Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge: Kenya Safari Lodge in Lake Nakuru National Park — Hotel in Barut ward

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)

I recently stayed at Sarova Lion Hill Lodge in Lake Nakuru National Park for a medical meeting on cardiometabolic disease (March 1-2, 2025), and it was a fantastic experience overall!

Location & Access

The lodge is nestled inside Lake Nakuru National Park, making it a prime spot for wildlife lovers. The access road from the main highway is a bit rough, and getting through the park entrance took some time, but once in, the short drive to the lodge was worth it.

Check-in & First Impressions

Upon arrival, we were welcomed by warm, friendly staff with a refreshing welcome drink—perfect after the drive. Since we were a large group, check-in was pre-arranged and smooth. The lodge has no elevators, so expect to walk up ramps or pathways to your room, but it’s part of the natural charm.

Rooms & Comfort

I stayed in Room 61 - Geranium, which had a spectacular view. The room was clean, cozy, and well-equipped, with crisp white bedsheets, fresh pillows, and a decent coffee station. The Wi-Fi was strong, which was impressive for a lodge in the wild! No TVs in the rooms, but that’s intentional—to encourage guests to immerse themselves in nature.

The bathroom was small but functional, with hot water and all essentials provided. A small balcony with seating was a nice touch, perfect for unwinding.

Food & Dining Experience

The dining area had a nice ambiance, with live background music adding a soothing touch. Lunch and dinner were excellent, featuring live stations for steak, lamb, chicken, and pasta. However, the breakfast selection was a bit basic—it could use more variety. The dessert options were underwhelming (mostly fruits and a couple of cakes), so there’s room for improvement there.

Amenities & Activities • Heated pool – great for a dip after game drives. • Spa services – though I didn’t try them, I heard great reviews. • Bonfire at the bar – a wonderful experience, paired with good wine (though a bit pricey).

Game Drives – The Real Highlight!

This is where Sarova Lion Hill shines. We saw lions (even a hunting scene!), buffaloes, zebras, giraffes, and a stunning variety of birds. The drives weren’t too long or exhausting—just perfect. No mosquitoes at night, which was a relief!

Final Verdict

✔ Great location, excellent game drives, warm hospitality ✔ Good food (especially lunch & dinner), relaxing atmosphere ✔ Well-kept rooms with good Wi-Fi, no TVs (which makes sense in a game lodge) ✖ Breakfast & dessert could be better ✖ Lighting in the dining area could be improved

Would I return? Absolutely! It’s a convenient getaway from Nairobi without the long drive to Maasai Mara. If you’re looking for a lodge with great wildlife experiences and a comfortable stay, Sarova Lion Hill is a solid choice.

🔹 Tip: Bring a good camera and plan an early morning game drive or late evening for the best wildlife sightings!

#SarovaLionHill #LakeNakuru #KenyaSafari...

I highly recommend this game lodge in Nakuru repeatedly.||The lodge has a heavenly ambience that naturally immerses the guest in the heavenly ambient environment.||All the staff are very warm and hospitable with a smile on their face and going the extra mile in every interaction.||The dining hall:||Has a romantic and natural ambience. All the kitchen chefs are very warm and prepare the scrumptious meals observing high quality.||There is a variety of food for all ethnicities like Indian food, Chinese noodles, European food American food and African food served everyday in every meal time.||In my case of Indian ethnicity, Chef Oscar prepared the most scrumptious Indian meals that were out of this world. My sisters and I enjoyed his Indian culinary skills. He also went out of his way and gave us individualized meal preparation due to allergies to food that I have. We were very happy and will always cherish the culinary experiences that he is gifted with.||The kitchen also prepares food for those that have allergies, gluten free and eggless meals.||I appreciate all the chef and the hard working waiters and waitresses who looked after us in the dining experience.||Tulia Spa:||Sharon's spa skills relaxed and unwind me during my treatments. The Game lodge itself is a taste of heaven and the spa takes it further. ||Sharon provides a natural ambience in the spa that helps the guest feel extremely relaxed and rejuvenated.||I highly recommend all the treatments the spa offers.|||The bedrooms:||My room was a triple bedroom sharing. It was at an affordable rate. All amenities were provided and the services were exceptional. Wi-Fi was available in the entire game lodge.||It was always cleaned thoroughly well by Eric and at night he would set up the mosquito nets with a warm water bag to keep us warm at night. The blankets and mattresses are of good quality and a sound sleep is guaranteed.||When it rains:||It rained at night during my stay and there is an umbrella provided in the room for use in the rain and if it isn't there the security guards assists the guest by providing one and guiding the guest with his torch to the place the guests wish to go.||I felt deeply touched by such kind services the game lodge provides.||The staff value all the guests and are always kind to help them out to make their stay comfortable.||I highly appreciate all the staff and management of Sarova Lion Hill and absolutely recommend to diverse ethnicities.||It is warmly hospitable to all kinds of ethnicities in food...

Decided to stop by and check out the lodge with my Kenyan friend. Though we didn't stay here, we requested to see the rooms and get a tour of the facility for future travel and plans.

I've invited a bunch of pictures and the price for the place is seasonal, based on peak and off peak demand. The locally shown prices were $108 per night for a standard room, which was very nice.

If you have a larger group, they have suites with a living room area to gather with a TV and couches and dining room table. It was closer to $300 per night, but I can't remember the exact amount.

The view of the lake is amazing and the rooms have everything you need. There's a gift shop, a coffee shop and a restaurant. There's a full pool and sauna which include a changing room. The staff all seems very friendly and accommodating.

Our stop was a quick half hour preview and we were impressed. Probably worth at least a one or two night stay to enjoy full day safari in the park.

Best times to spot game on a game drive is first thing in the morning, starting before or at sunrise. Or late afternoon before the park closes at 6:30pm.

Much wildlife coming out to feed around 4 to 5pm or so. That's last couple hours of the evening and first couple hours of the morning is prime time.

Please don't let the park ranger at the entry gate scare you from driving your own car or rental car in the park. They really push to upsell the safari trucks and driver, but it costs much less if you drive your own car, even if it's small. Most vehicles we saw in the park were small cars, only a few safari trucks.

Keep in mind the vehicle will get very dusty, inside and out, even the engine compartment. We took our rental car to "ExtremeX" in Nakuru for cleaning.

Very thorough clean of wash, clean engine and vacuum and wipe down the inside for KES 800 was a great deal and we returned the rental car without any complaints from the company about the vehicle...