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Camp Simpirre
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A large thatched lounge with log posts and a stone-and-timber rail, sitting on a rocky ridge above dark rock and a palm tree, under a clear blue sky.

Gotu, Isiolo County

Camp Simpirre

Where Comfort Meets Wilderness

Enquire about a stay

Preview build. Anything highlighted in yellow is a placeholder waiting for the camp.

Our story

A retreat on the Ewaso Ng'iro

Camp Simpirre sits on the banks of the Ewaso Ng'iro River at Gotu, in the heart of the Waso ecosystem. It is a retreat and a culture and education centre, a quiet place to rest, learn and meet.

Simpirre is an Oromo name that means "bird", and there are plenty of species here. Fish eagles, hornbills, kingfishers, herons and ostriches are among them.

Around the camp you will find the river, the Gotu springs with their clean spring water, and the Magado Crater.

  • 50

    permanent tents

  • 75

    guests can stay overnight

  • 500+

    people at events

Stay

Tents, cottages and Boran huts

Choose a permanent tent, a cottage or a traditional Boran hut in its own compound. Together they sleep up to 75 guests.

A permanent tent built as an A-frame, with a red-brown tin roof, a metal grille door with a lock, curtains behind mesh panels and a blue tent visible inside.

Permanent tents

The camp has fifty permanent tents, with secure locks. Beds and facilities: [BEDS AND FACILITIES TBC].

Rates

Resident (KES)
[RATE TBC]
Non-resident (USD)
[RATE TBC]
See the tents
A bedroom with a double bed, teal pillows, a purple and teal blanket, a mosquito net above, animal-print curtains, and a shower curtain behind an open door.

Cottages

Single cottages share an outside bathroom. Self-contained cottages have a bedroom and a shower. Beds and facilities: [BEDS AND FACILITIES TBC].

Rates

Cottage, shared bathroom

Resident (KES)
[RATE TBC]
Non-resident (USD)
[RATE TBC]

Cottage, self-contained

Resident (KES)
[RATE TBC]
Non-resident (USD)
[RATE TBC]
See the cottages
Inside a traditional hut with a domed roof of woven mats and sticks, a wooden bed with a white mosquito net and a striped blanket, and a small wooden stool.

Boran huts

Traditional Boran huts, each in its own compound. Beds and facilities: [BEDS AND FACILITIES TBC].

Rates

Resident (KES)
[RATE TBC]
Non-resident (USD)
[RATE TBC]
See the huts

Things to do

The river, the birds and the land around Gotu

Spend your days at the river, with the birds, or out at the crater.

What the camp offers

  • Hospitality
  • Recreation
  • Fishing
  • Bird viewing
  • Conferences and events
  • Local attractions
A large thatched lounge with log posts and a stone-and-timber rail, sitting on a rocky ridge above dark rock and a palm tree, under a clear blue sky.

The riverside lounge

The lounge is perched on the river bank, with a view of Gotu Falls. Watch crocodiles basking, a fish eagle scanning for fish, herons hunting and animals grazing below, often with a sundowner in hand.

More about the lounge
A dark brown bird with a pale belly, a red bill and a yellow eye ring perches on a bare branch.

Bird watching

Fish eagles, vultures, hornbills, kingfishers, woodpeckers, owls and ostriches are all on the camp's list. Best months to visit: [BEST MONTHS TBC].

More about the birds
[PHOTO TBC]

Gotu Falls

The Ewaso Ng'iro is a river of brown water, the lifeline of the north. At Gotu Falls you can see it in its full glory. Best season to see them: [BEST SEASON TBC].

More about the falls
Close-up of a shallow soda pool at Magado Crater, with a pink and red crust and a darker red patch of brine.

Magado Crater

About 12 km from the camp, the crater holds small soda lakes 140 metres below the rim. Herders water their livestock here in the rains, and in the dry season soda mining begins.

More about the crater
A conference room with delegates seated around a long wooden table with laptops and water bottles, while a woman presents at the front.

Conferences and events

Room for meetings, retreats and celebrations

Hold your conference, banquet, reception or wedding in a rural setting, away from town noise. The camp can host events for 500 people and more. We have a solar-powered public address system and projectors for meetings.

Hall sizes, catering and packages: [HALL SIZES AND PACKAGES TBC].

Ask about your event

Culture and learning

The Waso Museum, our culture programme and the greenbelt

A long hall of wooden display cases holding traditional cloth, beadwork, gourds and tools, with information boards beside a rope barrier.
The white Waso Museum sign, with the line 'Discover. Learn. Connect.', standing in dry grass beside a hedge.

Waso Museum

The Waso Museum is part of the camp, and its sign says "Discover. Learn. Connect." Glass cases hold traditional cloth, beadwork, gourds and tools. Boards tell the story of subjects such as Indigenous Knowledge and Pastoral Livelihoods in Motion.

Visiting hours and entry: [VISITING HOURS AND ENTRY TBC].

Culture and nature education

The camp hosts a culture and nature education programme, supported by Kivulini Trust. Children and youth learn their mother tongue, values, indigenous knowledge, practices and skills, and gain camping and outdoor experience.

The greenbelt

The camp is creating a greenbelt to restore the land and grow a wider variety of food. Mango, banana, orange, pawpaw and cassava already grow there.

Explore the programmes

Aerial view of a bend in the brown Ewaso Ng'iro River, with rocky banks, green bush, a turquoise swimming pool and thatched and tin-roofed cottages scattered among the trees.

Where we are

About 87 km north of Isiolo

Camp Simpirre is on the banks of the Ewaso Ng'iro River at Gotu, about 87 km north of Isiolo town.

The route

  1. From Isiolo, take the Isiolo to Garba Tulla road for about 60 km to Kachuru.
  2. At Kachuru, turn right onto the Merti road.
  3. Drive about 30 km further. The camp is on the river bank.

Road conditions by season, and the nearest fuel: [ROAD CONDITIONS AND FUEL TBC].

Full directions and drive times

Guest words

What guests say

Where comfort meets wilderness... can be actualized at Camp Simpirre.
Abudo
The one stop-over for hospitality, recreation, awesome nature, culture and much more... it really mesmerizes me.
John
The only place where you can achieve uninterrupted peace of mind is Camp Simpirre.
Robert

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Plan your visit

Tell us your dates and how many are coming. We will reply with availability and rates.

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WhatsApp: [WHATSAPP NUMBER TBC]

Call us

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