Aberdare National Park and Treetops Hotel Photorama
Second destination of our Safari
We left Amboseli National Park after breakfast with a morning game drive to reach Aberdare National Park in the Central Highlands of West of Mount Kenya, situated 180 kilometers from Nairobi. This was our longest single day travel in Kenya, spending nearly 8 hours on the road.
.JPG)
Flat tires are fairly common when game driving on rough tracks in the parks, we too experienced it on Mombasa highway. Paul, our driver-guide, changed the tire quickly with no inconvenience to us. Short stop over gave us little time to stretch legs, walk around the area to take few pictures with my best travel buddy in the bear family (soft toy collection) Tiff. 
Route to Aberdare National park from Amboseli is driving through Nairobi city . We spent almost an hour in the Nairobi rush hour traffic Jam. Street vendors take the advantage of traffic jam to selling things from sugar cane to toys, household items etc. to the passengers in the vehicles.
Rest of the drive was pleasant as we drove thorugh the agricultural lands of Central Kenyan Highlands; pineapple and coffee plantations in Thika, Muranga and Nyeri.We arrived at Outspan Hotel in Nyeri for late lunch around half past three. Visitors staying at Treetops are provided with lunch at outspan hotel.
Outspan Hotel in Nyeri
Outspan hotel is the base hotel for Treetops, bilt in 1928 by Sherbrooke Walker and his wife Lady Bettie. Its fascinating setting has the view of Mount Kenya. 
Outspan stands elegant in rolling lawns accented with palms and its lush tropical gardens laid out in English style. Cool and misty weather in Neyri complement well the settings of this unique hotel. We had our late lunch in the open varandha restaurant. By the Kirinyaga tavern at Outspan Hotel, you can met the resident peacocks who add glamour to the green pastures. As our cameras were out, one gave a pose opening its tail feathers like a fan to display bright iridescent colours and intricate patterns.
Our stay for the night was at Treetops Lodge that is 17 km away from Outspan Hotel, nestled deep in the forest of Aberdare National Park. Treetops being an overnight destination, only overnight luggage being allowed and visitors are being driven for the night in from the Outspan coach services schedule three times in the evening. We missed the last coach that leaft Outspan around 4:00 pm and were allowed to travel in our safari Jeep to Treetops Lodge.
Treetops Reception at Outspan (on left)
Treetops Lodge
This world-renowned rustic treehouse is dedicated to game viewing, built in 1932 by Eric Sherbrooke Walker (founder of Outspan Hotel). Originally the lodge was a modest two room tree house that has now grown to 50 rooms. It has 4 decks and a rooftop-viewing platform.
The original structure was burned down by African guerrillas during 1954. The Treetops was rebuilt in 1957 on a nearby chestnut tree overlooking the same waterhole and salt lick near the elephant migration pathway to Mount Kenya. New lodge has been built more fashionably and added new exotic features which made the hotel more rich and famous. The lodge boasts two photographic hides at ground level - a great way to get close up shots of rhinos, elephants, waterbucks or even lions if you are lucky to see.
Treetops is famous as the place where the then-Princess Elizabeth learned of her father's death and ascended to the British Throne in 1952. The Queen has returned to Treetops in 1983 and spent the night in the Queen Elizabeth suite, one of the two self contained suites facing the waterhole with its private balcony. The lodge rises straight out of the ground on stilts and has four decks and a rooftop viewing platform. Treetops is legendry for its royal connection and the animals it attracts like Rhinos, Elephants, Buffalos, Bushbucks, Waterbucks and many other species.
This lodge on stilts is as space efficient on the inside as it is unassuming on the outside. Trees grow right through the building. Treetops simple cot-like rooms, designed like cabins on board a ship, with open balconies for viewing and photography. Our room on the second deck was just near a coomon balcony opened to salt lick main water whole and the room has the view of the rear water hole. Only the two suits in Treetops have ensuite baths and others use shared clean toilets and shower facilities (few in every deck). This was the only facility you need to compromise on comforts to experience the uniquness of spending night just a few meters away from wild life. We had no issue using shared bathroom facilities - running through the corridors in bath robe with vanity case !!
With the focus being game viewing, the facilities are simple. The dining area is set up with refectory tables and bench seating. Elephant tusks at the entrance of dining area is charming, the portrait gallery here contemplate the great and famous who had slept at Treetops; Edward VIII, Churchill and his omnipresent cigar, presidents, movie stars!!..
