From
$2,921
Luxury Lodge · Lake Naivasha, Kenya
Enashipai Resort & Spa
Enashipai, Maasai for "a place of happiness," sits on Lake Naivasha: spa, three restaurants, Afro-chic rooms, hippos, and 500-plus bird species.
The Maasai word enashipai translates as “a place of happiness” — a name that sets an ambitious standard for a resort to uphold and that this particular property on the southern shore of Lake Naivasha has spent over a decade working to justify. Located on Moi South Lake Road on the floor of the Great Rift Valley, Enashipai Resort and Spa is the most comprehensively appointed leisure property in the Naivasha area: 86 rooms and villas spread across landscaped gardens, three distinct dining venues, an award-winning spa, a supersized pool, a fully equipped gym, a nightclub, two indoor children’s playrooms, conference facilities, a helipad, and a boat launch from which the lake’s hippopotamus pods and over 500 recorded bird species are accessible within minutes of the grounds.
The design language that runs through every room in the property is emphatically and deliberately African. Signature Maasai necklace headboards — a design that is copyright to Enashipai — anchor each room’s aesthetic in the culture of the Rift Valley; Afro-chic furniture, rich colour palettes, and hand-selected textiles complete interiors that read as genuinely of this place rather than generically tropical. Five room types — Fountain Executive, Garden Executive, Villa Executive, Honeymoon Suite, and self-catering two and three-bedroom villas — cover every combination of guest profile from solo traveller and romantic couple to multi-generational family and long-stay group.
What distinguishes Enashipai from other quality Naivasha properties is its breadth. The Siyara Spa is the centrepiece of a genuine wellness programme — award-winning at World Luxury Hotel level — offering the full range of body treatments, couples’ sessions, and holistic therapies in a dedicated facility that a resort of this size can sustain properly. The three restaurant options (Senteu for fine dining, Ol’Tepesi Bar for sundowners, Lakeside Bar for pool-adjacent drinks and the view) mean that no single meal format defines the stay. And the activity programme draws on one of the richest adventure circuits in Kenya: Crescent Island walking safaris, Hell’s Gate cycling, Mount Longonot hiking, boat safaris, the Enashipai Maa Museum, and the Naivasha flower farms all within forty minutes of the property.
At 90 kilometres from Nairobi, Enashipai occupies a position that no other property at its quality level can claim — close enough for a genuine weekend escape, far enough that the Rift Valley’s scale and silence registers fully within the first hour of arrival.
Multi-award-winning 5-star resort on Lake Naivasha's southern shore, 90 km from Nairobi. Eighty-six Afro-chic rooms and villas, Siyara Spa, three dining venues, a supersized pool, and a full programme of lake and Rift Valley activities.
Why Stay Here
- World Luxury Spa Resort award winner; couples, individual and holistic treatment programmes
- Signature Maasai necklace headboards exclusive to Enashipai, found nowhere else in Kenya
- Three dining venues: Senteu Restaurant, Ol'Tepesi Bar, Lakeside Bar, plus a coffee lounge
- Supersized pool, fully equipped gym, tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, sauna and steam room
- Boat launches to Crescent Island walking safari and hippo pods on Lake Naivasha
- Two indoor playrooms and an outdoor play area; one of the most family-ready resorts in the Rift Valley
- 90 km from Nairobi; closest 5-star lakeside resort to the capital, 1.5 hours by road
- Helipad on-site; conference centre with multiple meeting rooms; ideal for leisure and corporate itineraries
Our Commitment to Conservation
Enashipai's name and ethos are rooted in Maasai culture, expressed through its design, museum, and local sourcing. The spa uses locally sourced botanicals seasonally. Positioned on a Ramsar-listed wetland, the resort manages its lakeshore operations with corresponding care.
