Not Your Average Tent: A Luxury Safari Stay in Kenya at the Surana Buffalo Springs

When I hear the word “tent,” I rarely think of rainfall showerheads, high-thread-count linens and a private plunge pool. But I found all of that and more at the Ashnil Surana Buffalo Springs “camp” in Kenya.

Highlights of Surana Buffalo Springs

• Luxurious “tents” that are really individual pueblo-style buildings
• Massage therapist named Molly Akinye
• Swimming pool overlooking the river where the elephants visit daily
• Three substantial meals per day included in the room rate
• Optional daily game drives to see the “Special 5” found only in the surround Buffalo Springs National Reserve — reticulated giraffes, Beisa oryx, Grevy’s zebras, Somali ostrich and gerenuk – along with lions, impalas and more.

What You Need to Know

• It will be hot and there is no air conditioning.
• Be prepared if you have mobility challenges – it’s a long walk over an uneven path to get to your room, then stairs up to the porch.
• The free wifi works pretty well in the reception area, but not so much in the rooms.

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Overall Impressions

As my friend, Christine, and I walked from our Capture Kenya Expeditions safari Land Cruiser into the open air reception area, we turned to one another and said, “This is so beautiful.”

And that was just our first look at the Surana Buffalo Springs and its natural surroundings. This serene, upscale resort overlooks the confluence of the Eweso and Isiolo rivers and has everything you would expect in a luxury resort – attentive service, lovely rooms, fine linens, exceptional spa services and gourmet dining. Then it adds a mesmerizing touch you’ll only find in Africa: Elephants lumbering up to the river twice a day for a drink of water and a bath.

Interestingly, the resort calls its accommodations “tents.” I would call them anything but. The individual pueblo-style buildings are plotted along the winding paths. They are nestled among the vegetation and set far enough apart to allow for skinny dipping in the private plunge pool while you listen to the elephants trumpet in the distance.

Who Should Stay at the Surana Buffalo Springs

• Women traveling solo – the attentive staff keeps a watchful eye
• Girlfriends – four of the 16 spacious tents have three twin beds and all can accommodate a rollaway
• Couples or honeymooners seeking privacy – it’s easy to feel like you are the only people there thanks to the wide-spread “tents” and surrounding vegetation

Accommodations

The thoughtful design of the individual “tents” is everywhere, but nowhere more apparent that the placement of each unit. They are located to ensure maximum privacy. From our porch, we could hear other people – as well as the elephants trumpeting in the distance – but we could not see them.

Our guestroom had plenty of space for three twin beds – and room to add a fourth if need be. A separate area that was nearly as large housed the toilet room, a sink with a long shelf that easily accommodated two women’s toiletries and – the star of this show – a large rainfall shower with a view.

Our only complaint – and it was a minor one – is the relative lack of lighting. The resort is proud of its solar-powered environmental program. But, while the African-styled light fixtures were beautiful, they were ineffective. So don’t bring a paper book unless you also bring a book light. Or stick with a backlit Kindle.

Each unit has its own private plunge pool – the one family unit that can sleep up to six has two. We were overheated by the time we got into our room, so we immediately stripped and headed for the plunge pool on the patio. It was so cold that I never got all the way into the water. Just soaking my feet and wrists was enough to do the trick. I was cooled down immediately.

Guestroom amenities

·         Private plunge pool

·         Premium toiletries – body wash, hand wash, shampoo and conditioner

·         A high-powered flashlight to light up the dim pathway from the room to the dining/reception area

·         Electric kettle, tea bags and instant coffee

·         Minifridge stocked with sodas, beer, wine and liquor for a charge

·         Safe

·         Ceiling fan over the beds

Dining

Three gourmet meals and two snacks each day are included in the room rate, although drinks, including bottled water, are an additional charge.

Overall, the food was good – not great — and the portions quite large. Both Christine and I were surprised to be offered hot soup on days when the temperatures easily hit triple digits. A cold gazpacho or fruit soup seemed like it would have been a better choice.

The best meals we had were the fish options flown in from the coast.

SheBuysTravel Tip: Skip the bread and butter. We generally found it to be a little dry and flavorless and the butter was often melted in the heat. Save those calories for the rest of the meal.

Breakfast

Two chefs offer cooked-to-order eggs. The buffet included a variety of breads and pastries, fried potatoes, mixed veggies and “porridge” along with a selection of fresh fruits and fruit juices. Breakfast is served daily from 6:30-9:30 to accommodate the early morning game drives.

