The Emakoko
The Emakoko is a small private lodge built into the side of a valley on the Mbagathi River, which borders the Nairobi National Park. The owners live on site with their young family and as such are very much in tune with the requirements of travelling with children. All rooms look straight over the River and into the park providing a wonderful setting for the beginning or end of a safari, just 30 minutes from Nairobi’s international airport but a world away.
Accommodation & Facilities
There are ten large cottages, each with a big en-suite bathroom, verandah and fireplace. The rooms are individually decorated with comfortable furniture and beautiful fabrics. There is a large open plan dining area, a bar and a lounge. The family offering is on the main level of the lodge and comprises two large bedrooms joined with an interconnecting door, perfect for a family with young children. All rooms can take a child in an extra single bed.
Eating & Sleeping
The Emakoko is very flexible and children can eat at any time, choosing from gluten free, dairy free, pizza, pasta, nuggets – and even adult food! There are no baby sitters per se, but all the staff can stay with kids at night time and look after them when parents are eating. The owners also have two children on site (aged six and nine) who are always keen to have guests’ children come and play with them. More often than not, guests’ kids end up spending time in the managers house, playing with the dogs and jumping on the trampoline and interacting with the local Masai neighbours’ children if it is a weekend.
Wildlife & Activities
A large variety of bird life can be seen around the lodge, the resident hippo grazes on the lawn outside the rooms in the early evening or the morning, and the nocturnal sounds of the park’s wildlife which include lion, rhino and giraffe, make this a true wilderness environment. Visits to the Sheldrick Trust and the AFEW Giraffe Centre can be arranged and with access to the Emakoko via Nairobi National Park, game drives are a daily occurrence going to or from the lodge and you are likely to see anything from ostrich to a pride of lion along the way.
Specifically for children
• Child friendly game drives – the wildlife in the park is plentiful and on the doorstep so game drives can be as long or as short as required. A quick one hour game drive is often jam packed. Perfect for children with a short attention span!
• Visits to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
• Visits to the Giraffe Centre – a must do for children and adults.
