Rating: Mid-range
Treetops Lodge is one of Kenya's original safari lodges and welcomed its first guests in 1932. It became famous across the world 20 years later, when Princess Elizabeth acceded to the throne during her stay. The lodge has since been rebuilt, and is located beside the same waterhole in Aberdare National Park north of Nairobi.
All guest accommodation features large windows which face the water, giving you a ringside seat for viewing game from the privacy of your room. There is space for luggage storage and all rooms are en-suite. There are 3 suites which have additional seating areas.
Communal areas include a lounge with a collection of reference material, and a bar where you can enjoy hot and cold drinks. The restaurant serves international dishes, and is located within sight of the waterhole. There's a viewing deck with set on a wooden platform by the waterhole and 2 hides where you watch wildlife at closer range and capture some excellent photographs.
During your stay you can take game drives in different locations to experience varied habitats and see a diverse range of animals and birds. They vary in duration from 2 hours to a full day, and one departing in the late afternoon includes sundowner drinks in the bush. You can also take half hour nature walks near the lodge with a guide. Horse riding is available if booked in advanced and staff can organise a full day's trout fishing on request.
Open: Treetops Lodge is open all year.
Location: The lodge is in Aberdare National Park. It is about a 3 hour drive from Nairobi. Guests check in at the sister property, the Outspan Hotel in Nyeri, where they receive a gate pass and can continue to the lodge.
Rooms: There are 32 standard rooms and 3 suites. Standard rooms can be arranged as twins or doubles, with 5 triple rooms available for families. All are en-suite, have large windows overlooking the waterhole and an optional audio alert system when animals approach the water. Suites are more spacious and include a sitting area by the bay window.
Activities: You can take game drives, guided walks and watch wildlife at the waterhole from the 2 viewing hides. Bush meals and sundowners, horse riding and fishing can be arranged. You can visit Outspan Hotel in Nyeri about 17kms away for lunch and a nature walk.
Facilities: The lodge has a restaurant, bar and lounge with a selection of books and historical records of game seen from the building. The viewing deck is located for the best sightings of wildlife at the waterhole.
Dining: Meals are served at individual tables.
Children: Children aged 5 years and above are welcome.
Health: This is a malarial area. Communication: There is wifi internet access in the lounge and bar.
Notes: There is 1 room adapted for disabled guests, and there is wheelchair friendly ramp access to all floors of the lodge.
Treetops Lodge is part of the Aberdare Safari Hotels group.
Eco: Treetops Lodge has been operating the Return to the Bush initiative since 2007, and have now planted thousands of trees in a 20 hectare site to rehabilitate the land. Guests are encouraged to plant trees to support this ongoing project.
A 4x4 exploration of some of Kenya's top locations, including Amboseli, the Rift Valley Lakes and Masai Mara, staying in comfortable lodges and camps.
Treetops Lodge has been operating the Return to the Bush initiative since 2007, and have now planted thousands of trees in a 20 hectare site to rehabilitate the land. Guests are encouraged to plant trees to support this ongoing project.