Picnics & Champagne in Champagne Ridge

In full disclosure, despite the title of this article, we did not have champagne in Champagne Ridge. We did have some wine – which I will now refer to onwards as ‘champagne’ because I can. It is only proper that when you visit a place that shares its name with a food or drink, you must have said food and drink there.

Think Hamburger in Hamburg, Spaghetti Bolognese in Bologna, Pizza in Pisa and of course, Champagne in Champagne Ridge – where Mark and I spent a weekend at a lovely Champagne Ridge Airbnb called ‘The Cave’.

Mark had planned and booked this trip in celebration of our wedding anniversary. We had planned to spend the weekend out of Nairobi, relaxing at the Airbnb and taking short hikes around the Great Rift Valley. But the moment I stepped into the accommodation, I did not want to leave!

Staying at The Cave – A Romantic Getaway in Champagne Ridge

The booking link Mark had sent me had given me an idea of what to expect and I was looking forward to our stay. However, I was not expecting to be so blown away by the sheer beauty and simplicity of this place from the moment I walked in.

A cave wall bordered the apartment on one side, while the opposite side was surrounded by a glass covering – leaving unobstructed views of the Great Rift Valley and the surrounding areas. It was gorgeous! In addition, the apartment had a deck with a lovely seating area that hosted our picnics. It also had a gas grill which Mark used to make us some delicious meals throughout the weekend.

Between morning and afternoon picnics, meals on the grill, trivia games and of course a lot of wine champagne, there was (unregretfully) barely any time for hikes. Instead, on our second evening, we took a short walk around the property to enjoy spectacular sunset views over the valley.

Ultimately, this was one of the most beautiful and restful weekends I have had in Nairobi and all kudos go to Mark for organizing such a wonderful getaway for us.

Champagne Ridge was one of the places my friend, Fisayo A., recommended to us to visit when we first moved to Kenya. It also appeared on my 2021 travel wishlist, which inspired Mark to book this trip. I am glad we got the chance to visit, and I would recommend a visit here and particularly, a stay at The Cave Airbnb.

A Few Things to Note about The Cave at Champagne Ridge

You will find all the information you need about this accommodation on the Airbnb listing and in follow up instructions from the hosts. However, I wanted to highlight a few things to note if you’re considering staying at this accommodation

• The apartment is self-catering – it has practically everything you would need to prepare your meals, including a gas grill on the deck and a refrigerator.
• It is an environmentally friendly property – power supply is via solar power and rainwater is harvested and stored
• Check in is between 3 – 9 pm while check out is by 3 pm
• Pets are not allowed. (The property has 5 dogs, they’re very friendly and are unlikely to bother you during your stay)
• We spent 2 nights at The Cave in the last week of February and the house got pretty hot in the afternoons
• Generally, our stay was excellent, and I’d return given the opportunity to.

I would love to hear from you! Tell me about your favourite hotel or Airbnb stay and experience. And if you have visited Champagne Ridge before, I’d love to hear about that too!