A family-owned and -run lodge, Deloraine House lies in a rugged Rift Valley landscape less than an hour’s drive from Lake Nakuru, one of Kenya’s famous soda lakes and home on occasion to hundreds of thousands of flamingos.

Built in the 1920s on the slopes of an extinct volcano, the lodge has a fascinating history and enjoys a reputation as a leading equestrian center. For keen and experienced riders, Deloraine offers multi-day horseback safaris in various parks and reserves around Kenya as well as local day rides for both experts and beginners where you enjoy panoramic views of the Rift Valley. A Deloraine highlight is a ride through a protected forest where you will be on the lookout for the rare black-and-white colobus monkey.

With only five en suite bedrooms in the main house and a further three in the adjoining cottage, Deloraine is a small and intimate lodge that welcomes honeymooners and couples as well as families. It has a swimming pool, tennis court, polo field, and croquet lawn as well as two family rooms with shared bathrooms. It is a perfect destination to kick off your shoes and relax ‘in-house’ for a day or two before a rewarding trip to Lake Nakuru National Park. If the flamingos are present, the views are spectacular. There are buffalo, hippos, and giraffes as well as elusive leopards and rhinos plus an amazing bird count of around 400 species – more than enough to compensate for an absence of flamingos!

Highlights

• Relaxed, family atmosphere in 1920s manor house
• Excellent equestrian facilities and local outrides as well as multi-day safaris
• Swimming pool, tennis court, polo field, and croquet lawn to enjoy
• Day trips to Lake Nakuru National Park
• Stunning Rift Valley scenery and great birding of about 400 species

Activities

• HORSE RIDING
• DAY TOURS

Rooms

Standard Room

There are also three double rooms in the cottage next to the main house, giving a total of eight suites. Rooms are large and well proportioned, featuring wooden furniture, floor rugs and a large double bed swathed in netting; each room has a private bathroom with a shower and flush toilet – some have a bathtub.

Other room types

Deloraine’s main building has three first-floor double rooms and two rooms for families on the ground floor.

Facilities

Built-in 1920, Deloraine has a confident charm and offers its guests a chance to relax in its drawing room, dining venue, or one of its two verandas, each overlooking the lodge’s beautiful, bird-filled gardens where you find a swimming pool, tennis court, and a croquet lawn. The complementary laundry service is a nice touch.

The lodge’s equestrian center offers a variety of horseback experiences for riders ranging from expert to novice. There are easy scenic rides, a cross-country course, and even a polo field. If you prefer four wheels to four hooves, then Deloraine offers half- and full-day safaris to Lake Nakuru National Park, complete with a sharp-eyed guide and a picnic lunch.

Dining

Guests at Deloraine can expect wholesome home-cooked meals, enjoyed communally in a variety of locations, depending on the weather. You may have breakfast in the dappled shade of the garden, lunch by the swimming pool, afternoon tea on the terrace, and then a candle-lit dinner with the owners.