How much would you be willing to spend at the hotel lodge which American business magnate, Bill Gates frequented?
For many, the amount would be insurmountable. Maybe even north of Ksh1 million – which would be pocket change for the tech mogul with a net worth of Ksh12.7 trillion, according to Forbes.
But residents fond of the luxury safari hotel, Shompole Lodge, often part with around Ksh76,800 to gaze at elephants and zebras while breezing in the infinity pool.
Set on the banks of the Ewaso Ngiro River, the lodge is a joint venture between the Maasai residents and African Conservation Centre (ACC).
The expansive area, consisting of 250,000 acres, grants the guests a chance to view the border in Tanzania’s Crater Highlands and the rich wildlife in Kenya. The Great Wildebeest Migration offers an incentive to tourists.
According to the official website, the lodge offers divergent cultures varying from Africa, India and Europe.
“Set in the heart of Southern Maasailand, Shompole is hot and dry but curiously filled with a wide diversity of birds, reptiles and large mammals. All of the ‘Big Five’ are found here, except rhinos. The Ewaso Ng’iro river brings water from the Mau highlands to feed the wildlife, people and their livestock who coexist together here.
“Located almost halfway between the famous Amboseli National Park and the Maasai Mara National Reserve the area plays an important role as a wildlife corridor between the two,” read part of the profile from the official website.
The ecosystem surrounding the lodge is owned and managed by the Maasai hence boasts of offering rich culture for both local and international tourists.
“Shompole ecosystem is unique because it is owned and managed by the Maasai. It is not a National Park, so we are unlikely to see other visitors and have the freedom to be outside the vehicles rather than in them,” the website adds.
Guests are encouraged to respect the ecosystem and its custodians, the Maasai.
History
The lavish lodge opened its doors to the public in 2,000 and has been at the hearts of local tourism in its first years of operation.
According to a report by Mongabay, the lodge grew and propelled to heights, hosting elite guests such as Gates, fashion designer Donna Karan, and Irish singer-songwriter, Paul Hewson alias Bono.
According to the report, the lodge’s construction cost a whopping Ksh146 million – which was partly using a grant from the European Union’s biodiversity conservation program and private investors.
However, disputes arose over the terms of the agreement with the community and ACC, which saw the lodge closed and reopened under a new investor.
Eight years later, on November 9, 2022, leaders from Shompole signed a 35-year lease agreement with a new ecotourism investor to aid the lodge in being etched among the world’s best safari lodges.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE
