Kitirua Plains Lodge: A Tale of Texture and Connection to the Land
A&K Sanctuary’s new Kenyan property showcases sustainable architecture, local artisans and a deep respect for nature
Kenya’s Amboseli National Park may be home to over 400 bird species and 55+ species of animals, but it’s also a land of unique textures and colors. A drive through the 392-square-kilometer park reveals a tactile landscape of salt flats, red clay, dried savannah grasses, verdant sage, rigid sedge stalks and spiky, yellow-barked acacia. The earthy color palette, golden light and range of textures define the area and they’re also key to the design of the nearby Kitirua Plains Lodge, an A&K Sanctuary.
A&K Sanctuary, a hospitality collection from global travel company Abercrombie & Kent, now has 13 luxury safari lodges, a fleet of six riverboats and come 2027, a high-end Airstream camp. Kitirua Plains Lodge is its newest Kenyan property, residing on a special site within a 128-acre private conservancy bordering Amboseli and Mount Kilimanjaro (or “Kili,” as the locals call it).
While some lodges might follow the traditional canvas tent aesthetic that comes to mind when one thinks of “safari,” Kitirua Plains chose a different visual direction. Luxury Frontiers, a South Africa-based firm that led all facets of the property’s architecture, design and construction, pulled inspiration from both the environment’s natural textures and the nearby Maasai community, whose ethos focuses on living in harmony with nature. Think gently curved walls, natural stone tiles, dried grass textile art, mango wood panels, handwoven sisal ceilings. Slick and shiny this is not—rather, the off-grid lodge’s intentional design blends with the land in a warm, inviting and respectful way.
“Our approach is to understand and draw inspiration from the place, its vernacular architecture, local communities, cultures, materials and environment,” says Guy McGregor, Luxury Frontiers Managing Director. “Our design team is entirely African, bringing an authentic understanding and appreciation of the diverse contexts we work across the continent. We respond to the specific sense of place, culture and character of each project and location.”
Open for booking in June 2026, Kitirua has 11 guest suites and two double units for families or small groups. A gentle walk down a curved cypress wood path with oxidized bollards leads to the ultimate private oasis. Each low-slung suite is its own freestanding building, ensuring ample space and a peaceful stay, complete with strategic placement on the land’s slope for the best Kili views. The space includes both an indoor and a fully private outdoor shower, a deep soaking bathtub, a large bedroom surrounded by windows and a sitting room with a pull-down, floor-to-ceiling screen that opens onto a veranda. It’s the ideal spot to watch animals graze at the nearby watering hole throughout the day. While we weren’t lucky enough to spot “Hank the Tank,” a local hippo lovingly nicknamed by Kitirua staff, we did see giraffes, more birds than we could count, zebras, wildebeests and multiple herds of elephants, all from the comfort of our chic room.
Natural elements extend throughout the private spaces and communal areas. Locally-sourced Verde marble tiles line the wash room walls while Mazeras stone floors reference the ash-colored dust and dark night sky—we actually caught an unforgettable view of the Milky Way and shooting stars one night on the walk back to our room. The sisal ceilings add a sense of cozy warmth and 90% of the African teak and mango wood furniture is made in Kenya. Even the textured plaster walls were mixed with the site’s soil to match its surroundings, literally using parts of the earth in the construction process to achieve an almost-camouflage effect.
Such design decisions weren’t randomly made, rather they were inspired by the semi-nomadic people who’ve called this land home for centuries. “Guided by Maasai principles on living alongside nature, the design respects the land as something to exist within rather than dominate,” McGregor says. “The result is an interior that feels connected to where it is, rather than something that could have been placed anywhere.”
The Lodge has a deep partnership with its Maasai neighbors, leasing the land from the community and working together to achieve a harmonious relationship with nature and each other. Some Maasai members work at Kitirua Plains in some capacity; we especially loved connecting with David Kilelo who taught us about Maasai culture over a nighttime fire and a walking mini-safari a couple days later. For further impact, guests can contribute to a variety of community projects through A&K Philanthropy, A&K’s nonprofit network focused on “community-first conservation” in its travel destinations. When we visited David’s own Maasai community, we learned about a new school being built for the local kids and the LifeStraw Water Filter initiative to provide clean drinking water for said students. We also visited a large craft market where the women of the tribe showcased their hand-crafted wares like intricate beaded jewelry, painted vessels and carved wood figurines.
Back at the lodge, the spacious communal areas like the dining rooms, open-air patios and salt water infinity lap pool are designed to highlight the surrounding views with the comfort of an outdoor living room. Guests are invited to relax on the soft chairs, have a drink, enjoy a sunset fire—or boma—and take in the nearby wildlife with the complimentary Leica scopes on the deck. One restful afternoon after a sunrise game drive (we typically went on two drives a day), we saw a group of mischievous vervet monkeys playing in the acacia trees.
Luxury Frontiers partnered with many local makers, artists and craftspeople to bring personalized touches and texture into the space. “Sourcing was not a process that followed design at Kitirua; it became one of the tools through which the design was made,” McGregor says. “We spent time in Kenyan markets, artisan workshops and manufacturing studios, understanding what was being produced, how materials were worked and where there was an opportunity to create something specific to the site. Those conversations shaped the interiors as much as the drawings did.”
The stone floors and dark wood surfaces are softened with cotton throws, soft pillows and custom grass-woven tactile artworks made by artisanal studio Lucidity. In the lobby, a large woven sisal and clay bead sculptural piece hangs from the ceiling, creating a focal point that draws guests into the property—and the stunning savannah views beyond. Ceramiqa crafted the installation, hand-shaping beads with natural clay from the Mount Kenya foothills. “Each bead varies in shape, size and color, making that variation part of the character of the piece,” McGregor says.
He adds that Luxury Frontiers partnered with Afrika Yetu, a social enterprise from Nairobi that “engaged local women artisans to create the signature woven ceilings and handcrafted baskets, welcome trays and guest accessories.” Other pieces of furniture and decorative objects were created in collaboration with Tira Studio, glasswork was sourced from Kitengela, near Nairobi, and textured steel pieces like the fireplace hood and boma firepits were made by Rusty Fundi. “The steel has been left to weather naturally, allowing time and climate to become part of the finish,” McGregor says.
The design team kept almost everything local, and “where specialist manufacturing expertise sat beyond Kenya, we sourced regionally within East Africa, rather than compromise the design,” McGregor says. “This helped shorten supply chains, support regional businesses and maintain a consistent material language and authentic sense of place.”
The Lodge’s sustainability efforts extend beyond local sourcing, too. The whole property is powered by photovoltaic solar energy, and in-depth planning went into every building’s orientation to take advantage of cross-ventilation, Kili views and lighting. Just like its Maasai neighbors, environmental responsibility is extremely important to the lodge, and through its harvesting of rainwater, greywater recycling and treating wastewater on site, it’s able to operate as low impact as possible.
Our visit to Kitirua Plains Lodge was an impactful and inspiring experience for us, and it’s difficult to choose a favorite part. Was it the natural elegance of the property’s design and its collaboration with the tribal stewards of the land? The luxurious five-course dinners and hot bubble baths every night? The thoughtful, hard-working staff that we bonded with over five days? Or the rare opportunity to observe majestic animals in their natural habitat? Just as Kitirua follows the natural rhythm of the land, perhaps it’s our time to tread a bit lighter in this wild world and respect things just as they are.
To book a stay at Kitirua Plains Lodge, visit A&K‘s site.
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