0:00:02 > 0:00:05All over the world, there are remarkable hotels,
0:00:05 > 0:00:09born of bold vision and daring endeavour.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12Oh, my goodness, look at that!
0:00:12 > 0:00:15Whether it's an epic structure housing a sky park
0:00:15 > 0:00:17the length of the Eiffel Tower...
0:00:17 > 0:00:20This is definitely the biggest space I've ever been inside.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25..or a glass box perched in the cloud forest...
0:00:25 > 0:00:27- Look at that view!- Wow!
0:00:29 > 0:00:33They're all products of innovation, creativity and hard graft.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37The people running these hotels strive to
0:00:37 > 0:00:39create the perfect sanctuary.
0:00:39 > 0:00:44But what does it take to offer once-in-a-lifetime experiences
0:00:44 > 0:00:46in stunning locations?
0:00:46 > 0:00:47To build a hotel in a place like this,
0:00:47 > 0:00:49everybody thinks I'm crazy!
0:00:50 > 0:00:55In total, we have about 160,000 pieces of uniform.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58- BELL CHIMES - Oh, my word!
0:00:58 > 0:01:00I'm a restaurant writer, newspaper columnist and critic -
0:01:00 > 0:01:03I have opinions on just about everything.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05What a mad place to build a hotel!
0:01:05 > 0:01:09I feel like Scott of the Antarctic, and it did not end well for him.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13And I'm a chef who's worked at the top end of the hospitality industry
0:01:13 > 0:01:14for well over 20 years.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18How many opportunities do you get to cook breakfast with elephants
0:01:18 > 0:01:19and giraffes?
0:01:21 > 0:01:25We'll travel to amazing hotels in every corner of the world...
0:01:25 > 0:01:27..to spend time getting to know the people
0:01:27 > 0:01:29working away behind-the-scenes.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31When did you last have a full night's sleep?
0:01:31 > 0:01:32I don't remember.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34- Really?- Yes.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36What motivates you to work so hard?
0:01:36 > 0:01:39The kids - I will sacrifice everything for them.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44Join us as we venture inside...
0:01:47 > 0:01:49..the world's most extraordinary hotels.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58We're in Kenya.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02The country's beautiful savannas and thousands of exotic animal species
0:02:02 > 0:02:04draw visitors from around the world,
0:02:04 > 0:02:07with the promise of awesome wildlife encounters.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13Yet, arriving at this hotel on the outskirts of the capital Nairobi,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16it's easy to forget that we're in Africa,
0:02:16 > 0:02:18as this feels more like a grand suburban house
0:02:18 > 0:02:20in the English Home Counties.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22It's very nice.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25But, here, nothing is quite as it seems,
0:02:25 > 0:02:27as we're about to find out.
0:02:34 > 0:02:35'It's dawn.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39'The guests are still asleep, but, downstairs, we're hard at work,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42'because something extraordinary is about to take place.'
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Do the spoons just go on the side?
0:02:47 > 0:02:49You think I'd never laid a table before.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52I mean, this is slightly different from breakfast at home for me
0:02:52 > 0:02:55because, basically, my son doesn't eat breakfast
0:02:55 > 0:02:56because he doesn't want to,
0:02:56 > 0:02:58and my daughter has it in front of the TV,
0:02:58 > 0:03:00even though she's not allowed to,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03and my wife would still be asleep so, erm...
0:03:03 > 0:03:05laying a table for people who are
0:03:05 > 0:03:07actually going to eat is quite weird.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10'Breakfast preparation starts painfully early here,
0:03:10 > 0:03:12'as guests arrive to eat before first light.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16'I'm with duty manager Tony Levi.'
0:03:16 > 0:03:19So, how many people have you got staying at the moment?
0:03:19 > 0:03:21We have about 22 guests tonight.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23- 22?- Yeah. - And are they all having breakfast?
0:03:23 > 0:03:26Yeah, they're all having breakfast, so we'd better get cracking.
0:03:29 > 0:03:30Do you want them quite fine?
0:03:30 > 0:03:32- Yeah.- Skins on?- Finely chopped.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34- Skin on, yeah.- OK.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37'I'm helping head chef David Kisevu.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40'He's been preparing highly anticipated breakfasts here
0:03:40 > 0:03:42'for seven years.'
0:03:42 > 0:03:44Mornings are always busy.
0:03:46 > 0:03:51Here, we do our breakfast according to the wake-up call.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53By 6.30, everything should be ready.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59'One of the dishes on offer catches my eye.'
0:03:59 > 0:04:01And what is this very large muesli?
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Are they tasty, these things?
0:04:03 > 0:04:06It's a pellet made out of molasses.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08HE CRUNCHES Oh, it's...
0:04:08 > 0:04:10Oh, with some grit in it.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12- Yes.- Quite a lot of grit in it!
0:04:13 > 0:04:17So, why do the guests get up so early?
0:04:17 > 0:04:19They will miss the special opportunity.
0:04:19 > 0:04:20Oh...
0:04:22 > 0:04:25'People travel the globe for breakfast at the Manor,
0:04:25 > 0:04:29'to share their first meal of the day with some extra-special guests.'
0:04:37 > 0:04:40- Hello!- This is Stacey, here.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42Stacey?
0:04:42 > 0:04:44Hello, Stacey.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50I've never done anything like this.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Amazing! I mean, she's massive!
0:04:53 > 0:04:55And the size of her head, it's just...
0:04:56 > 0:04:59So, how many giraffes can you fit in here?
0:04:59 > 0:05:00Six at one time.
0:05:00 > 0:05:01Six?
0:05:03 > 0:05:06'Here at the aptly named Giraffe Manor,
0:05:06 > 0:05:08'you share your morning coffee and eggs
0:05:08 > 0:05:12'with the world's tallest animals.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14'and, if you want breakfast in bed,
0:05:14 > 0:05:16'you can share it with a giraffe from the comfort of
0:05:16 > 0:05:18'your first-floor room.'
0:05:21 > 0:05:23Breakfast is quite a boring meal, isn't it? It's quite...
0:05:23 > 0:05:25I think it always ought to be served with a giraffe.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Giraffe Manor has over 7,000 guests a year,
0:05:31 > 0:05:36prepared to spend between £500 and £1,000 a night.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39Several rooms are named after giraffes,
0:05:39 > 0:05:40and, with only ten rooms,
0:05:40 > 0:05:43guests often have to book a year in advance to stay here.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49The Manor serves up old-school nostalgia in the form of
0:05:49 > 0:05:54classic cucumber sandwiches and cream teas,
0:05:54 > 0:05:58but it's the hotel's unusual neighbours that lure guests here.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03We've been to every other continent, and I have never experienced
0:06:03 > 0:06:05- anything quite like this. - Yeah, yeah.
0:06:07 > 0:06:08You're obsessed, aren't you?
0:06:08 > 0:06:10Yeah, I am a bit obsessed with giraffes.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13It's just perfect - absolutely perfect.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20The experience of having a giraffe walking towards your bedroom window,
0:06:20 > 0:06:23in the early hours of the morning, as the sun is just starting to rise,
0:06:23 > 0:06:27is a very surreal, dream moment.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29Wonderful. Absolutely amazing.
0:06:29 > 0:06:34To have them lower their heads and look in your eyes,
0:06:34 > 0:06:36you just feel a connection with them.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40Giraffe Manor occupies 13 acres of
0:06:40 > 0:06:42a natural enclave, surrounded by
0:06:42 > 0:06:44the expanding city of Nairobi.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50The Manor is owned by Tanya Carr-Hartley,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53a fourth-generation Kenyan who has lived locally all her life.
0:06:54 > 0:06:59When my mum and dad moved here 46 years ago,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01it was a really out-of-the-way neighbourhood,
0:07:01 > 0:07:05and at that point there was no tarmac roads, no fences...
0:07:05 > 0:07:06Actually, when we were children,
0:07:06 > 0:07:09my sister and I would ride to the Manor with my mum.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18Giraffe Manor is very much a family affair,
0:07:18 > 0:07:22run by Tanya and her husband Mikey.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24He's also a fourth-generation Kenyan,
0:07:24 > 0:07:28whose family have been involved with wildlife for generations,
0:07:28 > 0:07:29running safaris.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34So, can we arrange to get one from Hebatullah
0:07:34 > 0:07:36and bring it to the Manor?
