The Dhow on Champagne Ridge, Unique Getaway, Views

Entire cottage in Kiserian, Kenya

  1. 2 guests
  2. 1 bedroom
  3. 1 bed
  4. 1 bath
Hosted by Deborah
  1. Superhost
  2. 10 years hosting

Listing highlights

Top 5% of homes

This home is highly ranked based on ratings, reviews, and reliability.

Exceptional check-in experience

Recent guests gave the check-in process a 5-star rating.

Comfy bed for better sleep

The room-darkening shades and extra bedding are loved by guests.
The Dhow is a spacious boat blending breathtaking views of the Rift Valley with a unique design. The large wooden deck is perfect for yoga or simply relax in the hammock. The interior is spacious, the kitchen is well equipped and king size bed makes the Dhow an ideal getaway.

The perfect escape for a couple or solo traveler looking to reconnect, relax and revive or a writer looking for inspiration. 1 hr from Karen on Champagne Ridge makes for an easy getaway from Nairobi.

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

The Dhow is a spacious comfortable 1 bedroom on the same 10 acre 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 large wooden deck is the perfect place to lay your yoga mat or simply hang the hammock and chill. The gas BBQ grill and outdoor furniture makes self catering a breeze.

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 overlooks the Rift Valley and Ngong Hills. The king size bed with extra fluffy pillows ensure a magical night sleep.

The Dhow is ideal for couples or solo travelers. It is not appropriate for children or infants.

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

For those who want to their time in the kitchen we have some solutions.

- 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.

- preorder takeaway from Bunduz Cafe and pick up on your way through or call for delivery during your stay (menu is in the cottage). Bunduz is located 2kms after turning off at Corner Baridi along the murrum road, on the right hand side on top of the big hill.

- Come with pizza or another take away for the 1st night (and 2nd!) and reheat on the gas bbq (has a lid so doubles as an oven) or on the gas cooktop. You can preorder and pick up on your way from Bunduz Restaurant.

- 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 hosted by Josephine.

- 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!

We are self catering, no daily housekeeping (weekly cleaning is included on longer stays). The closest shops are in Kiserian town 18kms away, so please be sure to bring food, drinks and condiments with you. There are phone numbers in the inhouse information sheet for bodas based in Kiserian who can shop and deliver if your supplies run low.

The Dhow is surrounded by thousands of acres of African bush. 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.

Guest access
The entire Dhow is for your use. You are free to hike in the area and not limited to our 10 acre property. This area is very safe for hiking, biking and jogging. The countryside boasts breathtaking views both along the edge of the cliff and as you head into the valley.

Other things to note
The Dhow is very popular with couples and single travelers looking to escape the city for the peace and tranquility. Our area is very safe, plus the host lives on the same property.

Where you’ll sleep

What this place offers

Mountain view
Valley view
Kitchen
Free parking on premises
Private patio or balcony
Unavailable: Carbon monoxide alarm
Unavailable: Smoke alarm

Select check-in date

Add your travel dates for exact pricing

Rated 4.98 out of 5 from 126 reviews.

Guest favorite
This home is in the top 5% of eligible listings based on ratings, reviews, and reliability
0 of 0 items showing

Overall rating

  1. 5 stars, 98% of reviews
  2. 4 stars, 2% of reviews
  3. 3 stars, 0% of reviews
  4. 2 stars, 0% of reviews
  5. 1 stars, 0% of reviews

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for cleanliness

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for accuracy

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for check-in

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for communication

Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars for location

Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars for value

Where you’ll be

Kiserian, Kajiado County, Kenya
This listing's location is verified and the exact location will be provided after booking.

Neighborhood highlights

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.

Meet your host

Superhost
964 reviews
4.95 out of 5 average rating
10 years of hosting
My work: The Castle on Champagne Ridge, Africa Expedition Support and Napenda Solar Community .... no rest for the wicked!!!!!
Fun fact: I was a tour leader & truck driver!
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.

Deborah is a Superhost

Superhosts are experienced, highly rated hosts who are committed to providing great stays for guests.

Host details

Response rate: 100%
Responds within an hour
To help protect your payment, always use Airbnb to send money and communicate with hosts.

Things to know

House rules

Check-in: 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Checkout before 11:00 AM
2 guests maximum

Safety & property

No carbon monoxide alarm
No smoke alarm
Exterior security cameras on property

Cancellation policy