The Emakoko

With just 10 cottage-styled rooms guests are promised exclusive and peaceful luxury. 5 of the rooms are situated on the property’s main level, while the other 5 have been built into the ascending cliff face and are well worth the climb! But no matter which room you stay in you’ll always have spectacular views of the park and be able to fall asleep to the sounds of wild instead of the drone of urban traffic. All rooms come fully furnished with your comfort in mind, including a large cosy bed, black-out curtains, a lounge area and private veranda, a desk and wardrobe, as well as an en suite bathroom fitted with a walk-in shower and bathtub.

Emakoko’s Private House was opened in September 2018 as the newest addition to their accommodation selection and boasts exquisite views of the park. The House has two en suite double rooms that are joined by a shared lounge and dining area, as well as a small private pool. It’s the ideal option for families or groups travelling together.

The food at Emakoko is exceptional, locally sourced and wonderfully imaginative. Chef Steve always has an eye open for brand new recipes to try and garnish with a Swahili flourish. His menus have a great variety of cuisines including Indian, French and Thai. For breakfasts, guests can choose from a nice mix of continental and cooked dishes. Lunches tend to be lighter with options such as soups and salads, while dinners are served in three courses.

Emakoko has direct access to the Nairobi National Park and invites you to join them on an amazing game viewing tour! There’s great chances to see all sorts of wildlife such as lions, leopards, giraffes, wildebeest, as well as both black and white rhinos. In fact, you’re more likely to see both kinds of rhino in the Nairobi Park than in any other Kenyan sanctuary or reserve. If you’re a photographer or simply wanting to preserve the memories of your experience as best you can, Emakoko’s on-site photographer will be more than happy to share some tips on capturing the best photos possible.

If you fancy a break from driving and want to stretch your legs then there are plenty of scenic walking paths to explore where you can walk alongside herds of giraffe, eland, impala and gazelles. With the Nairobi Park on one side and the Kitengela conservancy on the other, you’ll have plenty of ground to cover.

Created by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife, the Giraffe Centre was established to protect the endangered Rothschild Giraffe, which are only found indigenously in East Africa. If you visit you’ll get the chance to feed the giraffes yourselves and learn all about the sanctuary’s important work.

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is the most successful rescue and rehabilitation program for orphaned elephants in the world and a wonderful place to spend a few hours. Get to know the young elephants and their keepers, and learn about the Trust’s incredible efforts to ensure the safety and wellbeing of these beautiful animals.

With Nairobi just around the corner you can balance out your wild safari adventure with some city excursions. Emakoko’s guides can take you to some of Nairobi’s local shopping areas where you can buy some gorgeous handmade trinkets to take home. If you’re a fan of beaded jewellery you could visit the Kazuri Bead Factory, which specialises in handmade ceramic beads, pottery and handcrafted leather bags, and also employs over 300 local women. If history is more up your street there’s the Karen Blixen Museum, formerly the home of the Danish author of ‘Out of Africa’, Karen Blixen.

The Emakoko works to support the Nairobi National Park, who are managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), in the conservation of wildlife and their habitats. For every guest who stays at Emakoko, a fee goes directly to the KWS that helps them protect the animals living in the park, most notably the endangered Black Rhino. Emakoko also gives support to the rangers in the park by providing them with essential equipment they need to watch over the animals, from small things like binoculars to more complex things like observation towers.

The Emakoko has initiated projects to support the local Maasai community so they can continue with their traditions and lifestyles. The urbanisation of Kenya has unfortunately had a negative impact on the semi-nomadic Maasai people and there has been mounting pressure on them to abandon their traditional ways of life, so Emakoko has committed to helping the local community sustain themselves.

Emakoko helped to build a new primary school in 2017 from the building of the school structures to the provision of school equipment such as stationary and desks. They also donate sports equipment to the community’s football team, providing uniforms, balls, nets and shoes to allow as many young people to take part in sport as possible.