I'll be finishing a conference in Nairobi in mid-June and have three days to explore. I'd like to find a beautiful lodge with hiking and horseback riding. Any tips?

You might check out Lewa Down. There you can do a horseback safari. Flying to/from is not a prob at all. And I would think 2 nights/3 days are sufficient to get a taste of it.

Happy planning - enjoy!

BTW: You should consider yourself quite lucky having that opportunity

SV

You can go on game viewing horseback rides at El Karama ranch in Laikipia http://www.horsebackinkenya.com/lodge.htm. It's about 4.5 hours drive north of Nairobi.

You can also horseback ride at Sandai www.africanfootprints.de which is about 3 hours north of Nairobi. You can go on game viewing or non-game viewing (countryside) rides here. I wasn't sure exactly what kind of riding you were looking for.

What kind of hiking are you envisioning? You can go on guided walks at El Karama but not on your own (due to the game). These are generally easy walks focused on game viewing but perhaps they have more challenging hikes available too.

At Sandai, you could probably do some walking on your own on the farm. You could do more serious hiking in Aberdare NP nearby http://www.africanfootprints.de/enews.html

susanman

if hiking only - i'd recommend Mt. Kenya : in 3 days you can reach Point Lenana (almost 5,000m) or some glaciers and lakes.
As a hike, it is as beautiful and varied as any hike on this planet! but no lodges on the way up

another idea (in addition to the previous Laikipia ideas)
Naivasha: i recommend hiking up Longonot volcano - fantastic hike to the top of the caldera ("crater") and around. the views include a 'parasitic cone' beneath you on the slope.
you have horse-riding in Naivasha
a walk among wildlife in 'Crescent Island'
boating
birdwatching
beautiful 'crater Lake', 'Hell's Gate'

& it's close to Nairobi

aby

Hello Kenya followers. I did go to a ranch for three days in Laikipia, Sosian, booked through Off-Beat Safaris. It was beautiful and had riding on good horses (though only for a couple of hours a day). They also have a pool, tennis court, hiking. Quite a bit of game but not like in the game parks. Very nice couple running it. I would highly recommend it for families. Sadly, I was the only guest. You get there by flying to Nanyuki from Nairobi. Driving (4-5 hours) is also possible.

Thanks for the update!