Sunbird Lodge Elementaita

It had been a long day of travelling and safari and we left the Lake Nakuru National Park late, owing to the track being blocked for some time by a very large rhino and a sudden sighting of our first proper group of giraffe. A detour led us right up to them, and we spent some time quietly admiring their elegance and beauty at close quarters. So it was a longish drive in the dark before we arrived rather later than planned at Sunbird Lodge. It was the smallest place we stayed, and the most personal. We first had to choose our dinner from a limited menu, and were escorted to our charming lodges. The food was actually hot (a rarity in Kenya, I found) and tasted home cooked. A welcome change from the international buffet! All eggs cooked to order in the morning, too. We had an early start so sadly spent hardly any time in this lovely spot. A beautiful sunny morning revealed stunning views of Lake Elementaita from the terrace, with a great edging of pink flamingos. Look out for the zombie buffalo behind the bar! I didn’t see the lovebirds on the feeders, but one of our group photographed them. Only two drawbacks – my shower was not contained by the cloth curtain and although I didn’t have a long one, I had my own Lake Elementaita out by the basin area – it took two bathmats and a large bath towel to mop it up! That and not spending longer in this gorgeous place.

The food is fresh, portions are sizeable. You have to wait a bit for the food though. The staff are friendly and efficient. Stopped by for lunch , it’s right off the highway and the road is ok even for low vehicles.

Stayed for 2 nights in the early part of October. The staff were very helpful, courteous and efficient in an understated kind of way. The cottage/ lodge was fine, with an excellent view over Lake Elementaita and beyond to the mountains in the distance. I would agree that Ostrich lodge is a bit prone to lorry noise. The food was great and the Hakuna Matata cocktail certainly hit the spot! Very convenient for the game drive to Lake Nakuru.

My wife and I loved our cabin, but the steep climb from our cabin to the lodge where meals were served was a challenge. Management offered to relocate us to a cabin with less of a climb, but we decided that we liked our cabin so much that it was worth the climb. The views are great!!

Sunbird Lodge is a great location on Lake Elementaita. It is close to Lake Nakuru where we went for our first game drive of the trip. The towels were super small and scratchy and I understand the conservation aspect of laundry but we stayed at other much more remote locations and they had large fluffy towels….this is really one of the few creature conforts you will have on safari.. The food was very good. Breakfast can be enjoyed on the veranda while watching a variety of birds at their feeders. No flamingos on the lake while we were here but still a neat spot to start off even if you can hear road noise as you are close to the nearby highway.. Staff was friendly and helpful.

We stayed 4 nights here at this excellent lodge. The cottages are spacious and the decor and facilities are of a very high standard. The private balconies give excellent panoramic views the lake. The staff here were of a high standard and ensured that are stay was very special. We are primarily birders and can recommend the grounds of the lodge and the approach road. We stayed in Marabou which was one of the closest cottages to the communal facilities but still it felt secluded and private. We would recommend this location as a base for the exploration of the southern Rift Valley lakes.