Perched atop a rocky hill with panoramic views over the Laikipia Plateau and Mount Kenya, Borana Lodge offers an exciting immersion into true Kenyan wilderness. Family owned and run, the lodge is located in the heart of Borana Conservancy, a 35,000-acre private rhino sanctuary and working ranch.
One of the earliest eco-lodges in Kenya, it is dedicated to preserving the pristine landscape, and abundant wildlife which surrounds it and all retained earnings go directly into conservation. With no fences between itself and the adjacent Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, it is one of the largest rhino conservation areas.
Accommodation and Facilities
Borana exudes the charm of a family home, and its natural, rustic and English country style décor is inviting and relaxing. Borana’s spacious cottages are built from local rock and cedar, with a thatched roof, open fireplace and private veranda from which to soak up the expansive views.
The lodge consists of 8 secluded cottages with their own verandas and private bathrooms with views and fireplaces. The décor is stylishly African, comfortable and well-appointed. In addition to the cottages, Borana also offers the larger and more exclusive Laragai House across the ranch with 8 bedrooms for large family getaways or groups of friends on an exclusive-use basis only.
Detailed information about accommodation:
Read also: Discover Sentrim Elementaita Lodge
- Four stand-alone cottages - two doubles and two twin rooms, each with ensuite bathroom
- Two family cottages - each with one double and one twin bedroom, each with ensuite bathrooms, with a shared sitting/dining area
- Family cottage 5&6 has an additional children’s bedroom which shares a bathroom with the double bedroom
- Family cottage 7&8 has a private access route and plunge pool - perfect for those wanting a more private safari experience
- Each room has a private veranda and allows for intimate starlit meals
- All bedrooms have fireplaces and safes
- Baby cots and extra beds for children available in selected rooms
- All cottages are solar-powered and have electricity 24hrs a day
- Hot water available 24hrs a day
- All rooms have exceptional views over the Hyena Valley dam, below which wildlife regularly gathers
- All guests have access to the shared swimming pool and bar
- Tap water is tested regularly and is safe to drink
In the communal area, a sparkling horizon pool overlooks a deep valley and guests can enjoy spotting the elephants which regularly roam through. Guests can relax in the pool while watching the elephants wandering down a well-trodden path on their way to the watering hole below. The pool veranda, furnished with Roman sun loungers, is a favorite place for a laid-back lunch and a chance to lie in the sun.
Outside the lodge, you are confronted by a dramatically sited swimming pool as you walk through the beautiful garden. Step outside to appreciate the predominantly indigenous garden and unwind by the infinity pool, boasting a view that is truly unparalleled.
In the communal areas, you'll find a captivating view of a lake, a favored watering hole for wildlife, ensuring constant activity - particularly the entertaining antics of young elephants. Relax and take in the scenery through the expansive windows of the lounge. The lodge’s infinity pool is a great place to watch over the game below.
Indulge in meals crafted with fresh produce sourced from the ranch and complemented by wines from various corners of the world, all served in the inviting dining room.
Lodge Amenities include:
Read also: Explore Shaba National Reserve
- Located at the heart of Borana Conservancy, Kenya’s newest and most successful rhino sanctuary
- Communal bar and sitting room area
- Lovely indigenous gardens bursting with flowers and birds
- Communal infinity swimming pool overlooking the Hyena Valley dam
- Thatched poolside bar and dining area
- In-room massages available at an additional cost
- Gift shop stocked with locally sourced treasures
- Guide rooms for nannies, drivers and pilots available
- Wifi in all guest rooms
- Laundry service
- Good phone signal in selected areas
- Use of the lodge office by special request
Borana Lodge is located in the central highlands of Kenya, with the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kenya to the south, and a vista of desert and mountains to the north. The ranch sits within a vast conservation area and the lodge boasts panoramic views over the Samangua Valley and the Lewa Plains to the Ngare Ndare Forest and Mount Kenya beyond.
Borana Lodge lies on the edge of the Samangua Valley of Northern Kenya, with panoramic views of Mount Kenya, across the Lewa Plains to the Ngare Ndare Forest.
