Your next weekend getaway doesn’t need to be too many miles away to count as a trip. Explore our top picks outside Nairobi that you can drive to in 4 hours or less.
Ostrich House | Makuyu
Approximately under 1hr 30 min
8 Guests | 3 Bedrooms | 4 Beds | 3 Bathrooms
Located in Maragua, just 80km outside Nairobi, Ostrich House is a quaint and cozy self- catered farm cottage set in a 500 acre orchard. The property is perfect for families or groups of friends looking for a weekend getaway or a midweek break. The farm offers ample opportunity for discovery and adventure with hiking, biking and fishing available on the property.
Guests can also get guided tours on the farm to see various plantations hosting everything from dragon fruit and pomegranate to mango and avocado trees. In line with its name, you should also expect to see some ostriches during your stay. They often like to graze and relax around the cottage and are very friendly.
In case you’d like to venture out of the farm, Ostrich House is also within easy reach to outdoor adventures such as white water rafting in Sagana, Castle Forest Lodge, Chania Falls, and Ragati Forest.
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Ndongoro Log Cabin | Ragati Conservancy, Mt. Kenya National Park
Approximately under 3 hours
10 Guests | 5 Bedrooms | 6 Beds
Within the heart of Ragati Conservancy, on the slopes of Mount Kenya lies the enchanting Ndongoro Log Cabin. This property is your ultimate eco-lodge, being built entirely from sustainable materials and using equally sustainable methods to collect water, generate electricity and hot water as well as deal with waste.
It is situated in a beautiful glade near a large waterfall, overlooking a bend in the river and boasts spacious accommodation including a large sitting room and dining room with an open fire and a fully equipped kitchen opening to an airy verandah overlooking the glade and river.
The property can be reached by 4×4 and is a little under 3 hours out from Nairobi.
A range of activities are also available within the conservancy spanning from fishing for rainbow trout, commonly known as ‘Ragati Reds’ (descendants of the first rainbow trout introduced in the 1920’s and 30’s) to walking safaris and a unique route up Mt. Kenya via Lake Hoehnel.
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Longonot Loft | Naivasha
Approximately 2 hours
5 Guests | 2 Bedrooms | 3 Beds | 2 Bathrooms
Longonot Loft is an eco-friendly self-catering ‘loft house’ built on the foothills of Mt. Longonot volcano, Lake Naivasha. It is a 10 minute drive off the main Moi South Lake Rd on a privately owned 200 acre estate called Impala.
The house is 100% solar-powered and beautifully furnished with a modern, open plan kitchen that features a large granite kitchen island for social cooking while guests sit in front of the fire. Large doors and windows let lots of natural light into the house to brighten up your day. The house also has an outdoor sitting room and a plunge pool right off the side of the verandah. Shallow enough for kids to play in while you sit close by and keep an eye on them.
As it is on the foothills of Mt. Longonot, it has stunning unspoiled views of the volcano and is frequently visited by wildlife such as zebras & buffalos in the garden. Activities in the area are: hiking Mt.Longonot, visits to Hell’s Gate National Park, horse riding, boat safaris, fishing, water sports, bird watching & restaurants. Most activities are about 10-20 minutes’ drive away. Perfect for the weekend!
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Mukima House | Nanyuki
Approximately 4 hours
16 Guests, 9 Bedrooms, 10 Beds, 9 Bathrooms
At the foothills of Mt. Kenya, this double storey house, is set in vivid tropical flowerbeds with expansive lawns. The house has 8 ensuite bedrooms, a games room, a large kitchen with a store, laundry room, cloakroom, drawing room, dining room, a generous entrance hall and an upstairs gallery.
There is a first floor open terrace, perfect for sundowners while watching the white egrets fly home to roost on the dam against the backdrop of the mountain and the African dusk. Just as stunning on the clear mornings is the sunrise, which silhouettes the mountain in soft pink and blue. The front of the house has a large, wrap-around veranda, used for daytime dining.
This accommodation is fully serviced and the food is fresh and wholesome, with local and homegrown fruit and vegetables.
