After leaving Nairobi, we headed to Lake Naivasha and Hell’s Gate National Park. We had booked an Airbnb for six nights using $320 of our Airbnb credit so that we could stay for free. The pictures looked good and it was supposed to have A/C, a bbq, wifi, etc. But when we got there, we found out that it didn’t have A/C, it was run down, the hallway light didn’t work and when I switched the bulb it shorted and fell off. The bbq was completely rusted, some of the kitchen lights didn’t work, we couldn’t get the oven to work, there was no toilet paper, etc. So we asked Airbnb for a refund since it was not as advertised. The refund was easy and fast. But, we had to scramble to find a new place. This was difficult because we barely had any wifi to do our searching with. And with needing to check in on the same day and stay for six days there were not a lot of options. Fortunately Kate found a fabulous place, the Lake Naivasha Simba Lodge. After bargaining with them, she got them down to $900 for our six nights (and that was including breakfast and dinner).
The next issue was getting from the Airbnb to the lodge. We walked to the side of the rode and hoped that a taxi would come by. Almost immediately, a mutata (mini van, yet holds 15 people) came by and offered us a ride. We squeezed in and they strapped our carryons on the roof. The ride cost us 75 cents each.
But, having to shell out $900 instead of staying for free was a fail on the part of the free travel junkies. But after arriving at the lodge, it was so fabulous I told Kate that I would have happily paid 50% more. Zebras and waterbucks were walking right up to our room patio.
We were able to walk to within 15 feet of hippos (and were only separated from them by a flimsy electrified fence). I heard one hippo say to the other, “Hold my beer and I’ll show you what I think of that so-called barrier.”
Once it turned dark, we were able to see Bush Babies.
There were also swamp rats (no relation to the Wamp rats in Beggar’s Canyon),
African Fish Eagles, Egyptian geese, Hadada Ibis and more.
