The Emakoko
The Emakoko - Nairobi Kenya accommodation
The Emakoko is an upmarket, owner-managed lodge, that opened at the beginning of 2012. It straddles the southern boundary of Nairobi National Park, marked by the gorge of the Mbagathi River in an area where three rivers converge. The lodge has the national park's much underrated game-viewing areas on its doorstep and easy access to both Nairobi's airports.
The Emakoko is personally supervised by the owner-managers and spreads along the base of a steep cliff. It is named after the river of the same name that flows into the Mbagathi from the south, less than 1km upstream from the lodge. The lodge is technically unfenced, though a discreet electric fence is being built along the riverbank to protect guests from wandering hippos.
All guests arrive at the lodge's parking area inside the national park on the north bank of the Mbagathi. From here, you walk across a rather fine, wooden footbridge to the lodge reception and central areas, including a lovely lounge, terrace and dining room, and access to the swimming pool, all of which lie on the south bank of the river. The pool is a good size, though unheated – which at Nairobi's altitude of more than 1,600m can make it chilly, especially in the slightly cooler season between July and October.
The Emakoko has twenty beds in total, in ten, cottage-style rooms built in pairs near the main central areas. One pair of cottages have adjoining rooms. Five of the two-bedded rooms are up the cliff face, accessed by steep footpaths, and perching precariously above the gorge, with glorious views across the trees and river and into the national park.
Inside, the very large, light rooms are comfortably furnished with armchairs, sofas and footstools, and small safes. Twin beds can be combined into a full double with a converter mattress. The big, open-plan bathrooms have walk-in showers, bathtubs by the low-level windows, twin washbasins and designer toiletries. Hot water is always available. The private verandas have directors' chairs and drinks tables.
