The Giraffe Manor

The Giraffe Manor, built in 1932 by Sir David Duncan, is surrounded by 140 acres of its own park and forest thirty minutes from the centre of Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city, with superb views of the Ngong Hills. In 1974 Jock Leslie-Melville, grandson of a Scots earl, and his American wife Betty, who also founded the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW), bought the Manor. They then moved two highly endangered baby Rothschild giraffe to the estate, where they thrived and have produced several further generations of giraffe.

When Jock died, Betty decided to open her house, now called The Giraffe Manor, to visitors. It is the only place in the world where you can feed and photograph the giraffe over your breakfast table and at the front door, and even from a bedroom window.

Travellers from all over the world now make The Giraffe Manor part of their East African Safari. Some spend a week here and The Giraffe Manor has many repeat guests, who have become old friends. Personally hosted, The Giraffe Manor is an elegant and exclusive small hotel with a rich blend of welcoming accommodation, highly trained staff and one of Nairobi’s finest kitchens.

The Giraffe Manor also offers a uniquely untouched wilderness on the doorstep of one of Africa’s most cosmopolitan cities, the adjoining Jock Leslie-Melville Nature Education Centre, better known as the Giraffe Centre. Guided walks through its primeval forest enable you to learn about traditional uses of the varied flora, view some of the 180 bird species and perhaps meet a warthog or bushbuck.

 Accommodation includes:

• Double or Twin Rooms, each with a bathroom
• Full or half board, with wines
• Alcoholic and soft drinks
• Laundry services
• Airport and other transfers within Nairobi
• Sightseeing vehicle with chauffeur
• Entrance to the Giraffe Centre
• Personal hosting
• All taxes

There are five double/twin bedrooms at The Giraffe Manor.
In addition, the Master Room interconnects with the Giraffe Room, which has two beds suitable for family members, chargeable at half the standard rate.

The Karen Blixen Room is a larger room at ground level, containing a double bed, and two single beds which are chargeable at half the standard rate if occupied.

Location

The Giraffe Manor is situated 12 km west of central Nairobi, in the exclusive district of Karen. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is some 30 minutes’ drive, and the domestic Wilson Airport about 15 minutes away.

Within five minutes of The Giraffe Manor are several excellent shops and craft workshops of interest to travellers, and a little further on are Dame Daphne Sheldrick’s Elephant Orphanage, and the Kenya Wildlife Service Animal Sanctuary.

Contact Details

telephone +254 (0)20 891 078
fax +254 (0)20 890 949
email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
website www.giraffemanor.com
postal address PO Box 15004, Langata 00509, Kenya

DIRECTIONS TO THE HOTEL:

The Giraffe Manor is on Gogo Falls Road in Hardy, 12 kilometres west of central Nairobi, in the suburb known as “Langata”.

From central Nairobi take Uhuru Highway going south towards Jomo Kenyatta Airport. The road goes over the railway about a kilometre from the centre of town; turn right at the second roundabout after this bridge, onto Langata Road, heading west.
Go straight over two roundabouts, leave Wilson Airport on your left, and carry on for about 6km. Three kilometers after emerging from a deep dip, turn left after the second petrol station (Caltex) on your left: this road is Langata Road South, and the signs indicate Giraffe Centre and AFEW.

Follow this road for 4km towards Hardy shopping centre and police station. Fifty metres before these shops and just after Kilimani Junior School, turn left, signposted to the Giraffe Centre and AFEW.

Go straight down this road for 1km, ignoring any corners, and slow down for two speed bumps. The Giraffe Manor is in front of you as the road forces you to the left.