Serena Mountain Lodge hotel Kenya is only ‘tree hotel’ ever to be built on the slopes of Kenya’s legendary Mount Kenya, Mountain Lodge hotel 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.
Serena Mountain Lodge hotel floats 2,195 m high on the flanks of Kenya’s highest mountain and lies surrounded by dense rainforest that comes alive at dusk with myraid of sounds that make the African bush special and exhilarating.
The luxury lodge offers not only the champagne-clarity of mountain air, but also a matchless game viewing opportunity whilst combining a glorious panorama of mountain vistas with the primordial splendours of an ancient rainforest and a chance to scale 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. Sailing like an ark above the rainforest’s waxy-green canopy, the first sight of Mountain Lodge sets the scene or 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.
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.
An extinct volcano, some three and a half million years old with permanently snow-covered, ice-shattered peaks, Mount Kenya is the second-highest mountain in Africa after Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro.
There are four main routes of ascent, the Naro Moru trail, the Burguret and Sirimon trails and the Chogoria trail and, whilst the icy peaks of Batian (5199m) and Nelion (5,189m) are accessible only to experienced mountaineers, Point Lenana (4,985m) can be conquered by anyone who is reasonably fit.
In fact, the task has been made considerably easier thanks to Serena Hotels and the Kenya Wildlife Service who have recently cooperated to pioneer a new climbing route, which offers maximum adventure, panorama and enjoyment and minimal hardship.
Depending upon the weather conditions and the fitness level of the climbing party, the trip takes approximately 3 days in ascent and 2 days in descent and is led by a team of experienced mountaineers and naturalists who remain in constant radio contact with the Lodge.
Mountain accommodation is provided in the form of ready-pitched camps of comfortable and fully-equipped high-altitude tents (or alternatively, bunk- houses) whilst the food, provided daily by the hotel, will include tasty packed lunches, hot drinks, fortifying snacks and individually presented supper menus. Upon arrival at Lenana Point guests will also be met with hot drinks, biscuits and brandy before being transported back down the mountain to a celebratory dinner at the hotel.
Mountain Lodge Hotel Accomodation
Serena Mountain Lodge hotel has 42 guest rooms each with En-suite Bathroom & Facilities, and a special viewing bunker.
The brightly renovated rooms feature thick-pile locally woven rugs and wall-hangings, with décor designed to provide glowing warmth and fireside comfort against the evening chill of this unique tropical mountain environment
Facilities:
Facilities available include:
- Traditionally Timbered Dining Room serving Internationally-themed Dishes
- Full Housekeeping Services (Hot Water Bottles, Laundry, Shoeshine Etc)
- Full Medical Back-Up & Emergency Evacuation Facilities
- Post Mountain-Climbing Herbal Massages
- Relaxing Beauty Treatments, Manicures & Pedicures
- Forex Facilities
- Full Conference Facilities
- A Wide Range of Board Games
- A Full Library of Books on Africa
- Extensively Stocked Africana Gift Shop
- All Weather Airstrip & Well-Maintained Road Network
- A Private Water Hole & Salt Lick, which acts as a magnet for the region’s wildlife - especially elephants
