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We keep it nice and simple on our wildlife conservancy on the shores of Lake Naivasha. We try to let the nature speak for itself. Luxurious accommodation. Family friendly horse riding. Legendary dishes at The 'pop Up'. Hand milked pastured dairy products.
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We stayed at Mabati House at Sanctuary Farm for 3 nights. When we first arrived I was a little hesitant, they had increased the entrance fees to 1000ksh/person from 500ksh/person without mentioning this to us prior to arrival. When we drove to the house through the park I was a little bit worried about how close the cottage was to the farm and back of house areas (I was hoping for a very quiet, rural stay). HOWEVER I was pleasantly surprised when we saw the house and the beautiful garden (shared with Rose Cottage but with privacy). Mabati house has 2 bedrooms, a living/dining area with log burner, a small but well serviced kitchen, and a wet room with shower, WC and washbasin. There is a dolls house in the living area which my kids absolutely loved and kept them well entertained. The whole living/dining area opens up to the garden which is amazing at night when the animals come out (we had impala, giraffe, hippos)! Note there is about 1m drop from the house to the garden (I spent a lot of time trying to stop my 2 year old from falling off the edge). While there we did a boat ride (3000ksh), lots of hippos and great bird life. We also did a night drive, so worth while! You can't do night drives in Kenya national parks so it was brilliant to see the animals at night with our spotlight. There is lots to do in Naivasha and Sanctaury Farm is very central for shops, Hell's Gate, Crescent Island, Fired Earth pottery and the gorgeous Sopa Lodge (where you can use their pool for 1000ksh/person). Would definitely stay at Sanctuary farm again but maybe in other accommodation like Rose Cottage, also liked the look of the WatchTower but it's only 1 room. The chairs/sofas in Mabati house desperately need updating, they are not comfortable.
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Date of stay: April 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â Do a night drive!
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Great for campers, and those who don´t have camping gear like us. We were two families and they provided tents, cots, bedding and there are good shower/toilet facilities right next the the lower campground by the lake. Since the lake flooded there were limited options for a few bungalows they also rent. There is also an upper camp site, but we liked being near the lake. The hippos and zebra hang around the site and tents during the night, which kept me awake, but it was fun. The guard looked after us and kept the fire ready when we woke. In the morning the giraffes wandered through, and during the day we rode horses and walked around among the animals. Definitely recommend for an inexpensive quick getaway from Nairobi.
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Date of stay: March 2021
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Amani campsite is the private campsite on the farm and worth paying for if you're a large group and you want the entire campsite to yourselves. We had great views of the lake and lots of animals always passing by including hippos at night. The ablutions are well maintained with decent plumbing and hot water. Thanks to Wilson and Samuel who looked after us while we were around.
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Date of stay: July 2021
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We had heard such great things about Sanctuary Farm that we decided to visit in February. Good news first: the people working at the farm were very nice. The manager seemed nice but was largely absent during out visit.
I should have gotten a clue from the difficulty booking. Multiple emails & a phone call to the manager who never communicated w/ the person managing booking emails. After much effort I was able to make my payment, which as it turns out was for the full stay, not the 50% down payment. 1 more glitch. At check in, we got briefed on activities & additional costs. We booked to visit Crescent Island & had difficulty discerning whether it was feasible to drive there. We were told to take a boat. So, we just drove to the island to get the answer. Turns out parking is free & we could drive. Note: the causeway connecting Crescent Island to the farm is very narrow & if it has rained a lot the road can easily be washed out. Take note.
The accommodations at Sanctuary Farm are rustic, & a fan would have made a big difference as there are no screens on the windows.
We opted for full board and were sorry we did. The restaurant is small and serves not just the stable rooms but also 2 campsites. During our visit we had large parties from the campsite book tables and their orders could overwhelm the kitchen. 1 day we waited 1:40 to get scrambled eggs. Note, this was the best meal we had there by far but when we got the eggs they were cold.
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Date of stay: February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My wife and I have just spent an idyllic three days at Sanctuary Farm by Lake Naivasha. On arrival we were met by a herd of Zebras interspersed with impalas wandering across the road just inside the entrance. It was like being immersed in your own safari. We were shown to our accommodation, the Yellow house, recently renovated to an exceptional standard, not showy in any way but bursting with authenticity, particularly on the front porch which overlooked the extensive grounds and multitude of animals. I never thought I would have the opportunity to wake up in the morning and see zebras roaming round the garden. As part of the package we were offered we had a personal chef (Julie) who was excellent, with the food all originating locally and having seen Felix's vegetable garden we could see why the food tasted so lovely, no offence to Julie of course. The Yellow House is very large with four bedrooms, a kitchen for use by the guests and a second kitchen for when the chef has been organised. The furnishings and fitments are of a very high standard with little being missed, a large dining area, a lounge and of course the piece de resistance the terrace with plenty of sofas for guests. As well as the animals roaming round the grounds, (including Giraffes, Wildebeests and Buffalos), there is a stable block with a large number of horses , where you can hire horses or join groups for a tour round the grounds. To sit on horseback whilst standing next to a Giraffe or two is a wonderful experience. There is also the opportunity to hire a boat for a trip on the Lake and to take in the scenery from the surrounding areas, with the opportunity to spot on elf the many Hippos resting in the lake. We were also given the opportunity to experience a night trip and see the Hippos wandering around the grounds. There is also an excellent restaurant within Sanctuary Farm, again with most of the produce originating locally. Whilst we were there the restaurant had just completed a refurbishment and was about to launch new menus with dignitaries coming from the surrounding areas (and those from Nairobi) Again the food was excellent with renowned chefs working there. Despite being a good couple of hours drive from Nairobi it is well worth the journey, having gone from the hustle and bustle of the city to the wonderful peacefulness of the farm. All in all a magical experience which would be difficult to better.
