Introduction to Spinners & Weavers

The first time we visited Spinners & Weavers, we weren't there as safari operators or tourists. We were there as neighbours. And that's the only way to understand what this place really is.

Nanyuki sits about 90 minutes from Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages — close enough that our team makes the drive almost every week. We pick up supplies, take staff to doctors and dentists, handle vehicle maintenance. Over two decades, we've watched Nanyuki transform from a single dirt road with a handful of shops into a thriving settlement full of local businesses and real community. It's home to us now.

We’ve come to love the people of Nanyuki and we’ve especially come to love a special place called The Spinners and Weavers.

What Spinners & Weavers Actually Does

Spinners & Weavers was founded by the Nanyuki Presbyterian Church in the 1970s. It exists for one fundamental reason: to give widowed and disadvantaged women a path out of hardship.

The numbers speak quietly but clearly. Over 280 women have moved through this program. They've learned skills. They've earned income. They've supported their families. And then — this is the part that matters — many of them have left to start their own businesses or support groups across the country. What started as a refuge became a launchpad.

Today, the women of Spinners & Weavers spend their days doing what the name suggests: spinning and weaving. Using traditional methods, they create beautiful, hand-made wool rugs and textiles. The work is meditative and skilled. The products are distinctive. And every purchase directly supports the women making them.

Why We Bring Guests There

When people come to Ol Pejeta, they come for the wildlife. The leopards and lions, the black rhinos, the chimpanzees. And rightfully so — that's the magic of the conservancy. But if you stay longer than three nights, there's room for more. There's room to understand the human side of this landscape. To meet the women of Nanyuki, to see the community we're part of.

A morning visit to Spinners & Weavers does something you can't replicate on a game drive. You sit with the women. You watch them work. You learn their stories. You understand that conservation and community aren't separate things — they're woven together (pun intended).

You can buy a rug or make a donation. You can wander the local shops in Nanyuki town. You can explore the Mitumba market, where vendors sell second-hand clothing and goods in a bustling outdoor bazaar that's chaotic and alive and absolutely worth your time. But mostly, you realize that the best safaris aren't just about seeing wildlife. They're about seeing — and supporting — the people who live alongside it.

Visiting the Nanyuki Spinners & Weavers

You can learn about this wonderful group of women here - Nanyuki Spinners and Weavers.

If you’d like to support the Spinners and Weavers woman’s group on your next visit to Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages then let us know and we can arrange a morning out in Nanyuki town for you.

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