Q: You must be delighted that Kitirua Plains Lodge has now officially opened. Why was this particular site chosen for the new property?
A: Our new site is located 30 mins from the Amboseli airstrip and located on a private concession, itself within the private Kitirua conservancy. We’re just minutes from the Kitirua gate into the National Park.
Our guests get the best of both worlds: the majesty of the iconic national park coupled with the intimacy of a private conservancy experience.
The camp itself features views of stunning Kilimanjaro from all 11 suites and our main areas are positioned around a wetland, bringing wildlife to our doorstep.
Q: What challenges were faced in designing Kitirua to blend in with the local environment?
A: It was of central importance to us that the architecture be shaped by the land rather than imposed upon it. Low, curving forms follow the lie of the hills; tones borrow from the soil itself.
Guided by the Maasai code of living as good neighbours to the earth and brought to life by local craftspeople, the lodge feels like it has always belonged there, nestled in the Amboseli landscape.
Translating Masai architecture respectfully and to a lodge environment requires painstaking observation, research and local partnership, a challenge our architects faithfully undertook.
When we struggled to blend our exterior walls with the environment, we ultimately used the earth itself to mix with the plaster to create the perfect earth-inspired tone, simultaneously reducing the need for outside materials.
We were delighted to receive the ultimate stamp of approval when the mother of our lodge manager, Jackson, told us she agreed the lodge resembled a Masai Manyatta.
Jackson is our lodge General Manager. He previously led the team at Tambarare and is Masai himself (as is his Mom!).
Q: There’s plenty of safari hospitality options on the market. What makes KPL stand out?
A: Kitirua Plains Lodge is a reflection of its environment, architecturally striking and woven into and of its natural surroundings. We offer an elegant, understated luxury in an unbeatable location.
And best of all, we are fortunate to have formed a new, all-star team led and anchored by seasoned staff members (we had more than 2,000 applicants for in-lodge posts!), who share and bring to life our Sanctuary hospitality. It’s a very special group!
Q: Tell us a little about the sustainability initiatives implemented at the property.
A: Sustainability is woven into the fabric of the property rather than appended to it.
The lodge runs on solar power, with backup generator and inverter systems supporting the off-grid operation. The exterior plaster blends soil quarried directly from the site, reducing the need to import materials.
The structure has been designed to sit within an existing patch of wetland rather than displace it and the wider concession has been managed in close partnership with the surrounding Maasai community whose ancestral knowledge has shaped the landscape for generations.
Menus draw on Kenyan smallholder produce and the spa partnership with Healing Earth was chosen for its commitment to ethically sourced botanicals and people, animal and earth-friendly production. Each of these decisions reflects the direction A&K Sanctuary is taking with the portfolio.
Local sourcing was paramount: in the lounge, 90% of the furniture is made in Kenya using materials including mango wood and African teak.
Q: How important is the Australian market to Abercrombie & Kent?
A: Australia is of key importance to Abercrombie and Kent and to A&K Sanctuary. Australia is a market we continue to explore and invest in.
Q: Why do you think the luxury sector of the travel market seems to be so strong at the moment?
A: At Abercrombie & Kent, we’re seeing this strength play out clearly. There’s a tangible shift towards experiences over possessions, with our guests prioritising highly personalised, memory-rich journeys.
At the same time, the resilience of the luxury traveller, less driven by price and more by quality, exclusivity and meaning, continues to underpin strong demand for the kind of bespoke, high-touch experiences A&K is known for.
Q: Finally, what are your long term hopes for Kitirua Plains Lodge?
A: In the longer term its essential that we continue to build and develop our relationships with the local community, affirming our commitment to the Masai principle of coexistence and to improve the lives and livelihoods of those who call the places we visit and operate in home.
Construction is underway on the Kitirua Nalepu Pre-School, a community education project designed in partnership with Luxury Frontiers, the same architects behind the lodge.
The first phase, due to complete in August, will deliver two classrooms with an office, a kitchen and dining area, and an ablution block, replacing the community’s existing wooden structure.
The school has been designed with sustainability at its core, incorporating natural ventilation, pitched and insulated roofing for rainwater harvesting, generous overhangs for shade and locally sourced and quarried materials throughout.
A fuel-efficient Jiko community cooker will serve the kitchen and a school lunch programme will follow on completion.
The project builds on A&K Philanthropy’s wider work in the region, including the Safe Water for Schools Programme, through which 87 LifeStraw filters have been distributed to 20 schools, providing more than 10,000 students with access to clean drinking water during the school day, alongside 15 filters delivered to 12 health facilities bordering Amboseli.
