Reviews of The Emakoko
(97%) From 47 travellersThey do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa.
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Very nice, albeit brief, stay
We stayed here for one night after we arrived in Nairobi and before heading to the Masaai Mara.
Very nice accommodation, lovely staff, good food and very convenient in Nairobi National Park
The Emakoko review
The Emakoko was the perfect place to start the trip. Rachel, who was managing the place while the owners were away made us feel very much at home.
Read more about the whole tripThe Emakoko Lodge Experience
We did not start off with a good beginning - the driver was sent to Nairobi National Airport to meet me off an Emirates flight when in fact I was at the hotel Lazizi Premiere waiting for him. I had arrived the previous night at 2.10am by Turkish Airlines! It took several unanswered phone calls before receiving an answer from the Lodge and the problem finally resolved. It was not the driver's fault. What did surprise me was that upon my arrival at the Emakoko Lodge there was no apology for what had happened.
The staff at Emakoko Lodge were very friendly and helpful and eager to chat to me. One person insisted on taking my blouse, shoes, hat and crutch to clean after I had been spattered with red mud by an elephant.
I liked the peace and tranquility of the area and the natural surroundings and I was very content to be staying at the Emakoko Lodge. I enjoyed the Game Drives and the driver managed to find two lionesses with a total of five playful cubs which was a bonus. The sight of over a hundred storks roosting in trees was a sight I would never have imagined.
Regarding my very nice accommodation, I would have liked to have had the window/s or verandah door open but because of the invasion by destructive monkeys it was inadvisable The chef was good and produced some interesting meals the recipes for which he is happy to share with guests. Each evening during dinner a 'pet' genet appears to eat her dish of food, one evening with her kitten.
My driver took me to visit the elephant orphanage which I thought was very good but my visit to the Giraffe Centre was disappointing: I did not want to be kissed or licked by the giraffes and in a roundabout way I felt they were being coaxed to be undignified with the bribes of food pellets, although I do understand the Centre is a way for schoolchildren to get to know about giraffes, and there were plenty of schoolchildren there eagerly awaiting to meet the giraffes 'face-to-face'.
As an aside, I was amused to find that at the Lodge the hyrax had a fondness for rose flower heads and when nobody was around left a bunch of headless stalks in the vases.
Surpisingly Good
I didn't expect much here. Emakoko is inside (or practically so) the Nairobi National Park -- but the park is surprisingly good. You are on the edge of the big city, but in the bush with all the expected African wildlife. Some of my best Eland, Lion, Rhino, and Serval Cat video footage was taken here. My room was shared with a family of Hyrax, which came into the room to eat the roses that the management left for me, so I got good video there too. And, the management, especially Anthony Childs was delightful to talk with (although I was quite jet lagged at the time).
Read more about the whole tripNairobi Safari Stay
This is my second stay at the Emakoko. I love it and would highly recommend to anyone.
They took excellent care of me, from picking me up at the airport, to providing food and company, the guiding was excellent on the game drives, etc.
Those who worked there remembered me from two years ago.
I felt right at home. I will return again.
A haven peace, a 20 min drive from Wilson
We'd met the Childs' back in 2006 when they were running Elsa's kopje in Meru NP, and it was good to see them well settled 6 years into their new venture.
We were looking for an unwind after a hectic time in Nairobi and a short safari and the setting is ideal. The rooms are well appointed and spacious though ours was starting to look a little tired (an observation, not a complaint). We went up to the upper level and the views from the cottages up there are excellent. However, as we were round about the lodge for a full day and a half and going to/from the mess area/room/pool regularly I'm very grateful that Richard at Expert travel suggested the lower level!
We were there for a relaxing couple of days rather than the tourist bit but we did take one game drive. Elizaban our guide was very good (ex Elsa's Kopje). We saw a male and female lion, rhino, and many plains game. Just a couple of vehicles seen in the distance so we had that part of the park (the SW) to ourselves. In camp we had the resident hippo strolling across the grass in front of the room one morning, a couple of bushbuck nipping about in the thickets and a wealth of birdlife. Elizaban drove us in to Karen to a very new and impressive mall for some shopping, and later to the evening sponsor's session at Daphne Sheldrick's Elephant orphanage.
We also took an hour or so's morning walk with a guide, from the lodge along the river bank and then round up onto the top.
The food is first class, as is the service all round, staff friendly and attentive without being intrusive. Anton and Emma are hands on owners, relaxed and knowledgeable hosts and very good company. We had a very pleasant stay and unwind away from the traffic and hubbub of Nairobi, and are happy to recommend Emakoko as an ideal starting and/or departing point for a safari holiday in Kenya.
The Emakoko review
This was a beautiful lodge at the edge of the Nairobi National Park. We drove through the park for about 30 minutes to get to the lodge. We saw giraffes against the city skyline, very different from the safari backdrops, hippos in the water and baboons waiting at the main gate for food from visitors. The lodge consisted of spacious cottages along the hillside with balconies overlooking the bush. The food was excellent and the service top notch. The hosts were very friendly and welcoming and a drive/guide was at our service. The Emakoko was a great place to end our safari before returning home.
Read more about the whole tripA great place to stay in the Nairobi NP
A well run lodge inside the Nairobi National Park, so it is possible to see animals in the evening and early morning before it gets busy... the rooms are spacious and well appointed and the food is verging on fine dining... all the staff were friendly and helpful, especially the relief manager, Rachel. Rashid our guide was knowledgeable and in addition to the game drives took us to Sheldrick Elephant Centre and the Giraffe House...
There are upper and lower accommodations, the upper have good views but many steps...
There is a pool, but we were too busy to use it. Would visit again...
OTHER COMMENTS
1. Rachel, the relief manager guided us through our visit, constantly pointing things out and making suggestions....
2. There was good WiFi...
3. Power in the rooms was very useful for charging batteries etc...
The Emakoko review
What a gem - a safari lodge in Nairobi! This was a wonderful way for us to finish our holiday.
However it is equally a great place to start a holiday, as were a number of other guests staying there. The lodge was beautifully appointed and very comfortable and the owner managers were extremely welcoming and obliging. The quality of the food and the service were excellent.
Nairobi Park was a delightful surprise. It has a good variety and quantity of animals. We had some of our best sightings of black and white rhino ever.
Emakoko. A jewel lodge in Nairobi Park!
Stunning lodge 45 minutes from airport via a game drive in Nairobi Park where we saw Rhino, lion and herbivores on our route out!
Excellent food and drink.
Excellent rooms.
If we had known it was so good we would have stayed longer, not just an overnight stop between flights form Zanzibar to UK!
We have always believed that acting responsibly is the only way to approach tourism and we're one of
the few companies to hold AITO's original coveted 5-star status for responsible tourism. It's a lead
that others are now following.