0:07:36 > 0:07:40Tanya and Mikey bought Giraffe Manor in 2009,
0:07:40 > 0:07:43and have strived to establish it as one of the most unusual
0:07:43 > 0:07:45holiday destinations in the world.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48Mike and Tanya, I think they work super hard.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50They're just at it, seven days a week,
0:07:50 > 0:07:52five hours' sleep a night...
0:07:52 > 0:07:55Just never giving up - I think that's the driving factor.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02So, what exactly is it like to run a hotel surrounded by wild giraffes?
0:08:03 > 0:08:06- Hi.- This is Tanya.- Hello! - Hi, Tanya. Giles.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09- How are you doing? - Hi, Tanya. Lovely to meet you.
0:08:09 > 0:08:10Lovely to meet you too.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13- How was your morning?- Amazing.
0:08:13 > 0:08:14- Early.- Early, but worth it.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17- A surreal experience.- It is.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19- Even for you, you're not...? - You see it on a regular basis.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21Why do people care so much about giraffes?
0:08:21 > 0:08:25I guess it's its gracefulness, the big eyes, the big eyelashes...
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Giraffes are just unique animals, really.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30So, I mean, is it easy to run a giraffe hotel?
0:08:30 > 0:08:32No, it's not easy.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35The biggest downside is people understanding that the giraffes
0:08:35 > 0:08:36are still wild animals,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39which means the safety of people is key.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41When you say, the dangers of the wild animals, so, like what?
0:08:41 > 0:08:46So, a giraffe can obviously kick very hard, erm,
0:08:46 > 0:08:47and kill a lion, in fact.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50You know, that kind of kick.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53And they head-butt a lot, and we have to, sort of,
0:08:53 > 0:08:56manage people's expectations, where they...
0:08:56 > 0:08:58You know, the animal puts its neck through here
0:08:58 > 0:09:00and they feel like it's their best friend,
0:09:00 > 0:09:04but, in the same instant, that same animal can do an injury.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07I'm sorry, that's it. I haven't got any more.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13'It seems giraffe aren't the only wild animals
0:09:13 > 0:09:17'wandering through the grounds, on the scrounge for titbits.'
0:09:17 > 0:09:22(It's a warthoglet, or a warthog piglet. It's so sweet.)
0:09:26 > 0:09:29It's quite strange having pigs in a hotel of this kind,
0:09:29 > 0:09:31but I think it's brilliant being so close to these animals.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33- It's... My children would go mad. It's just...- Oh, no!
0:09:33 > 0:09:37It's properly the Lion King, although luckily without lions!
0:09:38 > 0:09:42The ten giraffe here are all Rothschild giraffes.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45They're named after Lord Walter Rothschild,
0:09:45 > 0:09:48zoologist and member of the famous banking family.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51He first came across them in the early 1900s,
0:09:51 > 0:09:54when they could be found in abundance across Kenya,
0:09:54 > 0:09:56Uganda and Sudan,
0:09:56 > 0:09:59but, by the 1970s, they were under threat.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04The Rothschild's giraffe at that time was rapidly diminishing,
0:10:04 > 0:10:07with only 70 or so left.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09- And why were they diminishing? - A couple of reasons,
0:10:09 > 0:10:13one being that their habitat was being cut up into smaller plots,
0:10:13 > 0:10:18and also, in Uganda, where there was actually more of them,
0:10:18 > 0:10:22they were used as target practice by Idi Amin,
0:10:22 > 0:10:26so the '70s was a very trying time for them.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29It was at this point that a couple called
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Jock and Betty Leslie-Melville bought the Manor.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35They were delighted to find three wild Maasai giraffe
0:10:35 > 0:10:39in the grounds that slept on the lawn at night,
0:10:39 > 0:10:42and, when they heard that endangered Rothschild giraffe were living on
0:10:42 > 0:10:43local land due to be redeveloped,
0:10:43 > 0:10:46Jock and Betty adopted one of the babies, called Daisy,
0:10:46 > 0:10:49and later brought in another, called Marlon.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54So that's the Leslie-Melvilles, Betty and Jock.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59I love that one with Betty, the dog and the giraffe.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02So, was she a conservationist? Was she into giraffes?
0:11:02 > 0:11:04She became very into giraffes!
0:11:05 > 0:11:08In response to the dramatic decline in giraffe numbers,
0:11:08 > 0:11:12the Leslie-Melvilles started a sanctuary and a breeding programme.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15And so how many did they start off with here?
0:11:15 > 0:11:16Just two.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19So the descendants of the original giraffes, are they still here?
0:11:19 > 0:11:22Most of them are still here. Some of them are still here.
0:11:22 > 0:11:2640 years on, the giraffe centre next door, started by Betty and Jock,
0:11:26 > 0:11:30is still going strong, and has released 15 of these
0:11:30 > 0:11:32rare and endangered giraffe into the wild.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39I'm really looking forward to finding out a bit more about how
0:11:39 > 0:11:41Giraffe Manor is being managed,
0:11:41 > 0:11:45and how the whole team work together to make this happen.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51Giraffe Manor employs over 65 people -
0:11:51 > 0:11:54three for every guest, to serve their every whim.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58Five chefs, five porters, 11 waiters,
0:11:58 > 0:12:00four drivers and four gardeners.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02It's a tight team,
0:12:02 > 0:12:07and duty manager Tony Levi has the job of keeping everyone on track,
0:12:07 > 0:12:10whether staff, guests or giraffe.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12So, the biggest challenges I face as duty manager
0:12:12 > 0:12:14is probably guest expectations.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16You have to realise there are 140 acres here,
0:12:16 > 0:12:18and we have ten giraffe on site.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21I have to manage unpredictable giraffe movements, in this sense,
0:12:21 > 0:12:23if the giraffe refuse to show up.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27This way, please. After you.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30I have to manage the guests between check-out and check-in times.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33Trying to get rooms ready, just constant moving...
0:12:33 > 0:12:35This way, please.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39It's 8am, and Laura and Emmanuel are arriving on
0:12:39 > 0:12:41the first day of their honeymoon.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46We spent probably twice as much on the honeymoon as we did
0:12:46 > 0:12:48on the actual wedding,
0:12:48 > 0:12:51and to know that tomorrow morning we can wake up and be feeding a giraffe
0:12:51 > 0:12:55out of the bedroom window is really cool.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57I'm going to feel like I haven't woken up.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59It's going to feel like a dream.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01Despite the charms of the giraffe,
0:13:01 > 0:13:05Laura and Emmanuel are only staying here for one night.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09Like most guests, they're using the Manor as a staging post on their way
0:13:09 > 0:13:10to other parts of Kenya.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14This means the Manor's nine housekeepers face
0:13:14 > 0:13:17a pressurised changeover of rooms every 24 hours.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24'I'm joining head housekeeper Pamela on her morning rounds.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27'She and her team usually have between 45 minutes and an hour
0:13:27 > 0:13:29'to turn over all ten rooms.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34'Pamela is one of the longest-serving members of staff.
0:13:34 > 0:13:39'At 64, she's been making beds here for the last 17 years.'
0:13:40 > 0:13:42Ah, I love the feel of clean sheets!
0:13:42 > 0:13:44PAMELA LAUGHS
0:13:44 > 0:13:47'Aside from the mess caused by guests,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50'Pamela has to deal with long-necked intruders.'
0:13:50 > 0:13:51Does this stay down here?
0:13:51 > 0:13:53It will stay... We will put it on there.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55Do they just come and stick their heads in?
0:13:55 > 0:13:58- Yeah. No, when we shake the bucket...- Ah.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01- ..the giraffes will come, and then you'll take one by one...- OK.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04OK, do they make a mess for you, when you're trying to...?
0:14:04 > 0:14:06Yeah, when there's nobody around and the window is open,
0:14:06 > 0:14:10if they come here, near, they'll push the bucket and then...
0:14:10 > 0:14:11down!
0:14:11 > 0:14:15- To give you...- Yeah, give you a bit of a headache.- Yeah.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18Do you have a certain time when you have to have it all finished?
0:14:18 > 0:14:20By 12.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22They'll be checking in at 13.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24- At one o'clock? OK.- Yes, please.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27If you can show me a quicker way, I'll show you my way.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Fine!
0:14:29 > 0:14:31There's got to be a simpler way to...
