andBeyond has extended its lodge circuit in Kenya with the announcement of an Exclusive Tourism Concession over the Suyian Conservancy in Kenya in collaboration with global conservation charity Space for Giants. The multi-decade lease and partnership gives andBeyond access to over 44,000 acres of wilderness on Suyian Conservancy in northwestern Laikipia. As the sole luxury lodge and tented camp operator on the conservancy, the lease enables andBeyond to build and develop a lodge, tented camp, sky beds and mobile camping experience. andBeyond Suyian Lodge will have just 14 suites, including a family suite. The lodge is set to open in July 2025.
Suyian’s landscapes include grassland, savanna, rocky outcrops (or kopjes), dense vechellia woodland and more than 10 miles of river frontage alongside the Ewaso Narok River. A thriving wildlife population includes rarities such as the melanistic (black) leopard and African wild dog, as well as northern Kenyan species including Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, desert warthog and more. Elephant and buffalo are present in healthy numbers, as are lion, leopard and cheetah, in addition to both striped and spotted hyena. General game includes dik dik, giraffe, Laikipia hartebeest, Beisa oryx and lesser kudu.
Suyian is an ideal destination for walking safaris, botany walks, camel safaris and horse-riding safaris on a neighboring conservancy. Guests will also be able to interact with local pastoral tribes such as the Samburu and Pokot, as well as participate in conservation and research activities.
Easily accessed by air or road from Nairobi, Suyian is also a gateway to more remote adventures, such as helicopter safaris and visits to the Northern Frontier region of Kenya, including Samburu, the Matthews Range and the Endoto Range, Lake Turkana and the Suguta Valley. The conservancy offers views of Mount Kenya and can also be used as a base for scenic flights or even fishing trips to the mountain.
Transformed from cattle ranching to land managed for conservation with a limited number of cattle, Suyian combines rapidly evolving conservation practices with the opportunity for community development. The conservancy utilizes a model of limited cattle ranching that uses rotational grazing to improve soil health and biodiversity. In combination with wildlife conservation and tourism, this not only contributes towards the economic development of neighboring communities but also ensures a more diversified income stream.
The brand’s ethos of “Care of the Land, Wildlife and People” is aligned with the existing aims of Suyian Conservancy, which include land stewardship, wildlife protection and security, as well as community support for schools, health programs and education. Being contiguous with other nature conservancies such as Loisaba and Sosian provides the opportunity to work on shared conservation projects in the future. Suyian also shares borders with the research conservancy of Mpala, which is run by Princeton University and offers the option for andBeyond guests to learn about and become involved in a range of conservation topics.
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