“Keep still,” my guide, Graham, whispers as the enormous tusker saunters into view.
We have been tracking elephants for the past hour, initially in a safari vehicle, scouring for footprints in the dusty tracks leading away from the watering hole at ol Donyo Lodge. Then on foot, following the sounds of this solitary male moving through the bush.
Settled in the shadows of a tree, we wait for him to fully reveal himself. Using an old sock filled with ash, which he shakes vigorously before ascertaining which direction the minuscule particles fly in, Graham has ensured that we are downwind from the five-tonne pachyderm. When he does emerge, the bull is barely 25 metres away – and he is magnificent.
He pauses, swinging his colossal head in our direction before continuing on his leisurely stroll. We stalk him through the undergrowth, moving among the shadows, relying on the fact that elephants have notoriously bad eyesight to maintain our cover.
There are many ways to experience the wilderness at ol Donyo Lodge. You can take in the sites of Kenya’s Chyulu Hills via gentle hikes, more intense tracking experiences and bike rides, or you can stick with your standard morning and evening game drives. Mine are elevated ad infinitum by the presence of my other guide Jackson, who is a well of invaluable insights, engaging anecdotes and philosophical musings.
He becomes a constant and reassuring presence, whether we are sitting quietly in the heart of the Savannah watching the sun set, or hurtling along dusty tracks in pursuit of elephants.
Animal-spotting opportunities arise even as I linger in the free-standing bathtub in my luxury suite, which looks out over a terrace, plunge pool and the wilds beyond. A trio of warthogs mistake the pool for a private, deluxe watering hole, offering a comic parallel to my own bathing.
But, by far, the most novel way to experience the surrounds of ol Donyo is on horseback. The property has its own stables, a sophisticated set-up that is home to 20 horses, including thoroughbreds, Friesian and Shire crosses, as well as Arabian mixes.
I’m put through my paces in an outdoor arena, and only once the in-house guides are convinced that I am a confident and capable enough rider do I get the go-ahead to embark on an ol Donyo horseback safari.
My trusty steed, named Duma, is a handsome, perfectly proportioned 15.2-hand Boerperd from South Africa. Duma is the Swahili word for cheetah, but the dark bay gelding displays none of the flightiness of his namesake, proving to be the most solid and gentle of companions.
We spend the following five hours traversing the Savannah – snaking through grassland, cantering along barely-there tracks and stopping to watch giraffe and zebra, which, seemingly at ease with fellow four-legged creatures, are utterly unbothered by our presence. We spot elephants in the distance, but give the enormous animals that this area is famed for a wide berth.
The highlight of our ride is a climb to the top of a low-lying, boulder-strewn mountain that affords breathtaking views of ol Donyo’s surrounds. Set on more than 111,000 hectares of private land in the heart of the Chyulu Hills, between the Tsavo and Amboseli National Parks, the landscape is honed from ancient lava rock that spewed out of Kilimanjaro about 360,000 years ago. On a clear day, you can see Africa’s tallest mountain in the distance.
The area is owned by a group of almost 4,000 Masai, and we pass lone tribesmen tending to their cattle, as well as groups of women going about their day in the heart of the wilderness.
This part of the country is lesser known and, by default, less visited compared to Kenya’s popular safari spots, serving as a reminder that there is more to this country than the Masai Mara. Operated by Great Plains, the lodge sits within the Greater Amboseli National Park, a diverse, wildlife-rich ecosystem that includes swampland, arid Savannah and lush forested hills.
We tackle ol Donyo Wuas, the mountain that gives the lodge its name, the following day. Translating as “spotted mountain”, this is a reference to the circular trees that dot its surface. It is a steep ride up to the top, with Duma picking his way around thorny bushes, spindly acacias and fallen trunks.
The fact that it is almost impossible to reach the pinnacle via any other means than horseback makes it all the more rewarding once we do get there, stopping for a drink and a snack while looking down over the valley, the clouds hanging low and the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro emerging from the mist to our right.
Africa has a habit of serving up magical moments, but they come in hard and heavy at ol Donyo. On-foot encounters with elephants are supplemented by prime animal viewing at the lodge’s bountiful watering hole. Meditative stints by the communal bonfire are followed by hearty three-course meals served with a side of Savannah views.
You can immerse yourself in the comfort and privacy of your artfully designed suite, or have genuine moments of connection with members of staff. Or you can head out on horseback and explore at will. This is luxury in its rawest, most unadulterated form.
A quote by famous American author Ernest Hemingway has been painted on to one of the walls in the restaurant at ol Donyo, and it perfectly captures my own feelings: “All I wanted to do was to get back to Africa. We had not left it, yet, but when I would wake in the night, I would lie, listening, homesick for it already.”
