Reviews of Sarova Shaba Game Lodge 4 stars
Shaba National Reserve, 00200 Archers Post, Kenya

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Reviewed: 31 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewThe staff were lovely and the food was excellent. The chefs even cooked some Kenyan food we liked.
I found the hotel was a bit pricy.
Dear Guest, Thank you for sharing your experience! It's wonderful to hear that you enjoyed your stay and appreciated the lovely service from our staff, as well as the delightful Kenyan dishes prepared by our chefs. Your feedback regarding pricing is valuable to us, and we will certainly take it into consideration. We hope to welcome you back to Sarova Shaba Game Lodge in the future! Kind regards, Wilfred Ombok Lodge Manager
Dear Guest, Thank you for sharing your experience! It's wonderful to hear that you enjoyed your stay and appreciated the lovely service from our staff, as well as the delightful Kenyan dishes prepared by our chefs. Your feedback regardi… Show more
Reviewed: 9 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewThe buffet meals were of an acceptable standard.
There were no top sheets on the beds and it was very warm evening. It was not possible to open the windows due to masses of mosquitoes. Despite a fan on full all night , it was impossible to be comfortable and I was Karen alive by mosquitoes. Not fun in a malaria area
Dear Leila, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We're glad to hear you found the buffet meals acceptable. However, we sincerely apologize for the discomfort you experienced due to the lack of top sheets and the mosquito situation. Your concerns are important to us, and we appreciate you bringing them to our attention. We strive to provide a comfortable environment for all our guests. Kind regards, Wilfred Ombok Lodge Manager
Dear Leila, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We're glad to hear you found the buffet meals acceptable. However, we sincerely apologize for the discomfort you experienced due to the lack of top sheets and the mosquito situation. Your… Show more
Reviewed: 3 August 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewNice location - but inside a national reserve, so you have to pay that extra. Nice personell, great pool with cool water (may be cold for some but we enjoyed it)
Quite pricey, rooms a bit small
Dear Diana, Thank you for your lovely feedback! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed our location, the wonderful personnel, and the refreshing pool. We appreciate your thoughts on the room sizes and pricing as well, as it helps us to continually improve the experience we offer. Your insights are truly valued, and we hope to welcome you back to Sarova Shaba Game Lodge soon! Kind regards, Wilfred Ombok Lodge Manager
Dear Diana, Thank you for your lovely feedback! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed our location, the wonderful personnel, and the refreshing pool. We appreciate your thoughts on the room sizes and pricing as well, as it helps us to con… Show more
Reviewed: 3 July 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewShaba — An Epic Nature Escape! Shaba was absolutely epic! The natural beauty was breathtaking — the sound of water trickling through the surroundings was so calming and truly refreshing. They’ve really done a great job greening the place, which adds to its serene vibe. The fish foot massage was an unforgettable experience — I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though Jo couldn’t quite stand it (she still earned a gold star for trying!). The food was divine, and Chef Joseph was always there, making sure we were well taken care of. And I can’t forget to mention Nimo — she was simply amazing and took such good care of Jo.Thank you for honoring Jo's Elephant theme😊 We’ll surely be back and I highly recommend Shaba to anyone visiting Isiolo!
While this was not at the property it was the payment of park fees that was paid to a personal number that left so many question's as we have been used yo Citizen
Dear Elizabeth, Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience at Sarova Shaba Game Lodge! We're delighted to hear that you found the natural beauty serene and refreshing, and that our team, especially Chef Joseph and Nimo, made your stay memorable. We appreciate your feedback regarding the park fees and will certainly take this into consideration. We look forward to welcoming you back for another epic nature escape! Kind regards, Wilfred Ombok Lodge Manager
Dear Elizabeth, Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience at Sarova Shaba Game Lodge! We're delighted to hear that you found the natural beauty serene and refreshing, and that our team, especially Chef Joseph and Nimo, made your s… Show more
Reviewed: 25 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewFood, bed was comfortable
I paid 20000 for a game drive all other white guests got to get the new cruisers while I was given the oldest one with worn out seats and rusted roof. I was embarrassed.
Dear Esther, Thank you for sharing your experience. It's wonderful to hear you enjoyed the food and found the bed comfortable. However, I sincerely apologize for the disappointment you faced with the game drive vehicle. Your feedback is valuable, and we will ensure it is addressed to improve the experience for all our guests. Kind regards, Wilfred Ombok Lodge Manager
Dear Esther, Thank you for sharing your experience. It's wonderful to hear you enjoyed the food and found the bed comfortable. However, I sincerely apologize for the disappointment you faced with the game drive vehicle. Your feedback is… Show more
Reviewed: 20 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewStaff was very good
Dear Guest, Thank you for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled to hear that you had such a wonderful stay at Sarova Shaba Game Lodge. Your kind words mean a lot to us, and we look forward to welcoming you back for another exceptional experience! Best regards, Wilfred Ombok Lodge Manager
Dear Guest, Thank you for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled to hear that you had such a wonderful stay at Sarova Shaba Game Lodge. Your kind words mean a lot to us, and we look forward to welcoming you back for another exceptional ex… Show more
Reviewed: 12 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 22 April 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewStaff appear to be doing their best to be nice, except when asked difficult questions like 'Why is the lodge charging this amount of money?' and 'Well can I just walk 8km?'
