Borana Lodge
Borana Lodge : Situated in the Kenyan Highlights in the heart of Borana Conservancy – a 35,000 acre private rhino sanctuary, Borana Lodge is perched atop a rocky hill overlooking Laikipia’s Samangua Valley with panoramic views of the plateau and Mount Kenya.
Borana Lodge offers an exciting off-the-beaten track immersion into true Kenyan wilderness. This family-run lodge is known throughout Africa for being one of the leading lights in wildland management.
Owned by the Dyers, a third – generation white Kenyan family, the land of 30,000 square acres was originally part of a post-World War One British government settler incentive. Bought by Michael Dyer’s grandfather, and added to his own parcel, Borana has always been a working ranch. The lodge itself opened for business in 1990, large, thatched, built into the side of the valley, it consists of dining area, a lounge and bar area, a small eco-shop, and is fronted by enormous windows.
The lodge is built from local materials, by local artisans, eight thatched cottages surround it. A lot of thought has gone into their location, creating a sense of privacy, and making the most of the view.
Borana Lodge sits subtly on this malaria-free landscape, with panoramic views across the Samangua Valley and the Lewa Plains to the Ngare Ndare Forest and Mount Kenya beyond. The inside of the lodge is all luxurious and plush, making for a perfect breakaway location in a splendid setting.
The Property
The communal areas overlook a lake that is a popular watering hole for wildlife, so there is constant activity – the antics of the young elephants are always amusing. Meals incorporating fresh produce from the ranch and wines from around the world are served in the dining room.
Settle back to enjoy the beautiful view through the huge windows in the lounge. Outside, enjoy the largely indigenous garden and the infinity pool with a view second to none.
Food & Service
Served in the lodge, in the bush, or in a tree house, the meals makes excellent use of the lodge’s own farm; fresh and healthy, they are a delight. The chefs are especially good with dietary requirements, and the service is wonderful.
Guest Rooms at Borana Lodge
Guest rooms (accommodation) at Borana Lodge is in eight secluded stone-and-thatched cottages, four with large double beds and four with queen-sized twins.
Set within a garden largely comprised of indigenous plants, overlooking a wildlife-filled waterhole, and within easy access of both lodge and horizon swimming pool, the cottages are en-suite, spacious and beautiful decorated. In keeping with Borana’s ethos, the furniture in these cottages is locally sourced, the beds constructed from local woods, and the polished wooden floors, together with the verandas, are a nod in the direction of a colonial up-country tradition found throughout the highlands.
Two of the cottages are slightly large and designed with families in mind, they share a giant – sized veranda. There is complimentary Wi-Fi across the lodge, but the connection can be slow and intermittent.
Activities at Borana Lodge
Borana Lodge offers a number of experiences and activities to suit everyone, including day and evening game drives, horseback and guided walking safaris, mountain biking, birding, fly dishing, joining an anti-poaching team, a visit to a permaculture farm and paragliding – weather permitting.
Or simply spend a day at the lodge, enjoying the pool with its Samangua Valley backdrop. If you are into exploring, lookout for African wild dog, spotted and stripped hyena, zebra, antelope galore and a number of cat species.
What activities you choose to do during your stay at Borana Lodge, you will have a great time and the level of guiding is considered to be up there with the best in Africa.
Impact of Borana Lodge
Conservation
All earnings retained by Borana Lodge are reinvested into the conservation schemes including training rangers, monitoring endangered species – black and white rhino and gravy’s zebra among others, and operating a mobile clinic.
Also, the lodge funds a substantial education programme, provisions are made for primary school equipment, teachers’ salaries and even sponsorships for children.
The Seven Elephants Tree Nursery has catalyzed reforestation efforts. This tree nursery now produces more than 30,000 trees annually for reforestation efforts on the ranch and in the surrounding communities.
Community
Local children are encouraged to study conservation-minded subjects, helping to safeguard the future of the Conservancy for the next generation. The mobile clinic, which assists the Kenyan government in vaccination and family planning programs, is registered with the World Health Organization.
Commerce
The Borana Conservancy boasts a quite remarkable 97% local employment rate (the majority of the staff are from communities bordering the conservancy) and has organized a livestock –to-market programme which advocates for sustainable farming practices. Hide and Sheep Ltd employs a talented group of blind and physically disabled people from the local community, who together create an impressive variety of top-quality sheep and calfskin products.
