Kenya - image courtesy of M.E Chidiac

Mount Kenya Safari Club

High on the slopes of Africa’s second highest mountain, the Mount Kenya Safari Club straddles the equator in a glory of luxurious cottages and elegant buildings set amid manicured lawns and decorative ponds. Ever since the Club was founded in 1959 by the late film star William Holden, eccentric American Ray Ryan, and Swiss financier Carl Hirschmann, it has been a Mecca for the international jet set - its list of members reads like a Who’s Who of royalty, aristocracy, and the rich and famous.

The Mount Kenya Safari Club’s history is as colourful and exciting as its members and visitors - from the pioneers who made the homestead and the farm their own, through its conversion into an upcountry hotel, to the uproarious narrative of the three-hell raisers who bought it on a whim and launched a legend.

Whether visiting Kenya at a leisurely pace or stopping simply for lunch, the Mt Kenya Safari Club maintains an immutably majestic presence and is a touching reminder of the vision of its creators. Catering to both small and large groups, Mt Kenya Safari Club has a total of 114 bedrooms. These comprise 2 Villas, 13 Riverside and 12 William Holden Cottages, 8 Garden Suites and Club Rooms and Studio Suites.

The Luxury Villas, William Holden Cottages and the Presidential Suite each have a large sitting room. Most rooms have a private verandah overlooking the majestic Mount Kenya.

Dinners are an elegant affair at the Safari Club. There is a choice of two restaurants; the Mawingo and the Kirinyaga. There are also two bars; the Zebra Bar, and the Trophy Lounge which has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere and is the ideal setting for cocktail parties.

Some of Kenya’s finest attractions lie at the Mt Kenya Safari Club’s doorstep. The 24,000 acre Sweetwaters Game Reserve is teeming with a wide variety of wildlife and there is an enormous range of other sightseeing activities for visitors. These include bird walks, half or full day game viewing African safaris and half or full day trips to challenge Mount Kenya’s rugged slopes.