Lunch

This was a heavy five-course meal – a starter, salad, soup, entrée and dessert. Each day brought one choice of starter, salad and soup – order it or don’t; 5 or 6 choices of entrees, ranging from pasta to beef to vegetarian options; and two choices of dessert – fresh fruit or something yummy and bad for you.

A typical menu offered a salad of tomato, eggplant, and feta cheese with yogurt dressing, a starter of spring roles with tomato chutney and cream of butternut soup. Main course choices were:

·         Penne pasta with chicken, mushroom and bacon in a creamy white sauce

·         Beef with chimichurri topped with a poached egg and serve with sweet potato fries and wilted spinach

·         Grilled tuna in basil and lemon topped with mango salsa served with carrots and shoe string fires

·         Spinach and feat lasagna served with garlic bread and a side salad

·         Matar paneer served with rice, chapatti and pickles

·         Grilled cauliflower steak with chimichurri served with Romesco sauce and black lentils

From this menu, the grilled tuna steak was particularly yummy.

Lunch is served from 12:30-2:30.

Dinner

Another heavy meal with five courses, served from 7:30-9:30 to give people time to return from their afternoon game drives. While some guests seemed to have showered and dressed for dinner, we opted to “come as you are” and wore our slightly dusty game drive clothes to dinner. No one seemed to mind.

Amenities

On the property is an infinity swimming pool (the water was almost as chilly as our plunge pool) with a front-row view of the elephants at the river. But the biggest resort amenity is the surrounding Buffalo Springs National Reserve.

Our safari included twice-daily game drives to see the graceful giraffes, majestic elephants, speedy impalas, unique oryx and more. If you aren’t on a safari tour, you can book a game drive through the resort.

The Spa

Calling this a spa might be a bit of a stretch, but it is a not-to-be-missed amenity. The location alone is worth it.

I booked a one-hour massage for the unheard-of resort price of just $45 USD. Molly Akinye, the remarkably talented massage therapist, was still working on a previous client so I decided to check out the “forest shower.” That’s the shower and toilet embedded into the side of the hill with a strategically placed tree offering a modicum of privacy. Aside from that one tree, I had an expansive view of the river while I showered. Then, because there is no waiting room, I closed the toilet seat and sat there wrapped in a towel watching the river while I waited my turn on the massage table.

The spa, which was really just Molly when we visited in late May 2025, offers foot reflexology and body treatments along with massage.

SheBuysTravel Tip: There are two massage tables, so a couple’s massage is possible. Book that in advance so Molly can call in a second therapist.

Safety Features

This resort is secluded, so I never felt any fear that a stranger might arrive and threaten us. We didn’t even bother locking our door when we headed out. And a member of the attentive staff was always ready to walk us back along the dimly-lit path after dinner.

The real thing to fear here is nature. The monkeys and baboons might be tempted to come if they smell food. The scorpions and snakes are huge and dangerous. The flies buzz everywhere. The mosquitoes carry disease. And the equatorial sun is intense.

So wear your sunscreen, use your bug spray and cover up as much as possible to protect yourself.

A Sister Resort

There are two Ashnil “tent camps” in Samburu. The other, Samburu Isiolo, is no more a tent than Surana. These guestrooms, however, look more like yurts – an octagonal structure that is stone on the back and canvas and screens on the front that faces the retaining wall built to hold back the river during flood season.

Unlike the Surana, which is hot and exposed to the blazing sun, Samburu Isiolo is hacked out of the forest along the river. So the trees provide constant shade and the river supplies a constant breeze. If you prefer a cooler stay, choose these Ashnil tents instead.

Getting There

We arrived as part of our Capture Kenya Expedition safari tour. But it’s possible to get there on your own. Take a 45-minute flight from Nairobi to Buffalo Springs, then drive 25 minutes to the camp. Or you can rent a car and drive the 310 km from Nairobi over a highway that is nearly new and in great shape for Africa where most of the roads we traveled were little more than a series of potholes strung together by strips on asphalt.

Read More

• Packing List for an African Safari in Kenya
• Tips for Making the Most of a Bucket List African Safari in Kenya
• The 5 ‘Fives’ of Africa – the Big, Ugly, Feathered, Special and Small Animals You’ll See in Kenya
• Capture Kenya: A Magical African Safari Filled with Wildlife Wonder that Also Uplifts Women and Girls