Julia Pasarón starts her family adventure with Seas4Life among giraffes, orphaned elephants and the unexpected wilderness of Nairobi National Park.
Safari holidays can deepen environmental awareness, support wellbeing and provide essential funding for conservation. For this family sea-and-land adventure through Kenya, we travelled with Seas4Life, founded by acclaimed Kenyan marine biologist and conservationist Julie Church, who shaped the itinerary around our interests after one initial conversation.
Our adventure started in Nairobi, at Julie’s Ol Losowan House & Cottages, an eco-conscious boutique bed & breakfast tucked away in the lush, peaceful suburb of Karen. The name comes from the Samburu word for “place of the buffalo,” a nod to a wild encounter Julie survived many years ago. The property has a classic colonial-style charm, with open verandas and a peaceful, old-Kenya feel.
We stayed in the main house, the aesthetic heartbeat of OI Losowan. It features four double en-suite bedrooms, blending cosy safari elegance with a spacious open-plan kitchen and living area. Its high-ceilinged architecture utilises large windows and wide doors that open onto a panoramic balcony overlooking the private swimming pool. Designed with sustainable luxury in mind, the space incorporates natural wood finishes, hand-crafted furniture, and unique upcycled art pieces that seamlessly bring the surrounding indigenous forest inside.
From the heritage style of the Main House living spaces to the tranquil oasis of the outdoor swimming pool, Ol LOSOWAN brings
together eco-luxury comfort with the untamed beauty of Nairobi’s Karen forest.
Evening sundowners are frequently hosted by Julie herself, who treats guests to stories from her lifetime of African conservation work and offers insider recommendations for navigating Nairobi and planning safaris further afield.
Ol Losowan is exceptionally well positioned for wildlife lovers, within a short drive from the Nairobi Giraffe Centre, the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and Nairobi National Park, our safari “amuse-bouche”. Guided by Paul, from Quince Travel, we went into the world’s only game reserve located within a capital city. Here, You can readily see lions, leopards, buffalo and rhinos. The only major missing species here are elephants. You can also expect to encounter large numbers of zebra, wildebeest, eland and impala roaming freely, unbothered by aeroplanes and city noise. The park is also a magnet for birdwatchers as it is home to more than 400 species.
Next on our agenda was a visit to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, one of the most successful orphan elephant rescue and rehabilitation programmes in the world. I challenge you not to fall in love with this place. Although its core mission is to rescue elephants, you will also find other animals, such as rhino and zebra.
Left: An African cape buffalo grazes peacefully right outside Kenya’s bustling capital city.
Right: Eye-to-eye encounters with young giraffes at Nairobi’s famous Giraffe Centre
There is a particular story that will melt your heart, that of Notty the zebra and Tytan the black rhino. They were rescued within a week of each other, both after their mothers had fallen off a cliff and died. Because of their shared trauma and arrival times, the keepers describe them as “twins”. They have become dining partners and daytime nap companions. Seeing them together is simply too cute for words. Notty uses her natural instinct for social grooming on Tytan, nibbling and preening his tough skin as a sign of affection, making him an honorary member of her “herd”. Tytan shows his love for Notty through loyalty, calm companionship and as the keepers say, “a clear protective instinct”. That’s a zebra that won’t be bullied in High School!
Left: Exactly one week after Tytan’s arrival at the nursery, a very special friend entered his orbit — a little orphaned zebra called Notty.
The unlikely pair bonded instantly. Notty and Tytan do everything together.
Right: Daba is a cheeky little elephant. At night, when he hears milk being prepared outside, he stretches his trunk up to
his keeper’s bunk bed and snatches the blanket right off the sleeping man.
Adopt a Sheldrick orphan for as little as £35, HERE.
Competing hard for the “Cutest Juvenile of the Year Award” are the “mtotos” – babies or young ones in Swahili – at the Nairobi Giraffe Centre. These are the offspring of resident mums Stacey, Kelly and the famous matriarchs, Daisy IV and Salma II. Giraffe calves are born standing up after a 15-month gestation period and stand around six feet tall from day one. They spend their infancy closely following their mothers around the property and learning to accept hand-fed pellets from the centre’s raised observation platforms. Here they only have Rothschild giraffe because they are the only ones endangered. The aim is to breed them and to reintroduce into the wild to restore a healthy population in Kenya. We couldn’t help but joining the touristy ritual of feeding them special treats and giggling as their rough blue tongues brushed our palms.
Next morning, we flew to Tumaren Camp […]
This is part one of Into the Blue and Wild, I-M Magazine’s four-part journey through Kenya with Seas4Life. The adventure continues in Laikipia, with walking safaris, camels and the wild beauty of Tumaren Camp. From there, we move to the border with Tanzania, where we witness serious Big-Cat Drama at Seringet Mara Camp, and last, we go to Watamu, in the Indian Ocean, where we swim with turtles and dolphins.
Show Comments +