0:14:31 > 0:14:33THEY LAUGH
0:14:33 > 0:14:35It's like a Zumba class!
0:14:35 > 0:14:38THEY LAUGH
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Oh, look how strong you are!
0:14:41 > 0:14:43'As a single mother, Giraffe Manor has had a big impact
0:14:43 > 0:14:45'on Pamela's family life.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48'One of her children works here, too.'
0:14:48 > 0:14:50Working at Giraffe Manor,
0:14:50 > 0:14:54I have used my money in bringing up my children,
0:14:54 > 0:14:57paying the education for high school,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00for four of them, and in college.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02Do you have enough to cover the mattress?
0:15:02 > 0:15:07At the moment, I am now saving for a piece of small land,
0:15:07 > 0:15:11then I'll build them a house, which I will call my home!
0:15:12 > 0:15:14That looks pretty good to me.
0:15:16 > 0:15:17I'd sleep in it!
0:15:18 > 0:15:20One of the oldest buildings in suburban Nairobi,
0:15:20 > 0:15:24Giraffe Manor was built in 1932 when Kenya was still a colony
0:15:24 > 0:15:26of the British Empire.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28The most surprising thing is how suburban it feels.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31You're, sort of, prepared for something, sort of, wild,
0:15:31 > 0:15:33and obviously it looks like African savanna,
0:15:33 > 0:15:34but it feels like Surrey with giraffes.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36There is this desire to recreate something
0:15:36 > 0:15:38that looks like suburban England -
0:15:38 > 0:15:41something, sort of, normal and, kind of, golf clubby.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43It's just that they're giraffes.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47And I guess that's Africa as imagined by English people.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50'But what are the challenges of running this historic hotel?'
0:15:52 > 0:15:54And so this is the dining room...
0:15:54 > 0:15:57- Wow!- ..which has absolutely no electricity.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59All candlelit.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02So you're offering people a nostalgic return to
0:16:02 > 0:16:04a simpler way of living?
0:16:04 > 0:16:06Is that one of the things people are looking for?
0:16:06 > 0:16:09Definitely. People are definitely looking for
0:16:09 > 0:16:11a time in a simpler environment, I think.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13- With Wi-Fi?- With Wi-Fi.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16So you provide that for them, and that freedom, and that return,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19and that nostalgia, but do they have other expectations of home comforts?
0:16:19 > 0:16:21Food, accommodation...
0:16:21 > 0:16:23I mean, this house...
0:16:23 > 0:16:26We really struggle, because a lot of... You know, a lot of...
0:16:26 > 0:16:29- Certainly the plumbing is archaic... - Yeah.- ..and the lighting is archaic.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32I mean, it's nearly 100 years old and it's African!
0:16:32 > 0:16:36- Yeah.- Yes, And then you're dealing with, you know, what's available
0:16:36 > 0:16:40on the market, which isn't what's available in London or New York.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42But, erm...
0:16:42 > 0:16:45But I think, generally, people are quite forgiving, thankfully,
0:16:45 > 0:16:47to us, because we've got giraffes!
0:16:50 > 0:16:54'Nostalgia is all very well, but the past can leave challenging legacies.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58'I'm Samoan. As a former colony,
0:16:58 > 0:17:03'the Pacific island of Samoa gained independence the year before Kenya.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05'I wonder whether the colonial past can have
0:17:05 > 0:17:08'implications for Kenyans today.'
0:17:08 > 0:17:09So, how do you find working here?
0:17:09 > 0:17:13I mean, the Manor has been owned by a white Kenyan family,
0:17:13 > 0:17:14is that right?
0:17:14 > 0:17:17I was somehow lucky because they are not harsh people.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21In some places, you may find workers and the owners,
0:17:21 > 0:17:23they don't get actually together.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26- No.- Yeah, there's... We have some barriers.
0:17:26 > 0:17:31We are lucky. Carr-Hartley and Tanya, they are friendly.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33The relationship is so good.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36- Yeah.- Yeah. They don't discriminate us.
0:17:36 > 0:17:37- Not at all?- Uh-uh. - That is so wonderful.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44'It's mid-afternoon and we're with Tony, the duty manager,
0:17:44 > 0:17:48'whose unusual job means he's on first-name terms with the giraffe.'
0:17:48 > 0:17:50So, this is Kelly and this is Ed,
0:17:50 > 0:17:53so Ed is our biggest male and Kelly is our most notorious female.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55- She's about 14 years old.- OK.
0:17:57 > 0:17:58I'm quite scared of animals.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01I mean, I normally wouldn't choose to get this close to a cow,
0:18:01 > 0:18:02let alone a giraffe.
0:18:02 > 0:18:03I will... Out on a country walk,
0:18:03 > 0:18:06I will turn around and go back if I see cows.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08- Can you catch? Yeah! - MONICA LAUGHS
0:18:10 > 0:18:11'In the grounds of the Manor,
0:18:11 > 0:18:13'the giraffe eat the leaves of acacia,
0:18:13 > 0:18:15'croton and African olive trees.'
0:18:16 > 0:18:19I just feel like a nut vending machine.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24'But here, Tony gives them treats of oat, bran and molasses pellets.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30- 'The tongue of the giraffe is up to 50cm long...'- Oh!
0:18:30 > 0:18:32'..and it's surprisingly versatile.'
0:18:32 > 0:18:35- This is a giraffe kiss! - Oh, right, I'll try it.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39Yeah, good girl.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41Do they ever bite when you do that?
0:18:41 > 0:18:44So there's no risks attached to kissing a giraffe?
0:18:44 > 0:18:45Do you want a kiss?
0:18:45 > 0:18:47Yeah, all right! MONICA LAUGHS
0:18:47 > 0:18:50Oh, you mean... I see!
0:18:53 > 0:18:54Think so...
0:18:54 > 0:18:55Yeah!
0:18:56 > 0:18:58MONICA LAUGHS
0:18:58 > 0:19:00It's easier after two o'clock at the Groucho Club, to be honest!
0:19:03 > 0:19:06'A giraffe's saliva is actually antiseptic
0:19:06 > 0:19:10'to protect them from thorn cuts and cynics!'
0:19:10 > 0:19:12I'm feeling quite a strong emotional bond.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14I mean, you know, I've had some kisses.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17He's nuzzled in a few times, but, I mean, he's only after one thing.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26Young giraffe born in the grounds of the Manor are introduced into
0:19:26 > 0:19:30Kenya's protected wild areas from the age of three.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34Back from the brink, there are now 780 Rothschild giraffes overall
0:19:34 > 0:19:36living in the wild.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42Whilst pellets are on offer for the giraffes,
0:19:42 > 0:19:45guests at the Manor feast on dishes like poached fillet of beef
0:19:45 > 0:19:48and tamarillo tarte tatin, prepared by a team of ten.
0:19:52 > 0:19:58My name's David Kisevu and I am the head chef of Giraffe Manor.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03We have hosted so many celebrities in Giraffe Manor.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06One of the guys I will never forget, I cooked for him,
0:20:06 > 0:20:09was Sir Richard Branson. I'll always remember.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15I love to cook. It's my passion.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18We want to make so many things, to make them so yummy,
0:20:18 > 0:20:21so that the guests, "Mmm," feel all right.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26'With work over for the day,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29'Kisevu has brought me to the Nairobi suburb of Rongai.'
0:20:29 > 0:20:31- It's busy.- It is.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34Yeah. Is this the time when everyone comes out to do their shopping?
0:20:34 > 0:20:36- Yeah.- Yeah?
0:20:37 > 0:20:41'The local market is just 3km away from the tranquillity of
0:20:41 > 0:20:43'the Manor and feels like a different world.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49'When he's working, Kisevu rents in Rongai and shops here regularly.'
0:20:49 > 0:20:51Tomatoes, onions...
0:20:51 > 0:20:54'Tonight, he's going to cook a traditional Kenyan meal...'
0:20:54 > 0:20:56Are you going to tell me what the dish is?
0:20:56 > 0:20:59'..and his first purchase is a form of kale.'
0:20:59 > 0:21:01- We call them sukuma wiki. - Sukuma wiki?
0:21:01 > 0:21:03- Yeah, sukuma wiki, and it is very popular.- Oh, wow.
0:21:03 > 0:21:08- Yeah.- In Swahili, "sukuma wiki" means "to push a week".
