Lewa House

Lewa House, one of our favorite properties in Laikipia and Kenya as a whole, overlooks the conservancy hills as well as the majestic Mount Kenya.

This lovely family-run property is ideal for multi-generational families looking for a warm inviting environment, and a sense of being hosted in a home with historic ties to the land. While at Lewa House you will be hosted by Sophie and Callum McFarlane, their two children, and dog. Sophie is the granddaughter of the Craig family who founded the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.

Constructed from natural stone and thatch and decorated with wooden furnishings, the accommodation is comfortable and spacious and affords fantastic views over the reserve, especially from your private verandah. Families can be accommodated in the cottages, which have adjoining rooms.

Meals are social, hosted affairs served in the main house dining room or enjoyed outdoors in attractive gardens. The extensive verandah is perfect for sundowners and pre-dinner drinks, and the large swimming pool is an inviting way to cool off in the midday heat while at the same time admiring the animals which congregate at the watering hole.

While at Lewa you can take advantage of the huge range of activities available, everything from game drives to camel and horseback rides, to hikes in the Ngare Ndare rainforest or up the Samburu people’s sacred Mount Ololokwe, to learning how the conservancy combats poaching, to visiting community projects. One of the highlights available at Lewa is an open cockpit bi-plane ride (only possible when Will Craig is in residence at Lewa Wilderness Lodge). The low-flying biplane is an even more thrilling wildlife experience than a hot air balloon over the Mara, and a more attractive price. You can also tear around the conservancy on a quad bike or go crabbing with the McFarlane kids in the stream.

Lewa House is a very special property and ideal for everyone, except those looking for super-luxury. It also fits perfectly into a Kenya itinerary before or after the Maasai Mara as a time to experience Kenya’s landscapes and wildlife outside of a game vehicle.