Game Package (GP):

Includes: Full Board Accommodation, all meals and drinks (excluding champagne, private cellar wines and spirits) shared and scheduled game drives, guided walking safari, sundowners, bush breakfast and transfers to and from our designated airstrips, laundry, service charge and VAT.

Full Board (FB):

Includes: Full Board Accommodation all meals and drinks on property (excluding champagne, private cellar wines and spirits), laundry, service charge, catering levy and VAT. Please see our vehicle policy for Lewa Conservancy on our Kenyan Park Fee page.

Full Board (FB) Includes:

• Accommodation, all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), soft drinks, beer, house wines and selected spirits, teas, coffees and refreshments (on the property), and laundry services. The rates exclude champagne, private cellar wines and premium spirits

Game Package (GP) Includes: 

• Full-board package, scheduled and shared game drives, activities including guided walking safari, bush sundowners, transfers to and from our designated airstrips.The game package excludes champagne, private cellar wines and premium spirits.

Vehicle Code of Conduct:

• Only 4x4 vehicles with shades of green or brown in colour are permitted in Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. Saloon vehicles and mini-buses are prohibited, and drivers will be required to sign the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy Code of Conduct.

Game Package (GP) Includes:

• Full Board Accommodation, all meals and drinks (excluding champagne, private cellar wines and spirits), shared and scheduled game drives, guided walking safari, sundowners and transfers to and from our designated airstrips, laundry, service charge and VAT.

Full Board (FB) Includes: 

• Full Board Accommodation all meals and drinks on property (excluding champagne, private cellar wines and spirits), laundry, service charge, catering levy and VAT.

One of the most intriguing animals on the planet is the black rhinoceros. This distinctive mammal can reach weights of 1400 kg and prefers a solitary existence. The black rhinoceros is in jeopardy of extinction and would certainly have fared much better had hunters and poachers not pursued them for many years.

In February 2013, the worldwide population of black rhino was estimated to be 4,880, a sharp fall from 30 or 50 years ago. Today, the black rhino, which once ranged the sub-Saharan Africa in plentiful quantities, is classified as a critically endangered species. The entire black rhino population is limited to the area between Cameroon in the west and Kenya in the east. Some black rhinos still roam as far south as South Africa, although these are few.

Apart from the animal’s size, the black rhino is also distinguished by a hooked lip used to feed off trees. This giant beast enjoys legumes, woody twigs and various varieties of plants. Mineral licks are especially inviting and the black rhino enjoys a healthy dose of water every day. Black rhinoceros prefers to eat at night and sleep during the day.

Like its cousin, the white rhino, the black rhino is actually gray but is easily distinguished by its pointed upper lip whereas the white rhino has squared lips. These enchanting animals like to be near water. One of their favourite pastimes is wallowing in muddy water which helps manage the heat, their body temperature and provides a good line of defence against insects.

The sheer size of the mammal is enthralling. With heights reaching 6 feet or 1.8 metres and weights up to 1400 kg, the black rhino is a sight to behold. The animal’s distinctive and valuable horns is the feature that unfortunately today’s poachers treasure. The horns are regarded by several cultures as highly medicinal. Hunters kill the animals and pull the horns, leaving the carcass while they ship the horns to countries such as China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. In the Middle East and in North Africa, the horns have also been used to shape ornamental dagger handles.

The results have been catastrophic. Despite high penalties and the risk of time in prison, poachers continue their assault on black rhinos.

Breeding Periods

Male black rhinoceros are solitary by nature. Females and their offspring tend to be more social. Males can be aggressive during mating period, often fighting and killing other suitors. Despite their seemingly calm demeanour, these are powerful and strong animals.

Typically the female reproduces once every three to five years. The gestation period of the female black rhino is between 419 and 478 days.

Calves are slow to mature. Calves begin to wean at about 2 months. Most calves stay with the mother for three years or more. Very often female black rhinos and their females calves group with other females and their calves. The mother is more likely to stay with a female calf for longer periods of time than she is with the male calf. The male father may offer some early protection but soon departs to pursue other interests.

Black rhino calves reach their full sexual maturity in 4-5 years but rarely give birth before age 7. The male rhino waits until about age 10 or older to claim a territory and select a mate. The male of the species typically lives 40-50 years.

Lewa Main Airstrip is a 1hr flight from Wilson Airport, and a 40 minute drive from camp

• Once daily scheduled Air Kenya flight departing Nairobi Wilson
• Once daily scheduled Safarilink flight departing Nairobi Wilson
• Private Charters from anywhere
• >Note – Lewa Conservancy has very strict vehicle rules
  and only authorised vehicles are allowed within the Conservancy. Visitors arriving by road have to be collected from the Conservancy headquarters
• Road transfer in Elewana vehicle to/from any of Elewana’s other Northern properties or Nanyuki (travel times between 2 and 5 hours)

Conservation

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy was previously a cattle ranch owned by David and Delia Craig, who together with Ana Mertz and Peter Jenkins, initially set aside 5,000 acres to protect and breed rhinos, whose population had dropped precipitously from 20,000 to less than 300 in the 1970′s. Within a decade, the success of the project drove demand for more space and, in 1995, the Craigs decided to dedicate their entire ranch to the conservation of wildlife.

