About this hotel
General information
Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club is a historic estate in the foothills of Mount Kenya, just outside Nanyuki, with the equator running through its grounds. Around a hundred rooms, suites, cottages and villas are spread across more than 40 hectares of gardens — manicured lawns with ponds, a rose garden with a stream, peacocks, cranes, colobus monkeys and even llamas — all beneath the snow-capped summit. Fireplaces and dark wood keep a 1950s mood, updated with modern comforts.
The estate shares its land with the private Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, home to one of Kenya’s oldest wildlife rescue centres and a breeding and rewilding programme for the mountain bongo, an antelope with fewer than a hundred left in the wild. Guests can visit the centre, breakfast within sight of the bongos, plant a tree or sponsor an animal. Cultural evenings draw on Kikuyu and Samburu traditions, and a ballroom, four meeting rooms and the gardens host weddings and events of up to 300 guests.
Location
The hotel lies in the foothills of Mount Kenya on the edge of Nanyuki in Laikipia, right on the equator, at around 2,100 m. Nanyuki airstrip, about a 40-minute flight from Nairobi, is roughly 15 km away; Nairobi’s international airport is about 200 km, or 3–3.5 hours by road. The estate has its own airstrip for private flights, and the concierge arranges chauffeured transfers from the airport, the airstrip and Nanyuki station, served by a train from Nairobi.
Spa
Riuki Spa has three treatment rooms, separate facilities for men and women, a steam room, a sauna and hydrotherapy. The menu covers massages, facials and body treatments, with signature rituals such as the two-hour Riuki Charm, rooted in local traditions, the Mountain Signature Detox Facial and hot stone therapy; bespoke programmes are put together on request. Morning yoga takes place under a pergola.
Sports & leisure
Most activities take place in the conservancy itself, grazed by zebras, giraffes, impalas and gazelles and home to more than 60 bird species:
- guided horseback safaris through the conservancy;
- biking safaris along savannah trails on standard or electric bikes;
- a walking safari across open savannah with a naturalist (about 2.5 hours) and a guided uphill walk through ancient montane forest where elephants still roam;
- dawn bongo tracking with experienced trackers, and visits to the wildlife rescue centre;
- a 9-hole, par-3 golf course that crosses the equator, with Mount Kenya views and equipment for hire;
- an archery range, walking and jogging tracks and a fitness centre with treadmills, ellipticals and free weights;
- hour-long scenic helicopter flights over glaciers, forests and rivers from the estate’s own airstrip;
- a ceremony beneath the sacred mugumo tree in the Kikuyu tradition, with storytelling, dance and drumming;
- excursions to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Samburu National Reserve and Ngare Ndare Forest.
For children
The kids’ club runs games, crafts and outdoor adventures, and children can also try archery, cooking sessions and garden explorations. Babysitting is available on request.
Restaurants & bars
The kitchens work with produce from Central Kenya and the estate’s own organic garden, and many meals move outdoors.
- Tusks Restaurant and Terrace — all-day dining with a terrace facing the snow-capped peak;
- Colobus Restaurant — dinners cooked in front of guests from local ingredients;
- Zebar — a relaxed bar on the equator line itself, where a waiter crosses from the southern to the northern hemisphere to fetch an order;
- Swimming Pool Bar — cocktails, drinks and light snacks by the pool during the day;
- Artisan Fire Kitchen — live-fire dinners on the banks of the Likii River at the forest’s edge, for groups of 12 or more;
- Acacia Horizon — a light meal on a secluded deck among acacias in the conservancy, visited by rhinos and giraffes (in-house guests only, 2–6 people);
- private dining in the rose garden beside the sacred mugumo tree, on a deck surrounded by water or in a guest cottage, plus breakfast on the slopes of Mount Kenya and breakfast alongside the mountain bongos;
- sunset drinks in a boma — a traditional open-sided, thatched gathering place — with cocktails, canapés and, on request, Kikuyu dancing.
Swimming
A heated outdoor pool with views of Mount Kenya and the forest is open all year, with a bar serving drinks and snacks alongside.
Pets
Pets are welcome in designated areas and pet-friendly rooms; they should be kept on a leash in public spaces.
Rooms
Around a hundred rooms, suites, cottages and villas are set in the main building, the original Manor block, along the river at the forest’s edge and among the gardens, looking out to Mount Kenya, the gardens or the forest.
Every room has a fireplace (often lit at evening turndown), a coffee machine and kettle, fridge, bottled water, satellite TV, high-speed internet, a safe, a desk, hairdryer, bathrobes and slippers.
Fairmont Deluxe with Queen Bed
A room in the main house with Mount Kenya views, or in a quieter spot facing the forest, with a queen bed, a sitting area with sofa and a fireplace. For two adults.
Fairmont Deluxe with Twin Bed
A main-building room with two single beds, a fireplace and a sofa, looking out to Mount Kenya or the garden. For two adults.
Riverside Deluxe Room with Queen Bed
A room by the river at the forest’s edge with a queen bed, a stone fireplace and a private forest-view terrace. A sofa bed allows up to three guests.
Fairmont Suite with King Bed
A suite with a separate lounge, fireplace and king bed, facing Mount Kenya or the garden. With an extra bed it sleeps three adults, or two adults and a child.
Riverside Suite with King Bed
A one-bedroom riverside suite with a king bed, a lounge with sofa bed and stone fireplace, a private terrace with a dining spot and a hot tub overlooking the forest. Up to three guests.
Riverside Suite with Twin Bed
The same riverside suite with two single beds: a lounge with sofa bed and stone fireplace, a terrace with a dining spot and a hot tub. Up to three guests.
Garden Suite with King Bed
A suite a short walk from the main building, with a lounge, sofa bed and stone fireplace, a king bed and a private terrace over the lawn and the coffee and tea garden, facing Mount Kenya. Up to three guests.
Manor Junior Suite with King Bed
A spacious open-plan suite in the estate’s original block, with a lounge and wood-burning fireplace, a king bed, a generous bathroom and a private balcony over the pool, gardens and Mount Kenya.
Manor Equatorial Suite with King Bed
A suite set along the equator line, with a separate bedroom and king bed, a large lounge with stone fireplace, rich fabrics and individual furniture, and a balcony over the pool, gardens and Mount Kenya.
Batian Villa
A two-bedroom house (a king and two single beds) in the garden with Mount Kenya views, with a lounge and fireplace, a dining room and open kitchen, two bathrooms, a nanny room, a private terrace and a hot tub.
Sendeo Villa
A duplex house with a garden and forest views: two bedrooms plus two single beds upstairs, a nanny room, a lounge with fireplace, an open kitchen and a hot tub. Up to six guests.
Two-Bedroom Cottage Suite with 2 King Beds
A historic garden cottage facing the peak of Mount Kenya, with two en-suite bedrooms each with a king bed, a lounge with fireplace, a sofa bed and a private garden. Designed for four guests.
Two-Bedroom Cottage Suite with King and Twin Bed
The same historic garden cottage with a king bed in one bedroom and a single in the other, both en suite, plus a lounge with fireplace, a sofa bed and a private garden with Mount Kenya views. Designed for four guests.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.