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About Tafaria Castle & Country Lodge
Tafaria Castle has located in Nyeri Kenya on a hill, next to the scenic Aberdare ranges overlooking the Laikipia plains and Mt Kenya.
Eunice rounded the Castle in 2012AD to transform the village where I grew up. My family settled here in 1979 making us the earliest settlers after the Deighton Downs ranch was subdivided. I grew up in these plains which were then very isolated, remote, lonely, and simply godforsaken as hardship ranged from wildlife conflicts, droughts, lack of water, strenuous daily chores, and absence of social infrastructure typical of most rural Kenya.
What began as a small Castle in the countryside in 2012, has grown into a Lodge, a Conference Center, a Museum, and a Center for the Arts
Accommodation
Tafaria has 81 rooms in its various residential quarters with a capacity of up to 160pax in different configurations.
Rooms Inside the Castle
Lord’s room – The suite is inside the castle, and has two rooms a sitting room and a bedroom, a spacious ensuite bathroom with a bathtub, ideal for honeymooners, DSTV, and a balcony overlooking Mt Kenya, the Castle, and Aberdares, complimentary tea, and coffee. Staying in this room makes you the Castle’s Lord of the day and comes with a bottle of house wine, Fruit Basket, a horse ride, and free room service.
The Chamber – This private suite is inside the Castle and is a large and cozy room with a sitting area, study, and bath tab. Ideal for honeymooners.
Lord’s Court – Spacious superior rooms inside the Castle, accommodate up to 4 beds, DSTV and Balcony overlooking the swimming pool, Mt Kenya, the Dream Garden or the Aberdares, complimentary tea and coffee.
Rooms Outside the Castle
Damsel Quarters – Optimally sized standard rooms, two rooms facing each other and ideal for those who want to stay in close proximity to each other, ensuite bathroom, complimentary tea, and coffee, DSTV, and patio overlooking the scenic Aberdares.
Knights Quarters – Standard stand-alone rooms which accommodate up to 3 single beds, ensuite bathroom, complimentary tea and coffee, DSTV, and patio overlooking the scenic Aberdares.
Damsel Plus Quarters – Large rooms with a capacity of up to 4 single beds with interconnecting doors, ideal for families, ensuite bathroom, fireplace, complimentary tea, and coffee.
The Enclaves – Large rooms with a capacity of up to 4 single beds with interconnecting doors, Each set has four rooms facing each other and is ideal for families, ensuite bathroom, DSTV complimentary tea, and coffee.
Manor House – Two interconnected rooms and ideal for a family, ensuite bathroom, DSTV, complimentary tea, and coffee.
Viking Quarters – Luxury tents for those looking for countryside minimalism. Wagon beds with an indoor sitting area overlooking knights’ quarters and the Aberdares. Fits a spare bed and is ideal for a couple with a small kid. Ensuite bathroom, complimentary tea, and coffee.
Lost Knight – Spacious deluxe cottages with a sitting area that fits up to 3 single beds, a fireplace, DSTV and patio overlooking Mt Kenya, the Castle and Aberdares, complimentary tea and coffee.
Old House – A 3-bedroomed family suite with a common sitting room, a fireplace, DSTV, private compound, balcony overlooking Mt Kenya, the Castle and Aberdares, ensuite bathrooms, private compound and parking, complimentary tea, and coffee.
Non-chargeable Activities (Residents only)
- Kids kingdom (slides, swings, seesaw, and trampoline)
- Swimming
- Outdoor gym
Chargeable Activities:
- Evolution Science Museum Experience at Ksh 1000 for adults and Ksh 500 for kids
- Archery: Ksh 1000 adults and Ksh 500 kids for 30 minutes.
- Outdoor gym Ksh 500 per person free for residents
- Cycling Ksh 500 per person
- Mini Golf Ksh 1000 for adults and Ksh 500 for kids.
- Swimming Ksh 1000 adults and Ksh 500 kids, and free for residents
- Horseback riding: Ksh 1000 adults and Ksh 500 kids for a trip around the castle
- Chariot ride: Cinderella Ksh 5,000 and Landau Ksh 10,000 for 2 Pax a trip around the Castle
- Sports Arena with bowling, basketball, Lawn Tennis, volleyball Ksh. 500 per person for 1 hour
- Pool table: Ksh 500/= for 5 tokens
Relaxing
Not the sporting type? Not to worry there are also opportunities to enjoy a relaxing bird watching experience or a culturally insightful art tour. If you like to unwind by working out or by meditation then we have yoga classes and an outside gym. There is even a kids’ park to entertain your little ones allowing you to take a relaxing break.
Out & About
There are plenty of things to do outside of the grounds too. You can enjoy the beautiful scenery by taking a hike in the park or going on a scenic park drive.
Evening Leisure
After dinner, while away the African evening by the fireside at our coffee lounge or the moat bar with our signature cocktails in hand or shake away the night at our disco in the Castle’s dungeon or hang out at our playroom for foosball, a game of pool, table tennis or darts.
Game Drives
We invite you to a lifetime experience with our game drives and hikes. We shall take you for one-of-a-kind hikes or game drives to see some of the big 5 at the Aberdare National Park or Solio animal sanctuary famous for its white and black rhinos plus lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffaloes, and zebras. You may also want to adventure further into the park and experience an amazing scenic drive where you see some of the most majestic waterfalls on the continent.
Museum
The museum is based at the Center for the arts at Tafaria Castle. This experiential tour was established by Tafaria in collaboration with the National Museums of Kenya. Here visitors experience demystified human evolution science by taking a tour of this exhibition called the Big Reunion which is highly recommended for all learners.
“It is in the interest of knowledge sharing, demystifying science, and facilitation of deeper inquest into our very existence to pave a better future that Tafaria and the National Museums of Kenya established this reunion for you” The Big Reunion was created by a team of scientists and curators from the National Museum and Kenyan artists and designers in 2021AD.
Conferencing and Meetings
Tafaria is an ideal location for conferencing and team building due to its tranquil location away from distractions and the large open spaces plus indoor & outdoor meeting areas.
The conference center has three meeting rooms: the Roundtable, The Horseshoe, and the Think-Tank, which accommodates up to 300pax.
Centre for the Arts
The Tafaria Museum and Centre for the Arts are located at the Tafaria Castle. The Centre for the Arts offers art residencies for visual artists, culinary artists, performing artists, creative writers, designers, musicians, and film producers. The Museum is open throughout the year. The Museum incorporates a numismatic museum and a museum of the evolution of man in collaboration with the National Museum of Kenya.
Weddings
We highly encourage you to, as it might be a fairy tale dream wedding. This is because the Castle is an exclusive location in the countryside, giving your special day a unique backdrop to the splendid Castle. You will be chauffeured around our extensive grounds in our horse-drawn chariot and spend the night in the Lord’s room. We recommend an extended photo session at the scenic Aberdare park next door – it’s for the chosen few.
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