0:21:08 > 0:21:09- To push a week?- Yes.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12You can survive on this one for a whole week, no problem.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14- Really?- This with ugali.
0:21:14 > 0:21:15- With...?- Ugali.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18- Ugali. What's ugali? - Ugali is the maize flour.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21- Oh, cornflour, yeah. - Yeah, with water.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23Uh-huh, then that is ugali, so ugali and sukuma wiki.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26Do you think I could survive on that for a week, then?
0:21:26 > 0:21:28Ah, you must be a tough one, like us.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30KISEVU LAUGHS
0:21:33 > 0:21:35Kisevu, this is very different to the...
0:21:35 > 0:21:36Very different.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39Giraffe Manor is like a high-end kind of a village,
0:21:39 > 0:21:44and here is a village of lower-earning citizens,
0:21:44 > 0:21:45or lower-earning people.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48The life here is a bit cheaper. It is cheaper.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50But this is now a different Kisevu -
0:21:50 > 0:21:52not the Kisevu of Giraffe Manor.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56Oh, my beautiful baby girl.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00'Kisevu's daughters Faith and Angel and his wife Gladys
0:22:00 > 0:22:05'live an hour away in the family home...'
0:22:05 > 0:22:07- Hi, hi.- Hello, Gladys.- Hi.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09'..and are joining us for dinner.'
0:22:11 > 0:22:13Where did you grow up, Kisevu?
0:22:13 > 0:22:15Or, you know, where did you start life?
0:22:15 > 0:22:21I grew up in an eastern part of Kenya called Kitui.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23'One of eight children,
0:22:23 > 0:22:26'Kisevu's father died a month before he was born.'
0:22:26 > 0:22:29It was a tough life when I was growing up.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33I was around ten, and I had to go and work
0:22:33 > 0:22:39small menial jobs so that I can get money to buy school uniform,
0:22:39 > 0:22:40and money to buy books.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42You worked to buy your own books?
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Yes, to buy my own books, yeah.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49What would a younger Kisevu have thought of
0:22:49 > 0:22:51seeing a place like Giraffe Manor?
0:22:51 > 0:22:54That was like a dream come true.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58When I look at my life today, Monica, I can sing, "God is great."
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Come on, then.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02Wow.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08African-style, you eat like this,
0:23:08 > 0:23:09and then like this.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11LAUGHTER
0:23:14 > 0:23:15I could eat that for a week.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23What motivates you both to work so hard?
0:23:23 > 0:23:25- The kids.- The kids.
0:23:25 > 0:23:30I would like this family to have the best from me.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33I will sacrifice everything in my life for them.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38I come from very humble beginnings myself.
0:23:38 > 0:23:43I really do recognise the drive Kisevu has to succeed and to provide
0:23:43 > 0:23:46for family, which is very much something I try to do
0:23:46 > 0:23:48for my...my siblings,
0:23:48 > 0:23:50or, you know, if anyone is in need.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52He doesn't want to see anyone go without.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00Giraffe Manor is an extraordinary hotel,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03but Tanya and Mikey also use it as the hub of
0:24:03 > 0:24:05their luxury safari business.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11They have remote lodges in Samburu County and the Maasai Mara,
0:24:11 > 0:24:12the location of Sala's Camp.
0:24:15 > 0:24:20Sala is my daughter, my first child, so we named the camp after her.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23It was like a double strike of good luck.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Out here, Tanya and Mikey have created comfortable bases
0:24:28 > 0:24:31from which guests can get up close to wild animals
0:24:31 > 0:24:36like water buffalo, zebra and lions.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39Sometimes they can get a little too close for comfort.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45One of the guys from the team saw the client taking off with gym shoes
0:24:45 > 0:24:48and kit and quickly advised the management.
0:24:48 > 0:24:53By the time the management had got in a car to go and find out
0:24:53 > 0:24:56what they were doing, she was halfway up the hill.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00She kind of said, "Oh, I didn't think I would be in danger."
0:25:03 > 0:25:05Anyway, it was fortunate we spotted it
0:25:05 > 0:25:07because anything could've happened,
0:25:07 > 0:25:09and more than lions, actually,
0:25:09 > 0:25:12buffalo are really our biggest concern.
0:25:12 > 0:25:17In 2000, my sister was very badly injured by a buffalo.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19She nearly lost her life,
0:25:19 > 0:25:24and my uncle, five years later, lost his life to a buffalo,
0:25:24 > 0:25:29so we're all quite alert and aware of the dangers of wildlife.
0:25:31 > 0:25:36So alert that Tanya's installing a gym in the bush to balance urban
0:25:36 > 0:25:38exercise regimes with the laws of nature.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41Here, let me help.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45It's taken five hours to ship the equipment overland from Nairobi.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50All masterminded from headquarters back at Giraffe Manor.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58The man in charge of all things logistical is head of operations
0:25:58 > 0:26:00Ben Evans.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04He also happens to be the pilot of the hotel's own company plane.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07We are providing a service
0:26:07 > 0:26:11to some of the most demanding customers you can get.
0:26:12 > 0:26:13From an operations perspective,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16I do need to be there to make sure that everything happens smoothly
0:26:16 > 0:26:20without any problems, and it's my job to make it look easy.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24The biggest issues I deal with within operations in Kenya
0:26:24 > 0:26:27is the size of the country as a whole.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30So on almost a weekly basis,
0:26:30 > 0:26:34Ben despatches lorries that travel hundreds of miles to the camps,
0:26:34 > 0:26:39delivering everything from plumbing supplies to foodstuffs.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41THEY SING
0:26:41 > 0:26:45Braving potholes, wildlife and uncovered roads,
0:26:45 > 0:26:48the lorries are the lifeline that keep the camps alive.
0:26:51 > 0:26:52As well as Sala's Camp,
0:26:52 > 0:26:57Ben and his team service one of the most remote and inaccessible lodges,
0:26:57 > 0:27:00Sasaab, which is in Samburu County.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02I'm looking forward to heading up there next,
0:27:02 > 0:27:04as I'm ready to explore the wilder side of what
0:27:04 > 0:27:07Giraffe Manor has to offer.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10I've not been in Nairobi very long and to be here standing on the edge
0:27:10 > 0:27:13of this beautiful hotel, feeding this beautiful thing,
0:27:13 > 0:27:15it feels a little bit too easy.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17I feel slightly uncomfortably spoon-fed.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20I kind of want my game experience to be...
0:27:20 > 0:27:22wild, to be more difficult.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25I kind of want more of a struggle, you know?
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Something is almost more worth having if you have to work for it.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32But the struggle we're about to face isn't quite what I had in mind.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36Ben has invited us to hitch a ride
0:27:36 > 0:27:38on one of his supply flights to Sasaab.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43We're on our way to meet him at the airfield where we've been told he's
0:27:43 > 0:27:45waiting with a rather small plane.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49This was my only hesitancy about coming here at all
0:27:49 > 0:27:51was the plane because,
0:27:51 > 0:27:53you know, I don't like flying that much.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55If you have an engine failure in a jumbo jet, you're all dead.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58Whereas theoretically, a little plane like that,
0:27:58 > 0:27:59you can still land it,
0:27:59 > 0:28:02but then you land it and then you get eaten by lions.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05You're such a great companion to travel with.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09I feel so much better that I'm going to die with you.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12I want to pass on some of my heebie-jeebies to you.
0:28:12 > 0:28:13I think you've done a great job.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17Looks like a nice day for flying.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20I hope we're going in that slightly bigger one there.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25It's a Robin Reliant with wings.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29I have never flown in a plane like this before.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33My honest and first reaction was shock horror at how small it is.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37What happens if you have some medical incident or something?
0:28:37 > 0:28:40- You have a cardiac or...?- Well, then we can talk you through it.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43I just boot you out and talk to air control?
0:28:43 > 0:28:45Yeah, I tell you where to press the button.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47It's hard to believe there'll be space for anything else,
0:28:47 > 0:28:51but we need to squeeze in bottles of champagne
0:28:51 > 0:28:53and a small gang of chickens.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55Ready?
0:28:55 > 0:28:57They seem to be dreading it as much as we are.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59I'll have the champagne next to me, yeah?
0:29:02 > 0:29:03Very cosy.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06- Ready?- Yeah. - You are coming, aren't you?
