Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya

Insiders Take on Kifaru House

Kifaru House is perhaps the loveliest of the much-revered Lewa Conservancy’s many gems. At the cutting edge of conservation and sustainability, the Conservancy is famed for its rigorously protected white and black rhinos, along with its full repertoire of free-ranging African beasts. Serene and private, Kifaru House’s thatched cottages, each a safari villa of its own, are splendid, intimate, and classically scenic places (glorious Mount Kenya rises just to the south) for a quintessential African experience.

Accommodations at Kifaru House

Kifaru’s five thatched-roof cottages reflect Lewa’s tradition of understated, warmly comfortable luxury. One of the cottages has two bedrooms, making it ideal for families, and all include the most modern of amenities, not to mention four-poster king-sized beds, two-washbasined bathrooms, a lovely sitting area, a spacious tiled lanai, and those glorious, ever-changing views of Kenya’s eponymous mountain.

Dining and sitting rooms, a well-curated bar, two large fireplaces, and inviting, contemplation-inspiring nooks make up the main house, and a large library—reflecting the founding Craig family’s deep engagement with East Africa—is nearby, along with a heated infinity pool with sitting and dining areas and a massage room with shower facilities.

Amenities

Activities and Attractions
at Kifaru House

We come to Kifaru for its superb game viewing, of course. Game drives led by our Micato Safari Director take us down from the House’s hilltop, into a wonderful medley of landscapes: highland forests, spring-fed copses, classic acacia-dotted grasslands. The air is lively with 440 bird species, all the Big Five are in residence, elegantly designed zebras flow on the landscape, and Lewa’s rhinos roam dinosaurically.

Activities at Kifaru House aren’t limited to classic game drives, of course. Well-guided evening  horsebacking is a lovely way to appreciate Lewa’s landscapes and animals, as are Maasai-led camel treks in the rolling hills (a sight you’ll never forget: a stoic camel calmly chomping down on knife-sharp thorns, as if the spiky bush were a parfait). And a Canopy Walk in the Ngare Ndare Forest Conservancy—followed by a grandly arranged picnic—gives us an eye-level view of a very African montane forest, with monkeys and dozens of bird species untroubled by our presence.

The Lewa Conservancy wouldn’t exist without the enthusiastic engagement of the local Maasai people, who benefit from the conservancy’s Community Development Programme, which offers healthcare, micro-financing, water projects, and supports a number of local schools. Micato guests enjoy school visits, and some have spent part of their safari time volunteering at one of the conservancy’s programmes—a great way to expand and enrich the safari experience.

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