prowl, spotted hyenas, genet cats, African hedgehogs, springhares, lesser galagos, and bush pigs.

✓ Boat Safaris: Experience the sanctuary from the water with a scenic boat trip on Lake Naivasha. Marvel at the splendour of the Rift Valley while gliding past pods of wallowing hippos, Goliath herons, and African jacanas along the shoreline. The calm waters are also perfect for watching the largemouth bass and Tilapia surface to catch unsuspecting insects.

Nature-Based Guided Walks

✓ Bush Walks: Join a guided walk along the shores of Lake Oloidien and through the bordering yellow fever Acacia forests. This intimate journey on foot immerses you in the local flora and fauna, offering remarkable opportunities to encounter leopards, Colobus monkeys, elands, and the Defassa waterbuck up close without the noise of an engine.

✓ Birdwatching: Thanks to its unique location and fresh water sources, Naivasha is a major migratory stop and key breeding ground. Oserengoni is a true birder’s paradise, boasting over 400 species year-round. Along the lakeshore, look for masses of waterfowl, including Black-winged stilts, Pied kingfishers, Hottentot teals, and Great cormorants, while the sanctuary plains host the Klaas’s cuckoo, Long-crested eagle, Spectacled weaver, and Black-backed puffback.

Immersive Conservation & Farm Experiences

✓ Fruit & Vegetable Farm Visits: Enjoy a fun, family-friendly walk through the organic farm. Learn how the sanctuary works with nature to maintain rich, fertile soil and keep crops pest-free without harsh chemicals. Guests can even pick their own seasonal fruit or choose the accompanying vegetables for their dinner.

✓ Eco-Project & Conservation Insights: Discover conservation in practice by learning how the Oserian Two Lakes programs operate. Understand the vital role of the sanctuary’s predator-proof electrified fencing and the crucial wildlife corridors linking Oserengoni with Hell’s Gate National Park, which have helped leopard and giraffe populations rebound to healthy levels.

✓ Dairy & Sheep Farm Visits: Experience the agricultural side of the sanctuary by visiting the 50-head dairy herd (a mix of Jersey, Friesian, Fleckvieh, and Ayrshire). Guests can learn how the famous double cream is made, join the herdsmen in the fields, and interact with the playful calves. You can also get up close and personal with the friendly 80-strong herd of Dorper sheep and their lambs.

Unique Bush Experiences

✓ Sundowners: Enjoy a stunning evening drink as the sun sets over the plains and the Mau escarpment. Relax by a roaring log fire on the lakeshore while flocks of pelicans and flamingos fly past, perfectly capping off an afternoon game drive.

✓ Bush Dinners: Experience the ultimate African luxury with a three-course candlelit dinner served under the stars. Kept warm by traditional Maasai shukas and portable mini jikos (fire pits), you will dine surrounded by the incredible night sounds of the wild.

✓ Bush Breakfasts: Start your day with a signature morning experience set under vast Acacia trees along the lake. Enjoy a delicious hot breakfast with a glass of sparkling wine in hand as you watch hippos wallow in the distance an unforgettable way to welcome the morning.

✓ Tailored Kids Activities: Oserengoni specialises in keeping little ones entertained. Guides can arrange specialised, shorter bush walks and game drives complete with snacks and “seed balling” activities. Back at the lodge, kids can enjoy a culinary adventure by helping bake bread, making their own mini pizzas, and roasting marshmallows over the campfire.

Wildlife & Biodiversity

Oserengoni Wildlife Sanctuary is a vital conservation area located in the central part of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya. It covers an 18,000-acre expanse of privately owned wilderness, forming a crucial ecosystem west of the Aberdare ranges and northeast of the Mau escarpment. Bordering both Lake Naivasha and Lake Oloidien, Oserengoni connects to Hell’s Gate National Park via vital wildlife corridors, facilitating the free movement of animals throughout the ecosystem and supporting essential biodiversity.

The sanctuary’s diverse landscapes, ranging from the elevated Maiella ridge at 7,748 ft to open plains and the yellow fever Acacia forests along the lakeshores, provide a safe haven for over 50 species of mammals. Protected by an electrified fence with predator-proofing measures, the sanctuary helps maintain a balanced ecosystem by safeguarding resident animals from external threats while mitigating human-wildlife conflict on neighbouring farmlands.

Thanks to the establishment of this sanctuary and its corridors, populations of species that were once in decline have successfully rebounded to healthy levels, making Oserengoni a prime example of conservation in practice.

Wildlife at Oserengoni Wildlife Sanctuary

Large Mammals

✓ Grevy’s Zebras: These strikingly striped, endangered zebras thrive within the sanctuary’s protected 18,000-acre expanse
✓ Buffalo & Impala: Common grazers that roam the lower plains and help sustain the sanctuary’s balanced predator populations
✓ Hippopotamus: Pods of hippos are frequently seen wallowing in the calm waters of the bordering Lake Naivasha and Lake Oloidien
✓ Eland & Defassa Waterbuck: These impressive antelopes are often spotted grazing near the yellow fever Acacia forests that border the lakes
✓ Maasai Giraffes: Populations of these iconic, towering browsers have rebounded beautifully and are frequently seen feeding across the sanctuary

Big Cats & Predators

✓ Serval Cats: These beautifully spotted, long-legged wild cats are an exciting find, adding to the sanctuary’s thriving predator population
✓ Spotted Hyenas & Jackals: Key predators within the ecosystem, they play a crucial role in the natural population control of herbivores across the sanctuary
✓ Leopards: Maintaining a healthy, rebounded population, these elusive cats are frequently sighted in the Acacia forests and are a major highlight of night drives