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Date of stay: June 2024
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Had a great weekend stay at Rose Cottage Sanctuary farm. The cottage is great for couples or families with one child (or a second sleeping in the large double). Kitchen and bathroom are wonderfully rustic farm style and nicely accommodated with large windows and multiple outdoor spaces. The sanctuary conservancy offer great opportunities for walk around game watching daytime and night time drives. Visiting crescent island (KSH 3000 for the boat from the farms own dock plus conservancy fees on island) is a must. I also recommend the pop up restaurant for a dinner or breakfast, surprisingly good with descent wines. For activities there’s plenty but don’t miss the crater lake hike for a 2 hour adventure (not for small kids) or the hot spring Spa at olkaria/hells gate.
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Date of stay: June 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We only had one night to spend at Sanctuary and it was unforgettable. I had been looking for a place not too far from Nairobi where I could go horseback riding with my 9 year old daughter, ideally among the wildlife. This was a birthday present for her and it completely surpassed our expectations. Silas at the stables was a terrific guide, and they really do have horses for all levels. My 9yo had a pony who was calm enough to let her trot and canter along right with us across the fields of zebras, giraffes, wildebeests and impalas ; I had a gorgeous thoroughbred with whom I even did a few cross-country jumps. My husband and younger daughter rode just a bit but then also made the most of wildlife walks and boat trip into Lake Naivasha where we saw baby hippos, stunning fisher eagles and herons and many other gorgeous birds. The food, wine and beer was all delicious as well and staff all very kind and accommodating. The converted stable rooms were lovely and our private terrace the perfect place to relax and read with the animals all around. Incredible value. We hope to be back before too long!
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed three nights at Sanctuary Farm in early July, 2022. It really is a magical experience. We (husband, son age 11 and I) in Rose cottage, which has its own kitchen. and a spacious bedroom which easily accommodated the three of us. There are day trips to Hell's Gate and Longonot Crater you can easily do, but take some time just to chill in this beautiful conservancy walk, breakfast and dine among giraffe antelopes and take a trip out on lake Naivasha. Our son loved the visits by the troop of labradors and dachshunds belonging to the owner, Guy Erskine, that came to say good morning. Since the lake flooded and swamped the restaurant, dinner is bookable in advance and well worth it both for ambience and food.
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Date of stay: June 2022
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We camped for 2 nights during the week at the public campsite and we had the entire campsite to ourselves except for birds and animals which we enjoyed. The amenities were good, the campsite was clean, Stephen kept us supplied with hot water and information on the farm and activities. We had an enjoyable and informative boat trip on the lake guided by Jack. We paid a little extra for firewood. Unfortunately the original restaurant its not currently accessible due to rising water-levels, however management have setup an alternative restaurant. Overall, good value for money.
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Date of stay: September 2021
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Room Tip:Â We are told that the public campsite is sometimed busy over weekends
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Beautiful camping site, full of animAls. Warm showers, restaurant nearby and a supermarket 3 min drive away. Its camping but close to comforts. A lovely spot for visitors to Kenya or residents alike. They offer fire wood so you can make a nice fire near the lake.
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Date of stay: October 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Horseback riding very close to wildlife, a nice long walk/picnic on crescent island (you get really close to giraffes), if you're up for more adventure, go to Hell's Gate and check out their bike rides and hikes as well. It's been raining hard the canyon might be closed). Take a boat ride on Lake Naivasha, loads of hippos and pelicans.
Hi Megan,
We live in a beautiful part of the world. A normally day in Naivasha would be cool mornings, hot sunny days and pleasant evenings. The wind does seem to build up around sunset. So a light jumper/ cardi never goes astray. We also do have a few mostiques and insects but nothing too harmful or annoying. As Zlatko said common sense does apply. We look forward to welcoming you.
There are more places to choose from in the Naivasha area.
LOCATION
KenyaRift Valley ProvinceNaivasha
NUMBER OF ROOMS
5
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