Boarding Near Nairobi
Full boarding for Grades 4–9 in Naivasha, about 1 to 1.5 hours up the highway, with termly shuttles from Nairobi, Thika, Machakos, Kajiado and Narok.
A boarding school close enough to visit
Many of our boarders come from Nairobi and the towns around it. Their parents wanted a calmer routine than a 4:30 am school run through traffic, but not a school so far away that a visit becomes a weekend expedition.
Acacia Ridge Schools sits 500m off the Nairobi–Naivasha highway in the Karai area, on the Nairobi side of Naivasha town. It's about 1 to 1.5 hours' drive from Nairobi, depending on traffic. Boarders follow the full CBE timetable from Grade 4 in primary through Junior Secondary, with supervised evening prep every day.
If you're weighing the costs, our guide to the real cost of day schooling in Nairobi vs. boarding compares the two once transport, lunches and childcare are added in.
Termly shuttles from five towns
Boarders travel in on opening day and home on closing day. You're always welcome to drive them yourself.
From Nairobi
Managed shuttle from Nairobi CBD and Thika, running on opening and closing days.
From Thika
Managed shuttle from Thika, running on opening and closing days.
From Kajiado, Machakos & Kitengela
Managed shuttle from Kajiado and Machakos (covering Kitengela, Syokimau, Athi River).
From Narok
Managed shuttle from Narok, running on opening and closing days.
What boarding includes
- Resident matrons and boarding masters, one for every 25 pupils.
- An on-site sanatorium with nurse cover from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm and an on-call arrangement overnight.
- Three meals a day and fresh fruit, served in our dining hall.
- 90 minutes of supervised evening prep, with a teacher in the room.
- Structured weekends: Saturday games and clubs, Sunday chapel and family phone calls.
- Scheduled call days every Wednesday and Sunday evening, plus WhatsApp updates from the matron.
- A gated campus, secured 24/7.
Boarding from KSh 48,000 a term
Covering boarding, tuition, all meals and supervised prep, with a sibling discount for families with more than one child here.
See the Full Fee StructureRead more about dorms, the daily timetable and weekends on our boarding school in Naivasha page, or see whether your child is ready with our boarding readiness checklist.
Boarding near Nairobi: common questions
How far is Acacia Ridge Schools from Nairobi?
The school is just off the Nairobi–Naivasha highway in the Karai area of Naivasha, about 1 to 1.5 hours' drive from Nairobi depending on traffic.
How do boarders travel between Nairobi and school?
We run a managed shuttle from Nairobi CBD and Thika on opening and closing days, and from Kajiado, Machakos and Narok. Parents are also welcome to drop off and collect their children themselves.
From which grade can my child board?
Standard boarding runs from Grade 4 to Grade 9. Boarding for Grades 1–3 is considered case by case, and Kindergarten is day only.
How much does boarding cost?
Full boarding starts from KSh 48,000 a term, covering boarding, tuition, all meals and supervised prep. The fees page lists every grade.
How do we stay in touch with our child?
Boarders have scheduled call days every Wednesday and Sunday evening, and the matron sends WhatsApp updates to parents for anything urgent.
Can we visit before we decide?
Yes. We hold an open day on the first Saturday of every month with a free shuttle from Nairobi CBD, and offer private weekday tours by appointment.
Come see the difference.
Walk our classrooms. Meet our teachers. See the boarding facilities. Experience the campus your child could soon call home.
The next chapter starts here.
Come walk the campus, meet our teachers, and see the environment your child could soon call home.
Admission fee waived for boarding places confirmed before the deadline. Limited places.