JW Marriott Mount Kenya Rhino Reserve Safari Camp: Now Open in Solio

JW Marriott Mount Kenya Rhino Reserve Safari Camp is a nineteen tent luxury camp in Kenya's Solio Game Reserve. It opened on 1 July 2026, and it is one of the most exciting safari debuts of the year.

Set on one of Kenya's oldest private rhino sanctuaries, between Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Range, it pairs polished JW Marriott comfort with some of the finest rhino viewing in Africa. Here is what to expect, and how we build it into a Kenya safari.

A new luxury safari camp in Solio

The camp sits inside the Solio Game Reserve in Laikipia, cradled between the snows of Mount Kenya and the ridges of the Aberdares. It arrives under the JW Marriott name, following the success of the JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge, so the brand steps into rhino country with real safari pedigree.

With only nineteen tents, it stays small and private. Low guest numbers mean quiet sightings and room to breathe.

One of Kenya's great rhino sanctuaries

Solio is the heart of the story. This private conservancy is known across Africa for its rhino breeding, and few places offer such reliable sightings of both white and the endangered black rhino.

Alongside the rhinos roam lion, leopard, cheetah, giraffe, plains game and a wealth of birds, all within a calm, low traffic reserve.

Few places on earth let you wake among rhinos the way Solio does.

The tents, and life at camp

The nineteen tents fold into the landscape, each with generous indoor and outdoor living, mountain views, and a private plunge pool for a quiet dip after a drive. One two bedroom suite suits families or friends travelling together.

Between drives there is a Spa by JW, a pool and a gym, a botanical garden that feeds the kitchen and the spa, and dining that ranges from the restaurant to the garden and out into the bush. A library, a games room and a quiet Map Room fill the slower hours.

Much of the build, the furniture and the art comes from Kenyan makers, and the team is largely Kenyan too, so your stay supports local craft and jobs.

What is included

Stays are fully inclusive, and generously so. Every rate covers:

• Accommodation and full board meals, with select drinks, alcoholic and non alcoholic.
• Return airstrip transfers from Nanyuki or Solio, by private charter.
• Two shared game drives each day within Solio Game Reserve, with refreshments.
• One shared night game drive during your stay, 8pm to 11pm.
• A bush meal, breakfast or a picnic lunch, once during your stay, weather permitting.
• Breakfast or lunch at the JW Garden, once during your stay, weather permitting.
• Sundowners once during your stay, weather permitting.
• Bicycle safaris and guided nature walks within Solio Ranch.
• A ranching experience in the local area.
• A transfer to Aberdare National Park, park fees not included.
• A visit to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, park fees not included.
• Wellness, meditation and yoga in the bush.
• Use of the gym, pool, Map Room and library.
• Laundry, five items per person each day.
• A community visit to a local school and the Solio Women's Empowerment Project.
• All statutory taxes.

The rates

Rates start from USD 1,499 per person sharing per night in green season, and USD 2,600 in high season, all inclusive.

For that you get the tent, all meals and select drinks, private charter airstrip transfers, and a full programme of guiding, so there is little left to add once you arrive.

The smart way to enjoy Solio is as part of a wider journey. Two or three nights here pair beautifully with the Mara or Amboseli, and we arrange the flights and the flow.

Beyond the reserve

Solio is a fine base for more than game drives. Your stay can include a day in Aberdare National Park, and a visit to the famous Ol Pejeta Conservancy, home to the last northern white rhinos and a chimpanzee sanctuary. Park fees are payable on top.

Closer to camp there is gentle magic too, bicycle safaris and nature walks across Solio Ranch, a hands on ranching experience, and wellness, meditation and yoga out in the bush.

You can also meet the community that makes this place, with a visit to a local school and to the Solio Women's Empowerment Project.

When to go, and how to reach it

Solio rewards a visit all year. The dry months, June to October and again in January and February, bring the easiest game viewing and the clearest mountain views.

Getting there is simple. Rates include return airstrip transfers by private charter from Nanyuki or Solio, so you can fly in and step straight into the wild.

Who it suits best

• Couples who want privacy, plunge pools and rhinos at dawn.
• Families and small groups, thanks to the two bedroom suite.
• Conservation minded travellers drawn to a working rhino sanctuary.
• Anyone pairing the Mara or Amboseli with somewhere quieter and higher.
• Wellness lovers, with yoga, spa and meditation in the bush.

If Amboseli is also on your mind, read our guide to the new Kitirua Plains Lodge. Or browse our luxury safari tours for journeys you can book with ease.

Add it to your Kenya safari

Below are the journeys we would build around Solio, each a private, tailormade safari that can include nights at the JW Marriott Mount Kenya Rhino Reserve Safari Camp.