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The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya is an award-winning model for community conservation. It is a great stronghold for endangered Black Rhino and they offer a variety of alternative safari activities.

The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy was a cattle ranch founded by the Craig family in the 1920's through a colonial settlement program. In the 1980's part of the ranch was converted into a sanctuary for Black Rhino whose numbers had been reduced to less than 300 due to poaching. In 1995 the Conservancy was founded and the area expanded to include the whole farm and part of the Ngare Ndare Forest Reserve.

Lewa Downs has been an exclusive safari destination for many years, but was made famous when Britain's Prince William proposed to Catherine Middleton there in 2010. It is considered to be one of the greatest conservation success stories in the world and is a model for sustainable tourism. Another event the Conservancy is famous for is the Safaricom Marathon, an annual event held to raise money for the Conservancy's environmental initiatives.

Getting there

The Lewa Conservancy is located south of the town of Isiolo near the Laikipia Plateau. If you are travelling by road the conservancy is a 4 hour drive from Nairobi on the Thika Road.

Airport - The easiest way to get to Lewa Downs is by air on a direct flight from Nairobi's Wilson Airport into the conservancy's private airstrip. There are daily scheduled flights.

Lewa Highlights and Attractions

• A great place to see the endangered Black and White Rhino
• See the endangered Grevy's zebras
• Horse and camel riding through the African savannah
• Northern Rangelands Trust Headquarters
• Visits to the Maasai Cultural Village

What to do on the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy - game drives, walking safaris, night game drives, bush dinners, camel rides, horse rides, and educational tours on day to day operations of the conservancy.

The Experience

The game viewing is fantastic and you will head out in one of the conservancies specially adapted safari vehicles in the company of an experienced ranger and tracker in search of wildlife including the Big Five. One of the attractions is the number of endangered Black and White Rhino that can be found in the Conservancy, as well as rare animals such as Grevy's Zebra and the Reticulated Giraffe.

One of the greatest attractions of the Lewa Conservancy is that it allows you the freedom to do different safari activities such as going on bush walks accompanied by local guides who will help you interpret the secrets of the bush. If you are looking for a more relaxing time, then spend some times in one of the hides overlooking the waterhole. The lodges also offer optional activities such as Horseback safaris and even safaris on Camel back.

You can also visit the Ngare Ndare Forest Reserve and seek Black and White Colobus Monkeys as well as many species of birds. The Conservancy is actively involved in the community and guests are actively encouraged to participate in conservation and community projects. These are often a great way to immerse yourself in local culture and learn about life in Africa.

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy Accommodation

Lewa Safari Camp - Lewa Safari Camp is situated in the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and has sweeping views all the way to Mt. Kenya. Accommodation is offered in tented suites under thatch. The main lodge is surrounded by beautiful gardens and overlook the swimming pool. Discover the amazing wildlife of the conservancy on game drives, guided walks and camel and horseback safaris.

Climate of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

The days are warm, rising to maximum of 30 deg C, but comfortable with minimum humidity, and the evenings are cool with cosy blankets on the beds. Rainfall is mostly in May and November with an average of 360mm per year.