Dhow - Clifftop, Unique boat design, Amazing views

Superhost

Boat hosted by Deborah

  1. 2 guests
  2. 1 bedroom
  3. 1 bed
  4. 1 bath
Deborah is a Superhost
Superhosts are experienced, highly rated hosts who are committed to providing great stays for guests.
Great location
100% of recent guests gave the location a 5-star rating.
Free cancellation before May 4.

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The Dhow is a one-of-a-kind off-the-grid boat blending the uniqueness of the Swahili coast with breathtaking countryside views of the Rift Valley. Contemporary finishes and amenities melt into the traditional by-years of a time-honored fishing boat placed on a cliff with amazing views.

The perfect getaway for a couple or single looking for a child-free self catering weekend to reconnect, relax and revive. Only 1 hour from Karen on Champagne Ridge makes for an easy getaway from Nairobi.

The space
The Dhow is a spacious 1 bedroom boat on the same 10 acre countryside property as The Castle, The Cave, The Nest and The Tower on the edge of a cliff with amazing views over the Rift Valley. The unique design capitalizes on the distinctive features of a traditional dhow without compromising on comfort and the views over the countryside completes the individual quirkiness.

If you are after unique design, comfort, individualism and just something a little out of the ordinary, this is the place for you. Throw in a splash of off-the-grid 24/7 solar power, instant gas hot showers and a rain water harvesting unit and you have a one-of-a-kind, never seen before, traditional Swahili sailing boat in Kajiado County!

As you drive down the steep driveway you are immediately transformed to another world with an impressive Swahili entrance complete with a Zanzibar door. Through the entrance to a boardwalk leading you to the stairs to The Dhow.

The large wooden deck is the perfect place to lay your yoga mat or simply hang the hammock and chill. The gas BBQ and outdoor furniture makes self catering a breeze while enjoying the amazing views.

Through the impressive door to the living area boasting a 3 and 1 seater sofa, dining table and compact kitchen complete with gas cook-top and fridge. The kitchen is complete with pots, pans, cutlery, crockery and utensils. The 3 unique doors open the living area to the wooden deck and the fresh Rift Valley air and sunshine.

A short hall leads you to the bathroom or the "engine room" complete with copper pipes and an instant gas hot shower.

The bedroom is situated at the back of the dhow with amazing views over the countryside and Rift Valley and of the Ngong Hills. The king size bed with extra fluffy pillows ensure a magical night sleep.

While we don't have Wifi you will enjoy excellent phone and internet reception with Safaricom (4G) and Airtel (3G/4G).

We harvest rain water, treat it and store in undercover water tanks, therefore it is safe to drink water from the tap.

We don't have a resident chef, however for those who want to limit their time in the kitchen we have some solutions making self catering easier than ever.

- all our cottages have a gas bbq grill making self catering easy. Throw some meat and vegetables on the bbq while enjoying a Tusker and the view.

- Come with pizza or another take away for the 1st night (and 2nd!) and reheat on the bbq (has a lid so doubles as an oven) or on the gas cooktop.

- Enjoy a Masai Experience and BBQ lunch while supporting our local community tourism venture! This experience can be booked through Airbnb Experience, simply search for - Masai Experience, BBQ Lunch, Beading, Culture, Conversation, Kiserian, Kenya hosted by Josephine.

- Order from Greenspoon and arrange delivery for the day you arrive. We take delivery and place in the cottage for you. They have everything you may need for your staycation from ready made meals, meat, bread, cheese, dairy, vegan products, vegetables, beer and wine etc. When ordering, write under delivery instructions THE DHOW - THE CASTLE, CHAMPAGNE RIDGE and indicate County as KAJIADO. They know us - we order from them all the time!! Note as we are not in Nairobi County please order before 12 noon the day BEFORE you arrive or earlier as our deliveries come the next day.

- support local entrepreneurs and order from boda guys based in Kiserian. We can supply a number. Get nyama choma and all the sides delivered from one of the many amazing nyama choma places in Kiserian!

The Dhow at The Castle on Champagne Ridge is surrounded by thousands of acres of African countryside in the heart of Masai land. Therefore, in addition to larger animals like cows, goats and sheep you may also encounter zebra, eland and dik diks as well as smaller, maybe not so welcome, flies, ants, spiders and rodents. All creatures great and small are integral to maintaining a healthy environment and each serve a valuable purpose. If this is not for you, maybe you are best suited to a city based getaway.