Rooms & Accommodation
Enashipai’s 86 rooms and villas are spread across the property’s gardens in five configurations, each with a distinct character and position within the grounds. All accommodation shares the resort’s signature Afro-chic design language — Maasai necklace headboards, rich textiles, warm colour palette — and all rooms are equipped with flat-screen television, minibar, tea and coffee-making facilities, free Wi-Fi, and en-suite bathrooms with both bathtub and shower fitted with bathrobes and quality toiletries. Views face either the lush tropical gardens, the surrounding Rift Valley hills, or the ornamental fountain — the grounds’ central design feature — depending on room type. Golf carts are available to assist guests navigating the more distant villas.
Fountain Executive Room
Facing the ornamental fountain that anchors the central garden, with water sounds carrying through at night. Signature Maasai necklace headboard, Afro-chic furniture, floor-to-ceiling garden windows. Upper-floor rooms have elevated views; ground-floor rooms open to the garden. En-suite with soaking bathtub, separate shower, and bathrobes.
Fountain and garden views · Signature Maasai necklace headboard · En-suite bathroom with bathtub and shower · Bathrobe and toiletries · Flat-screen TV · Minibar · Tea and coffee · Wi-Fi · Air conditioning
Garden Executive Room
Tucked into Enashipai's tropical gardens, these rooms offer the most private, verdant outlook on the property. Ideal for guests who want to wake to birdsong and green. Afro-chic interiors and signature Maasai headboard throughout. King or twin beds. En-suite with soaking bathtub, shower, bathrobes, and toiletries.
Tropical garden views · Signature Maasai necklace headboard · King or twin beds · En-suite bathroom with bathtub and shower · Bathrobe and toiletries · Flat-screen TV · Minibar · Tea and coffee · Wi-Fi · Air conditioning
Honeymoon Suite
One-bedroom suite with four-poster bed, jacuzzi, and mood lighting. The full-board honeymoon package includes private balcony dining, bubbly welcome, couples' spa session, private lake boat ride, and movie night. Bookable as a standalone room.
Four-poster bed · Jacuzzi · Mood lighting · Private dining balcony · En-suite bathroom · Bathrobe and premium toiletries · Flat-screen TV · Minibar · Tea and coffee · Wi-Fi · Honeymoon package available on request
Self-Catering Villa (2 or 3 Bedroom)
Two and three-bedroom self-catering villas with kitchenette, living areas, and en-suite bedrooms. The two-bedroom suits a family or two couples; the three-bedroom accommodates up to six. Daily housekeeping, full resort facilities, and activities included. Self-cater, dine at the restaurants, or book a meal plan. Golf cart service standard.
2 or 3 bedrooms · Individual en-suite bathrooms · Living and dining areas · Fully equipped kitchenette · Daily housekeeping · Full resort facilities access · Flat-screen TV in each room · Wi-Fi · Golf cart service
Experiences & Activities
Every moment at Enashipai Resort & Spa is crafted to immerse you deeper in the wild.
Siyara Spa World Luxury Hotel award winner
Offers individual and couples' massages, facials, body wraps, hot stone treatments, and full-day packages. Sauna and steam room open to all guests. Treatment menu changes seasonally, incorporating local plant-based ingredients.
Boat Safari, Lake Naivasha and Crescent Island
Boat launches from the resort reach hippo pods in the papyrus margins and Crescent Island, a vehicle-free sanctuary with giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, and impala on foot. Over 500 bird species on the lake; early mornings reliably deliver fish eagles, kingfishers, pelicans, and the goliath heron.
Hell's Gate National Park Twelve kilometres away
Walk or cycle through basalt cliffs, geothermal steam vents, and open savannah without a vehicle. Zebra, buffalo, eland, and warthog at ground level. Full-day excursions combine cycling, the gorge trail, and natural hot springs.
Mount Longonot A dormant volcano 30 km south of the resort
Half-day hike to the crater rim at 2,776 m with panoramic Rift Valley, Lake Naivasha, and Aberdare views. Crater rim circuit takes three to four hours. Guides and transport arranged through the concierge.
