Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge

Overview

Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge is one of Kenya’s most established safari lodges, perched along the Lion Hill ridge inside Lake Nakuru National Park with sweeping views over the lake famous for its flamingos and rhino. Operating since 1978 and part of the respected Sarova Hotels collection, the lodge pairs a superb in-park location — minutes from the game-drive circuits — with the comfort, dining and wellness facilities of a full-service resort. It ranks among the top hotels in Nakuru on TripAdvisor, with nearly 1,900 reviews praising the views, food, live music and famously warm staff.

About the Property

The lodge is a hillside complex of wood-and-stone chalets designed to blend into the acacia woodland, terraced up the slope so rooms and public areas look out over Lake Nakuru. Each classic chalet-style room has a private terrace facing the park, and the grounds are immaculately kept gardens alive with birdlife — lions have even been spotted in the trees along the entrance road. Evenings feature live background music in the restaurant, and the bar terrace serves sundowners with panoramic views over the lake and hills.

Quick Facts

• 67 chalet-style rooms and suites, all with private terraces and park or lake views
• Located inside Lake Nakuru National Park, just above the main park road — instant game-drive access
• Established 1978; part of the Sarova Hotels & Resorts collection
• Flamingo Restaurant with buffet dining, live cooking counters and al fresco seating
• Full-service Tulia Spa (massages, facials, body treatments) plus sauna
• Outdoor pool, children’s playground, games room, volleyball and archery
• Two conference rooms (Baraza I & II) hosting up to 70 delegates
• ~160 km from Nairobi (2.5–3 hours by road); 30 minutes from the park’s Naishi airstrip

Location

The lodge sits discreetly on the Lion Hill ridge just above the main road on the eastern side of Lake Nakuru National Park, giving swift access to the park’s wildlife circuits, Baboon Cliff and Out of Africa viewpoints, and Makalia Falls. Nakuru town and its main gate are a short drive away, Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site is ~11 km, Menengai Crater ~20 km, and Lake Elementaita ~27 km, making it an excellent hub for the wider Rift Valley circuit.

Accommodation

All 67 rooms are chalet-style with a private balcony or terrace, en-suite bathroom with shower, premium bedding, minibar/refrigerator, tea- and coffee-making facilities, laptop-friendly workspace, free Wi-Fi and daily housekeeping; some units feature working fireplaces. Rooms are arranged in single- and double-storey chalets across the landscaped hillside for privacy and views.

Dining

The Flamingo Restaurant serves buffet-style breakfast, lunch and dinner blending local and international cuisines with live cooking counters and generous salad and dessert stations, with indoor and al fresco seating overlooking the pool and lake. The bar offers spectacular sunset views for sundowners, and on request the lodge arranges bush dinners with traditional dance performances and private romantic dining for honeymooners.

Facilities

Outdoor swimming pool, Tulia Spa with massage and body treatments, sauna, Flamingo Restaurant, sunset bar and lounge, games room, children’s playground, bird-feeding area, volleyball court, archery range, jogging/nature trails, gift shop, two conference rooms (up to 70 pax), babysitting on request, laundry/dry cleaning, free Wi-Fi and free parking.

Why Choose Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge

• Unbeatable in-park position on Lion Hill with uninterrupted lake views and instant game-drive access
• A trusted name: nearly five decades of safari hospitality under the Sarova brand
• Award-winning — honoured in the 2023 World Luxury Hotel Awards across safari, game lodge and family categories
• Exceptional food and atmosphere, with live music, themed dinners and bush dining experiences
• Genuine family appeal: playground, games room, pool and child-friendly dining
• Full wellness offering rare for a park lodge — spa, sauna and outdoor treatments
• Flexible meal plans (B&B, half board, full board) to suit different itineraries and budgets

Get There

• By road from Nairobi: ~160 km / 2.5–3 hours via the A104 Nairobi–Nakuru highway, entering the park through the main gate near Nakuru town; the lodge is just off the main park road.
• By air: ~30-minute flight from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport to the park’s Naishi airstrip, then a ~30-minute road transfer to the lodge.
• Park access: All guests pay Lake Nakuru National Park entry/conservation fees at the gate in addition to lodge rates.

Activities

• Morning, afternoon and full-day game drives — Lake Nakuru is renowned for black and white rhino, tree-climbing lions, leopard, buffalo and Rothschild’s giraffe
• Birdwatching: 450+ species including flamingos and pelicans on the lake
• Guided nature walks with the lodge’s resident naturalist
• Sundowners and bush dinners with traditional dance performances
• Spa treatments, sauna and poolside relaxation
• Volleyball, archery, games room and children’s playground
• Scenic stops at Baboon Cliff, Out of Africa viewpoint and Makalia Falls
• Excursions to Menengai Crater, Hyrax Hill, Lake Elementaita, and Lakes Bogoria & Baringo