Garden Cottage
Our most popular cottage opens onto the lodge gardens and the farm beds that feed the Bistro.
View cottageOyawore · Gem, Siaya County
Wake above the forest canopy of western Kenya.
An off-grid eco-lodge on 25 acres of restored rainforest hillside. Solar-powered cottages, a farm-to-fork bistro, ziplines through the trees, and nights so quiet you hear the hills breathe. Fifty minutes from Kisumu International Airport.
4.8 / 5 on TripAdvisor (19 reviews)
#1 specialty lodging in Siaya
100% solar powered
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With three cottages we confirm every booking personally. Send the enquiry and we will reply with availability and your rate within 24 hours.
25 acresof rainforest under restoration
5,000+trees planted since 2016
50 minfrom Kisumu International Airport
0 kmfood miles for most of the menu
A gem in the heart of western Kenya
A small lodge that gives back more than it takes.
Nguge Hills began with a conversation with our neighbours about the forest they were losing. Today the lodge runs entirely on the sun, cooks from its own gardens and plants five trees for every one it cuts.
Stay in one of three cottages or a forest tent, eat at the Village Bistro, fly through the canopy on the zipline, then end the day with a sundowner on the ridge and a bonfire under the stars.
Read our storyWhere you'll sleep
Three cottages, one hillside.
Each cottage is solar-lit, hand-finished by local artisans and set apart for privacy. Free WiFi and breakfast come with every stay.
Hillview Suite
The highest cottage on the slope, with a private deck facing the sundowner ridge.
View cottageBush View Cottage
Tucked against the regenerating forest, where monkeys and hornbills pass at breakfast.
View cottageDays at Nguge
Adventure in the morning, stillness by evening.
Zipline & high ropes
Glide over the treetops, then test your balance on the high ropes course. Fully harnessed and guided.
All activitiesVillage Bistro
Organic, zero-kilometre cooking from the lodge farm and neighbouring growers, with a bar and coffee shop beside it.
Dining & wellnessSundowners & bonfires
Climb to the ridge for the sunset over Gem, then gather round the fire for stories and stars.
Nature & toursGuest stories
What guests remember.
“The ambience and atmosphere at Nguge were amazing, with clean, crisp air and the chirping of birds.”
“Surrounded by breathtaking views and a serene atmosphere, we had the perfect setting.”
“I had the best sleep in the camping tents out in nature, with trees as the first line.”
Excerpts from verified guest reviews on TripAdvisor. Rating as of October 2026.
Around Gem
Make the lodge your base for Luo country.
Siaya County holds some of western Kenya's least-visited treasures. We arrange drivers and local guides for every one of them.
Getting hereApprox. 15 min
Gem hills and Luo homesteads
Walk with a local guide through the villages around the lodge, past granaries, farms and family compounds.
Approx. 30 min
Siaya town
The county headquarters: market days, banks and supplies.
Approx. 35 min
Nyang'oma Kogelo
The village home of the Obama family and the Mama Sarah Obama Foundation.
Approx. 40 min
Kit Mikayi
A towering stacked-rock formation on the Kisumu–Bondo road, sacred in Luo tradition.
Approx. 1 hr
Lake Kanyaboli & Yala Swamp
Kenya's largest freshwater wetland, rich in papyrus birds and rare sitatunga antelope.
Approx. 1 hr
Kisumu & Lake Victoria
The lakeside city, Kisumu Impala Sanctuary and boat trips on Africa's largest lake.
Plan your visit
Come for the zipline. Stay for the silence.
Tell us your dates and who is coming. Our reservations team replies within 24 hours by email or WhatsApp.