0:29:09 > 0:29:11Why have I got the controls?
0:29:11 > 0:29:13Just in case something does happen.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17Hold on to your knickers!
0:29:19 > 0:29:20It's like an old car.
0:29:20 > 0:29:22I had a car when I was a student,
0:29:22 > 0:29:24a kind of 40-year-old car that smelt like this
0:29:24 > 0:29:25and looked like this and...
0:29:27 > 0:29:28..broke down all the time.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33Might get a little bit of turbulence coming through here.
0:29:33 > 0:29:34Whoa!
0:29:36 > 0:29:37Where did you put that sick bag?
0:29:37 > 0:29:39My head actually hit the roof!
0:29:42 > 0:29:43'But we soon forget our fears
0:29:43 > 0:29:46'as we see the landscape unfolding beneath us.'
0:29:51 > 0:29:54My goodness! That looks so beautiful.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59'Sasaab Lodge is 230 miles north of Nairobi.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04'Whilst Giraffe Manor boasts lush manicured gardens,
0:30:04 > 0:30:07'out here the temperatures can hit 45 degrees.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10'It's hot, dry and arid.'
0:30:10 > 0:30:12There...elephant.
0:30:12 > 0:30:13Yay! Look at them.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19Ahh! That's amazing!
0:30:19 > 0:30:21Woo!
0:30:21 > 0:30:24Here we are. Sasaab.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27'Perched on the banks of the Ewaso River in the Rift Valley,
0:30:27 > 0:30:30'Sasaab looks out towards the heights of Mount Kenya.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35'The six-acre plot of Sasaab Lodge
0:30:35 > 0:30:38'lies within 82,000 acres of community land,
0:30:38 > 0:30:40'owned by the local Samburu people.'
0:30:45 > 0:30:48I've just realised I've literally had my arse clenched
0:30:48 > 0:30:49for the entire trip.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54That was so fun!
0:30:55 > 0:30:56I don't know what I enjoyed more -
0:30:56 > 0:31:00the plane ride or just watching Giles squirm and scream in there.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05Would not imagine a hotel out here.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14'The only way to access the lodge is down a dirt track.'
0:31:14 > 0:31:17Also very beautiful.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19'And the nearest town is 91 miles away.'
0:31:21 > 0:31:27'Sasaab was built in 2007 by Tanya and Mikey with a team of 100 people
0:31:27 > 0:31:28'working in searing heat.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32'Because of its isolated position,
0:31:32 > 0:31:34'building materials were moved by hand
0:31:34 > 0:31:37'and wheelbarrow as trucks couldn't reach the site.'
0:31:39 > 0:31:41Oh, look at...
0:31:42 > 0:31:43Ha!
0:31:50 > 0:31:52Look at this place!
0:31:52 > 0:31:54Oh, my goodness!
0:31:57 > 0:31:59Oh, this view! My goodness!
0:32:00 > 0:32:01'To get water out here,
0:32:01 > 0:32:06'the hotel had to dig its own well and the whole complex is powered by
0:32:06 > 0:32:07'solar energy.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10'Up to £800 per night
0:32:10 > 0:32:14'gets you one of nine high-spec rooms with outdoor bathrooms,
0:32:14 > 0:32:17'private plunge pools and if you're lucky, views of giraffes,
0:32:17 > 0:32:21'big cats and elephants casually strolling by.'
0:32:26 > 0:32:29'Scott Dyson is the manager of Sasaab Lodge.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33'He and his team want to depend less on deliveries from Nairobi and are
0:32:33 > 0:32:35'trying to be self-sufficient.'
0:32:37 > 0:32:39'Providing luxury in places like this
0:32:39 > 0:32:41'involves thinking outside the box.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43'Or in this case, the egg carton.'
0:32:45 > 0:32:47- Giles...- All right. How are you? - Very good. How are you doing?
0:32:47 > 0:32:50'Scott couldn't source eggs locally and the long, bumpy journey
0:32:50 > 0:32:54'from Nairobi results in eggs being smashed,
0:32:54 > 0:32:57'not quite the scrambled eggs his guests demand.'
0:32:57 > 0:32:59I'm looking forward to seeing what you've done with my chickens.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02'So he's nurturing his own brood.'
0:33:02 > 0:33:03- After you.- Aha!
0:33:03 > 0:33:06'My feathered fellow passengers are reinforcements.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09'But newcomers aren't always welcome in this coop.'
0:33:10 > 0:33:12Because they're going to be a minority,
0:33:12 > 0:33:15the resident flock could start picking on them.
0:33:15 > 0:33:16What are we going to do with them now?
0:33:16 > 0:33:20We will release all four of them simultaneously, not one at a time.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23If we give them four to choose from, it may help...
0:33:23 > 0:33:26What are you expecting? Really, it's like a cage fight?
0:33:26 > 0:33:30- I mean...- They can be brutal, they can be brutal.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32Let's see what happens.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34Get these three out first!
0:33:34 > 0:33:36OK. Everything seems fine.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38My word, this one looks like an evil...
0:33:38 > 0:33:40- What do I do? Tip him out? - Tip it out.
0:33:40 > 0:33:41Go on, my son!
0:33:43 > 0:33:45Is he going to come for me?
0:33:46 > 0:33:47Just... Close that.
0:33:51 > 0:33:52Whoop...
0:33:53 > 0:33:56This is the one that's being bullied!
0:33:58 > 0:34:00You got him. Good shot.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02Put it in its own little spot.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05Very good. There you go.
0:34:05 > 0:34:06You can just relax in there.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10'Whilst this hen is put into solitary for her own protection,
0:34:10 > 0:34:12'Scott shows me his chicken fortress.'
0:34:14 > 0:34:18So, this is so far, the impenetrable coop where they sleep.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20Why is it so impenetrable?
0:34:20 > 0:34:24Because of leopards, honey badgers, mongooses, genets,
0:34:24 > 0:34:28there's a host of different animals
0:34:28 > 0:34:32that have the wit and strength to be able to cause major damage
0:34:32 > 0:34:34to a flock of chickens.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36And if anything does get in there,
0:34:36 > 0:34:39we will accept defeat and realise
0:34:39 > 0:34:43that whatever it was was very hungry and deserved a chicken!
0:34:45 > 0:34:47And also, I guess, because your guests have come here
0:34:47 > 0:34:51- for the leopards, not the chickens.- Exactly.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53I suppose it goes without saying if you're having breakfast in a hotel
0:34:53 > 0:34:56anywhere in the world you expect eggs.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00The problem that Scott obviously has is leopards and lions and attacks
0:35:00 > 0:35:03from jackals, let alone the internecine strife of the chickens
0:35:03 > 0:35:06within themselves. He's bringing a new kind of animal
0:35:06 > 0:35:09to this teeming savanna and trying to make a go of keeping them alive,
0:35:09 > 0:35:12it's a lot to think about when you tuck into your morning omelette.
0:35:16 > 0:35:20Giles has emerged unscathed from the chicken version of West Side Story.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24But I'm heading into the bush with some eggs from the coop
0:35:24 > 0:35:26to make a safari breakfast on the go.
0:35:27 > 0:35:28Oh, wow!
0:35:30 > 0:35:33'Our guests are honeymooners Florence and Frank.'
0:35:33 > 0:35:37- Wow! We're doing well.- Yes. - Very well this morning.
0:35:39 > 0:35:40My goodness!
0:35:40 > 0:35:41Woo!
0:35:41 > 0:35:44Amazing!
0:35:48 > 0:35:50Once we find the perfect place,
0:35:50 > 0:35:54it's time for me to help the lodge staff prepare breakfast.
0:35:54 > 0:35:55What a spot for breakfast!
0:35:57 > 0:35:58The food on offer today
0:35:58 > 0:36:01is quite different to the safari fare of days gone by.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03I'm being spoiled.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05- TANYA:- When Mikey's family took people on safari,
0:36:05 > 0:36:08a square meal - a roast and potatoes -
0:36:08 > 0:36:12was basically accepted by anybody and they really appreciated that.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16In today's world, they're expecting first-class food,
0:36:16 > 0:36:19wine and everything else that goes with it.
0:36:22 > 0:36:26I'm preparing a champagne breakfast you might expect in a restaurant.
0:36:26 > 0:36:28Eggs, smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce.
