I first heard about the Giraffe Manor when I saw this epic Instagram post from The Blonde Abroad.

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At first I was angrily jealous because I thought that the photo was 100% photoshopped created out of the figment of a popular blogger's fantasy life.

Upon further research I learned that such a magical place did exist! The Giraffe Manor is home to a herd of the endangered Rothschild Giraffe. These giraffes love to join you for breakfast and dinner for the world's most amazing Instagram selfie. 

Africa is filled with a rich diversity of wildlife that are simmering with life but nowhere else will you get as up and personal with the giraffes than at The Giraffe Manor. The rustic rooms channel the romance of the movie "Out of Africa" and the 12 acres of private property within the 140 acres of untamed forest make you feel like you are really roughing it on the vast African Terrain. 

The Giraffe Manor was built in 1932 and was modeled after a Scottish hunting lodge. It became the home to two highly endangered Rothschild giraffe in 1974 and their offspring have thrived ever since.​

In fact, one of the rooms is named after "Out of Africa's" eponymous heroine played by Meryl Streep: Karen Blixen. 

You can book a hotel room for just one night or set up an entire safari experience. On the custom safari experiences you can also see lions, elephants, rhino, and buffalo. You can feed baby elephants or explore the mysterious Conga in search of the Virunga Gorillas. There is no shortage of life changing safari animal experiences at The Giraffe Manor.

Giraffe Manor Breakfast​

You can visit Giraffe Manor's Giraffe Centre to feed the Giraffe as a guest, but only hotel guests are allowed to eat with the giraffe at breakfast and dinner. Breakfast options include the giraffe breakfast tray featuring fruit and pastries, a tea set with sandwiches and sweets. blueberry muffins and don't forget the giraffe pellets! Free wifi is also included with your stay and only 25 guests are able to stay at the hotel at one time.

Giraffe Manor Availability

Click here to see whats currently available at the Giraffe Manor 

The Giraffe Manor is an ultra boutique hotel with just 10 rooms. Each room features it's own distinct ambiance and design. Most rooms are perfect for two and there are two suites. The Karen Blixen can accommodate a family with three children and opens directly into its own courtyard. The Finch Hatton Suite can also fit a family of five and will be my choice when I visit the hotel - its on my bucket list! The Finch Hatton suite picturesque two story loft.

The other properties included in the Safari Collection are:

Salas Camp​

This is a tented camp located in the wild and southern corner of Kenya's Maasai Mara game reserve. From the camp you can experience the famous annual wildebeest migration from June to September. If you love animals and enjoy birdwatching, this is a must visit for you!​

You get the glamping experience and are treated to the finest hospitality and dining. Wake up to an early morning of a traditional bush breakfast! At night, you can meet the other guests and trade stories around the blazing camp fire.

Seven luxury tents are available hosting up to ​16 total guests. All tents have their own bathrooms, hot shower, flushing toilets and running water. There's even a tent with a dipping pool. The tents are solar powered and you don't have to worry about power outages since there is a generator nearby.

Sasaab​

Sasaab features nine rooms which are each over 100m featuring open air bathrooms and private plunge pools. The views are amazing and you will be up close and personal to the 'Samburu Special Five': the oryx, reticulated giraffe, zebra, antelope and ostrich. Also in sight are elephants, leopards, lions and cheetahs.​ You can take a camel ride or get a world class spa treatment. You can also fly camp, which is a private, secluded night out of the main camping or accommodations area. 

Solio Lounge​

Located on a wildlife sanctuary, the Solio lounge is tucked into the mountains of Mount Kenya and the Aberdare. It is the only available guest accommodation on the 45,000 game reserve.​ The Solio reserve is world famous as the wildly successful rhino breeding reserve, you can see up to 40 at a time if you're lucky! Book this accommodation for an intense and super private and one-of-a-kind wildlife experience. 

The Solio includes five cottages featuring full views of the mountains and private decks for sunning. Dinner is served outside where there are plentiful wildlife in view featuring organic vegetables and spices from the vegetable garden on site.

Price

Rooms start at $550 a night per person​. During your stay all meals and most drinks are included, even alcohol! When sightseeing, complimentary chauffeured vehicles are available to all guests upon appointment.

Here is a list of all the current rates for all the properties in the Safari Collection, including the Giraffe Manor. There are some great deals available for up to 40% off and one offer even includes a free photoshoot with the giraffe with a professional photographer.

The Best Time to Go​

​The Giraffe manor is located in Nairobi and is 5,889 feed about sea level. The rainy seasons are from March-May and October to December. It is located close to the equator so weather conditions remain pretty stable all year long with warm days and cool nights. It gets the coldest in June, July and August. Global warming is in effect so temperatures are much more volatile than it has been in the past. The manor is closed for renovation every May.

How to Get to the Giraffe Manor

You can either fly in or drive in to the Giraffe Manor. It's located in East Africa and is a four hour drive from Nairobi on a safe road. If flying in there are daily flights available from Nairobi into the Nanyuki Airstrip.

Activities

All excursions are highly customizable but here are some packages that are featured. Here's an example:

A Week of Wild Adventure

This getaway includes 7 nights in Samburu to Nairobi. You'll fly to northern Kenyan and sleep in luxury tents. Endless daily outdoor activities are available such as checking out the rhinoceros, trekking, fly camping, horseback riding and more. You'll spend your last night in the Giraffe Manor and take part in game drives in the world-famous Maasai Mara

Some other featured excursions include: Migration Extravaganza, Beach and Bush and the Virunga Gorilla Exploration, Photographic Safari, Fossil Hunting, Helicopter Safari, and so much more.

Wedding​s

The Sasaab is ideal for intimate weddings of up to 24 guests.​ The Giraffe Manor is also available for weddings hosted in the garden or on the patio. To book a wedding, you would have to rent to venue for at least three days for set-up, the wedding and for break-down. The venue is available for a set rate per person but all catering, chairs, cutlery, etc will have to be rented from outside companies. Where else can you have a real-life giraffe as a guest at your wedding?!

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