Other Mammals

✓ Genet Cats, Springhares & African Hedgehogs: Fascinating smaller mammals that bring the sanctuary floor to life after dark
✓ Colobus Monkeys: Often spotted leaping and cavorting in the canopies of the yellow fever Acacia forests along the lakeshore
✓ Bat-eared Foxes: Distinctive foragers with oversized ears, frequently seen roaming the plains during early mornings or night drives
✓ Warthogs & Bush Pigs: Warthogs are commonly seen trotting through the plains by day, while the elusive bush pig emerges during the night
✓ Aardvarks & Zorillas: Elusive nighttime species, including the Zorilla (African skunk), that add immense charm and rarity to nocturnal safaris
✓ Lesser Galagos: Also known as bushbabies, these small, agile primates can be spotted leaping through the trees at night under the beam of a spotlight

Birdlife

✓ Raptors & Owls: The skies and trees are patrolled by the iconic African fish eagle, long-crested eagles, and the nocturnal spotted eagle-owl
✓ Total Recorded Species: Over 400 bird species are present year-round, as Naivasha’s unique location serves as a major migratory bird stop and a key breeding ground
✓ Water & Shorefowl: The lakeshores attract masses of birds, including flocks of flamingos and pelicans, Goliath herons, African jacanas, black-winged stilts, Hottentot teals, great cormorants, and pied kingfishers
✓ Colourful & Unique Species: The diverse flora supports incredibly vibrant birdlife, including the Narina trogon, Somali ostrich, Klaas’s cuckoo, spectacled weaver, black-backed puffback, grey-crested helmet-shrike, and the rufous-crowned roller

Oserengoni Wildlife Sanctuary features outstanding accommodation options that combine luxury, comfort, and authentic immersion into the Great Rift Valley’s natural beauty. Whether you prefer a 5-star lodge, a private bush home, or sleeping under the stars, the sanctuary guarantees an intimate and exclusive nature experience.

Chui Lodge

Situated perfectly within the 18,000-acre sanctuary, Chui Lodge is a 5-star luxury safari lodge offering an exclusive, crowd-free retreat surrounded by Yellow fever Acacia trees and teeming wildlife.

✓ Rooms: Spacious Standard & Deluxe luxury rooms featuring private entrances
✓ Amenities: Guests can relax and unwind by the lodge’s year-round heated outdoor pool after a day of exploring
✓ Features: En-suite bathrooms with walk-in showers, cosy indoor fireplaces, and private terraces offering stunning garden or mountain views

Oserengoni Bush Homes

For those seeking a more private, home-away-from-home experience, the sanctuary offers self-catered or fully serviced houses that embrace the authentic “bush home” feel

✓ Chui House: An incredibly spacious 4-bedroom, all-en-suite bush home set within lush, private gardens. It offers a large sitting room, modern amenities, and a main veranda providing sweeping views over the sanctuary
✓ Kiboko House: A beautifully renovated 3-bedroom bush home overlooking a wildlife waterhole. It features a cosy lounge with a fireplace, a charming courtyard, and a fully equipped kitchen, perfect for family gatherings

Oserengoni Wildlife Sanctuary Camping Site

For a truly immersive, back-to-nature experience, the sanctuary offers a beautiful 10-acre camping plot on an old wheat farm reclaimed by nature. Surrounded by a hidden electric fence, you feel entirely part of the wild while remaining at a safe distance.

✓ The Setup: The campsite offers small luxuries, including on-site water and a dedicated toilet, eliminating the need for a “bush toilet.”
✓ Family-Friendly: The expansive, safe area features little paths through indigenous trees and flowers, perfect for kids to roam and ride their bikes
✓ Night Skies: With zero light pollution and crisp nights dropping to 6°C, the stargazing is world-class. Spot satellites and shooting stars while listening to hyenas calling in the distance
✓ The Vibe: Relax by the fire with complimentary wood (sustainably made Leleshwa tree charcoal is also available for purchase) while watching the sunset over the Mau Escarpment
✓ Convenience: Located just 5 minutes from the La Pieve Farm Shop, where campers can stock up on fresh veggies, strawberries, raspberries, and fresh dairy cream and butter directly from the farm
✓ Wildlife & Birding: Expect occasional visits from genet cats, warthogs, dik-diks, and vervet monkeys. Wake up to the calls of over 400 recorded bird species, including the Grey-crested helmet shrike, Northern Anteater chat, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, and the Augur Buzzard.

Dining & Culinary Experience

Ranch House Bistro

Situated right on the scenic shores of Lake Oloidien (just 5 minutes down the road from the campsite and bush homes), Ranch House Bistro is a quaint boutique restaurant offering home-style cooking in a relaxed, ranch-style setting.

✓ Sweet Treats: Don’t miss out on heavenly desserts, particularly the decadent farm-fresh strawberries served with rich Jersey cream straight from the local dairy
✓ The Menu: The bistro prides itself on using fresh, local ingredients, many sourced directly from their own La Pieve Farm. Enjoy popular clay oven pizzas, delicious burgers, and savoury pulled pork
✓ The Setting: Guests can choose to sit on the breezy veranda or relax on the manicured lawn. Enjoy an ice-cold drink while taking in great views of the lake shore and a nearby waterhole that is frequently visited by local wildlife and hippos

Mobile: + 254-721-242-711
WhatsApp: +254-721-242-711
Reservations: +254 718-179-967
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://africanspicesafaris.com