Solio Lodge

Did you know that Solio Lodge is recognized as one of the most successful private rhino breeding reserves in Kenya?and is one of the 58 establishments that have been awarded Silver Certification by Ecotourism Kenya?Solio Lodge is our featured Eco-rated facility of the week!

Location
Solio Lodge is located within Solio Ranch - a privately owned wildlife conservancy situated in Nanyuki town, Laikipia County. The lodge lies 22 kilometres North of Nyeri Town precisely on GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) coordinates Latitude S 00⁰.15’4.512 and Longitude E 36⁰.52’43.776.

Facilities
The lodge was opened in August 2010. It has six (6) luxurious cottages each en suite with large glass pane windows for natural lighting and landscape views. Each room has a private lounge. The cottages are built of grass thatched roof supported by wooden structures. The facility has a bed capacity of 12 guests and employs 30 staff for its operations.
Solio Ranch: measures approximately 17,500 acres parcel of land, fenced and protected area geared towards rhino conservation. The Ranch plays a major role in the protection and breeding black rhinos in Kenya. Its conservation and breeding programme has been successful through providing stock for translocation to other sanctuaries, such as Nakuru, Tsavo and the Aberdares National Park. In 2004, six white rhino were relocated to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. In 2007 the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy undertook the largest ever rhino translocation in East Africa when they moved 34 black rhinos from Solio to Ol Pejeta on the Laikipa Plateau. The Ranch is also home to other wildlife, including the buffalo, zebra, giraffe and plains game such as eland, oryx, impala, waterbuck, Thompsons gazelle and warthog. It is a haven for birdlife including grey-crowned cranes.

            ECO-RATING CERTIFICATION SCHEME

Every tourist accommodation facility has a lifetime  goal and dream; to be recognized worldwide as the best. Certified as successful in terms of the criteria set out by Ecotourism Kenya (EK) in its Eco-Rating scheme, the gold rated facilities are  a clear proof that there can be harmonious and beneficial co-existence between tourism, local communities and the environment.

The Eco-rating certification Scheme is a sustainable tourism certification program that aims to promote responsible tourism in Kenya. Launched in 2002 by EK in cooperation with tourism stakeholders in Kenya, the program’s focus is to recognize best practices in environmental conservation, responsible resource use and socio-economic investment among tourism accommodation facilities by awarding qualified applicants assessed under the scheme with a Bronze, Silver or Gold eco-rating certification based on their performance.

Through the Eco-rating certification scheme, EK sets to promote the increased contribution of tourism to socio-economic development, contribution of tourism in conservation of natural resources and improving the facilities image thus attracting tourists from all over the world.

This EK’s program is designed for all tourist accommodation facilities such as: lodges, bush homes/home stays, bandas, hotels and campsites.

Benefits of Eco-rating Certification

 Publicity in the publications, website and events of Ecotourism Kenya and her partners

 Technical advice (feedback) from the evaluation process

 Potential for competitive advantage (from using the Eco-rating label)

 Improved efficiency of resources used and reduced negative environmental impact

 Motivation of staff and management through associated trainings offered to Eco-rated      facilities

A recognized means of identifying genuine responsible tourism products

 Environmental conservation and preservation of communities and culture

 Improved local community relations

 Higher company profile, respect and credibility

 Business sustainability (as more resources are used responsibly)

 Mechanism to support local environmental conservation values

 Pre-audit training for prospective Eco-rating certification applicants

Currently, there are 98ecorated facilities under the following levels:

GOLD     : 10 Facilities

SILVER  : 56 Facilities

BRONZE: 32 Facilities

LEVELS OF CERTIFICATION

Level 1.Bronze Eco-rating Certification

This is the entry level awarded to facilities that demonstrated awareness and commitment to environmental conservation, responsible resources use and socio-economic investment. The following facilities have been awarded the bronze certification.

1. Voyager Beach Resort

2. Sekenani Camp

3. Satao Elerai

4. Satao Safari Camp

5. Sarova Taita Hills

6. Sentrim Amboseli

7. Samburu Sopa Lodge

8. Samburu Game Lodge

9. Pinewood Beach Resort & Spa
10.Pelican Lodge

11.Ol Tukai Lodge

12.Ol Moran Tented Camp

13.Naibor Camp

14.Murera Springs Eco lodge

15Mara Siria Luxury Tented Camp

16.Loisaba Lodges

17.Larsens Camp

18.Lake Nakuru Lodge

19.Lake Naivasha Country Club

20.Koija Starbeds

21Kinondo Kwetu

22.Kilima Camp/Escapedes Limited

23.Kiboko Luxury Camp

24.Kichwa Tembo Camp

25.Keekorok Lodge

26.JK Camp

27.Hogmead

28EL Karama Eco lodge

29.Ekorian’s Mugie Camp

30.Distant Relative Eco lodge

31.Ashnil Aruba

32.Amboseli Sopa

Level 2.Silver Eco-rating Certification

This certification is an intermediary level that is awarded that demonstrates a move towards achieving excellence in environmental conservation,responsible resources use and socio-economic investment.Below are silver ecorated facilities.

