THE ONE WHICH GOT AWAY IN 2015
(Posted 30th December 2015)
Those conversant with my writings will surely have heard of North Island, Seychelles’ most high profile and shrouded in secrecy resort, chosen by among many of the world’s glitterazi and influentials the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Clooneys for their honeymoon.
But no, it is not my failure to visit North Island during my periodic trips to the paradise archipelago of the Seychelles, it is the other property mentioned in one breath in the picture above.
I have for some time now given prominence to the Segera Conservancy, the Zeitz Foundation’s work in Kenya, Zeitz MOCAA, the Zeitz Collection and of course their 4C approach on how they do ‘business’.
Since 2014 do I have a pending invitation to come and see the Segera Retreat, one of Kenya’s finest of its kind and set on a 50.000 acres conservancy. Six private villas, only topped by the unadulterated luxury of the Segera House and the Villa Segera, provide a unique getaway from the hectic life for those chosen few, who can afford the reported 15.000 US Dollar price tag of North Island. Now for ten years in the hands of Jochen Zeitz, who purchased the land in 2005 and turned it immediately into a wildlife conservation area, has Segera embraced like few others the concept of Community, Conservation, Culture and Commerce, the already mentioned 4C approach the owners adopted as a credo for their way how to do business. In 2009 did Jochen then establish his Zeitz Foundation and in 2013 was the Segera Retreat opened, offering a new dimension in luxury, services, food but also by the resort’s art collection, art classes and options for spiritual renewal.
I know that some readers will now begin to doubt my sanity of how I can for the better part of a year and a half NOT go and take up such an invitation, but the deck of cards was sort of stacked against me until now. Either was the resort full when I had time, or closed for the rainy season like in November, or else I was unavailable due to other assignments, be it to the Seychelles or Zimbabwe and anywhere in between, or like in September when away for a family wedding.
In 2016 however there will be no such twists and turns in my road to Segera.
Ruth Mbogo, who is based in Nairobi at the Segera sales, marketing and reservations office, has been providing me with information and details, and reminders to visit from time to time. Only last week she sent a picture gallery which left even this hardened 5 star traveler in sheer awe. Exquisite furnishings go hand in hand with collectors’ items and art pieces, a reminder of my stay at the ‘Residence on the Rocks’. This fine retreat is located next to the Banyan Tree on Mahe and owned by Karl Ammann, who incidentally lives in Nanyuki, not too far from the Segera Conservancy. In fact, my coupling of the Segera Retreat and the Seychelles would be making use of this extraordinary property, where two very similar mindsets of owners combine, both being strong believers and supporters of conservation and culture.
(Some of the most striking images of the Segera Retreat, leaving no room for doubt that 2016 will finally be the year I visit this gem on the Laikipia plains)
My interest to finally tie up a visit to Segera was actually rekindled by Conde Nast’s selection of the Segera Retreat in their 2016 Gold List, which, while officially published only in January has nevertheless come to this correspondent’s attention and affirmed the quality of this property. Segera is one of only eight African properties and of a total of 142 extraordinary hotels, lodges and retreats selected from around the world, giving an insight where the rich and famous of today are going to spend their holidays at. It goes to show that Kenya, as a destination, has everything going for it, catering for the charter tourist market at the Kenyan coast with two week packages going for as low as a thousand dollars all inclusive to the 2.000 US Dollars per person per night safari retreats only chosen by those who do not need to ask for the cost as they put the charge on their Platinum or Black credit cards.
I have no doubt that my feature on Segera will be one of the most read in 2016 and while I am not letting on my visiting dates in advance there will be a news flash across my social media platforms as and when the visit has taken place.
Let it be another year of enjoyable travel with no luggage lost, no missed flight connections, few if any delays, seat neighbours who do not think of me as a priest to confess their life-story to, working high speed internet along the way, Jacuzzi’s in the bathroom or on the outer deck, 5 star luxury accommodation and culinary delights galore and last but not least, giving my palate pleasure instead of testing how ironclad my stomach is. And when on the road or traversing the wilderness anywhere between the Sudans and Zimbabwe, always one puncture less than the number of spare tires carried.
For now however it is Happy New Year 2016 from me to all my readers, those who follow my exploits via eTN and those who prefer to read the full nine yards on ATC News East Africa.
WWW.SEGERA.COM | WWW.WILDERNESS-COLLECTION.COM | WWW.THELONGRUN.COM | WWW.ZEITZFOUNDATION.ORG
