Living with African wildlife – The Treetops Lodge in Kenya

By Li Xinyi, compiled and reported | Source: Monocle Editorial Department

Every guidebook to Kenya that mentions Treetops includes this anecdote: on February 5, 1952, while British Princess Elizabeth and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, were staying overnight at the lodge, they received the shocking news of the death of King George VI. Elizabeth subsequently ascended the throne at Treetops and thereby cemented the lodge’s legendary reputation for the past half-century. Nestled within Kenya’s central Aberdare National Park, the reason the young queen stayed at Treetops back then was exactly the same as why travelers come here today—to wait patiently, camera in hand, for animals to wander into view.

The original Treetops, where Queen Elizabeth was proclaimed monarch, was destroyed by Kenyan independence activists in 1957. Its former site, across from a natural waterhole, still shows remnants of the old structure. Salvaged from the original lodge is an old Treetops signboard, now displayed on the rooftop terrace of the rebuilt lodge, hanging on the wall behind the bar.

To be honest, Treetops isn’t luxurious, nor is it actually built in the treetops, and it comes with plenty of strict rules—no large luggage allowed, only personal toiletries and clothing. For safety reasons, guests must arrive by shuttle bus as a group, and once inside, they’re not permitted to leave until checkout the next morning, when they depart together by bus again. But this uniquely African lodging experience is something you’d miss out on if you didn’t stay here for at least one night during your trip to Kenya.

The primary purpose of building Treetops was to offer wildlife viewing. Without disrupting the natural environment or disturbing animal behavior, the lodge was built on-site using the existing terrain and materials. It’s a raised structure camouflaged with inconspicuous tree bark, supported by wooden beams that lift the 6-meter-high building high enough to avoid blocking animal paths—the height is just right for an adult elephant to pass through freely. One side of the lodge borders a natural waterhole; the soil around it contains minerals, attracting animals from Aberdare National Park daily for salt and water. Most frequently seen are herds of elephants and buffaloes, with elephants often dominating the area and not sharing it with other species. On the other side is an artificial waterhole dug by the lodge. Strangely, despite being another water source, it rarely sees animal visitors. In the distance, you can see Mount Kenya, the country’s second-highest peak.

The lodge has only three floors with 52 rooms. Once inside, guests will find that due to limited space, rooms contain just two beds and barely enough room to turn around. Except for two suites, all other rooms share bathroom facilities. Hallways are so narrow that only two people can pass sideways. However, most of the time is spent on the rooftop terrace or in the lobby observing wildlife, and even when back in the room, looking out the window at night to see animals below is enough to make one forget the inconveniences.

[Trip Information]

Address: Aberdare Safari Hotel, P.O. Box 14815-00800, Nairobi, Kenya

Phone: +254-20-445-2095

Website: www.aberdaresafarihotels.com