Today we take you to discover a hotel really out of the ordinary, where you can experience unforgettable experiences in contact with the wonderful African fauna. It is the Segera Retreat (www.segera.com), a heavenly refuge in Kenyan land opened in 2013 and already considered one of the best hotels in the world.
Located in the heart of the Laikipia plateau (average altitude 1,700 – 1,800 m) that winds between Mount Kenya to the east and the Great Rift Valley to the west, the Segera is an eco resort surrounded by 50,000 acres of private land, within a wider protected area, lush and populated with animals thanks to the presence of numerous watercourses, including the Segera River (south), from which the structure.
The environment is characterized by a forest savanna that alternates with prairies and hosts an important migration corridor for elephants and many other mammals, as well as offering shelter to endangered animal species.
Segera integrates completely with the territory that hosts it: its eco-sustainable policies involve the recovery of rainwater and their use to water the gardens, the waste is composed and recycled where possible and the luxurious villas that make up the structure are energeticly autonomous thanks to the solar panels.
Mr. Jochen Zeitz is the owner of the resort and founder of the Zeitz Foundation for Intercultural Ecosphere® Safety, a non-profit organization whose goal is to maintain, improve and promote the integrity of the ecosystem through sustainability practices guided by the philosophy of the 4C, which combines conservation concepts, communities, culture and commerce.
A business idea that integrates with people and places in which it operates, in order to ensure that the resources used are enhanced and maintained for the future: every detail, at Segera, is managed in this way. At the centre of attention there is the conservation of the territory and local fauna (animal protection, reforestation, control of watercourses...), without which the resort itself would not make sense to exist.
Then comes the integration with the local communities Samburu, Turkana and Borana, dedicated to shepherding but very skilled also in the activities of handicrafts (moniles and tanning of the skins), generally made by the women of the local villages. So the culture, which leads to the permanence in the structure: pieces of contemporary African art that are part of the Zeitz Collection are located in the villas, in the common areas and in the gardens.
Finally, with regard to trade, the Foundation supports indigenous communities with incentives and projects that develop crafts, apiculture and sustainable agriculture, to give an impetus to the local economy in order to finance structures and services such as schools, water plants and electric lines. The 4C philosophy has also become a museum within the Segera Retreat, the Center for the 4Cs (C4C).
It is housed in 6 wooden villas and straw built on high-level altarpieces, from whose private terraces you can enjoy a splendid view, comfortably accommodated on sunbeds or immersed in the outdoor whirlpools. Alternatively, you can stay in the Segera House for four people, with a living room, a raised panoramic terrace, a private garden and a salty pool, or in the Villa Segera, dedicated to lovers. A romantic retreat consisting of two wooden buildings connected by a bridge, with veranda, lounge area, private garden and salt water pool.
During the stay you can make day and night safari aboard jeep 4×4, guided tours in nature, camel walks, visits to the botanical garden and the art gallery. Swimming pool, spa, gym and yoga center are available to guests, as well as the refined cuisine of the kitchen.
Every meal can be customized according to the taste and the demanding guests and it is possible to choose in which location you want it to be served: in private villas, on the poolside, on the terraces or in the wine tower, in every place you decide to consume it, taste and priceless view will be present. Raw materials are derived from the cultivations of the resort or those of nearby farms, thus supporting not only the freshness and genuineness of the products, but also the local economy.
