The Ark

The Ark is a tree hotel inside Aberdare National Park in central Kenya, built in timber in the shape of Noah's Ark and facing a floodlit waterhole and salt lick in the forest. Here the animals come to you. Elephant and buffalo arrive after dark, and with luck black rhino, leopard or a giant forest hog, while a ranger keeps watch all night and sounds a buzzer in the cabins when something special turns up: one ring for elephant, two for rhino, three for leopard and four for another rare visitor. You can switch it off if you would rather sleep. The stay follows a set timetable. Guests have lunch at the Aberdare Country Club and leave for The Ark at 2:30 pm, birds are fed on the bridge at 5 pm and the doors close at 6:30 pm, after which a host gives a talk about the animals. Besides the 58 cabins there are viewing decks, a lounge and a ground-level hide right beside the salt lick for photographs. The Ark is run by Marasa Africa, and we usually pair it with Ol Pejeta or Lake Nakuru.