HOME Experience The Shamba

The Shamba

Kiswahili for ‘vegetable garden’ the Shamba is a much-loved experience for Angama Mara’s guests. Step through the entrance — a passionfruit arbour — and follow the Shamba Keepers around the one-acre profusion of plants. Or while away a morning or afternoon under the shady moth trees, taking in sweeping views of the Mara below whilst watching the butterflies and birds flitting through the greenery.

No ordinary vegetable patch

The winding landscaped paths have been set out in a “snakes and ladders” design. The Shamba Keeper will share the story behind the design
No ‘hands off’ here – you can pick and taste the fruits, flowers and herbs along the way

A good place to stop by on your way to or from the Mara — or arrange a lazy lunch under the Moth Trees
With a plethora of beautiful places to dine in and around the lodge, this one rates as one of the most unique and — dare we say it — down to earth

Title

Farm-to-Table Safari

The Shamba is more than a vegetable garden. It’s an experience of exploration, of getting in touch with the soil, fruits and vegetables of Africa and finally, an explosion of taste.

Fill Your Basket

Pick your own ingredients for the freshest salads imaginable right here in the garden, as part of your lunch under the towering Moth trees in the Shamba. Our Butlers prepare the rest: a wicker basket filled with loaves of bread, local cheese and chilled rosé wine, to accompany your well-earned greens — which may include everything from lettuces, root vegetables, oranges, limes, passionfruit, to edible flowers and herbs.

A LIVING PHARMACY

Visit the Shamba’s healing garden, offering a range of easy-to-clutch natural remedies, to cure everything from headaches to anxiety.

For your good health

–

Enjoy plants both healing and healthy: freshly brewed herbal teas, juices or perhaps a rejuvenating smoothie

–

The Maasai use many of these daily; sit on the curved lower walls whilst the Shamba Keeper explains the plants’ medicinal values

FLY THE (CHICKEN) COOP

If you’re up early enough, a very special event takes place in the Shamba. At dawn, around 06h00, it’s time for our daily chicken run, a chance for Angama’s brood to stretch their wings and fly the coop as they head to their favourite restaurant, the compost heap, under the protective gaze of Head Shamba Keeper, Willie. This sight for sleepy eyes may even be worth missing an early morning departure for your safari.

Shall we Shamba?

Alison Mitchell

Before I write another word: full disclosure that I am unashamedly biased when it comes to Angama Mara’s Shamba*. You see, it was designed and project managed by my green-fingered brother Ian, and if you’ve read any of his Shamba stories (here, here and here) you will understand his passion for this lovely place. Besides…

Shamba

Cooking Up a Shamba Storm

Nicky Fitzgerald

As readers of our little blog know by now, we have planted a beautiful (if somewhat massive) shamba high up on the edge of the Rift Valley. As the vegetables, herbs, fruits and edible flowers started to go forth and multiply we knew the time was ripe for a major menu overhaul. Under the loving…