Ngong House
Ngong House - Nairobi Kenya safari accommodation
A calm oasis in the hustle and bustle of Nairobi, Ngong House is a small, quirky lodge situated within four hectares of private land, in the Karen/Langata area of Nairobi city. It aims to provide a welcoming overnight stop either at the beginning or end of a Kenyan safari.
Ngong House was originally a hunter’s lodge, before the Belgian owner, Paul Verleysen, took it over and transformed it into the unusual place it is today. Paul lives here with his wife, Penny Winter, and children, and the friendly welcome they offer, combined with the lush ‘wild’ feel of the gardens, really does make you feel removed from the hectic city around you. That said, when traffic is good it is within 40 minutes of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and just 20 minutes from Wilson Airport (for internal flight within Kenya), so it makes a great overnight base.
The lodge itself has one main living area, with a roaring open fire (welcome on Nairobi’s cooler evenings), plenty of comfy cushion-scattered sofas, ornate rugs strewn over shiny wooden floors, and a fascinating collection of ornaments, pictures and coffee-table books. For those who have longer than a night to spend here, the swimming pool is a welcome bonus, and the two billiard tables are a good distraction for some after dinner entertainment. Penny has a small shop on site where she sells her own collection of jewellery and clothing.