Lewa Wilderness, Lewa, Kenya, Africa

Spectacularly located in the heart of northern Kenya, just a 50 minute scenic flight from Nairobi, Lewa Wilderness is one of Kenya’s original bush homes. It is set on the breathtakingly beautiful Lewa Wildlife Conservancy (previously known as Lewa Downs) in the foothills of Mount Kenya – Africa’s second tallest mountain. From the moment you land in your small plane, you will be captivated by Lewa’s extraordinary scenery, its fascinating history and wonderfully diverse wildlife. The adventure begins as you are driven from the airstrip in an open-topped safari vehicle to the lodge – this game drive provides an exhilarating taste of what lies ahead! Lewa offers a Kenyan adventure like no other - little wonder why this is the place that Prince William chose to propose to the then Kate Middleton (they were holidaying in the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and were staying in a log cabin on Mount Kenya at the time).

Keen marathon runners will no doubt have heard about the annual Safaricom Marathon, voted one of the world’s ‘must-do’ marathons – the challenging course takes you through the exceptional terrain of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy! For runners, it is the ‘ultimate bucket list challenge’ – a true life-changing experience which, ‘true grit and mental toughness’ aside, remains true to its core reasons for inception over 17 years ago – conservation and the enhancement of community livelihoods. But if marathons are not for you – you can always join a Maasai guide on a morning jog whilst staying at Lewa Wilderness!

Lewa dates as far back as 1922 when the Craig/Douglas family first started running Lewa Downs as a cattle ranch, encouraging the resident wildlife to co-exist with the ranch cattle. In 1972, David and Delia Craig began converting their farm into a rhino conservation area to help protect the last remaining members of the species and at the same time, they embarked on yet another dream – to welcome guests into their original lodge and family home – the first private ranch in Kenya to do so. Lewa Wilderness was born! In 1989, David and Delia retired and their son, Will and his wife, Emma, took over the running of the lodge. Still today, Lewa Wilderness is Will and Emma’s family home, where, with the help of their team, they proudly continue to provide a truly unique and personal Kenya safari experience.