Shompole Wilderness Lodge In Kenya: My Complete Review

I stayed at Shompole Wilderness Lodge as a guest of Walking Wild Adventures who run small group safari and hiking trips in Kenya and Namibia. 

I was not required to write this blog post – I’m doing it because I want to share this brilliant lodge with you. This is my honestly held opinion; I do not accept freebies or hosting in exchange for positive reviews. This post may contain affiliate links. 

I’ve been lucky to stay in some seriously wonderful safari lodges during my various visits to Africa. 

Some have been top-tier luxury, some have served up incredible food and activities, others have excelled for their service or their inspirational conservation efforts. 

But one that really stands out for wildlife photography is Shompole Wilderness in Kenya. 

Why you can trust this Shompole Wilderness Lodge review

It’s a funny old internet out there. With AI images and Chat GPT, it’s hard to know if you can even trust your own eyes.

So many travel blogs are scraped from other sources or cobbled together by people who have never even visited the country they’re telling you about. 

Well not this one. 

I spent two nights at Shompole Wilderness Lodge including one full night in the Shompole Hide. 

This post (and every other one on this site) was written by me, about places that I have personally visited. I also took almost every photo.  

If you don’t believe me, here’s a photo of me (one of the few I didn’t take myself) in the hide looking a bit tired and sweaty. Of course I could have created this with AI, but if I was going to do that, I’d have made myself look a bit fresher!

Anyway, back to the review. 

Read more: Using The Canon R5 For Wildlife Photography: A Full Review

Introducing Shompole Lodge in Kenya

Shompole Wilderness is a boutique safari lodge in the Shompole Conservancy in southern Kenya. 

The Lodge was built, and is owned and run by Kenyan couple Johann and Samantha du Toit, giving the place a welcoming, family-home feel.  

It sits on the bank of the Ewaso Ng’iro river and all the rooms and the main lounge and bar area have river views, making it a wonderfully peaceful and relaxing place to spend a few days.

Read more: A Kenya Safari Holiday: How To Plan The Perfect Trip For You

The Shompole Conservancy

The Shompole Conservancy sits in the far south of Kenya, east of the Maasai Mara and northwest of Tsavo National Park, close to the Loita Hills. 

It’s one of Kenya’s lesser-known conservancies – a community-owned sanctuary offering a blend of open savannahs, wetlands, and volcanic plains, all rich with wildlife such as lions, elephants and giraffes. There are also the alkaline lakes Magadi and Natron, packed with flamingos and pelicans. 

Managed by the local Maasai, Shompole is a pristine, unspoiled bit of Kenya where life carries on much as it has done for hundreds of years.

A visit here is not just about wildlife but also about supporting sustainable livelihoods for the people who have lived here for generations. 

Read more: Hiking Kenya’s Beautiful Loita Hills On A Walking Safari

Accommodation at Shompole Wilderness Camp

The six rooms at Shompole Wilderness Lodge are luxury safari tents – which if you’ve never stayed in one before are basically like beautiful hotel rooms but with canvas walls and zip-front doors.

Each one is built among the trees on its own private deck with river views. Depending on which one you get, some are raised higher off the ground giving them a charming treehouse feel. 

Inside you get comfortable double or twin beds, a desk, a fan, charging station, and an ensuite bathroom with toilet, twin basins and an excellent mains-fed hot shower. 

There’s also a central bar, reception and dining area surrounded by gardens where you’ll often see birdlife, baboons, or maybe even a monitor lizard. Here you can relax with a drink and a book, come and grab a cup of tea, or sit and watch the river go by. 

Read more: First Time Safari Facts: 18 Surprise Things To Know Before You Go

The Shompole Photography Hide

The main attraction at Shompole Wilderness is the legendary photography hide. 

It was set up by Johann, a keen wildlife photographer, in consultation with and supported by top wildlife photographer Will Burrard-Lucas.

The whole thing has been carefully designed for wildlife photography and it offers unparalleled opportunities both day and night. 

Here’s why it’s so amazing:

• It’s located about a 15-minute drive away from the lodge in the middle of nowhere, far from people or traffic that could spook animals. 
• It has its own waterhole, and it isn’t near any other water sources, so all the nearby animals come to drink here. 
• It’s half underground, so your camera will be right on the water’s edge, at eye level with any animals that come to drink. 
• A solar panel on the roof provides the power.
• It has a brilliant lighting setup with front, side and even backlights, allowing you to continue shooting all through the night, and offering numerous options for creative wildlife photography. 

Read more: Wildlife Hide Photography Tips For Safari Photos Like A Pro

Facilities at the Shompole Hide

Inside the hide, the Shomple team has provided every comfort and facility you could need, including:

• Three bunk beds so you can sleep when nothing is happening. 
• Starlink Wi-Fi so you can upload your images to the Cloud or immediately post your images to social media.
• Power sockets and a charging station for your batteries. 
• Bean bags and gimbal mounts to stabilise your heavy camera and lens. 
• A live video feed is streamed into the sleeping area, so you can keep an eye out for any new arrivals while resting on your bunk. 
• A toilet
• A cool box full of drinks and snacks – and if you stay the night, a hot dinner is provided. 
• If you stay the night, a guide will also stay with you to help you with anything you need, and to stay up and watch for animals if you want to grab a quick nap. 

