Hippo Point Naivasha Place to Stay

Hippo Point cements Naivasha as my favourite day trip from Nairobi. Naivasha is forever magical whether you visit on a day when its blue hillocks are shrouded in mist or in the heat of summer, when the waterways shimmer in gold, and animals seek refuge beneath the iconic fever trees. The quintessential African beauty of Naivasha is even more captivating from the grounds of the 100-year-old Hippo Point mansion.

Hippo Point hunkers down on an isthmus between Lake Naivasha and Lake Oloidien. Many visitors to Naivasha miss Lake Oloidien, as it is an extra hour’s drive along the south side of the lake, but it’s worth it for a true escape from the humdrum of daily life. Here, on the western side of the two rift valley lakes, the land bubbles and humps, and the flat landscape is replaced with purpled hills. In this less populated area, there are vast amounts of game, teeny warthog babies running under the legs of zebra calves, and silent giraffe peering through the candelabra trees.

Hippo Point Manor House Naivasha

Built-in the 1930s and restored in 1998, Hippo Point is a house built in Edwardian style and established as a sanctuary.  The property encompasses 6 acres and boasts over 1200 resident animals, with abundant bird life. Hippo Point is familiar in its British eccentricity, with cavernous fireplaces, secret staircases, and antique furniture. However, ancient bones don’t always make for a great escape, and it’s the attention to detail, impeccable service, and high-quality food make this a truly memorable place to stay in Naivasha.

Hippo Point Manor House has 8 rooms, sleeping 14 people; most rooms are large with a selection of doubles and singles (one spooky-looking single used as a massage parlour). All except one have an ensuite bathroom, so if you don’t like the idea of wandering the corridors in your nightgown (very 1930s imagery there), then make sure you are given an ensuite.  Some rooms are in the stable block and are slightly more modern but removed from the main house, another consideration if you come with children.

Hippo Point Food and Dining

The house has different dining options. We ate in the covered outdoor area, which has stunning views down to the lake. Occasionally, a table was made up in the garden, and there was an inside dining room for those occasional cold and rainy days. Sundowners are taken next to the firepit that overlooks the lake, and later on in front of a roaring fire in the library.

Food, which can sometimes be hit and miss even at high-end places in Kenya, was exceptional. The tables were stunning; every meal was laid with fine china, silver tableware and hand-picked bunches of wildflowers. Food comes from the organic garden, which supplies all the vegetables to the house; meat is locally sourced from nearby farms, and seafood comes from the Indian Ocean. Meals always came with soup, a huge selection of salads, fresh vegetables, and light desserts.

While it’s tempting to spend the entire day gazing at the still-grey waters of Lake Oloidien, the grounds at Hippo Point are exceptional. Ask the askari to take you on a game walk, and marvel at the vast numbers of impala, waterbuck, giraffe, zebra, and those inescapable and impossibly sweet warthog families. The swimming pool is a short walk up the hill from the main house, and the estate’s assorted animal life stops to say hello as weaver birds dangle their precarious nests and fish eagles call in azure skies.

For the energetic there are many activities on offer at Hippo Point Naivasha; yoga on the platform next to the lake, a quick trip to see the 9-story folley with its 360-degree views over Naivasha and Oloidien, bike riding, boat trips, bird watching, or a poolside massage.  

You can rent the entire property at Hippo Point or rent rooms individually. Hippo Point is the ideal place to rest and recover, a break from the rat race and the hustle and bustle of Nairobi’s ever-expanding metropolis. I find Naivasha incredibly healing, a timeless place, with nothing to punctuate your reverie other than the plop of an energetic tilapia and the grunt of a sunbothered hippo.

What You Need to Know About Hippo Point Naivasha.

• Private Manor House that can be rented by the room or as a total entity
• Set on a magical 500-acre lakeside sanctuary teeming with wildlife
• Home to 1200 animals and 350 species of bird
• 25-metre swimming pool with pool house and terrace
• Accommodates up to 14 guests in 8 bedrooms
• Exclusive-use stays for parties of 6+ adult guests
• From $1,500 per night for up to 6 guests on a fully-inclusive basis

Things To Do Near Hippo Point Naivasha

Visit Hell’s Gate National Park, for game viewing, bike rides, rock climbing or the hotsprings.

Head out to eat, try the Pelican Deck at Under The Swahili Tree, Carnellys, or Matteos

Take a walking safari at Cresent Island (now only accessible by boat)

Visit the Pottery and Craft Shops at Fired Earth Pottery

How To Get To Hippo Point Naivasha

From Nairobi – Hippo Point is approximately a three hour drive, down the Rift Valley escarpment and along Moi South Lake Road.

Sharing is caring!