Lewa Wilderness is the original family home to the Craigs and is still home to Will and Emma Craig. In 1972, they began hosting visitors – the first private ranch in Kenya to do so. The verandah and library of their private house are open for guests to enjoy throughout the day. The main areas are decorated with some of the Craig’s own antique and handmade furniture, giving the Lodge a rustic charm and the character of a ranch homestead.

Nine thatched, comfortable cottages are home to Lewa Wilderness’ guests. Each cottage is quite different in its layout and sleeping configuration but they all come with an en-suite bathroom, fireplace in the sitting area and verandahs with spectacular views. The 4 One-Bedroom Hillside Cottages (3 x King Beds; one room has queen beds and two single beds upstairs) take advantage of the stunning northerly views from Lewa, while the 3 Two-Bedroom Garden Cottages near the main areas compromise 2 bedrooms, each with private en-suite bathrooms, and shared sitting room and verandah, thus ideal for families. Also worth mentioning, Lewa Wilderness is a fenced property, adding some safety for families with smaller children. A forth Garden Cottage is a One-Bedroom cottage (with an extra bed upstairs) that is set back a little bit from the hillside and hidden away in the trees.

A fifth Hillside Cottage is a Two-Bedroom Cottage which was built the furthest from the main area, with endless views from the outdoor verandah and its own private plunge pool. It has a spacious king room and a twin room, both of which are ensuite and accessible from the connecting sitting room.

A bit further down from the main building, across the green lawn, an outside deck and sitting room is used for for both pre- and post-dinner gatherings. Opposite from the deck is the open air dining room, which enjoys fabulous views of the hillside. There is also a swimming pool, a bush gym and a dedicated yoga deck, a tennis court and table tennis.

Set on a steep valley side looking out over the Western Marania Valley, Lewa Wilderness is located on the 62’000 acre Lewa Downs Conservancy at the foot of Mount Kenya. The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an award-winning model for community conservation. Starting with only 15 black rhinos in 1984, Lewa’s rhino population has since risen steadily, making Lewa a true rhino conservation success story in East Africa.

Guests reach Lewa Wilderness by daily scheduled flights or private charter departing Wilson Airport Nairobi to Lewa Downs Airstrip (50 minute flight), followed by 20 minutes transfer to the lodge.

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is a vital wildlife corridor connecting Kenya’s wild and arid north with the lush Mount Kenya ecosystem. The wildlife is abundant and includes many rare endangered species such as reticulated giraffe, black and white rhino, and the largest resident population of Grevy’s zebra in the world.

Guests enjoy frequent leopard, cheetah, lion and wild dog sightings. The special Northern Five (rare species found only in Northern Kenya) can also be seen on Lewa - Reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, Beisa oryx, gerenuk and Somali ostrich.

Day & night game drives in open vehicles, bush walks with a Maasai guide, horse riding, camel rides, tennis, bush gym are included. A 10 minutes walk from the lodge is a wonderful waterfall safe to jump off and swim the natural pools. At extra costs the lodge offers scenic flights in an open-cockpit biplane, expeditions to the Ngare Ndare Forest, fly-camping and a visit of Il'Ngwesi cultural boma.

The Lodge is extremely child friendly and particularly a great option for families who want a fenced property. Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is a very low-risk malaria area with an altitude of 1700m above sea level.

SwissAfrican Travel Service
Dammstrasse 27
8702 Zollikon
Zurich, Switzerland


Telephone: +41 (0)44 451 40 51