BORANA

Lewa Downs

Borana: Our View

Set in the hills that surround the Lewa Wildlife conservancy, Borana offers a slightly different experience to the lodges on the plain. Set on the sides of a small valley, looking down to a water hole, all of the rooms and the main lodge areas provide stunning views out across the rolling hills. As this is all a private ranch with good game, it offers some of the best walking in Kenya in our view. Also a great place to head to for horse riding, Borana is certainly one of the better lodges in Laikipia.

Another great place to stay in Lewa with a range of activities, we like it and give it a 4 paw rating

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Borana: Fast Facts

$640 per person per night (high season)

Our Rating

Located in the hills that overlook the Lewa Downs
8 huge cottages
Excellent walking safaris, driving and horse riding
Stunning infinity pool

Borana: The Detail

Borana Lodge was built is 1992 by local artisans. Only local building materials and dead wood from the ranch were used in its construction. The result is a supremely comfortable and luxurious Lodge which is totally in keeping with its surroundings; it seems to have grown organically from the rocks on which it was built.

Borana Lodge overlooks a dam which fills with the floodwater flowing off the surrounding hills. It is the local watering hole for all the wildlife in the area so there is constant activity for the guests to watch. There is also a game blind built right on the edge of the dam so that visitors may go down and see the activity at close range: elephants swimming is a favourite.

Borana Lodge is built primarily for privacy; each cottage is exclusively sited with its own special view, totally secluded from its neighbour. This ensures guests have a chance to appreciate the wilderness and loneliness of Africa.

There is a central eating and sitting area: comfy leather sofas surround a huge fireplace with picture windows looking onto the valley below. A massive rosewood table in the dining room is where meals are served by friendly and attentive staff. Local artists' paintings and sculptures decorate the Lodge, and are also available for sale.

All food is freshly prepared in the kitchen; vegetables and farm produce from the farm, freshly squeezed juice from our orchard and wines from around the world.

Borana: Client Reviews

Our rooms at Borana were above and beyond our expectations just given the size of the rooms, how nice the rooms and bathrooms were, the lovely fires that were lit in each of our rooms every night and then connecting our room with our daughters’ room was an outdoor living room area with a large comfortable couch, great chairs and a fire pit that they also lit for us every night. The view from the living room and our rooms was the watering hole down below where baboons, elephants, giraffes and lions drank. After dinner (which was always an incredible experience with superb hosting by Sam and Flick) we would then go to our own “living room” with my parents and daughters and play charades or just hang out. There was a bar in the living room that was well stocked with things for everyone. Borana was probably everyone’s favorite, which is saying a lot given that the other places were fantastic.
K Hooker 2011

Click here to see all reviews and testimonials

Lewa Wilderness is probably our pick of the lodges in the Lewa Conservancy as it combines a whole spread of both activities and privacy. Each of the cottages is very spacious and gives you the feeling of total privacy while not feeling cut off from the lodge itself. As an actual home, the communal areas feel welcoming and comfortable with the swimming pool area and bar being particular favourites!

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Laragai

Laikipia

Laragai is the private home of the Stephenson family and can be rented while they are away. The house is vast with all of the amenities that you would expect for a comfortable country house with a superb main area and a spread of rooms, all different in style and decoration. Laragai is the perfect place to host a wedding or to retire to as a family.

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5 Paw Lodges