Staying in the Ark in Aberdare National Park is an adventure in itself, and the only way to really appreciate the wildlife inside the reserve.
Special buses trundle between the Aberdare Country Club and the specially designed lodge (which is 90% wood), perched on the edge of a waterhole and muddy salt-lick – it does look a bit like the Noah’s Ark of popular imagination, with a boat-shaped bow, long body and flat ‘stern’.
Rooms are compact but cosy, and the four levels all have views of the waterhole – and heaps of animals that root around in the mud looking for salt.When we arrived there were five long-tusked elephants, a herd of buffalo and a handful of warthogs and bush bucks, while a sleek-looking mongoose ran through the rocks.
At 5pm we strolled out to the wooden catwalk while the staff piled bread and fruit onto two hanging bird tables; because of the cooler, misty weather, only a few species turned up to the feast, while three tiny Suni – Africa’s smallest antelope – played on the forested ground beneath us.Our feathered visitors included the yellow breasted common bulbul, the long, willowy tailed speckled mousebird, and the tiny streaky seed-eater.
Most of the action happens at night here; the hotel uses a buzzer system to wake up guests when animals approach:
One ring = elephants
Two rings = rhinos
Three rings = leopards
Four is for any other ‘unusual’ animals
We only got to see elephants, but that was a truly magical experience.
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