The Mountain Lodge Experience

The only ‘tree hotel’ ever to be built on the slopes of Kenya’s legendary Mount Kenya, Mountain Lodge offers a matchless game viewing opportunity whilst combining a glorious panorama of mountain vistas with the primordial splendours of an ancient rainforest. Floating 2,195 m high on the flanks of Kenya’s highest mountain and secreted deep within her largest forest reserve, the lodge offers not only the champagne-clarity of mountain air, the tranquility of the forest and a colourful cavalcade of wildlife but also the chance of scaling the icy peaks of Africa’s second-highest mountain.

Guests can also awake to the trumpeting of elephant, fall asleep to the symphony of the African night or sit in stillness and observe the fascinating interplay of the animals as they arrive to drink, bathe, spar and forage around the water hole. Finally, they can venture down to the secret viewing hide by the water’s edge and experience the awesome thrill of being only meters away from some of the most massive beasts on earth.

The Lodge

Sailing like an ark above the rainforest’s waxy-green canopy, the first sight of Mountain Lodge sets the scene for the experience to come and provides a dramatic climax to the tantalizing approach up the lower slopes. A timbered drawbridge leads from a winding path in the depths of the rainforest, over a moat of sun-dappled jungle and up on to the wooden ‘decks’ of the forest-green, timbered lodge. Inside, the impression of having boarded a ship is perpetuated by a combination of log panelled walls, timbered game-viewing decks and winding stairs leading to a selection of snugly comfortable, cabin-styled rooms. Cool, tranquil and hushed for optimum game-sightings, the open-air viewing-deck looks down onto the endlessly shifting scenes of the wildlife theatre that troops and teems around the salt lick and waterhole below.

Come evening, the softly glowing lamps and warmly upholstered arm-chairs allow for optimum night-viewing whilst for those in search of a really close wildlife encounter, a special ‘hide’ has been built at the water hole’s edge delivering once-in-a-lifetime closeness to some of the world’s rarest animals. Inside, the cosily-welcoming bar centres on a glowing fire and has been tastefully decorated with traditional Kikuyu handicrafts and a series of sepia prints depicting the traditional Kikuyu way of life.

The brightly renovated rooms, meanwhile, feature thick-pile locally woven rugs and wall-hangings, whilst the décor has been designed to provide glowing warmth and fireside comfort against the evening chill of this unique tropical mountain environment.

Dining

The traditionally timbered dining room is surrounded by windows and has been built on stilts so as to seemingly float above the liana-strung forest whilst commanding enchanting views over this primeval environment. The menu has been planned to offer a blend of traditionally hearty safari favourites, spicy ethnic cuisine, crisp salads and internationally-themed dishes.

The Mount Kenya Eco Programme

The most severe threat to the eco-system of the Mount Kenya region is the deforestation, soil erosion and illegal logging that is currently wreaking havoc on the region. Serena Hotels are, therefore, working closely with the Kenyan Forestry Department to support a tree-planting initiative, which it is hoped will gradually address the problem. To this end a nursery has been established and already 1,000,000 fast-growing seedlings have been planted in the more severely denuded areas. The Group also supports a ‘Plant a Tree for Africa’ programme.

The mountain is also suffering from the ill effects of mass-tourism, which manifest themselves in the form of eroded tracks and degradation of the landscape thanks to refuse and fires. Working in cooperation with Kenya Wildlife Service, therefore, Serena Hotels have recently re-opened a lapsed climbing route as well as a number of low-impact forest trails around the hotel. All the Group’s mountain excursions are carefully planned so as to minimise any negative impact upon the environment. As to community benefits, the Serena Group offers support to a home for disadvantaged children in the nearby town of Nyeri as well as buying most of its fresh produce from the surrounding area. Serena also supports local trout farming, and assists local farmers to fence off their land and young tress from destruction by errant wildlife. Wherever possible, the lodge’s staff is also drawn from the local community whilst all the handicrafts, décor and cultural entertainments are locally sourced.

Taking the Eco Route

The Serena Group is committed to an escalating eco-policy that embraces sensitivity to the interests of the local population in relation to such matters as: cultural preservation, sustainable habitat and community development. The group also abides by a code of responsible practice in relation to: energy conservation, waste recycling, sewage disposal, air emissions, pesticides, noise reduction and visual pollution. Finally, all Serena Group properties are built to harmonise with the local landscape and to utilise eco-friendly materials, local handicrafts and products. Wherever possible we also aim to enhance the environment via landscaping and indigenous plant material reinforcement.

Contact Details

Telephone (254 061) 2030785
 (254 061) 2030853

Fax (254 061) 2030858

Address P.O. Box 48690
Nairobi
KENYA

Serena Sales Centre (Nairobi)
Telephone (254 20) 2710511

Fax (254 20) 2718100
 (254 20) 2718102
 (254 20) 2718103
E-mail Send an e-mail

Address Serena Hotels
Williamson House, 4th Floor
4th Ngong' Avenue
P.O. Box 48690 - 00100
Nairobi
KENYA

Johannesburg Reservations Office
Telephone (27 11) 465 0808
 083 637 4447 (cell phone)

Fax (27 11) 465 0838
E-mail Send an e-mail

Address Fourways Office Park
Richmond House Building No 7
Roos Street, Fourways
Johannesburg
SOUTH AFRICA