Enashipai Maa Museum Within the resort grounds
Presents Maasai material culture through beadwork, ceremonial dress, traditional weapons, and artefacts. Contextualises the resort's Afro-chic design within a living cultural framework. Well suited as a pre-activity introduction for families with children.
Pool, Gym and Sports Courts
Supersized outdoor pool with sun loungers and Lakeside Bar service, open 07:00 to 18:00. Fully equipped gym. Tennis, basketball, and volleyball courts on the grounds. Lakeshore cycling available for low-intensity activity.
Ready to plan your stay?
Our specialists are available 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Dining
Enashipai operates three distinct food and drink venues, which is more than most Naivasha properties offer, and the differentiation between them is genuine rather than cosmetic.
Senteu Restaurant is the main dining room — a fine dining space serving buffet and à la carte menus of Kenyan and international cuisine using fresh ingredients sourced from local farms where the supply chain allows. The kitchen changes its menu daily and accommodates dietary requirements across the full range with advance notice. Breakfast at Senteu is substantial; lunch and dinner are served both indoors and on the alfresco terrace that faces the gardens.
Ol’Tepesi Bar is the sundowner destination — a well-stocked bar with one of the widest drink selections in Naivasha, designed for easy evenings and unhurried conversations after the day’s activities. The coffee lounge adjacent to the main building serves Kenya’s excellent single-origin coffee alongside cakes and light snacks in a cosy sit-and-read atmosphere that the pool bar and restaurant do not replicate.
The Lakeside Bar sits poolside with views across the water, functioning as the daytime food and drinks hub for guests spending time at the pool. Barbecue facilities operate for outdoor dining on request. Private dinners, bush setups, and in-villa dining are all available at additional arrangement through the concierge.
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Best Time to Visit
Enashipai is open and fully operational year-round. Unlike pure game drive destinations, the resort’s activity programme — spa, lake safaris, Crescent Island, Hell’s Gate, mountain hiking — is largely weather-independent, which means the question of timing is shaped more by personal preference and weather character than by wildlife seasonality.
The dry seasons from January to February and June to October bring consistently clear weather, low humidity, and the most reliable Kilimanjaro-to-Longonot visibility from the Rift Valley floor. These are the months when the lake birdlife is at its most concentrated and when Hell’s Gate and Longonot hikes are most comfortable. The dry-season months also align with peak Kenya safari season, making Enashipai a natural one or two-night stop at the opening or close of a longer itinerary.
The green seasons are their own reward. November’s short rains and the April to May long rains bring extraordinary lushness to the resort grounds and the wider landscape, migratory bird species to the lake, and a soft-light quality that photographers and anyone sensitive to the visual character of landscape will find exceptional. Rates during the long rains are typically the most accessible of the year, and the resort’s facilities are at their most spacious given reduced occupancy.
December is festive season — minimum stay requirements and supplements apply over Christmas and New Year, and the resort operates full board only during that period.
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Location & Getting Here
Destination
Lake Naivasha, Kenya
Conservation Area
Lake Naivasha, Great Rift Valley
Nearest Airstrip
Loldia Airstrip (45-min flight from Wilson Airport, Nairobi)
Transfer Time
45-min flight from Wilson Airport + short road transfer. Road: 1.5 hrs from Nairobi (90 km).
Getting Here
On Moi South Lake Road, southern Lake Naivasha, 90 km from Nairobi: 1.5 hours by road or 45 minutes by charter from Wilson Airport to Loldia Airstrip. Hell's Gate is 12 km away; Mount Longonot 30 km south; Lake Nakuru 60 km north. Pairs naturally with the Maasai Mara as a one or two-night opening stop, or with Lake Nakuru and Aberdare Country Club for a Rift Valley lakes and highlands itinerary.
Safaris That Include This Lodge
Explore handcrafted itineraries where Enashipai Resort & Spa forms part of the journey.
