Borana Lodge, Borana Conservancy, Laikipia
An intimate and authentic eco-lodge in a rugged and spectacular setting, Borana Lodge is at the forefront of wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism. Explore and enjoy the conservancy by vehicle, foot, horse or bike, then relax and enjoy stylish accommodation, welcoming service, delicious cuisine and superlative views.
“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
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 ksh 37,000 per night per resident adult on a generous all-inclusive basis
Detailed information
Accommodation
- 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
Lodge Amenities
- 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
Activities
- 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
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.
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 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.
How to get there
By Air
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.
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
Rates
Full Board Accommodation at Borana Lodge
- Minimum stay in standard season– 2 nights
- Minimum stay in peak season – 3 nights
- Children under 5 years stay for free
Standard Season: 6th January – 14th June & 1st October – 19th December
Resident adult sharing – ksh 37,000
Child (5-15) sharing – ksh 18,500
Single – ksh 47,000
Infants under 5 stay free
High Season: 15th June – 30th September & 20th December – 5th January
Resident adult sharing – ksh 54,000
Child (5-15) sharing – ksh 27,000
Single – ksh 66,000
Infants under 5 stay free
‘Check-in’ from 11 am
‘Check-out’ by 10 am
Included in your stay
- Full board accommodation
- Conservancy fees
- Local airstrip transfers (Borana Conservancy and Lewa Downs)
- Soft drinks, beers, house wines & selected house spirits
- Bush breakfasts, picnic lunches, bush dinners
- Sundowner excursions
- Game drives (day and night) in a shared vehicle
- Guided bush walks
- One horse ride per guest per day
- Mountain biking
- Conservation activities
- Farm and ranch tours
- School, village and clinic visits
- Laundry & wi-fi
Available at additional cost
- Premium wines, spirits and champagnes
- Afternoon departure with lunch – ksh 6,600 per person
- Guide / pilot accommodation – ksh 25,000 per night
- Visit to Ngare Ndare Forest – ksh 2,000 per adult, ksh 500 per vehicle
- Visit to Lewa Wildlife Conservancy – ksh 2,950 per person, ksh 1,475 per child
- Visit to Kisima Floriculture Project – ksh 7,000 per group
- Fly camping set up fee – ksh 70,000 per group
- E-bike adventures on Borana Conservancy – ksh 8,000
- Additional horse ride – ksh 10,000 per person
The above rates are for Kenyan residents and citizens – please contact us for non-resident rates
The owners require all adult guests to sign and indemnity / disclaimer form on arrival
These rates, terms and conditions are valid for stays up until 5th January 2025
Please contact us to make a booking
Please familiarise yourself with all our terms & conditions when making a booking