1.Voyager Ziwani

2. Tortillis Camp

3. The Great Rift Valley Lodge

4. Tawi Lodge

5. Tassia Lodge

6. Subira House-Lamu

7. Sirikoi Lodge

8. Siana Springs

9. Severin Sea Lodge

10.Severin Kenya

11.Serena Mountain Lodge

12.Serena Beach Hotel and Spa

13.Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa

14.Saruni Samburu

15.Sarova Salt Lick

16.Sarova Mara Game Camp

17.Sarova Lion Hill

18.Saruni Camp

19.Samburu Intrepids

20.Rhino River

21.Rekero Camp

22.Porini Rhino Camp

23.Porini Lion Camp

24.Olarro Lodge

25.Ol Seki Hemingways Mara Camp

26.Naivasha Sopa Lodge

27.Mara Sopa Lodge

28.Mara Serena Safari Lodge

29.Mara Intrepids

30.Mara Explorer

31.Mara Bushtops

32.Medina Palms

33.Little Governors Camp

34.Lewa Safari Camp

35.Lake Elementaita Serena

36.Kitich Camp

37.Kicheche Valley Camp

38.Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge

39.Kipungani Explorer Camp

40.Kicheche Mara Camp

41.Kicheche Laikipia

42.Kicheche Bushcamp

43.Karen Blixen Camp

44.II Moran Camp

45. IIngwesi Lodge

46.Governors Camp

47.Forest Dream Resorty

48.Cottar’s 1920’s Safari Camp

49.Explorean Mara Rianta

50.Encounter Mara Camp

51.Elsa’s Kopje

52.Eagle View Mara Naibosho

53.Bateleur Camp

54.Banana House-Lamu

55.Baobab Beach Resort

56.Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge

Level 3.Gold Eco-rating Certification

This is the highest certification level and is awarded to facility that has achieved superior and replicable levels of excellence in responsible resource use ,environmental conservation and socio-economic investment. The following are the gold rated facilities.

1. Sweetwaters Tented Camp

2. Sasaab Samburu

3. Base Camp Masai Mara

4. Campi Ya  Kanzi

5. Elephant Pepper Camp

6. Joy’s Camp

7. Olonana Sanctuary

8. Porini Mara Camp

9. Turtle Bay-Watamu

10.Gamewatchers-Nairobi

That which we allow to exist,to flourish freely according to its own rhythms,is superior to anything our little hands create-William Powers

Kaya Kinondo:Your Next Tourist Destination

Located at the Kenyan South Coast,a few metres from Diani beach lies one of few makaya(sacred forest along the Kenyan coast,a senior most forest for the Digo community)

Kaya Kinondo which is well represented in biodiversity still bears the marks of prolonged human use and settlement in the distant past that lends credence to the rich folklore associated with the site.
The local community used the forest’s flora for a number of different purposes such as a source for medicine, cultural and spiritual uses, economic activities like making boats, clothing, carving etc. For example the bark of Antiaris toxicaria produced bright cloth for use by men while the bark of Lannea welwitschii produced brown cloth which was favored by women.The forest is maintained by the Kaya Kinondo ecotourism project.

This project carries environmental conservation efforts to preserve the forest by afforestation and raising awareness on the kaya's importance.The main aim of the project is to conserve the Kaya,cultural heritage and improve the livelihood of the Digo community.
The community uses a set of rules to safeguard the Kaya sanctity and to protect their culture.For instance,entry into the kaya is allowed only on certain days,according to a traditional calender.Visitors are not supposed to litter,smoke or take anything away from the kaya and also there are sections of the kaya that one is not allowed to venture into.

Visitors to Kaya Kinondo enjoy a guided walk into the forest which the community shares information on the Kaya and other aspects of the local culture.This is an essential part of the experience deepening one’s sense of the Kaya’s living history and Digo traditions.
In addition to that,the tourist get to watch numerous bird species and among the 192 trees species that exist in the forest

                                                       visitors are informed on the numerous tales and legends that lived in the forest.

Next time  you are at the Kenyan coast,Kaya kinondo should be a place to stop by.....

Conservation is a state of harmony between man and the land-ALDO LEOPOLD

We won't have a society if we destroy the environment.
Margaret Mead
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_environmental.html#6MG3tUrJkPotQF1j.99

We won't have a society if we destroy the environment.
Margaret Mead
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_environmental.html#6MG3tUrJkPotQF1j.99

Kenya: Keep Up Harsh Fines On Ivory Smugglers

On Tuesday Chinese national Tang Yang Jian was fined Sh20 million for ivory smuggling, or serve seven years in jail.
He was caught with a single tusk worth Sh65,000 at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, en route from Mozambique to China.
Historically smugglers have been given derisory fines in the Kenyan courts. The worst case scenario was to pay KSh.20,000 and walk free after spending a few nights in jail.
we hope with such measures the smuggling and poaching  cases will eventually stop.