The Camp

At the foot of the Mathews Mountains.

Where less
is genuinely more.

Behind every stay at Kalepo is a dedicated team of 50, most of them Samburu, all of them exceptional. They know every path, every family, and every story this landscape holds. The camp is available exclusively, accommodating up to 18 guests across six spacious tents set along a dry river in the shade of ancient acacias, with the Mathews Mountains rising behind. No shared safaris, no strangers at dinner, no itinerary that isn’t entirely your own.

Rob and Storm Mason built Kalepo from a conviction that tourism done right can change lives, for guests and for the communities who make it possible. That belief shapes everything here, from the food on the table to the conversations you will carry home.

accommodation

Under canvas, under stars

Six en-suite tents are arranged along the dry river, each one spacious, solar-powered, and finished with the details that matter: extra-length beds, high quality linen, oversized pillows, and an overhead fan that earns its place on a still northern night. The bathrooms are open to the elements, fitted with double basins, a flushing toilet, and a hot outdoor shower. Showering under a sky this wide, among the birds and the early morning chorus of the bush, is one of those Kalepo moments that surprises guests every time.



All tents sleep couples or twins comfortably. The family unit, Tents 4 and 5, sits slightly apart and is designed for families travelling with children. Both tents connect easily and the camp welcomes children of all ages, with cots, high-chairs, and basic child-minding facilities available on request. The camp can accommodate up to 18 guests in total, with two additional guide tents for nannies, pilots, or private guides travelling with your group.

the camp

Beyond the tent.

Step outside and there is a plunge pool, a spa, a gym, and a boutique shop. Two waterholes draw wildlife to camp at all hours, one overlooked by the hide, one by the pool. Starlink keeps you connected in the communal areas. The tents are intentionally offline, which, once you are here, feels entirely right.

cuisine

Grown with care. Made with love.

Kalepo’s chef cooks with a genuine passion for food and an instinct for what people actually want after a long day in the bush. Much of what arrives on the table begins in the camp’s organic herb and vegetable garden, harvested that morning and supplemented by a sustainable tilapia fish farm on site. The result is food that is wholesome, fresh, and made with real care rather than formula.

Meals are served family-style, which suits the camp’s character well. Wood-fired pizzas one evening, authentic Swahili cuisine the next. The table might be set in the bush, beside the river, or under the stars depending on the night and the mood. Every dietary requirement is accommodated. The bar is well stocked with premium spirits and wines, and the setting does the rest.

experiences

Your guides into Samburuland.

Daniel and Mrefu, Kalepo’s Samburu guides, are the heart of your time here. Born and raised in this landscape, they bring it alive in ways no itinerary can anticipate, through language, relationship, and a deep understanding of a people and place that takes a lifetime to know. Every activity at Kalepo is guided by them, and nothing is contrived.
experiences

Cultural Activities.

A stay at Kalepo moves at your pace. Activities are guided and personal, not scheduled group departures.
Samburu Homestead Visits

Samburu Homestead Visits

Step inside a working manyatta. Honest, unhurried, and unlike anywhere else.

Warrior Games

Warrior Games

Test yourself against centuries of tradition alongside Samburu warriors.

Singing Wells

Singing Wells

A seasonal spectacle that has no parallel. One of those moments that stays with you.

Bush Walks & Treks

Bush Walks & Treks

Leave the vehicle behind. The landscape reveals itself differently on foot.

Samburu Blacksmiths

Samburu Blacksmiths

A living craft tradition, carried forward by hand and fire.

School & Clinic Visits

School & Clinic Visits

See the Kalepo Foundation's work in the community, up close and in person.

Women's Agricultural Project

Women's Agricultural Project

Meet the women quietly transforming livelihoods across the conservancy.

Mountain Bike Rides

Mountain Bike Rides

Explore the tracks around camp with the mountains as your backdrop.

Slow Safari

Slow Safari

Pool, spa, waterhole, hide. Some of the best time here is unscheduled.

Additional experiences

Go further.

Available on request and priced separately.

Kenya's Big North

Kenya's Big North

Kalepo is the perfect base from which to explore the remote reaches of northern Kenya. Lake Turkana, cycad forests, flamingo flats, the peaks of Mount Kenya. Places reachable only by air, and only worth reaching if you know where to look.

Photo credit: Tropic Air

The Travelling Telescope

The Travelling Telescope

In Samburuland, the night sky is extraordinary. The Travelling Telescope brings expert-guided stargazing to camp, and in a landscape where Orion's Belt has guided nomadic journeys for centuries, looking up takes on a meaning all of its own.

Reteti Elephant Sanctuary

Reteti Elephant Sanctuary

Africa's first community-owned elephant sanctuary, Reteti rescues and rehabilitates orphaned calves with the full involvement of the Samburu community. Kalepo is the natural base from which to visit, combinable with your flight into or out of camp.

Photo credit: Reteti Elephant Sanctuary

E-Bikes

E-Bikes

Explore the tracks and terrain around camp on electric bikes, covering more ground with less effort, and more silence than any engine allows.

Ready to plan
your stay?

Letticia, our reservations manager, looks after every booking personally. Reach out and she will help you find the right dates, answer every question, and make sure your stay at Kalepo is exactly what it should be.