It’s 6.30 am and the sun is rising in Africa. As its golden light spreads across the lake, far below your cliff top hideaway, the water ripples and transforms, like a desert rose, into a shimmer of pink, as a flamboyance of flamingos begins a new day. It would be easy for a guest at The Cliff to spend the day gazing at the view from the comfort of the elegant tent, but there’s more to do around Lake Nakuru.
Location
This is Kenya’s Lake Nakuru, a soda lake nestled into the ancient Rift Valley and a feeding ground for thousands of flamingos. Only two and a half hours from Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, the lake is protected by the surrounding national park, a mix of woodlands, bush, savannah and volcanic cliffs that make it a perfect habitat for four of Africa’s Big Five. Lake Nakuru National Park attracts bird watchers, and those looking for wilderness not too far from Nairobi. Perched at the top of a 100 metre high rock face sits Lake Nakuru’s newest and smartest addition – The Cliff – a 10 room luxury camp opened in June 2018. While luxury camp is the simplest description, in reality The Cliff located inside the park defies conventional labels, being a combination of safari lodge, tented camp and boutique hotel, constructed and furnished in a contemporary European style.
Tents
Each tent is built on solid foundations at the edge of the cliff, and faces the lake, allowing guests 180 degree views of the panoramic paradise, yet maintaining privacy. Not wanting to waste the view, the tent is spacious and the freestanding bath looks outwards. While the exterior environment at The Cliff is pure Africa, the room interiors combine organic chic with international design to create the understated style of a modern boutique hotel. Guests can sit on the veranda to catch the rising sun in the morning as it spreads its vivid light across the lake, nudging life into the park’s occupants and awakening its environs. At the same time, as the sun sets in the evening, the atmosphere of the park settles into the comforts of the unfolding night and the nocturnal sounds of the wilderness.
Activities
Get up early and go on a game drive in the open-sided land cruisers, and perhaps see a leopard, lion, buffalo, rhino or a rare Rothschild’s giraffe. Hippo can also be sighted around the lake, and for birdwatchers, Lake Nakuru National Park is birdwatcher’s paradise with its incredible bird variety including the famous pink flamingoes. If guests prefer their game drive as the sun goes down they might like to visit the gym before breakfast, relax by the infinity pool with a cold drink just before lunch and have a soothing massage in the spa before heading out at 4 pm. While the day is busy, the pace itself is tranquil, the only disturbance being the calls from the nearby fauna.
