Sometimes , just sometimes one needs to pack a bag, load the kids ( if you have any) into the 4×4 and escape the harsh reality of a busy 9 to 5 job and just replenish ones soul. A few weeks ago thats exactly what we did.
Having come from families who are both eager to explore and seek new adventures at every turn its no wonder my husband and I have that wanderlust feeling so often. We have both travelled extensively around the world and made a pact that having children wouldn’t slow us down, and it hasn’t. One of the many reasons we love living Kenya is that you are really spoilt for choice when it comes to finding new places, seeing amazing animals and meeting the most genuine of human beings and you don’t have to travel for hours and hours to experience it.
We wanted to go somewhere we could relax, that felt homely and of course would accommodate our active toddler and newborn. Somewhere we could explore, somewhere that wasn’t too far and somewhere that was a little bit magical. To be honest we didn’t have to drive far from Nairobi to find it and it seemed like an obvious choice right from the get go when doing our research. NANYUKI it was!
Nanyuki was first formed by the British Settlers back in 1907 and still has a strong British feel about it as well as a Kenyan one. It’s known for its farming areas, game parks, wild life conservancies, being on the equator but most of all for being at the base of the majestic Mount Kenya, which is the most famous landmark in the country. Now having a hungry toddler who grazes more than a Bongo ( a reddish-brown antelope ) we knew we had hit the jackpot when we stumbled upon Barney’s which is located at the Nanyuki Airfield, which was once home to the RAF during the contentious Mau Mau uprising.
The food was sensational ( we ate there 3 times that weekend ) and of course you cant beat watching aircraft taking off and landing and watching passengers setting off in game park vehicles eager to spot wildlife ASAP. Next time we go up to Nanyuki we will definitely fly. It’s only a 45 min flight from Nairobi and with the regular flights operated by Kenya airways, Safarilink and a few others its silly not to do it. you are certainly spoilt for accommodation and places to eat and things to do in Nanyuki and luckily for us we hit the jackpot with all 3.
Where to stay:
We stayed in the gorgeous Shepherds huts at ONE STOP NANYUKI. We liked the fact that it was a short distance outside of the town itself, offered what we needed and of course seeing mount Kenya from our bedroom window is just priceless. Each hut has been lovingly built by the owners onsite and are done to replicate the traditional British shepherds huts. Each hut has a double bed as well as a single bed so it was perfect for our little family. I must say, the BEST feature ( apart from seeing Mount Kenya from your bedroom window) was the outdoor bathroom/shower, complete with a flushing toilet, sink , toiletries and fluffy towels. There is something quite magical about showering outside, under the stars ( although this shower has a roof over it and is enclosed). The huts are tastefully decorated and come with basic cooking facilities, the beds were comfortable, the water was hot and the view of Mount Kenya was unspoilt and just utterly spectacular. The only down side was that our stay was too short. We cannot wait to visit again soon. In fact my husband is off on a boys trip with some friends from school in the next few weeks and they staying there.
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