Lewa has served as a catalyst for conservation across the region, stimulating the creation of numerous conservancies, both private and community-owned, increasing the amount of land under conservation management in northern Kenya to over almost 2 million acres since the mid-1990s.

Anti-Poaching Team

Lewa Conservancy and The Northern Rangelands Trust have a dedicated Anti-Poaching team built around the incredible tracking skills of Ruby, a full Bloodhound, and Sacha, a mix of a Dobermann and Bloodhound. Ruby and Sacha replace brothers Tipper and Tony, the two Bloodhounds that have worked with the rangers for years, but are due for a well earned retirement.

Tracker dogs, particularly Bloodhounds, continue to prove invaluable to anti-poaching and community security work. Their extraordinary ability to read terrain and track scents has enabled the rangers and local law enforcement agencies to do what was previously incredibly difficult.

Tipper and Tony have worked hard and the brothers’ have made it possible to catch poachers and other criminals, find illegal ivory, and rescue hundreds of stolen livestock in northern Kenya, saving many livestock farmers from bankruptcy. The retired Bloodhounds can relax and enjoy life in a good home, well cared for and pampered.

Rangers and dog handlers Aloise and Ngila are delighted with Ruby and Sacha and work together as a dedicated team in the field of conservation.

Managed by Elewana, Lewa Safari Camp is owned by the Conservancy itself, with the aim of boosting the conservancy’s revenue through camp occupancy. All camp profits and conservancy fees generated by the camp are reinvested directly into the conservation and community efforts of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.

Sustainable tourism

Lewa Safari Camp has undergone major refurbishments since 2009. Many of the improvements have been “behind the scenes” to make the camp environmentally friendly and a safe and comfortable place to work. Improvements include solar water heating, new small efficient power generators, environmental waste disposal and recycling, as well as new staff housing, kitchen and recreation rooms. The vehicle fleet is still being upgraded to more modern fuel efficient vehicles, and effluent disposal systems are being overhauled.

Lewa Safari Camp has been awarded its first “Gold Level” by Ecotourism Kenya, a great acknowledgement of our progress of upgrading all the back of house systems to make the camp as environmentally responsible as possible; as befits the Conservancy ethos.

Community

Through the facilitation of community conservation and development, protection of endangered species and education of neighbouring areas about the value of wildlife, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy has become Africa’s leading model for conservation and low impact tourism.

Being the only tourism property that reinvests all profits into the Conservancy, when you visit Lewa Safari Camp, you inherently contribute to development support for thousands of people in the surrounding communities at the same time as securing a stable habitat for Kenya’s wildlife.

The essence of the community programmes is to reduce human-wildlife conflict and increase the socio-economic benefits local communities derive from wildlife and tourism. Lewa assists these communities with education and health-care support, water and agricultural projects, as well as a women’s micro-credit programme, reaching over 800 members.

Tents

• 11 ensuite safari tents, all of which can be laid out as doubles or twins. Three of the tents can accommodate triples for children under 16 only.
• Each thatch-covered tent consists of a main bedroom, en-suite bathroom and a spacious verandah. Let us know if you require twin beds or a double bed.
• 2 Family Tent suites – each family suite consists of two ensuite safari tents (one double, one twin) with a shared verandah

• Category Title

Family Suites

Lewa Safari Camp’s two new Family Tents are the ideal accommodation for families with children. Under a thatched roof, the spacious canvas tents each comprise of an en-suite master bedroom and an en-suite twin room, which are joined together by a private veranda/sitting area with stunning views over the Lewa plains. The en-suite bathrooms have flush toilets and hot water showers. An extra bed for a third child under 16 years can be accommodated in one of the Family Tents to accommodate a family of 5.

• Category Title

The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy was founded in 1995. The Conservancy was reinvented from the Ngare Sergoi Rhino Sanctuary, which had been established in 1983 to protect the last of northern Kenya’s critically endangered black rhinos.

Today, Lewa serves as catalyst for conservation in Kenya and beyond. Through the protection and management of endangered species, the initiation and support of community conservation and development programmes, and the education of neighbouring communities in the value of wildlife, Lewa has become a model for wildlife conservation not only private land in Kenya but also a regional centre of conservation excellence.

The area is also a favoured destination for tourism, and a leading example of an integrated approach where both people and wildlife benefit from conservation. For the last three decades, Lewa’s innovative practices have resulted in thriving black rhino habitat and population, which in turn creates a robust ecosystem for a multitude of species including the endangered Grevy’s zebra, elephant, lion, cheetah, giraffe and more.

Lewa’s vision

Lewa envisions a future where people across Kenya continue to value, protect and benefit from wildlife. This future depends on communities being able to derive their day-to-day livelihoods in ways that are compatible with thriving wildlife habitat. As a result, Lewa invests heavily in the livelihoods of its neighbours through programmes in education, healthcare, water, micro-enterprise, youth empowerment and more.

