Treetops Hotel

Treetops Hotel (2006)

Treetops Hotel is a hotel in Aberdare National Park in Kenya near the township of Nyeri, 1,966 m (6,450 ft) above sea level on the Aberdare Range and in sight of Mount Kenya. First opened in 1932 by Eric Sherbrooke Walker, it was literally built into the tops of the trees of Aberdare National Park as a treehouse, offering the guests a close view of the local wildlife in complete safety. The idea was to provide a machan (hunting platform on a tree during shikar in India) experience in relative safety and comfort. From the original modest two room tree house, it has grown into 50 rooms. The original structure was burned down by African guerrillas during the 1954 Mau Mau Uprising, but the hotel was rebuilt near the same waterhole and has become fashionable for many of the rich and famous. It includes observation lounges and ground level photographic hides from which guests can observe the local wildlife which come to the nearby waterholes. It is probably best known as the place where Princess Elizabeth acceded to the throne on the death of her father George VI during a visit in 1952.

Beginnings 

   The view of the waterholes from the Treetops Hotel

The initial idea of Major Eric Sherbrooke Walker, who owned land in the Aberdare Range, was to build a treehouse for his wife "Lady Bettie", who liked them. The idea grew, and ultimately the couple oversaw the construction of a two-room treehouse in a huge, 300-year-old fig tree as an adjunct facility to the Outspan Hotel (which they built and owned) in 1932. Initial construction was hampered by the presence of wild animals, as the treehouse was purposely built beside animal trails leading to a nearby waterhole. Laborers and supervisors were often chased away by wild animals, which led to increased labor costs.

While originally two rooms, and open only on Wednesday nights to overnight guests as a night-viewing platform, rising demand forced the Walkers to accommodate more visitors. The visit of Princess Elizabeth, and her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh to Kenya in 1952 led to their visit to the Treetops as personal guests of the Walkers. The Treetops was reinforced, and its capacity was increased to four rooms (one being for a resident hunter).

Present day

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, and has grown to about 50 rooms, with the hotel being built on additional stilt support. It rises straight out of the ground on stilts and has four decks and a roof top viewing platform. The accommodation is compact and cozy comprising of 50 rooms.

The rise in popularity of the Treetops is partially due to Elizabeth II's visit and accession in 1952, but also partially due to their no see, no pay policy during their early years — a common business policy on safaris, where guests were not charged for services if they failed to see any big game.

Visitors can observe the wildlife from the top deck, the viewing windows in the communal space, or from ground level hides. They can also take motor tours from the Treetops. The Treetops remains an overnight destination, with only overnight luggage being allowed, and visitors being driven in from the Outspan for the night. Other facilities include a thousand watt artificial moon used to illuminate animals at the waterhole during dark nights. Another unusual restriction at the Treetops is a low decibel level restriction due to the hearing sensitivity of many animals, including a ban on all hard-soled footwear.

Currently, the Treetops is run by the Aberdare Safari Hotels which acquired the two properties, Outspan and Treetops in 1978. Following the success of Treetops, another treetop lodge — the Shimba, was opened by the Aberdare Safari Hotels group in the Shimba Hills National Reserve.

Aberdare Safari Hotels have embarked on an initiative dubbed “Return the Bush” in conjunction with the Kenya Wildlife Service. The initiative involves the rehabilitation of 125 Ha of Aberdare National park that has been degraded by the toll the fenced-in Elephant population has exerted on the ecosystem. The electric fencing for the paddock covering an area of 16.5 Ha around the lodge was completed. The paddocking enables reforestation as well as the natural regeneration of the local flora within the paddock.