Kenya’s Luxury Safari Sector Enters a New Era as Elewana Collection Unveils Exclusive Little Elephant Pepper Camp and Elevates the Iconic Lewa Safari Camp Under Strict Conservation-Driven Bed-Night Limits

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Elewana Collection, a member of Minor Hotels’ luxury portfolio, has unveiled the launch of its latest ultra-luxury safari property, Little Elephant Pepper Camp in the Mara North Conservancy, alongside the successful upgrade of the iconic Lewa Safari Camp within the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.

Both developments have been introduced under strict ecological bed-night limits, ensuring that the expansion of hospitality capacity does not place additional strain on the fragile surrounding ecosystems. The approach reflects a controlled tourism model designed to balance exclusivity with environmental responsibility.

New Little Elephant Pepper Camp

The newly opened Little Elephant Pepper Camp sets a new benchmark for high-end safari accommodation in the Mara North Conservancy. The property features only three expansive safari suites and a single two-bedroom family suite. Each unit is designed with private verandas and individual plunge pools, offering uninterrupted views and complete seclusion in the wilderness.

Positioned just over 500 metres from the established Elephant Pepper Camp, the new site is deeply integrated into its natural surroundings. It sits beneath dense African pepper trees, which inspire the camp’s name and provide natural shade and privacy.

Built with a minimal ecological footprint, the camp operates without fencing or permanent heavy structures, echoing the ethos of traditional mobile safaris while integrating modern luxury comforts expected by high-end global travellers.

Architect Jan Allan of byDesign has shaped the aesthetic identity of the camp, drawing on classic safari heritage. The design incorporates canvas-inspired textures, polished wood finishes, brass accents, and warm earthy tones. A dedicated wellness tent has also been included, allowing guests to recover and relax after full-day safari activities.

Guests are transported in newly introduced safari vehicles across the vast 72,000-acre Mara North Conservancy, an area known for free-roaming wildlife that also moves seamlessly into the adjacent Maasai Mara ecosystem. Walking safaris are also offered, providing a more immersive and grounded way to experience the landscape.

Due to its highly limited capacity, Little Elephant Pepper Camp is particularly suited for couples seeking privacy, multi-generational families, and small exclusive groups. The entire camp can also be booked on a full buyout basis, reinforcing its position as a highly personalised and boutique safari retreat.

The Lewa Safari Camp has officially reopened this month after undergoing a full-scale refurbishment, marking a significant upgrade while carefully maintaining its signature warm, rustic charm. The renovation has been designed to elevate the guest journey without losing the camp’s deep-rooted authenticity that has long defined its appeal in Kenya’s safari landscape.

At the heart of the transformation is a reimagined central Dining Tree deck, now offering a more immersive open-air dining experience under the canopy. The camp also introduces expanded shaded verandas, creating cooler and more comfortable relaxation spaces throughout the day. Guest accommodation has been upgraded with larger, more refined safari tents that blend comfort with an intimate wilderness feel.

New social and leisure facilities have also been added, including a dedicated bar stocked with premium selections and a redesigned lounge area built for relaxation after game drives. Wellness offerings have been strengthened through an enhanced spa space, allowing guests to unwind in a tranquil bush setting.

Located within the renowned Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, the camp sits inside a vast 65,000-acre protected ecosystem in northern Kenya. This conservation stronghold is internationally recognised for its successful protection of endangered species, particularly the black rhino and Grevy’s zebra, making it one of Africa’s most important wildlife sanctuaries.

Visitors benefit from a low-density safari environment, ensuring fewer vehicles and more exclusive wildlife encounters. The region is also a stronghold for the Big Five, offering high-quality game viewing across diverse landscapes of savannah, hills, and acacia woodlands.

With its refreshed design and continued conservation focus, Lewa Safari Camp reinforces its position as a leading destination for immersive, responsible safari experiences in East Africa.

Why Conservancies Play a Crucial Role in Wildlife Protection

The Mara North Conservancy and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy are essential pillars in the protection of fragile wildlife ecosystems and migration routes. These protected landscapes act as safe zones for endangered species, ensuring they can live, breed, and move without constant threat from habitat loss or human pressure.

A defining strength of these conservancies lies in their close collaboration with surrounding communities. By integrating conservation with everyday human development, they reduce long-standing tensions between people and wildlife. Support programmes focused on education, healthcare access, and local employment help ensure that conservation delivers real, measurable benefits to residents. This shared value system encourages communities to actively participate in protecting their natural environment rather than competing against it.

In today’s travel landscape, where concerns around overcrowding and environmental strain are increasing, conservancies provide a more controlled and sustainable alternative. Visitor numbers are carefully managed through capped accommodation capacity and strict vehicle limits at wildlife sightings. This prevents congestion around animals and reduces ecological disturbance, creating a quieter, more respectful safari experience.

Ultimately, this model promotes a balance between tourism and conservation, ensuring that wildlife can thrive while visitors still experience nature in its most authentic and undisturbed form.

Karim Wissanji, Group Chairman and CEO comments on the two new openings, “Both of these properties sit within key wildlife conservancies – Little Elephant Pepper Camp in the Mara North Conservancy, and the rebuilt Lewa Safari Camp within the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy – and that’s exactly what drew us to them. It speaks to something we care about deeply at Elewana: community impact, wildlife conservation, and tourism that’s built on real purpose. We’ve long admired the work of these conservancies, whose own commitment to protecting these landscapes has shown the world what’s possible. The conservancy model is now being looked to across the globe as a genuine way to safeguard wild places for the generations who’ll come after us, and we feel privileged to play our small part alongside the people making it happen.”