It is easily accessible by air, with daily scheduled flights from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport into Lewa Downs airstrip, which is a one hour drive to the lodge. There is also an airstrip ten minutes from the lodge for privately chartered flights.
How to get there:
By Air
Read also: Lion Hill Lodge Experience
There are daily flights from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport to the neighbouring Lewa Downs Conservancy airstrip on Air Kenya and Safarilink (flights are often via Nanyuki and Samburu). The airstrip is 50 minutes’ drive from Borana Lodge and return transfers are included in your stay. Private planes and charters land at the Borana airstrip, which is a 10-minute drive from the lodge.
By Road
Borana is a 4-5 hour drive from Nairobi via Nanyuki and Timau. The house is about 45 km / 1 hour’s drive beyond Nanyuki.
Activities and Experiences
Aside from soaking up the stupendous views from every corner of the lodge, guests are spoilt for choice when it comes to the activities on offer at Borana.
Borana Lodge and Conservancy - meet Ben
There is a wide range of activities and ways of exploring the extensive local area, including game drives, horse riding (for beginners and experienced riders alike), mountain biking and even the opportunity for helicopter expeditions!
From guided safari walks to mountain biking, horse riding to nighttime game drives, the variety of ways in which guests can choose to immerse themselves in the bush and get close to the wildlife is exceptional.
Borana is a terrific place for active guests. It’s well known for its horseback riding, and caters to those looking for a gentle walk along the river as well as experienced riders looking for a more challenging ride.
Other activities at Borana include game drives, guided walks, mountain biking, quad biking, fishing, or a visit to the Ngare Ndare forest for a canopy walk over the forest elephants and a swim in the waterfall. Borana also shares traversing rights with the neighboring Lewa Conservancy, allowing guests to go on game drives there as well.
There are lots of conservation experiences, such as tracking and monitoring the rhino with the anti-poaching rangers, as well as cultural visits to local schools and Maasai villages. Helicopter trips, fishing, paragliding and rock climbing are all possible. Guests can even partake in an invigorating morning jog through the bush, accompanied by an armed guard!
Moreover, with a herd of over 2000 cattle on the ranch, guests can spend a day learning the challenges of ranching in these hostile conditions. Many have found that a day on the ranch is just as fascinating as observing the game.
Activity list:
- Guided bush walks
- Guided day and night game drives in open game viewing vehicles
- Mountain biking
- Horse riding for all experience levels
- Bird watching with experienced guides
- Sundowners
- Farm tours
- Picnic breakfasts & lunches
- Tracking rhino on foot
- Accompanying rangers on deployments
- River swimming
- Fly camping (at additional cost)
- Day trips available to the Ngare Ndare and Mukugodo Forests (at additional cost)
- Visits to the Borana Conservancy Mobile Clinic
- Visits to primary schools which are part of the Borana Conservancy Education Programme
Alternatively, you can opt for a leisurely day at the lodge, savoring the pool against the stunning backdrop of Samangua Valley.
As a welcomed guest you are able to get a real sense of the Dyer’s daily lives, as well as the role that Borana plays in conserving Kenya’s endangered species, particularly rhino.
Borana also shares traversing rights with the neighboring Lewa Conservancy, allowing guests to go on game drives there as well.
Conservation and Community
In the heart of Kenya’s Borana Conservancy, not only does Borana Lodge offer sweeping views of the 32,000 conservation area, it also acts as one of its main economic drivers. Each memorable getaway here contributes to the sustainable conservation of Borana’s landscape wildlife and building local livelihoods.
With just six hillside cottages, Borana Lodge champions a beyond-the-traditional-game-drive approach. Guests are given a behind-the-scenes understanding of how a successful wildlife conservation area is run through thrilling and authentic experiences such as riding in the wild and bush walks.
Borana Lodge invests 24% of each guest’s stay to the sustainable conservation of land, wildlife, and building local livelihoods.
Revenue contributes to core operational costs, including a mobile clinic, training and welfare for Borana’s 13-strong team of rangers, and education, water safety, and livestock programmes.
