The gurgle of flowing water and the chirping of birds make a sweet melody. A stream has been redirected and winds its way around the chalet-style rooms overlooking Ewaso Nyiro River.

These are the sights and sounds of the five-star Sarova Shaba Game Lodge, set on 25 acres, and built 23 years ago.

It has a lovely landscape with luxuriant vegetation enriched by multi-branched doum palms — in stark contrast to its surroundings, which are dusty and dry volcanic earth.

The lodge is 314 km from Nairobi, in the north of Kenya, a 45 minute flight from the city to Shaba or Samburu airstrip, or a five-hour drive through the curving roads around Mt. Kenya, crossing the equator at Nanyuki.

At the lodge, rivulets pass through an elevated 200-seater restaurant made of indigenous hard wood trees and bamboo. Below the restaurant is Chemi Bar, with a seating area overlooking the Ewaso Nyiro River. Next to the bar is a gun-shaped swimming pool.

“The swimming pool has a unique architectural design,” said Ronnie Kithinji, the lodge manager, with a smile.

The facility has a rich history; famous wildlife preservationist George Adamson and his wife Joy are said to have lived about 25 kilometres away, within Shaba Nature Reserve. They had an outdoor jacuzzi, which is now a miniature bridge; there are a number of bridges around the lodge.

The facility is nestled in Shaba Reserve, less than 10 kilometres from Samburu and Buffalo Springs Nature Reserves. Visitors can see elephants, leopards, lions, cheetahs, reticulated giraffes, Beisa oryx, antelopes, Grevy’s zebra, crocodiles and about 350 different species of birds.

Visitors to the lodge pay for one entry to the trio of reserves. “This caters for all the three entry points of the parks and the national reserves at no extra charge,” said Kithinji.

Sarova Shaba has both a well-maintained helicopter pad within the lodge and an airstrip less than a kilometre away from the lodge, and one at Kalama, which is 30 minutes from the facility.

Shaba has 85 rooms in a number of two-storey blocks, four rooms to a block. In addition, there are five suites, one of which is a presidential suite that includes a jacuzzi. All are grass-thatched with river frontage. The rooms are made of locally obtained wood and stones, said to be from Shaba Mountain that became extinct after volcanic activity more than 5,000 years ago.

Mr Kithinji said they use water from the springs after it is filtered and purified through the reverse osmosis plant; it is then redirected to the river. The water is also used to irrigate the neatly manicured gardens and a half-acre vegetable farm run by the lodge. In addition, waste from the facility is used to provide manure for the surrounding vegetation.

“Last year, the facility was voted the best eco-lodge in Africa by the World Travel Awards on the basis of our conservation efforts,” Kithinji said.

He added that they have hosted many dignitaries including President Uhuru Kenyatta, and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta. Top government officials and business people have also visited the lodge. “Our clientele is from every continent; Africa, Europe, Asia and America,” he said.

The facility serves both local and foreign cuisine. Shaba is popular for conferences and team building activities.

There is a uniquely designed deck where visitors can watch crocodiles in the Ewaso Nyiro River. They can come as close as a few metres to the animals, but remain safe as there is an electric fence between them. In addition, there are “men with catapults” who ensure monkeys and baboons do not disturb guests within the premises.

The lodge’s naturalist, Lolosoli Chady, pointed out about 100 trees at the Samburu Shaba Sanctuary that are medicinal.

With all that the lodge offers, it is aptly referred to as the hidden secret of Shaba.