These programmes have enabled the Conservancy to build strong relationships and goodwill within the neighbouring communities, and ensured that people and wildlife both benefit from Lewa’s conservation efforts. As a catalyst and champion of this model that puts people at the centre of conservation, Lewa has influenced and supported the conservancy management for both private and community lands across Meru, Laikipia and Isiolo Counties and further.

Lewa is also a unique entity in the country in that it is a privately managed conservation area, owned and run by Kenyan people, led by a strong Kenyan board, for the benefit of local communities and Kenyans at large.

Conservation and Wildlife Management efforts

Together with our western neighbour, Borana Conservancy, we protect endangered and abundant wildlife existing in our landscape, with a focus on the critically endangered black rhino, the endangered Grevy’s zebra and other key species such as the elephant and lion. 

The Lewa-Borana Landscape is home to 14% of Kenya’s rhino population and 11% of the world’s population of endangered Grevy’s zebra. We recently hit the 100 black rhino mark, which makes us home to the third ‘Key 1’ (a rhino population that is stable and increasing, and is of continental importance) black rhino population in Kenya. 

Over the years, we have played a critical role in rhino conservation in Kenya. We have taken a leading role in the establishment of new rhino sanctuaries, most recently at Sera Community Conservancy in Samburu and translocated more than 30 animals from Lewa to other areas. 

We are also a critical landscape to northern Kenya’s elephants, and work with our neighbours to ensure landscape connectivity for all migratory species. Together with partners, we established an elephant underpass connecting Mount Kenya to the savannah landscapes of Lewa and further north, which had been previously isolated by human development. This innovative highway solution has reduced human-wildlife conflict and ensured that elephants can once again move freely along their traditional migration routes. 

Support to Community Development & Livelihoods to Improve Conservation Outcomes  

Over the years, Lewa has created programmes that directly benefit the surrounding communities, building relationships and goodwill for Lewa’s conservation efforts.

These benefits have expanded to include education, health care, microfinance, improved security and agriculture support, and as a result Lewa benefits from high levels of trust and engagement with its neighbours.

In 2018 alone, Lewa spent close to Kshs 200M in community development, using funds raised from philanthropists and conservation fees.

Innovation & Best Practice:

Lewa is known by conservation practitioners for its innovation, expertise and leadership, which is enhancing community-based conservation practices and thinking in Kenya and beyond. 

Conservation partnership models

Private - public partnership:

Lewa works closely with the local and national government agencies to protect wildlife and steer development. An example of this partnership is with Ngare Ndare Forest, a government forest, which partnered with Lewa to manage both landscapes jointly for the benefit of wildlife.

Private - community partnership:

In the implementation of its programmes, Lewa works very closely with its neighbours to implement development programmes through Development Committees.

Sustainable Tourism model:

The tourism sector has the greatest potential to financially support conservation. Lewa currently earns a third of its annual revenue from tourism. Lewa’s model ensures that tourism is optimised and has minimal negative impacts on the environment. 

Lewa Safari Camp Guides

The Lewa Safari Camp guides are based in camp within Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, and are some of the best guides in the country. Most are from neighbouring communities and have been guiding within the Conservancy for many years, some for over 15 years, they know the botany of the area, palaeontology history of the Lewa, as well as an intimate knowledge of the rhinos, cheetah and lion families. The guides are Bronze or Silver level Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association certified, and they also receive training directly from the Conservancy to the “Lewa Standard”.  The walking guides are trained armed rangers from the Conservancy.

Activities

Sprawling over the rolling plains north of Mt Kenya, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is a prolific wildlife conservancy that is popular with celebrities, conservationists, writers and photographers. Lewa found recent media attention with stories of a Royal romance and the fairytale engagement that followed.

The "big five" in one afternoon. The massive excitement of a lion hunt, with the Grevy's zebra's lucky and last-minute escape. The huge thrill of seeing two leopards in two days.

-Anne M, Citta di Castello, Italy.

Visitors to Lewa are privy to some of the most spectacular wildlife viewing that Kenya has to offer: lion, leopard and jackal thrive on the rich diversity of prey that inhabits the area. The Wildlife Conservancy is home to the largest concentration of Grevy’s zebra in the world, and its range of habitats attracts diverse birdlife and hosts over 200 Black and White rhino.

Featuring large tented bedrooms with verandahs and full en-suite bathrooms, Lewa Safari camp offers authentic comfort for its visitors; cozy log fires in the sitting room are perfect for relaxing after a day in the Conservancy. This unique and exclusive retreat offers privileged access to 65,000 acres of private protected wilderness.

Underpinning the glamorous magnetism of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is a serious mission: a pioneering and pragmatic approach to conservation, founded in the 1970’s, that has developed into a thriving and globally recognised rhino conservation habitat.

Lewa Safari Camp is the only tourist facility within the Conservancy that is owned by the Conservancy. Profits and conservancy fees generated by the camp are reinvested directly into the conservation and community efforts of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.