The Ark Lodge

You stay at The Ark Lodge in Aberdare National Park, overlooking a floodlit waterhole and salt lick where elephants, buffalo, and leopards gather. The lodge is built on three decks, each with balconies and lounges for viewing the wildlife. Cabins are self-contained, with en-suite showers and toilets, and are spread across Deck A, Deck B, and Deck C, where the restaurant and bar are located.

The waterhole draws animals throughout the day and night, and a night guard will buzz your room when special animals appear. The lodge also has a ground-level bunker, a circular pillbox-like structure, where you can photograph animals on the salt lick from a safe distance.

The restaurant serves breakfast and dinner, with lunch available on request. Ingredients include organic vegetables and spices from the Aberdare Country Club gardens. The bar offers a selection of wines and liqueurs, overlooking the same waterhole where animals drink.

The Ark Lodge is set in the heart of Aberdare National Park, a forested area home to colobus monkeys, bushbuck, and black rhinos. The lodge provides a quiet base for observing wildlife, with no fences between the lodge and the forest.