0:36:30 > 0:36:32But I'm miles from power,
0:36:32 > 0:36:35cooking on a camping stove on what seems to be a wooden box.
0:36:35 > 0:36:40This could not be any more different to working in my kitchen!
0:36:42 > 0:36:45Never would I have thought in my career I'd be out here in Kenya,
0:36:45 > 0:36:49cooking breakfast with elephants and giraffes just across the way there!
0:36:49 > 0:36:51Life is great!
0:36:56 > 0:36:58Delicious, absolutely delicious!
0:36:58 > 0:37:02I'd love to swim but I know there's crocodiles in there.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04SHE LAUGHS
0:37:04 > 0:37:06Hey! Congratulations!
0:37:14 > 0:37:17The guests who come to Sasaab Lodge have certain expectations.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22This means manager Scott has to maintain high standards throughout
0:37:22 > 0:37:27the grounds regardless of the remote, dry and dusty location.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31I'm helping him patch up one of the lodge's ten plunge pools.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34Are these guests going to be happy with their white pool as they look
0:37:34 > 0:37:35out over their river and all that?
0:37:35 > 0:37:38What are the most extreme elements of luxury that they expect or
0:37:38 > 0:37:44- complaints that they make?- There are some properties that will add every
0:37:44 > 0:37:46possible amenity under the sun.
0:37:46 > 0:37:50If some client's friends have been on safari before at one of these
0:37:50 > 0:37:53places that are really over the top with air conditioning and everything
0:37:53 > 0:37:55like that, then, you know,
0:37:55 > 0:37:57some people could be a little bit let down
0:37:57 > 0:37:59or disturbed by certain things.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01People are coming from Europe and North America,
0:38:01 > 0:38:04from places where food is so plentiful that they invent all kinds
0:38:04 > 0:38:07of imaginary things they think they need to make themselves healthy.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11You know, they're obsessed with vitamins and fibre and hydration
0:38:11 > 0:38:13and these kinds of things which to people who have so little,
0:38:13 > 0:38:15it must just seem ridiculous.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18Exactly and the locals will be walking along this river,
0:38:18 > 0:38:20bend over and cup their hand and take a sip
0:38:20 > 0:38:21and then guests come here
0:38:21 > 0:38:24and insist that they need to have bottled water.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27Obviously, all the staff scratch their heads in amazement
0:38:27 > 0:38:28when that happens.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34Out here, Tanya and Mikey have to rely on a unique partnership with
0:38:34 > 0:38:37their neighbours, the Samburu people who live alongside the Lodge.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42Perhaps surprisingly, it's the Samburu who are the landlords here,
0:38:42 > 0:38:45Tanya and Mikey are merely tenants.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50It's totally different to running a big hotel in Nairobi.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52This is what we call a community group ranch,
0:38:52 > 0:38:58whereby the Samburu community, 550 families, own this land,
0:38:58 > 0:39:03the land where the lodge is situated on, and we rent the land from the
0:39:03 > 0:39:07community, from the Samburu people and give them a bed night fee.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10For every guest that stays in the lodge,
0:39:10 > 0:39:13the community gets paid money as a rent.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16It enables them to have an income from tourism
0:39:16 > 0:39:19which enables us to protect the wildlife for future generations.
0:39:21 > 0:39:25Mikey and Tanya pay £47 per guest per night to the community.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30For the hotel and local community to succeed,
0:39:30 > 0:39:33Mikey needs to negotiate regularly with his Samburu landlords
0:39:33 > 0:39:35to balance the commercial needs of the hotel
0:39:35 > 0:39:39with the fragile ecology of the local people, animals and land.
0:39:39 > 0:39:45In Nairobi, typically our meetings would always be in an office,
0:39:45 > 0:39:50coffee on the table, lawyers surrounding you, the accountants.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53Whereas here it's a lot of talking,
0:39:53 > 0:39:58sitting under acacia trees and discussing how it would work best
0:39:58 > 0:39:59for both parties.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01You can't come in with our Western ideals.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06Only four miles from the lodge,
0:40:06 > 0:40:08Sasaab village is home to five families.
0:40:16 > 0:40:21Traditionally nomadic, their lives depend on their herds of animals.
0:40:21 > 0:40:25Livestock, mainly cattle, goats, sheep, camel,
0:40:25 > 0:40:27are the lifeline of this community.
0:40:27 > 0:40:32That is their money, that is their wealth and their form of income.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35But the village animals can cause problems.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38Out here there is little quality grazing land
0:40:38 > 0:40:42and the best terrain lies within the lodge grounds, close to the river.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47But if Samburu livestock eat their vegetation,
0:40:47 > 0:40:49there's less to attract wild animals.
0:40:49 > 0:40:53If the wild animals stop coming, so will the tourists,
0:40:53 > 0:40:56and in Mikey's view, that's bad news for everyone.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59This is Jackson.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02Mikey's meeting a village elder to discuss the boundary issue.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06What is the community feeling about the livestock that comes into the
0:41:06 > 0:41:09lodge area around Sasaab?
0:41:09 > 0:41:13The kids, we are just sending to look after livestock.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16They see grass a lot in this area.
0:41:16 > 0:41:20The goats are not supposed to come from this area up to this area.
0:41:20 > 0:41:25So, we, as elders in this village, once we knew the people,
0:41:25 > 0:41:27we should have to shun them.
0:41:27 > 0:41:29So they get fined if they get caught
0:41:29 > 0:41:33- coming into that area by the community?- Yes. By the community.
0:41:33 > 0:41:34The elders are so aware
0:41:34 > 0:41:37that the fortunes of the village rely on wildlife
0:41:37 > 0:41:41coming close to the lodge that they will do what it takes to stop local
0:41:41 > 0:41:44livestock straying onto hotel land.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47It is a tricky one and there is a fine line,
0:41:47 > 0:41:51especially in an area like this that's so arid and rugged because
0:41:51 > 0:41:57the conflict for grazing and grasslands is so...
0:41:57 > 0:42:01is at the breaking point all the time here.
0:42:01 > 0:42:05As well as deriving some income from the lodge,
0:42:05 > 0:42:09the local Samburu community have access to new job opportunities.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12Tanya and Mikey have committed to employ
0:42:12 > 0:42:1575% of their workers from the local area.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20On average, the wage paid to one such worker will go on to support
0:42:20 > 0:42:23at least ten other people in their family and community.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27And it seems that work here is highly sought after.
0:42:31 > 0:42:32Go ahead, Nicks.
0:42:34 > 0:42:35- OVER RADIO:- 'There's a warrior
0:42:35 > 0:42:39'here about a job if you have time to come up and speak to him.'
0:42:39 > 0:42:42So, this is a normal thing, you're painting a plunge pool and you get
0:42:42 > 0:42:45a call on the intercom and there's a warrior at reception looking for
0:42:45 > 0:42:48- a job.- We do often have the local warriors coming in looking for work.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50We've actually got one employed now
0:42:50 > 0:42:52who's helping to look after our camels.
0:42:52 > 0:42:56'I like the sound of this job-seeking warrior.'
0:42:56 > 0:42:59Do you have any idea what sort of work he's going to want?
0:42:59 > 0:43:03Hi, buddy.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05I'm Giles.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08Could you ask for me why he wants to work here?
0:43:08 > 0:43:12HE SPEAKS SAMBURU LANGUAGE
0:43:21 > 0:43:24He knows a lot of the staff here.
0:43:24 > 0:43:26It's very close to his home, which is another big perk.
0:43:28 > 0:43:30Sadly at the moment, you know,
0:43:30 > 0:43:34we've got all the positions covered, but in the event that, you know,
0:43:34 > 0:43:38we get higher occupancies or if some of our staff require their off days,
0:43:38 > 0:43:40then we'll be able to call him.
0:43:40 > 0:43:42Good luck.
0:43:42 > 0:43:46It's quite an interesting thing seeing this fellow
0:43:46 > 0:43:49arrive looking for a job, walked over from the nearest village.
0:43:49 > 0:43:53When I've seen other guys like that Samburu warrior, you can't help
0:43:53 > 0:43:56wondering, have they dressed up like that for me, for the BBC,
0:43:56 > 0:43:59where actually they're just wearing Man United strips all the time?
0:43:59 > 0:44:02But this guy's just walked over looking for a job in the clothes
0:44:02 > 0:44:04that he, as a Samburu warrior, wears every day
0:44:04 > 0:44:07and he's not got lucky today but he may another time.