Borana works with Team Talk, a project that uses sport, in this case, touch rugby, to break down social and gender barriers to enable cultural changes. The charity only visits communities that have requested their support in making cultural adaptations to their patriarchal society.
Guests who visit Borana Lodge generate around USD 5000 per year in income for local women’s groups that make traditional beaded items.
Borana Lodge offers horse riding safaris across the conservancy for all levels of riding experience. It is one of the most unique ways to experience wildlife at close quarters.
Borana Lodge has an incredible team, most from the areas surrounding Borana Conservancy. Bernard the head chef (pictured) has worked at Borana Lodge for 26 years and started his career as a gardener. He is now a fundamental part of the team and responsible for the wonderful meals from the kitchen.
Key Highlights
Summary:
- Safari in spacious, comfortable, luxurious, family-friendly cottages
- Panoramic views across the private 32,000-acre Borana Conservancy and ‘Pride Rock’
- Excellent ‘Big Five’ game viewing - plus several critically endangered animal species
- Part of East Africa’s largest continuous rhinoceros habitat - home to more than 200 rhino
- Swimming pool, horse riding, mountain biking, bush walks, conservation & community activities
- Environmentally-friendly, committed to conservation, community and sustainability
- Accommodates no more than 20 guests in 4 double/twin rooms and 2 family cottages
- From Kes 37,000 per night per resident adult on a generous all-inclusive basis
Borana is host to over 50 species of mammal including some of the world’s rarest and most endangered animals, including black rhino, wild dog, leopard, cheetah and lion. For keen ornithologists, Borana is home to over 350 species of birds, including a variety of eagles, vultures and the stunningly bright superb starling. Borana also is host to a working cattle ranch.
This unique geographical location makes the Conservancy a haven for a wide diversity of wildlife, with large numbers of buffalo, eland, hartebeest and sizeable herds of plains game. Rare reticulated giraffe are commonly seen nibbling the acacias, while the cooler forests shelter bush buck, colobus monkey, the endangered Patas monkey and elephant.
Borana Lodge is not just a game reserve, but also a working ranch.
Borana is a wonderful destination for kids and kids of all ages are welcome. Home to the Dyer family for three generations, Borana takes its name from the native Boran cattle. The Dyer family own and operate the property along with an adjoining working ranch and provide guests with a memorable and authentic experience.
Borana is a favorite of ours - it is good value for money, fresh and fun, and a wonderful experience for those visiting the Laikipia region. An intimate and authentic eco-lodge in a rugged and spectacular setting, Borana Lodge is at the forefront of wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism.
Location: Borana Lodge sits just 27 kilometres north of the equator and 6,000 feet above sea level within the 32,000-acre Borana Conservancy on the Eastern edges of the Laikipia Plateau. A combination of rugged hilly terrain and sweeping savannahs, Borana’s landscapes epitomise East Africa. The lodge and its surroundings enjoy dramatic views into the Wamba Mountains of the Northern Frontier District, across Borana Conservancy and up to Mount Kenya.
Visitor’s Book
“We could not have enjoyed our stay at Borana more. Our guide, Ben, was FABULOUS! We enjoyed every minute of our time with him. His knowledge of the land and wildlife and his passion for his work was so wonderful to experience. We had wonderful meals, a beautiful cottage, experienced a rhino ranger deployment and rhino, rhino and more rhino! From sun-up to sundowner each day was perfect and we didn’t even scratch the surface of the activities on offer. The food was fantastic and the dawas delicious! We’ll be back!” RC, USA
“We had a truly wonderful time at Borana. The staff were on point and the service was impeccable. Our room was the family room with the private plunge pool and that did not fail to impress. The food is very good indeed. Being a vegetarian, I often get curries and rice offered to me. However, there was a great variety in the food offered and the fresh salads were inventive and delicious. Tamara and James have done a brilliant job of keeping up staff morale and standards at the lodge. They were on hand to answer any queries and guide us whenever required. A fabulous holiday and just what we needed! Thank you Borana!” DP, Nairobi
Popular articles:
tags: #Kenya
