Location
Hippo Point is a private wildlife sanctuary located at 6,200 feet ( 1,050 metres) on the idyllic shores of Kenya’s Lake Naivasha.
Only two hours by car north-west of the capital Nairobi in the heart of the Great Rift Valley or a 25 minute private flight away.
Coming to Hippo Point is all about slow-safari and letting go in what we best describe as a hybrid of a private wildlife sanctuary and a wild wellness health retreat. Once carried by the sounds of over 500 species of birds and 1100 animals roaming the grounds you will hopefully let go of your busy life and go with the flow as nature intended.
You can choose from any of the luxurious rooms between Hippo Point Manor and Dodo’s tower – both safe and luxurious spaces for your mind, body & spirit. Here we want you to let go and have fun; catch up with yourself, enjoy family & friends and reboot in nature. Fall asleep under Russian linen sheets, smothered by the stars of Africa, soothed by the sounds of Hyena and Hippo calling in the night. Wake up early and breath in the cool spring air of altitude (6,200 feet), walk among the game and birdlife along the lake shore, do yoga at sunrise, swim, jog with the Zebra, bike, meditate, read or simply enjoy breakfast in bed. Start your day with fresh organic juice and homemade muesli or a horse ride followed by fresh farm eggs – here, you can do what you like when you like – and if you’re more than six – you get the whole place to yourselves.
During the mid-morning when the high altitude sun warms you still have a whole day ahead of you – you can be active or lazy, you can enjoy delightful treatments in our lakeside gazebo or in the open air with Zebra, Giraffe and Colobus monkeys looking on with envy. You can read and write in the top of the Tower or ski on the lake with Hippos judging your style- all good build up to a delicious poolside lunch of fresh organic greens, juices and the occasional homemade ginger ice cream if you’re lucky!
As late afternoon magic hour dawns yellow fever trees golden, Zebra, Buffalo, Giraffe and Warthogs take on a magical quality as they go about their business undisturbed. It is a dreamy moment to let go of the fast world we live in and breathe in the natural world, reminding us of our natural balance. Watch the sunset to healthy treats and drinks from a hilltop and then enjoy a solar powered bath and a cozy fire before a silver service dinner and a hot water bottle in bed.
We pride ourselves on providing you with a safe, discrete, healthy and secluded luxury African experience from the sanctuary of our home built on a genuine love of nature and a culture of sharing our Africa. Once you find your balance we can send you off to explore other places in Kenya we hold dear to our hearts.
Hippo Point is a rare luxury not to be missed.
Your Friends & Hosts
Here we want you to make yourself at home.
You will be hosted and spoiled by our animals – Hippo, Buffalo, Giraffe, Zebra, Warthog, Colobus monkey, Gazelles, Eland and our ever elusive Leopard as well as their dedicated guardians made up of 25 full time Kenyans trained to the highest standards of service to make your experience as special as it can be.
You will be pampered by everyone.
The Cunningham-Reid family who have been in Kenya since 1948 will also be there to make sure you feel right at home.
Given enough warning we can also arrange for people of interest to come and visit for meals or stay while you are here to deepen your experience.
Dodo’s Tower
Consistently rated as one of the top wildlife retreats in the world, the eight-story Tower is one of the most luxurious and private Kenyan homes frequented by people in search of the unusual wishing to contribute to conservation. Custom-built by Dodo Cunningham-Reid and still used as the family’s second home today – the Tower is open to a limited number of guests during the year.
From here you can enjoy breathtaking views over Oloidien Bay and follow at eagle-eye the movements of the hippos, giraffe and zebra grazing at the foot of the Tower. The rustling of the lake and the sounds of the bush create at all hours a magical symphony of peace and tranquility, broken only by the splashing of water as the hippos venture out into the bush under the cover of darkness.
A healthy romantic morning breakfast is served outside under the towering yellow fever acacias while in the evening intimate candlelit dinners bring the guests back to bygone days of wild simplicity and unspoiled elegance. There are 4 Double rooms, 1 single ground floor room – a dining room, kitchen, spacious living room with incredible balcony, writing room, meditation room and a small top view room. Ideal for a family looking for a unique luxury experience in Africa. Sleeps 9.
1930’S Manor House
This magnificent 1930’s Elizabethan house remains a relic of Africa’s colonial past. Built in 1933 and lovingly restored in 1998 by Dodo Cunningham-Reid to luxurious standards, Hippo Point House has survived to fully reflect the English romantic character.
A traditional English garden of scented roses and lush lawns contrasts sharply with the yellowish dusty tree trunks of the surrounding acacias; the resident buffalo, giraffe, hippo, zebra and gazelle stand out against the soft, cozy comforts of Russian bed linen and warm wooden floors and bathtubs.
Eight double bedrooms, a secluded swimming pool, an open gazebo for invigorating body treatments, and a team of dedicated staff will provide you with the perfect base from which to enjoy the surrounding African wilderness – a house so cozy you will find it hard to leave.
8 Doubles, 1 single, – with two sections at the end ideal for kids. All baths are solar powered. Guests are welcome to join our kitchen.
Eat Healthy
Our wild kitchen is a fun and healthy place to be and you are welcome to pitch in anytime! Every morning fresh greens of every shape and size are picked from our organic garden while fresh eggs, free range meats and wild seafood are brought in from nearby selected farms and the Indian Ocean.
Our passionate Kenyan chef “Penina” – who joined our family 26 years ago – cooks absolutely healthy dream food delivered in settings as memorable as the food itself – breakfasts of tropical fruit, homemade bread, jam and fresh healthy juices, homemade muesli and farm eggs at the manor table or under towering acacias; healthy lunch by the pool after a swim or jog with the game made up of more home made juices, quiches, salads, fresh pasta with organic pesto and selected delicate fat free meats as well as homemade ice creams and sorbets ( ginger, orange, tree tomato); high teas on the cool veranda of the Tower with homemade cakes and biscuits bathed in golden light – everything we make is always made with passion and your health in mind to keep you active and happy.