Read more: 41 Safari Photography Tips For Stunning Wildlife Photos

Staying the night in the Shompole Photo Hide

I spent one night in the hide, and it was one of the best things I’ve ever done on safari. 

You may have been on many game drives, but being able to stay up all night and witness the secret nighttime life of the bush is on another level. 

As darkness falls, the view transforms. The silence is punctuated by the rumble of elephants, the haunting whoop of hyenas, and the swishing of bats as they skim in circles over the water, catching the insects that are attracted to the lights. 

For photographers, it’s an experience like no other. Backlighting turns animals into dramatic silhouettes, while the side and front lights make it possible to capture nocturnal creatues in perfect detail.

Even if you’re not a photographer, the experience of being eye-level and just metres away from Africa’s greatest creatures is something you’d never be able to get on a game drive.

Read more: 19 Easy Wildlife Photography Tips For Beginners

Other activities at Shompole Wilderness Kenya

Shompole Lodge bird hide

While the main hide focuses on large mammals, Shompole also caters to bird enthusiasts with a small bird hide located a short walk beyond the swimming pool.

Sunken into the earth next to a small waterhole, the bird hide is a simple spot with space for just three people, perfect for enjoying the quieter side of wildlife photography. 

The hide is stripped back – just a few chairs and the gentle chatter of the birds. 

From sociable weavers flitting in clusters to sparrow-like waxbills hopping along the edges, the waterhole attracts a steady stream of small, fluttering visitors. 

Away from the drama of the main hide or the bumpy game drives, it’s a chill place to focus on the smaller wonders of nature.

Read more: Top 50 African Birds: A Safari Photo Guide

Game drives and night drives

Shompole Conservancy doesn’t have the huge herds you may see in other parts of Kenya, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth going on a game drive. 

Elephants, lions, giraffes, warthogs, baboons, elands, zebras, impala and more all live in the area, alongside many species of birds. 

Unlike more crowded parks, Shompole’s relative remoteness means fewer vehicles, giving you the luxury of calm, private wildlife encounters. 

Read more: 46 Amazing African Safari Animals – A Photo Guide

River tubing at Shompole Kenya

Something you can do at Shompole Wilderness that  you can’t do in many other parts of Kenya is go swimming or river tubing in the Ewaso Ng’iro River which runs past the lodge. 

There are no crocodiles or hippos here, so it’s safe and very refreshing to jump in for a dip. 

A guide will drive you a short distance upriver, from where, armed with a sturdy inflatable tube, you’ll float gently back to the lodge, past villagers bringing their cows to drink or wildlife along the water’s edge. 

Read more: Kenya Vs Tanzania: Travel Experts Decide

Maasai village visit

One of my favourite activities at Shompole Wilderness (apart from the hide!) was our visit to a nearby Maasai boma – a communal smallholding that includes a few homes and a corral for the livestock.

The Maasai people are integral to the Shompole Conservancy, and spending time with them offers insight into a way of life that has endured for centuries.

Arriving about an hour before sunset, you’ll be dropped off a short walk from the boma, to meet herders bringing their cows and goats back to the boma. 

As the animals kick up clouds of orange dust in the golden light, the scene becomes almost cinematic and a photographer’s dream. You’ll walk with them, taking photos if you want to, back to the boma, where the livestock are corralled for the night.

Once the animals are all safely tucked away, you might be invited to look inside the modest homes, built from mud and sticks, to see how life is lived. 

We met the family and saw the women sterilising calabash gourds with glowing embers to keep the milk fresh. 

Read more: What Happens On An African Photo Safari: Are They Any Good?

Food at Shompole Eco Lodge

Meals at Shompole Wilderness are as much a part of the experience as the wildlife. 

Breakfasts will either be served out in the bush during game drives – think fresh fruit, yoghurt, eggs, and hot tea or coffee. If you’re not doing a game drive there’ll be a magnificent breakfast buffet spread with eggs cooked to order – one of the best breakfasts I had during my entire Kenya trip.

Lunches are plentiful and healthy, with colourful salads and grilled meats.

If you’re lucky, you might get to enjoy a braai (barbecue) for dinner by the pool, with perfectly-pink barbecued steak or vegetarian skewers and loads of salads. 

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Where to next?

If you enjoyed this Shompole Wilderness review, why not try some of my other Kenya and safari posts?

• Is Cardamom House In Vipingo The Best Beach Hotel In Kenya?
• Kenya Vs Tanzania: Travel Experts Decide
• Olderkesi In Kenya: The Maasai Mara’s Newest Conservancy
• Ol Doinyo Lengai Tanzania – Climb the Terrifying Mountain of God
• Which Is The Best Botswana Safari Lodge? My Favourites With Photos
• 10 Unmissable Wildlife Adventures In Africa – By Travel Experts

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