A Great Architectural Marvel in Nyeri's Wilderness - Treetops

After covering the War Memorial church located in Nyeri, the Architecture Kenya team must have thought that was the last they would cover of the town located at the central highlands of Kenya. But that was not to be, another marvel came about, though located 17 kilometres from the town, it can still be said to be in Nyeri.



As the name suggests, Treetops Hotel was literally built into the tops of the trees of Aberdare National Park. The idea was to offer guests a very close view of local wildlife in complete safety. This concept was borrowed from an Indian tradition called Shikar, which was a form of hunting in colonial India, where hunting was done on a platform mounted on a tree in complete safety and comfort.

The hotel, initially run by Eric Walker, was operational in 1932 starting with a modest two roomed tree house to the fifty rooms it has today. The original structure was burned down by African guerrillas during the 1954 Mau Mau uprising, but the hotel was later rebuilt near the same waterhole where it was initially.



It rises straight out of the ground on stilts and has four decks and a roof top viewing platform. It has a rustic external feel, with matching interior decor. Large timber framed windows dot the internal spaces and a rooftop terrace provides a perfect location for viewing the wildlife below.