We will maintain a ZERO CONTACT policy with our guests, this includes check in and check out. Once you arrive and park we will direct you to your accommodation where you will find the key to let yourselves in.

Where you'll sleep

What this place offers

Mountain view
Valley view
Kitchen
Free parking on premises
Private patio or balcony
Shared backyard – Not fully fenced
Luggage dropoff allowed
Security cameras on property
Unavailable: Carbon monoxide alarm
Unavailable: Smoke alarm

7 nights in Kiserian

Jun 3, 2023 - Jun 10, 2023

5.0 out of 5 stars from 50 reviews

Cleanliness
Accuracy
Communication
Location
Check-in
Value

Where you’ll be

Kiserian, Kajiado County, Kenya

The Dhow is located on Champagne Ridge which is most famous for amazing views, off-the-grid living and open countryside. Perched on top of the cliff, Champagne Ridge starts near Kona Baridi (Magadi Road) and spans for about 24kms on top of the escarpment toward Kajiado town.

In the heart of Masai land it is a very safe area with no crime. The perfect location for couples and single travelers looking for a near Nairobi getaway that is in the countryside and away from the city.

The Dhow on Champagne Ridge is only 1 hour from Karen, 30 minutes from Kiserian and 45 minutes from Ngong Town.

The Dhow is situated on the same 10 acre countryside property as The Castle, The Cave, The Tower and The Nest only 11kms from the turn off at Kona Baridi off Magadi Road (on the way to Champagne 4x4 Park) on a good murrum road.

During the rainy season (April/May and Nov) you may need a 4x4. We get significantly less rain than Nairobi so most days the last 11kms from Kona Baridi on the murrum road is bumpy but fine for all cars, occasionally it does rain making the road a little slippery in parts.

Hosted by Deborah

  1. Joined in August 2013
  • 572 Reviews
  • Identity verified
  • Superhost
Originally from Adelaide, Australia I have lived on the African continent since 2003 working in tourism as well as running our own community solar power project Napenda Solar Community. I have spent the better part of my working life outside of Australia and living all over the World.

The Castle on Champagne Ridge near Kiserian is our refuge, a place to relax and recharge the batteries. I love to cook so spend my free time in the kitchen working on some new recipe or simply experimenting with various ingredients and textures.

Thiemo, my husband, is the brains behind the design of all our 5 cottages (Nest, Dhow, Cave, Tower and Castle). He is a solar power guru and my own personal Mr Fix It!

We have 5 German Shepherd dogs; Sally, Stella, Beau, Zanny and Pikey who are thoroughly spoiled, although they may not agree! They love their daily walks, swimming in the dam and playing soccer (football). Sally and Stella are adopted, while Beau and Zanny are rescue dogs; and Pikey arrived on our front lawn in Dec 2019 begging for food and never left!

The Castle is open to all regardless of religion, culture, sexual orientation or nationality. After all, variety is the spice of life.
Originally from Adelaide, Australia I have lived on the African continent since 2003 working in tourism as well as running our own community solar power project Napenda Solar Commu…

During your stay

We live next door to the holiday home on Champagne Ridge and are available if guests need anything.

We also run a Solar Power project in our local community called Napenda Solar Community. Guests are more than welcome to participate in the project or have a chat to us about what we are doing.

We have 5 dogs, Sally, Stella, Beau, Zanny and Pikey our GSDs; they are very friendly and will come to greet you when you arrive. Beau, Zanny and Pikey are rescue dogs so they sometimes keep their distance.
We live next door to the holiday home on Champagne Ridge and are available if guests need anything.

We also run a Solar Power project in our local community called Nap…

Deborah is a Superhost

Superhosts are experienced, highly rated hosts who are committed to providing great stays for guests.
  • Languages: English, Deutsch
  • Response rate: 100%
  • Response time: within an hour
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Things to know

House rules

Check-in: 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Checkout: 3:00 PM
Not suitable for children and infants
No pets
No parties or events
Smoking is allowed

Health & safety

Airbnb's COVID-19 safety practices apply
No carbon monoxide alarm
No smoke alarm
Security camera/recording device Show more
Nearby lake, river, other body of water

Cancellation policy