Lewa Wilderness

• Family owned and run lodge
• Delightful guest cottages
• Take to the air in an open cockpit biplane!
• Game drives, guided walks and horse riding
• Watch the lodge video

Open: Lewa Wilderness is open all year apart from the months of April, May and November. It first opened as a guest lodge in 1972, and before that had been a working cattle ranch for 50 years. It is still owned by the same Craig family today.

Location: The camp is near the foot of Mount Kenya. The nearest airstrip is Lewa Downs, about a 30 minute drive away.

Rooms: There are 9 guest cottages, 6 on the hillside and the other 3 in the gardens. They have thatched roofs, large windows, 4 poster beds and include some of the family’s own furniture. Each of the hillside cottages has a bedroom with views of the valley, an en-suite bathroom, sitting area with an open fire and a veranda. The garden cottages are larger, each having 2 en-suite bedrooms, and a living room with a bar and fireplace. Hey are located near the main house. Their size makes them ideal for families.

Activities: Game drives (including an electric safari vehicle introduced in 2019), guided nature walks, horse riding, camel riding and scenic flights are all available. A more unusual option is a ride in a biplane piloted by Will Craig, to get impressive views of the region and wildlife. The plane takes 2 passengers. While at Lewa Wilderness you can enjoy walks in Ngare Ndare Forest with a picnic lunch, visit a nearby Maasai village, and see some of the projects the lodge supports such as the HIV/AIDS orphanage, the clinic and school. You can also watch traditional crafts like carpet weaving and furniture making.
Lewa Wilderness is the base for Walking Wild programme, where guests accompany guides walking through remote locations in Lewa and the adjoining Maasai community conservation areas, with camels transporting the main luggage, and camping out at night.

Facilities: There is a spacious sitting room with feature stone walls and rustic furniture, and a fire that is lit on cool days. The dining area is under a high thatch roof and is open to the front. The main house is the home of the present owners, Will and Emma Craig, and includes a library-cum-games room with a billiard table which guests are welcome to use. The lodge has a outdoor swimming pool and deck wit sunny and shaded areas. Other recreational facilities include a gym, tennis court and table tennis. There are lovely gardens full of colourful flowers and birds, and the lodge has a small farm providing organic fruit and vegetables and dairy produce. Lewa Wilderness has a stable of over horses and ponies used for guest riding excursions.

Dining: Meals are eaten in the dining area, and private dining can be arranged by the pool, in the bush or in your cottage.

Children: Children of all ages are welcome. Activities can be tailored to youngsters. Garden cottages make good family accommodation.

Health: This is a malarial area.

Communication: There is Wi-Fi internet access in the main house.