The Ark Tree Lodge
The Ark Tree Lodge Kenya
The Ark Tree Lodge
Aberdares National Park, Kenya
Set in the heart of the Aberdare National Park, The Ark is an unique tree lodge with a veranda that overlooks a floodlit waterhole and saltlick allowing undisturbed views of wildlife visiting the waterhole. Elephant, rhino, leopard, bushbuck and occasionally an elusive bongo and giant forest hog have been sighted. The Ark Tree Lodge is 16km (10 miles) from the Mweiga airfield or one hour's drive from Nyeri airstrip or two hours from Nanyuki. The Ark has gradually increased its carrying capacity as demand dictated, and today can hold 123 guests.
The 60 guest rooms are all en-suite. All cabins have private bathrooms with shower, and are comfortably furnished with bedside lamps and carpeted floors to ward off the evening and morning chill. Close to your room are views of the forest or waterhole, revealing game. Cabins are provided with water flasks and glasses, hot water bottles and extra blankets. The bathrooms contain 115/240v shaving socket, shower stall, washbasin and flush toilets.
The Main Dining Room is set off from the Bar. Long tables are softly lit, and the split-level room has a glass wall with superb views of the dense forest. The menu is a cosmopolitan combination of European and Kenyan dishes, made from fresh Kenyan produce. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are Table d'hôte. Lunch is only served to guests staying for more than one night, or upon special request. Seating capacity is 140 people. Located on one of the viewing decks is a bar and lounge which remain open all night for tea and coffee.
The
Ark Tree Viewing Balcony
Resembling and named after Noah's Ark, The
Ark Tree Lodge is designed with 'decks' from which numerous balconies and lounges provide superb vantage points for game viewing. A ground level bunker provides excellent photographic opportunities and takes you closer than you would believe possible to the wildlife.
Elephants visting Ark Tree Waterhole
In each room, a buzzer system will alert you when there is something special to see, such as a leopard who might sneak to the floodlit waterhole in the dead of night. The ground level viewing area provides incredible photographic opportunities as the Elephants come almost close enough to touch. The whole experience at the Ark feels slightly unreal as there is so much going on, and all you have to do is wait on the balconies with your camera and binoculars.
The Yasabara waterhole and salt-lick is frequented by great numbers of animals, elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard, and bushbuck, besides other rare creatures such as the suni, and genet cat. To enable guests to continue watching late into the night, the waterhole is floodlit from 1800 hours to dawn. Spare blankets are available for guests' use in the lounges. Photographic flashlights are not permitted as some animals are startled by flashlights and are scared away.
Access to vehicles is limited in order to conserve and protect the environment which hosts wildlife such as elephant, rhino, buffalo, bush bucks, giant forest hogs, Sykes monkey, leopard, and bongo.