0:44:09 > 0:44:13However, for people used to living and working in the bush,
0:44:13 > 0:44:17delivering Western forms of hospitality often requires a degree
0:44:17 > 0:44:19of cultural adjustment.
0:44:19 > 0:44:23After years of training staff, Tanya has her own observations.
0:44:23 > 0:44:28Seeing a straight line does not come naturally to people who have not had
0:44:28 > 0:44:30to have straight lines around them.
0:44:30 > 0:44:35If you look out in the wilderness there's nothing straight about it,
0:44:35 > 0:44:40actually, and hanging a mirror or a picture straight is a challenge.
0:44:48 > 0:44:51The most coveted role at the lodge is safari guide.
0:44:52 > 0:44:5628-year-old Jacob is one of the most senior guides.
0:44:56 > 0:45:00It's taken him three years to get the necessary licences and now he
0:45:00 > 0:45:04educates international guests about his region and its wildlife.
0:45:06 > 0:45:09These are lion footprints.
0:45:09 > 0:45:12It seems to be heading up that way.
0:45:12 > 0:45:16But on days off, Jacob still herds the family goats.
0:45:18 > 0:45:20He's also a Samburu warrior.
0:45:20 > 0:45:23In Samburu culture, a warrior is a single man under 30
0:45:23 > 0:45:27responsible for protecting the village and looking after animals.
0:45:34 > 0:45:36When I go home when I'm not working
0:45:36 > 0:45:40I'm still going back to look after the goats, cows, camels
0:45:40 > 0:45:44and to help in everyday duty in the village.
0:45:48 > 0:45:52MOBILE PHONE RINGTONE
0:46:02 > 0:46:04When he's herding animals, Jacob walks the savanna.
0:46:06 > 0:46:09When he's a tourist guide, he makes his journeys by car or camel.
0:46:11 > 0:46:14'I'm joining Jacob to see what kind of experience he offers his guests.'
0:46:14 > 0:46:16- Jacob. Nice to meet you. - How are you?
0:46:16 > 0:46:18'Although I'm not sure I fancy getting close
0:46:18 > 0:46:23'to one of these feisty beasts.' CAMEL GRUNTS
0:46:23 > 0:46:26He's very big. Do they, erm, bite or anything?
0:46:26 > 0:46:28They bite.
0:46:28 > 0:46:31Sometimes they spit but it's not very much.
0:46:31 > 0:46:32It's enough.
0:46:33 > 0:46:36Shall I put it on that one? And then just chuck it over?
0:46:42 > 0:46:44I've never ridden a camel before.
0:46:44 > 0:46:46It never occurred to me until this morning that I never had.
0:46:46 > 0:46:48I never particularly wanted to.
0:46:48 > 0:46:52It's just it's better than going in a Land Rover, isn't it?
0:46:52 > 0:46:55Because you're not going to scare away the lions and the leopards.
0:46:55 > 0:46:57In fact, you're going to probably attract them
0:46:57 > 0:46:59with the possibility of a tasty camel lunch.
0:47:00 > 0:47:02So, we are going with the ranger here
0:47:02 > 0:47:05because we have the elephants where we are walking to.
0:47:05 > 0:47:06Will that kill an elephant?
0:47:06 > 0:47:10Yeah, like one bullet. One or two. Maybe three.
0:47:10 > 0:47:11OK.
0:47:11 > 0:47:14This has taken a whole different complexion, this trip.
0:47:14 > 0:47:15OK, let's go then.
0:47:15 > 0:47:18First of all you put your leg here, left foot.
0:47:18 > 0:47:22- This one there?- Yeah. Then swing quickly.
0:47:23 > 0:47:26- Yeah?- And you hold tight here.
0:47:26 > 0:47:28Do I...? I'm not sure my legs bend like that.
0:47:28 > 0:47:31- Where are they meant to go? - Yeah, just right there.
0:47:31 > 0:47:32Ah! Well...
0:47:32 > 0:47:34- What's up?- Well, it...
0:47:34 > 0:47:36My legs don't really bend like that.
0:47:36 > 0:47:38- It's supposed to be in there. - So what shall I do?
0:47:38 > 0:47:40Maybe you change your shorts.
0:47:41 > 0:47:44I've just changed into the researcher's shorts
0:47:44 > 0:47:47because mine were a bit tight to get on the camel, so...
0:47:47 > 0:47:49Bit embarrassing. I'll try and do it now.
0:47:49 > 0:47:50CAMEL GRUNTS
0:47:52 > 0:47:55Don't be afraid.
0:47:55 > 0:47:56HE LAUGHS
0:48:03 > 0:48:07Supposing the elephant comes, and then the camel is afraid,
0:48:07 > 0:48:10and the camel runs off over there -
0:48:10 > 0:48:11what do I do?
0:48:11 > 0:48:14You just really need to hold on to the camel.
0:48:14 > 0:48:18- What if he bites me? - No, no, he's not going to bite you.
0:48:18 > 0:48:21What if my nuts just go back inside my sternum?
0:48:21 > 0:48:24JACOB LAUGHS
0:48:32 > 0:48:35So, hold tight there. It's, like, going to drop you down.
0:48:35 > 0:48:38Oh! Thank you. That was brilliant.
0:48:38 > 0:48:39That was fantastic.
0:48:42 > 0:48:45Ahh! No wonder they invented the horse. And the car.
0:48:46 > 0:48:49'I take the opportunity to sit down, carefully,
0:48:49 > 0:48:51'with Jacob to talk about local perceptions of tourism.'
0:48:53 > 0:48:55What do the other ones think, the more traditional ones,
0:48:55 > 0:48:57think about people coming here, driving around,
0:48:57 > 0:49:00looking for lions and elephants? Do they think that's strange?
0:49:27 > 0:49:29It's OK if we walk home?
0:49:29 > 0:49:31It wasn't very comfortable.
0:49:31 > 0:49:33I'm walking a bit funny even now.
0:49:33 > 0:49:35- Because of the camel?- Yeah.
0:49:37 > 0:49:40The arrival of the lodge nine years ago means life is changing
0:49:40 > 0:49:43for the locals in an unprecedented way.
0:49:43 > 0:49:47Whereas previously Samburu people would breed and herd livestock
0:49:47 > 0:49:51to trade, through tourism they can now earn a wage for the first time.
0:49:51 > 0:49:54This means that warriors like Jacob are now able
0:49:54 > 0:49:56to buy more livestock sooner.
0:49:56 > 0:49:58Out of 43 people employed at Sasaab Lodge,
0:49:58 > 0:50:01three quarters are local Samburu.
0:50:01 > 0:50:03Their wages go on to support many other people
0:50:03 > 0:50:05within their families and community.
0:50:06 > 0:50:08Yeah, hello!
0:50:08 > 0:50:11'Today, there's a warrior ceremony in Jacob's village of Ungutuk.'
0:50:11 > 0:50:13SINGING
0:50:13 > 0:50:16'It's a chance to see whether the lodge's existence
0:50:16 > 0:50:19'has changed the daily lives and culture of the villagers.'
0:50:20 > 0:50:23- And they're singing?- Yeah. - For me?- Yeah, yeah.
0:50:24 > 0:50:26'I'm moved by the vibrant welcome
0:50:26 > 0:50:29'and the deep sense of tradition here.'
0:50:29 > 0:50:31SINGING CONTINUES
0:50:34 > 0:50:36My head's too big!
0:50:38 > 0:50:42My culture in Samoa, we do a lot of singing to welcome people,
0:50:42 > 0:50:44but that's a mix of women and men,
0:50:44 > 0:50:46it's never just the women that do it alone.
0:50:46 > 0:50:48Here it's very segregated.
0:50:51 > 0:50:55'I'm with Jacob and the warriors, who are about to prepare a feast,
0:50:55 > 0:50:58'and it's a world away from smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce.'
0:50:59 > 0:51:01So you're going to kill it right here?
0:51:01 > 0:51:02We're going to kill it right here.
0:51:02 > 0:51:04'And I'm being offered the best bit.'
0:51:04 > 0:51:08- Actually, are you going to drink the blood?- Of this fellow?
0:51:08 > 0:51:12Well, it's not my normal thing but if it's good, I'll try it.