Treetops Reception at Outspan (on left)
and
Outspan Coach and Safari Jeep at Treetops Lodge Entrance (right)
Aberdate National Park covers altitudes from about 7,000 feet to 14,000 feet above sea level that gives year round cool climate. Park covers an area of 766 square kilometers and forms part of Aberdare Mountain Range. There are many choices of accommodations for visitors coming to Aberdare National Park ranging from the tree house lodges to the Ark build in shape of Noah’s Ark.
Treetops Lodge
The original structure was burned down by African guerrillas during 1954. The Treetops was rebuilt in 1957 on a nearby chestnut tree overlooking the same waterhole and salt lick near the elephant migration pathway to Mount Kenya. New lodge has been built more fashionably and added new exotic features which made the hotel more rich and famous. The lodge boasts two photographic hides at ground level - a great way to get close up shots of rhinos, elephants, waterbucks or even lions if you are lucky to see.
Treetops is famous as the place where the then-Princess Elizabeth learned of her father's death and ascended to the British Throne in 1952. The Queen has returned to Treetops in 1983 and spent the night in the Queen Elizabeth suite, one of the two self contained suites facing the waterhole with its private balcony. The lodge rises straight out of the ground on stilts and has four decks and a rooftop viewing platform. Treetops is legendry for its royal connection and the animals it attracts like Rhinos, Elephants, Buffalos, Bushbucks, Waterbucks and many other species.
This lodge on stilts is as space efficient on the inside as it is unassuming on the outside. Trees grow right through the building. Treetops simple cot-like rooms, designed like cabins on board a ship, with open balconies for viewing and photography. Our room on the second deck was just near a coomon balcony opened to salt lick main water whole and the room has the view of the rear water hole. Only the two suits in Treetops have ensuite baths and others use shared clean toilets and shower facilities (few in every deck). This was the only facility you need to compromise on comforts to experience the uniquness of spending night just a few meters away from wild life. We had no issue using shared bathroom facilities - running through the corridors in bath robe with vanity case !!
With the focus being game viewing, the facilities are simple. The dining area is set up with refectory tables and bench seating. Elephant tusks at the entrance of dining area is charming, the portrait gallery here contemplate the great and famous who had slept at Treetops; Edward VIII, Churchill and his omnipresent cigar, presidents, movie stars!!.. 
Potrait gallery displys pictures of Queeen's second visit to Treetops in 1983 and newspaper clippings on her visit
Dinner is served at 7:30 pm, all guests at one sitting. Coffee and liquor are served in the comfortable lounge (picture on left), which features picture windows and trees growing through the building.
Room has either front or rear water hole view. We kept the window opened in the night to feel the cool breeze and woke up few times to watch the batterle between hyenas and elephants near the waterhole. (waterhole view from the window - on right). My travel buddies Rust, Truff, Cub, Tiff Marchan (on left) rested on the pelmet for the night as the bedspace was limted !
Marchan's attempt to see through binoculars
The animals all scrambling for a drink at the floodlite water hole, one taking a midnight muddy bath in the shallow waters are common sights. Their antics are well- known amongst Treetops staff. Many buffaloes are missing a tail, in a hyena attacks.
Dinner is served at 7:30 pm, all guests at one sitting. Coffee and liquor are served in the comfortable lounge (picture on left), which features picture windows and trees growing through the building.
Die-hard animal lovers need not worry about missed sightings, even into the early hours of the morning, an optional buzzer in the rooms alerts the guests when a spectacle is unfolding at the waterhole, for example a leopard may warrant three rings, while a hyena might only get one ring.True complicity between man and nature, the list of adventures becomes our pride and joy at the end of the stay!
Room has either front or rear water hole view. We kept the window opened in the night to feel the cool breeze and woke up few times to watch the batterle between hyenas and elephants near the waterhole. (waterhole view from the window - on right). My travel buddies Rust, Truff, Cub, Tiff Marchan (on left) rested on the pelmet for the night as the bedspace was limted !Marchan's attempt to see through binoculars
Upper Deck viewing point open to front and rear water holes
The animals all scrambling for a drink at the floodlite water hole, one taking a midnight muddy bath in the shallow waters are common sights. Their antics are well- known amongst Treetops staff. Many buffaloes are missing a tail, in a hyena attacks.
In the morning, we saw a newly born baby with her mother , perhaps given a birth in the previous night near the water hole. Baby elephant is lying on the ground and the mother stays close by in guard - a classic parental animal care behaviour.
Early morning shots of
Water hole
