TREE TOP HOTEL KENYA
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.
The hotel is
known as the location where Princess Elizabeth acceded
to the throne of the United Kingdom upon the death of her father George VI during a visit
in 1952.
ESTABLISHMENT
The initial
idea of Major Eric Sherbrooke Walker, who owned land in the Aberdeen 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 ficus|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, 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
Succession of Queen Elizabeth II
Treetops came
into public notice when Princess Elizabeth, as she
then was, stayed there at the death of her father, George VI, which occurred
on the night of February 5-6, 1952, while she was at Treetops. She learned of
the fact, however, after having left, at Sagana Lodge.
She was the first British monarch since George I to be outside the country at the
moment of succession, and also the first in modern times not to know the exact
time of her accession because her father had died in his sleep at an unknown
time. On the night her father died, before the event was known, Sir Horace
Hearne, then Chief Justice of Kenya, had escorted the
princess and her husband, Prince Philip, to a state dinner
at the Treetops Hotel. After word of George VI's death reached the new queen
the following day, she returned immediately to Britain
a young girl
climbed into a tree one day a Princess and after having what she described as
her most thrilling experience she climbed down from the tree next day a Queen.
THE QUEEN WITH A GUARD.
TREE TOP RE-FURNISHED
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, consisting 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.
QUEEN'S ROOM
The queens room is a magnificent room with a good view of the park from the balcony. It has a big king size bed, a spacious bathroom. its the most spacious room at the tree tops. i had a chance to visit the room and took some great photos
i seated at the queens bed. its so magnificent 
queens bathroom.
queens balcony facing the waterhole.
Notable visitors
Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron
Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts
movement, was a resident of Nyeri and a frequent visitor to Treetops. In 1938,
he commissioned a cottage on the grounds of the Outspan Hotel, which he named Paxtu.
The final resting place of Baden-Powell and his wife Olave, is located nearby. Jim Corbett, hunter, conservationist, and author, who
accompanied Elizabeth II during her stay at treetops in February 6, 1952, lived
in the same house, as Baden-Powell, and is buried nearby, next to
Baden-Powell and his wife Olave.
The visit of
Princess Elizabeth cemented the fame of The Treetops.the
Treetops has attracted a large number of rich and famous people every year,
Some famous personalities who have visited visited the Treetops before or after the
accession of Elizabeth II are Charles
Chaplin, Bernard Macharia, Joan Crawford and Lord Mountbatten
and a much-publicized return visit by Elizabeth II in 1983.
TREE TOPS HOTEL IS JUST THE PLACE TO BE AND ENJOY TO THE FULLEST..
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