The thing I will remember most of all of my second trip to Kenya, in addition to the excitement of finding myself within the great migration of wildebeests to Masai Mara is undoubtedly the lodge where I slept at Aberdare National Park.
The Aberdare National Park is a park nestled in the forest that stands on the slopes of Mount Kenya and houses the most famous hotel in the country: the Treetops Lodge.
Perhaps some fans of The Crown series have already recognized it, well, yes, it is the lodge where Queen Elizabeth II slept during her trip to Kenya and where she learned to have succeeded to the throne to her father.
Sleeping here was sensational not only because it is a hotel where you can breathe history (it was built in 1932) but also because it stands in front of an immense pool of water where animals go to drink at any time of day or night.
And the emotion you feel is priceless.
When I was on my fifth safari, I had already stayed in a lodge in front of a pool of water, but the Treetops Lodge is different from all the other lodges I stayed in, thanks to its close proximity to the pool and a large number of animals that move in droves to drink.
From the window of my room, I saw real herds of elephants, rhinos and even the black rhino. Comfortably sitting on the bed I found myself several times screaming with joy at the arrival of a new animal. I leaned out of the window of the room almost to fall to get as close as possible to this incredible spectacle of nature that has allowed me to live in close contact with these extraordinary beasts.
Making a safari is beautiful but the feeling of being able to admire, undisturbed, warthogs and hyenas, elephants and gazelles from their room is incredible. And moreover, at every hour of the day and night.
At night, bells are ringed based on sightings that are made so that guests of the Treetops Hotel can wake up if they want. One-touch for the hyena, two for the leopard, three for the elephants. Unbelievable!
The gem? The Treetops lodge is built entirely of wood and inside some of the rooms, like mine, there are real trees.
Safari in Aberdare National Park
The Aberdare National park is located in the central area of Kenya, of which Nyeri is the administrative center. The park is famous because here lived Lord Robert Baden-Powell founder of the scout movement, inside the park, there is also a small museum dedicated to him.
Entering the Aberdare costs sixty dollars per person and for those who want to experience the park in a totally autonomous way, there are campsites where you can sleep at night.
Don't expect to take a safari in the savannah, though, as the park is surrounded by forest. This makes sightings more difficult because the animals hide in the thick vegetation. That's why, if you go there, I highly recommend you to choose a lodge that has a pool of water in front of it. In addition to Treetops, The Ark also offers this possibility. And if you can associate a visit to this park with a safari to the Masai Mara or the Tsavo East.
Aberdare National Park: useful tips
For more information about Aberdare National Park, I recommend that you consult the website of the Tourist Board at this link. Here you will find the link to the Treetops Lodge website. Consider that during the sunset or sunrise safaris temperatures can drop dramatically and then bring with you some heavy clothing to cover you, I even saw people in windbreakers for dinner.
As for the anti-malaria prophylaxis, as during the trip in January, this time I chose not to do it. However, I recommend that you consult your doctor who will be able to direct you in the best possible way to decide for yourself what to do about it.
What I would like to tell you is not to be held back by the fear of malaria as some of you have written to me. Kenya was for me one of the most beautiful trips I have ever made and I would like each of you to experience what I have experienced.