Located in Nyeri, about a 3 hour drive from the capital Nairobi, Treetops lodge is famous both locally and internationally. The tree house lodge is located in Aberdare National Park, and it is in this house where Queen Elizabeth II was declared the queen at only 25 years old, following the demise of her father. She climbed up into the lodge as a princess and came down the next day a queen. This wooden-built house sits close to a waterhole and salt lick, allowing guests to see animals as they come to drink water and lick salt.
Treetops Lodge was built in 1932 and sits right in the middle of an ancient migration route for elephants between the Aberdare Ranges and Mt Kenya National Park. There is also an ancient fig tree locally known as ‘Mugumo’ tree that grows through the hotel. The lodge, known for its rustic design, was built in 1932 by Major Eric Sherbrooke for his spouse, Lady Bettie.
When Princess Elizabeth was pronounced Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1952, the lodge had 3 bedrooms with a total capacity of 8 beds. In 1954, tragedy struck as the Treetops lodge was closed and eventually burnt down during the 1950s Mau Mau uprising. It was during this time that Kenyan freedom fighters battled British colonialists to push for Kenya’s independence. The Mau Mau rebels razed the entire tree house in response to a shoot-to-kill order that had been issued against them. Three years later in 1957, the lodge was rebuilt and the bed capacity was increased from 8 to 14 beds.
The lodge’s ownership changed hands in 1961 when Sherbrooke Walker sold Treetops lodge to Sir Malin Sorsbie, who later sold it to Block Hotels Limited in 1966. Treetops Lodge continued to be expanded gradually, having a total of 40 rooms in 1983 and 50 rooms in 1996. Aberdare Safari Hotels Limited is the current owner of the lodge, and its capacity now stands at 36 ensuite rooms with thrilling, game-viewing experiences.
On November 13th 1983, 30 years after her first visit where she was declared queen, Queen Elizabeth II visited Treetops Lodge for the second time. She noticed the lodge was no longer surrounded by the thick forest cover from 30 years prior. As a result, Kenya Wildlife Services and Aberdare Safari Hotels have been working on a “Return the Bush” Programme. The aim of the initiative is to reclaim the forest cover in the area around the lodge, as well as the entire Aberdare National Park.
