Lewa Borana Conservancy

Comprising 93,000 acres of exquisite landscape at the foothills of Mount Kenya, the Lewa / Borana Conservancy is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a model for collaborative conservation in 21st Century Africa. The Conservancy is home to 14% of Kenya’s total rhino population and 12% of all Grevy’s zebras, as well as an abundance of general game. The gentle climate, wide range of activities, and strong focus on education and conservation make it an ideal destination for families.

The rolling, acacia-clad hills and open grasslands of Lewa / Borana provide prime habitat for mega-herbivores, and  the Conservancy was established in the early 1980s with the purpose of saving Kenya’s virtually extinct rhino population; the project’s success has enabled a wide range of other species to thrive, and the Conservancy today bustles with an abundance of plains game that is surpassed in Kenya only by the Maasai Mara.

Fun and education abound on Lewa / Borana, and guests are offered a wide range of activities by which to encounter the wildlife and people of the Conservancy, and learn about the exceptional conservation work being done. Activity options include game drives, night drives, walking and horse-back safaris, community and school visits, and “behind the scenes” insights into the conservancy’s impressive conservation operations.

Kifaru House is a welcoming and friendly home away from home set on the brow of a hill overlooking the Lewa Downs. The comfortable sitting room with well-stocked bar and elegant dining area extend out to a large, comfortably furnished terrace. Here, guests can enjoy breakfast al fresco and watch the activity at the waterhole below, or while away the afternoon by the picturesque infinity pool. A cozy library and fireplaces in the main lodge offer a cozy retreat for cool evenings. Kifaru’s six thatched cottages, including a family accomodation cottage, are surrounded by verdant lawns, with well-appointed bedrooms complete with four-poster beds and generous en-suite bathrooms.

Sirikoi Lodge is an exclusive, yet unpretentious, bush home set along a spring-fed stream in a lush garden surrounded by the vast bushveld beyond.  Guests are accommodated in four well-appointed tents, Sirikoi Cottage and the private Sirikoi House. All the rooms are spacious and comfortable, with a sitting area, fireplace that is lit each evening and a private verandah. An en suite bathroom boasts a free-standing Victorian bath and rain shower. The main lodge and dining deck overlook the SIrikoi wetland and waterhole in front of camp.

Lengishu House is located at the center of the Borana Conservancy, surrounding by undulating hills with views over the Lewa Conservancy. This impressive lodge was built as a family home and intended to blend into its surroundings by the use of local stone and teak wood beams. The main house makes a statement with a large entrance hall leading to a study and vaulted sitting and dining room, warmed by two fireplaces. Unique features include a covered verandah with a pizza oven and an art room with floor to ceiling windows. A U-shaped pool is surrounded by a lunch pavilion, a gym, games room and sundowner bar. The House has six luxurious en-suite bedrooms split between four cottages, all with wood stoves or fireplaces. The en suite bathrooms feature walk-in showers and roll top.

Lewa / Borana is the quintessential Laikipia Conservancy, combining beautiful scenery, an idyllic climate, abundant wildlife, and an almost unrivalled conservation dimension. While it is well-suited for any traveler interested in learning about African wildlife and its conservation, Lewa / Borana is perhaps most perfect for families seeking a fun and educational safari experience.

Conservation Dimension
Registered as a rhino conservancy in 1983, the Lewa and Borana Conservancies are famous for its successful rhino and Grevy zebra breeding, two endangered species; Lewa is home to 10% of Kenya’s rhino, and 20% of the world’s population of Grevy zebra. The whole conservancy is fenced, and the conservancy employs over 150 rangers. The conservancy does extensive outreach work into the surrounding communities with its Community Development Program, including healthcare, education, micro-finance, and water projects – in order to share with the community the benefits of wildlife.

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