Mount Kenya Safari Club - Living the High Life
The Republic of Kenya gets its name from Mount Kenya, the second highest peak in Africa after Mount Kilimanjaro, standing at a height of over 17000 feet. Given this, the Mount Kenya National Park is vastly different from the surrounding National parks of Masai Mara and Amboseli. For one thing, it is bathed in luxury thanks to a lot of celebrities and glitterati that have previously frequented these parts. Luxury Resorts like the Ark, Tree Tops and Mount Kenya Safari Club make this area a haven not just for wildlife spotting but also for Celebrity spotting! We spent two days at the Mount Kenya Safari Club and I have to say, this was definitely the most ostentatious part of our Kenya trip.
It is also possible to travel to MKSC by taking a 50-minute flight to the Nanyuki airstrip from where it is a 15 minute drive to the club.
Mount Kenya is located around 2 and a half hour drive away from Nairobi. The entire journey is on a good tarmac road and the 4 X 4 vehicle’s skills are not needed here. Thankfully. Those visiting Nairobi on work or pleasure, can actually even think of heading to the Mount Kenya Safari Club for a nice lunch.
Approaching Mount Kenya Safari Club
Mount Kenya definitely has the most temperate climate for a place this close to the equator. The Mount Kenya Safari Club is located on the equator and has astoundingly pleasant climatic conditions given the fact that it is located on the high slopes of Mount Kenya and is surrounded by jungles. November to March is the best time to go. One should avoid May as this is the monsoon and MKSC has a plethora of activities which will not be well enjoyed in the rains.
Today a part of the Fairmont group of hotels, the Mount Kenya Safari Club was started in the 1950s as an elite members only club which opened up membership only to royalty and aristocracy and celebrities. This club was founded by the late filmstar William Holden, rich American Ray Ryan and Swiss Financier Carl Hirschmann in 1959. Members included the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Steve Mcqueen, Charlie Chaplin, Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, Winston Churchill, and the list goes on. This exclusive club was a watering hole for the who’s who of the world back then.
A Makeshift Chapel that stood the test of time inspite of all renovations
The Club
The hotel has a lot to do for people of all ages. Located right on the equator, there is a spot in the main building where one can enjoy cheap thrills jumping from one hemisphere to the other. A beautiful lounge doubles up as a television room and a library. With ebony carved furniture, this lounge gives you a little sneak preview into the grandeur beyond. With large dining rooms, a lovely sun deck facing the Mount Kenya and the lush green lawns, the Safari Club makes you want to get lost in its beauty and never leave.
The Main Hotel Building
The sprawling 100 acres
This place also has various activities for tourists to indulge in – horse riding, golf, croquet, swimming, table tennis and a tennis court panning the two hemispheres! That’s not all, they also keep a wide variety of board games that can be borrowed from the ‘Entertainment Desk’.
There are also a variety of other paid activities that this desk can arrange for guests – mountain biking, nature walk, bird walk, fishing safaris, etc. There’s enough entertainment in here for a week!
Post a leisurely horse back session
The baffling maze that we really could not find our way out of – Remember ‘The Shining’?
The Animal Orphanage
What I would name as one of the most unique and understated parts of this place is their huge and extremely well kept animal orphanage. Wildlife from the surrounding Mount Kenya National Park is brought here when injured. Owing to this, the animal orphanage allows you to get up close and personal with the animals. We rode a 100-year-old turtle called ‘Speedy’, we fed an ostrich named ‘Patricia’ and even pet a couple of Bongos. Lama’s are not the safest creatures to be around but we even managed to touch one of those. Here in the animal orphanage we even got to stand within a few feet from cheetahs gulping down their daily meal.
An almost equally rare Lama
Ostrich Feeding time
Of all things unique…a Zebroid – a cross between a Horse and a Zebra
Feeding a duo of Pygmy hippos
The local magnificence – the Marabou Stork
Peacocks peaking into the warm lounge
Flora and Fauna
In general, the lush green acres of the Mount Kenya Safari Club have a lot on offer just as you walk around the property. You can sit and have a cup of coffee next to a Marabou stork or warm yourself near the fireplace as peacocks come and surround you. Moreover, attraction enough are the various efforts the club has made towards self sufficiency. They grow their own vegetables, have their own cemetery as well as their own church. All the staff has also been provided accommodation at the far end of the land.
In memory of all that lived
Vegetable farming
And what a cabbage patch they have
The Mount Kenya Safari Club offers a lavish spread during all three meals. Breakfast consists of various cold cuts, fruit platters, around ten different kind of breads and scrumptious eggs to order. Lunch and Dinner offer a wide-ranging array of dishes from various parts of the world and a good mix between vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Live counters offer a choice of delectable pastas, grilled meats and veggies. While we’ve heard that the quality of food has deteriorated since the olden days, we would easily rate it an 8/10. Add to this the lovely outdoor seating, and our dining experience was a perfect 10.
Enjoying our breakfast while soaking up some sun
The road from Nairobi to Mount Kenya is lined with various curio shops. However, you’re likely to see similar curio shops across the country of Kenya. The self-contained township of Mount Kenya Safari Club also boasts of its own curio store and art gallery. But I would say this one is highly priced and also houses wares targeting the rich and famous – ranging from ebony chairs to ivory tusk jewellery to animal skin carpets.
Around the Mount Kenya Safari Club, there are a few other places to be visited. The Aberdare National Park has a lovely hotel located right next to a watering hole – The Ark. This region has varied vegetation and as you climb in your car to a height of 8000 ft, you are welcomed by tall cedar trees. The car can go to a point which is at a height of around 10000 ft and this definitely offers majestic views of Mount Kenya and Batian and Nelion, its two highest peaks. There is also the Solio Ranch which is an exclusive game ranch where one can see all the animals at one spot. This trip would require a full day. The ranch is home to leopards, black and wide rhinos, colobus monkeys, giraffes, cheetahs, etc. Other than this, there is also the Ol Pejeta Sweetwater Conservancy. Located near the Uaso Nyiro river, this is a 200 acre chimpanzee sanctuary where orphaned and young chimps are taken care of.
We felt that two days weren’t nearly enough for this awe-inspiring property and would recommend that you plan a leisurely trip for at least 4 days. Fly in to Nairobi and then head to MKSC. Flights could go up to Rs 40000 during the peak season (July – Aug) however, during the off season (usually peak summers), tickets could fall as low as Rs 22000 return from Mumbai to Nairobi. Depending on availability, charges for the regular cottages at Mount Kenya Safari Club range from 300 to 400 USD per night.
The exterior view of the riverside cottage
The lurid interiors of the bedroom
Closure
Mount Kenya is a great destination almost all year round and is one where you get the best of Kenya all rolled into one - pleasant weather, spotting animals in the wild, nurturing animals in the orphanages and luxurious accomodation which is perfect for a honeymooning couple just wanting to stay indoors! The versatility of this destination makes it perfect for all ages and backgrounds of people.
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