USD 160 charged by this lodge for a 35 minute drive from the nearest airstrip, Samburu Kalama, which is 22 km away, and of which at least 13km is tarmac A2 highway road. I’m a resident, doesn’t matter. One way, as the lodge kept reminding me. You have to take their transport. There are no alternatives and they will do everything they can to stop you from walking. The lodge doesn’t answer email or Booking.com messages either - I sent several asking which airstrip to fly to, no answer so I opted for the nearest one. I’ve never been charged by a lodge for airstrip pickup before so I expected it would be complimentary or certainly very reasonable. By the time I found out they wanted to charge USD 160 I could not cancel my reservation. I made a cancellation request to discuss it anyway, it was ignored. I also never confirmed I wanted pickup. I arrived planning to find alternatives or hitchhike, but somehow the lodge vehicle was waiting for me. Even though I had told them via phone that very morning that I would call later to confirm if I needed pickup. They effectively forced me to take the trip so they could charge me USD 160. Bear in mind the cost of 3 hour game drives in a safari vehicle, per person, is USD 150. So why is the transfer MORE expensive for a journey 1/6 of the time and mostly tarmac road? As for the return journey... Can I take a game drive in the morning and be dropped off at the airstrip? No, they say. Can I just walk to the reserve gate (8km) and be picked up by a private driver? No, they say, walking along the dirt track is 'too dangerous'. Can I just get dropped off at the gate? That'll be at least USD 80 for that 8km, they say, after a LOT of arguing. I cannot ever recommend a lodge that will charge USD 320 for airstrip transfer. What kind of racket are they running here? The underhand pricing makes no sense. They are out to extort you for as much money as possible. Horrible feeling.
Dear Guest, Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We regret to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations, regarding the transport charges. We appreciate your feedback, and we apologize for any inconvenience caused. We offered the pick-up service following your request, and we apologize for any misunderstanding. Game drives and airport pick-ups are separate services with individual pricing. Additionally, walking in the game reserve is prohibited for safety reasons. We value your comments as we continuously improve our services and ensure a better experience for our guests. Kind regards, Wilfred Ombok Lodge Manager
Dear Guest, Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We regret to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations, regarding the transport charges. We appreciate your feedback, and we apologize for any inconvenience caused. We… Show more
Reviewed: 1 March 2025 · Stayed in February 2025
Verified reviewEverything was great.
What the advert and all the online briefing and information about the Lodge failed to say was that, in addition to the price of rooms, onw had to pay a significant Park Entry fee to reach the hotel. This added some 20% onto the price of the advertsied cost and is verging on misrepresentation. This needs to be rectified or might render the Hotel liable to legal action.
Dear David, Thank you for your feedback. We are glad to hear that you found everything great during your stay. However, we regret any confusion regarding the park entry fee. Although the conservation fee is mentioned on the booking site, we appreciate your feedback and will review areas for improvement. Do not hesitate to reach out to us directly for any further assistance. Kind regards, Wilfred O. Lodge Manager
Dear David, Thank you for your feedback. We are glad to hear that you found everything great during your stay. However, we regret any confusion regarding the park entry fee. Although the conservation fee is mentioned on the booking site, w… Show more
Reviewed: 29 December 2024 · Stayed in December 2024
Verified reviewReviewed: 16 December 2024 · Stayed in December 2024
Verified reviewReviewed: 29 October 2024 · Stayed in October 2024
Verified reviewReviewed: 4 July 2024 · Stayed in June 2024
Verified reviewThe staff are committed to ensuring you have a great stay - they, in my opinion, are the gems of this resort. Kudos 😊 Tranquil setting - was great to hear the birds & crickets chirping. Thank you for making the holiday memorable.
The sprinklers in the morning - sprayed water on the paths. A bit frustrating when travelling with luggage. A quick fix for future visitors.
Dear Regina, Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We're thrilled to hear that our staff made a positive impact on your stay—they truly are the heart of Sarova Shaba Game Lodge. It's great to know you enjoyed the tranquil setting and found it memorable. We appreciate your note about the sprinklers and will certainly look into addressing that for future guests. Your insights are valuable to us! Kind regards, Wilfred Ombok Lodge Manager
Dear Regina, Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We're thrilled to hear that our staff made a positive impact on your stay—they truly are the heart of Sarova Shaba Game Lodge. It's great to know you enjoyed the tranquil setting a… Show more
Reviewed: 1 July 2024 · Stayed in June 2024
Verified reviewReviewed: 11 June 2024 · Stayed in June 2024
Verified reviewReviewed: 18 May 2024 · Stayed in May 2024
Verified reviewHotel is in a tranquil location with a great pool- fantastic for relaxation. The evening buffet meal was excellent. Staff friendly and attentive.
The rooms could do with a little modernisation. Be prepared for about a 20 minute off road drive to the hotel from the main road - but it’s very scenic!
Reviewed: 13 September 2023 · Stayed in September 2023
Verified reviewReviewed: 8 September 2023 · Stayed in August 2023
Verified reviewThe client enjoy it very much
Reception manager was unfriendly to tour driver
Reviewed: 6 September 2023 · Stayed in September 2023
Verified reviewSuper friendly staff. Excellent food and service.
Nothing
Reviewed: 11 April 2023 · Stayed in April 2023
Verified reviewThe set up, the location as well as the friendly staff in the dining area, and entertainment area.
everything was great
Reviewed: 19 March 2023 · Stayed in February 2023
Verified reviewExcellent
Mosquito bites
Reviewed: 24 February 2023 · Stayed in February 2023
Verified reviewEverything was okay,apart from the mosquito bites that really frustrated my stay,kindly always advise customers in advance to take precaution, we also got a beautiful send off upon the check out time.
Mosquito bites 😫 .
Reviewed: 13 February 2023 · Stayed in February 2023
Verified reviewThe food was excellent. The buffet always had selections that we liked.
It can be a long walk to the main lodge.
Reviewed: 2 January 2023 · Stayed in January 2023
Verified review