Elsamere Conservation Centre in South Lake Road, Naivasha: Hours, Facilities and Family Guide
Museums and history in South Lake Road, Naivasha
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Lakeside former home of Born Free author Joy Adamson, with a small museum, afternoon tea at 3pm, colobus monkeys and gardens on Lake Naivasha.
What is Elsamere Conservation Centre?
Elsamere is the former home of George and Joy Adamson, whose story of the lioness Elsa became the film Born Free, on the shore of Lake Naivasha. It is now a conservation and field study centre run by the Elsa Conservation Trust, with a small museum of photographs, paintings and personal items, and a documentary screening each afternoon.
Day visitors can have afternoon tea at 3pm on the lakeside lawn, where a troop of black-and-white colobus monkeys lives in the acacia trees, or lunch on weekdays. Hippos graze on the unfenced lawn after dark, and the centre also offers lakeside cottages. The Trust runs conservation education for schools.
The Elsa Conservation Trust, founded by George and Joy Adamson, still runs from Elsamere and takes conservation education to schools.
Is it right for your child's age?
| Age group | Verdict | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| 0–2 years | Okay | Lawns and monkeys, but keep close near the lake | 3–5 years |
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Key details
- Address
- South Lake Road (Moi South Lake Road), Naivasha, Nakuru County; P.O. Box 1497-20117, Naivasha
- Opening hours
- Afternoon tea daily at 3pm; museum weekdays 9am to 6pm; weekday lunch 12pm to 2pm
- How long to plan
- 2 to 3 hours with tea
- Suitable ages
- All ages
What to expect when you visit
Arrive for the museum and documentary, then take afternoon tea on the lakeside lawn at 3pm with home-baked cakes. Colobus monkeys often play in the trees above.
After dark, hippos come onto the lawns, so keep children close. Lunch is served on weekdays.
Family essentials
- Facilities
- Shaded seating
- Safety notes
Hippos graze on the unfenced lawn after dark, so keep children close in the evening.
Tickets and costs
- Ticket notes
Afternoon tea package reported as USD 30 for non-residents and KSh 2,000 for East African residents and citizens on one site, but KSh 1,000 on a visitor review. Prices appear to cover the tea, museum and film as a package.
- Free entry rules
- No
- Extra costs (activities, rentals, food)
Afternoon tea, lunch buffet, lakeside cottages
Plan your visit
- How to get there
On South Lake Road on the southern shore of Lake Naivasha, about 90 km from Nairobi.
- By car
- About 90 km, roughly 2 hours from Nairobi, depending on traffic
- Combine with
Lake Naivasha boat ride | Hell's Gate National Park | Crescent Island Game Sanctuary
- What to bring
Camera, binoculars for birds and monkeys, jacket for evenings
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Frequently asked questions
- What are the Elsamere Conservation Centre opening hours?
- Afternoon tea daily at 3pm; museum weekdays 9am to 6pm; weekday lunch 12pm to 2pm.
- How long do you need at Elsamere Conservation Centre?
- Plan for 2 to 3 hours with tea.
- How do you get to Elsamere Conservation Centre?
- About 90 km, roughly 2 hours from Nairobi, depending on traffic. On South Lake Road on the southern shore of Lake Naivasha, about 90 km from Nairobi.
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