Joseph Kariuki
I signalled my partner in crime to speed up the pace or we would be late. We were headed to Nyamakima on the edge of Ronald Ngala Street, at the Naivasha matatu terminus.
I felt like it was quite a distance from Moi Avenue but the other alternative was boarding a Nakuru matatu at Odeon Cinema terminus and alighting on the Nakuru-Naivasha highway as they do not enter Naivasha town.
We embarked on the journey at 3pm and by 5pm, we were at our destination. We checked into Naivasha’s Rocky Eco Lodge Resort at 5:30pm and were led to an executive double room immediately by Lucy, the marketing manager who facilitated our trip.
Right away the resort’s exquisite wood décor caught my eye. Every minute detail is made either from wood remains, banana peels or cement. Simply fascinating.
The rooms from outside look like tree trunks and vaguely remind me of the tales we read as kids on Rapunzel living in a castle, witches living in boots and such. The cobblestone walk path leading to the rooms bring the feeling of walking in the streets of a European country.
Little details that give you a feeling of being away from home and daily struggles. The trunk design harmonises with the surroundings as in a distance, you can see rocky cliffs.
Our room is the highest in our trunk. Each trunk has three rooms. From it you can see Lake Naivasha as you take in the sunset.
The curtains made of cotton with inviting bright red prints contrast well with the rocking chairs’ brown covers. Comfort is key as you can tell from the room’s décor, sandals next to the bed, rugs on the floor, and lights in every corner of the room.
The spacious room had the trademark banana artwork at the head of the bed. This one had Maasai’s in their red blankets colour-coordinating with the room and creating warmth and a beautiful distraction.
Naivasha gets really cold at night, so we changed into warm clothing and went down to sample the delicacies the restaurant had to offer.
The kuku kienyeji is their signature meal that several people had ordered. We weren’t so hungry, so we wanted a light meal and a delightful waitress suggested pizza.
Though it was just the kind of light food we needed, it took a bit longer than usual as they had to fire up their firewood pizza oven just for our order.
The restaurant after 9pm was relatively busy, which is unusual for Naivasha hotels. This was good for us as more bodies in the restaurant meant warmth and people to interact with as the night went on.
Most hotels spread a breakfast buffet, so I usually wake up early to enjoy it when it’s hot and fresh.
As I saunter in the crisp morning, the restaurant’s handmade seats and signature banana décor grab my attention, the smell of bacon wafting in the air as some guests leave for the conference rooms.
After breakfast, we head to their workshop where all the hotel furniture is crafted by hand. It was fun to see a root stamp being made into a table and got to take home a banana art piece.
Eliud Kimera, the man behind the environmentally-friendly craftsmanship has invested time and energy to come up with the unique eco-friendly facility. Indeed, this lodge is what the green future looks like.
We were in the mood for an adventure. The neighbouring Lake Naivasha Resort, also a conference facility, organised a boat ride and excursion to a wild animals habitat known as Crescent Island accessed through Lake Naivasha.
Eco Lodge’s location at the junction of Moi South Lake Road means you can easily access Lake Naivasha from any of the hotels along the road. We were shuttled to the resort that has direct access to the lake and the island.
A 20-minute boat ride and Sh800 later, we were walking alongside the animals at the island. It hosts zebras, giraffes, Thompson’s gazelles, wilderbeests amongst other animals.
The 400 plus acre land is a sanctuary owned by Muhiu Kangari, but under management by Kenya Wildlife Service.
On our way back, it was 5pm, and the sun’s reflection on the water was glorious. The hippos had left the water to eat grass by the resort, interacting with guests. A day of adventure meant we were tired and ready to retire to our cosy eco lodge for one last night in Naivasha.
