Governor’s Loldia House

Governor’s Loldia House, a Lake Naivasha safari lodge that was once a colonial-era farmhouse, was built in a solid, reassuring style that almost seems to guarantee not just warm hospitality, but also incredible bush moments that sound as though they’re from an explorer’s journal. There’s still much to discover here.

Governor’s Loldia House is a farm like few others: you’ll likely first be struck by the arresting views of Mount Longonot, a dormant volcano, before realising the property is dotted with wild animals.

Spending time here, whether exploring the nearby Great Rift Valley and Lake Nakuru or recharging your batteries at the farmhouse, you’ll find it’s easy to understand why the early settlers soon developed a love for the land that equaled that of the local Kenyans’.

The farm, which extends over some 6,500ha, can be experienced in the company of a local guide who can explain how the wild and domestic animals are able to coexist in harmony.

Adjoining Loldia Ranch is Eburu Forest, a fascinating area of indigenous woodland that’s only now beginning to give up some of its secrets. Slightly further away lies Lake Nakuru, noted for the pink flush of its large flocks of flamingos.

A day trip to the lake is the ideal way to begin to comprehend the geology and ecology of the Great Rift Valley, the transcontinental fault that’s slowly pulling Africa apart. In doing so, of course, it has created incredible landscapes, including escarpments and a string of lakes.

The closest lake to Loldia House is Lake Naivasha, which offers unique birding opportunities among the papyrus swamps that fringe it. Crescent Island, in the heart of the lake, can be reached by boat excursion, and makes for a wonderful opportunity to get closer to pelicans and other bird species.