0:51:12 > 0:51:14Oh, from the actual, from the...
0:51:14 > 0:51:16Straight from the neck?
0:51:16 > 0:51:17- Yeah.- I see.
0:51:17 > 0:51:19Cool.
0:51:20 > 0:51:23All my life I've known it's a thing that warriors
0:51:23 > 0:51:25in Eastern Africa do, and I never wanted to put myself
0:51:25 > 0:51:28in a situation where I would risk offending my host.
0:51:28 > 0:51:30You ready for the blood?
0:51:30 > 0:51:31Erm...
0:51:31 > 0:51:34Yeah, just a little bit, just a little bit.
0:51:37 > 0:51:38You done?
0:51:38 > 0:51:40Mm! Yeah.
0:51:40 > 0:51:43Kemelok, kemelok.
0:51:43 > 0:51:46'Kemelok means "delicious" in Samburu, by the way.'
0:51:46 > 0:51:49I realise this looks gross to you sitting at home, having your dinner
0:51:49 > 0:51:52in front of the TV. This is what these guys do,
0:51:52 > 0:51:54and I felt like I ought to give it a go.
0:51:56 > 0:51:59Thick. It's like egg yolk. It's like egg yolk.
0:52:00 > 0:52:03'Seeing this side of Jacob's life makes me wonder what it's like
0:52:03 > 0:52:06'balancing two very different worlds.'
0:52:06 > 0:52:09Is that easy for you to go backwards and forwards?
0:52:31 > 0:52:33- A msungu is me, white people.- Yes.
0:52:37 > 0:52:40Whilst the lodge has brought some fresh opportunities
0:52:40 > 0:52:42for local men and their families,
0:52:42 > 0:52:46for most of the ladies it seems daily life has remained the same.
0:52:47 > 0:52:51The women of the village still walk for over an hour each day
0:52:51 > 0:52:53with donkeys to collect water,
0:52:53 > 0:52:55are responsible for all the domestic chores
0:52:55 > 0:52:58and get the leftovers from the men's feasts.
0:53:00 > 0:53:02And do you think the women are OK about that
0:53:02 > 0:53:05because it's their normal way of life?
0:53:09 > 0:53:11But can we ask them, are they happy to do that?
0:53:11 > 0:53:15SHE SPEAKS IN OWN LANGUAGE
0:53:26 > 0:53:29- Yeah. So they're happy with the way things are?- Yeah.
0:53:31 > 0:53:35Samburu people working inside the lodge wear hotel uniforms,
0:53:35 > 0:53:38but in his role as a guide Jacob can wear his own clothes.
0:53:39 > 0:53:41- Chubby msungu. - Did you say "chubby msungu"?
0:53:41 > 0:53:43HE LAUGHS
0:53:43 > 0:53:45- Did you say "chubby msungu"?- Sorry!
0:53:45 > 0:53:47I heard you say...
0:53:47 > 0:53:50Chubby white bastard, eh? I heard you!
0:53:51 > 0:53:54'My outfit for the ceremony, on the other hand, is borrowed.'
0:53:55 > 0:53:57So I'm now dressed, I'm ready for the party?
0:53:57 > 0:54:00Yeah, yeah, very much ready to party.
0:54:00 > 0:54:02'But I'm feeling a bit self-conscious
0:54:02 > 0:54:04'as a chubby msungu dressed as a warrior.'
0:54:04 > 0:54:06You all right?
0:54:07 > 0:54:09You did it!
0:54:09 > 0:54:10Wow!
0:54:10 > 0:54:12- You want me to do that? - Yeah.
0:54:12 > 0:54:15I haven't got... I haven't got a spear.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18- Can I be in the back? - Yeah, on the back.
0:54:19 > 0:54:22'At this point it should be said that I loathe dancing.'
0:54:23 > 0:54:25SINGING AND WHOOPING
0:54:27 > 0:54:29I can't...
0:54:29 > 0:54:33'But I'm doing my best to keep up with 30 fearsome pogoing warriors.'
0:54:46 > 0:54:48There's a lot of laughing going on, I think.
0:54:48 > 0:54:50No, no, no, it isn't laughing.
0:54:52 > 0:54:54It's the last dance of the night
0:54:54 > 0:54:57and a chance for the men to choose the most desirable partners.
0:54:58 > 0:55:01- Monica, can we go?- Where? - Can we go?- Oh, my God.
0:55:01 > 0:55:05- You go and dance, I'll watch. - Yeah, make sure someone takes Giles.
0:55:05 > 0:55:07That's absolutely typical, I've spent all day becoming
0:55:07 > 0:55:10a Samburu warrior, dressing up, all ready to dance,
0:55:10 > 0:55:13and now my date, Monica, has gone off with Jacob.
0:55:13 > 0:55:16I can't really blame her, he's a fine figure of a Samburu warrior
0:55:16 > 0:55:17and I'm "chubby msungu",
0:55:17 > 0:55:20so it's not surprising I ended up without a date.
0:55:24 > 0:55:26The lodge generates money,
0:55:26 > 0:55:29jobs and some security for the local community,
0:55:29 > 0:55:33but with that comes the prospect of all kinds of other changes.
0:55:33 > 0:55:38I hope all the European influence or the white influence
0:55:38 > 0:55:41on this way of life and this culture
0:55:41 > 0:55:44doesn't overtake that, you know?
0:55:44 > 0:55:50This doesn't get lost within the next...20, 30 years.
0:55:53 > 0:55:58Samburu is a passionate place and they're passionate people.
0:55:59 > 0:56:04They have this cultural love of wildlife
0:56:04 > 0:56:10that makes working in harmony with them a great asset.
0:56:13 > 0:56:16Of course it's more than a business, it's, erm...
0:56:16 > 0:56:19It's, you know, we do this for our family
0:56:19 > 0:56:23and for other people's families,
0:56:23 > 0:56:25and just to help people...
0:56:27 > 0:56:31..understand and realise
0:56:31 > 0:56:34what a special place or country we have.
0:56:45 > 0:56:48Back at the Manor, it's time for afternoon tea.
0:56:50 > 0:56:52This is civilised.
0:56:52 > 0:56:55Over four decades since Betty and Jock welcomed giraffe
0:56:55 > 0:56:56into their grounds,
0:56:56 > 0:56:59it can feel like nothing much has changed in Kenya.
0:57:00 > 0:57:02In they come.
0:57:03 > 0:57:07Yet we've come a long way since the big game hunts of the past.
0:57:09 > 0:57:12Today, travellers are offered the experience of Africa
0:57:12 > 0:57:16in various packages, some more safe and comfortable than others.
0:57:16 > 0:57:18We don't do this at the Dorchester, Grandma, do we,
0:57:18 > 0:57:21feed a giraffe after afternoon tea?
0:57:22 > 0:57:24Look at this baby running!
0:57:24 > 0:57:26Oh, she's beautiful.
0:57:27 > 0:57:29Oh, I mean... Yeah.
0:57:34 > 0:57:36I don't think you'd ever get tired of a giraffe.
0:57:36 > 0:57:40People are a different story but, no, not the giraffe!
0:57:40 > 0:57:43Oh, look. Oh, look, they're so cute!
0:57:45 > 0:57:47So cute!
0:57:48 > 0:57:50- Oh, they love it. Don't you? - What?
0:57:50 > 0:57:53- Feeding the giraffe.- Yeah.- Yeah!
0:57:54 > 0:57:56It's that up close and personal thing, really.
0:57:56 > 0:58:00It's an intangible feeling, wildlife, being with wildlife,
0:58:00 > 0:58:02being in the bush.
0:58:02 > 0:58:05It's not something you can really explain,
0:58:05 > 0:58:07you have to feel it,
0:58:07 > 0:58:11and I think that's what draws people emotively to this environment,
0:58:11 > 0:58:14because it makes you more alive, definitely.
0:58:18 > 0:58:20At its heart, the allure of this extraordinary hotel
0:58:20 > 0:58:23and the people who run it rests on enabling guests
0:58:23 > 0:58:27'to get close to animals and to be moved by that.'
0:58:31 > 0:58:33Yet the sensitive dynamic
0:58:33 > 0:58:36between tourism, wildlife and local communities
0:58:36 > 0:58:39will continue to challenge all who visit Kenya
0:58:39 > 0:58:41and everyone who calls it home.