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Borana Lodge, Laikipia - Kenya Safari Tours
Borana Lodge lies on the edge of the Samangua Valley. This luxurious, family hosted lodge is situated on a 35,000-acre ranch on the Northern slopes of Mount Kenya, 16 miles from the equator, adjacent to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. Borana Lodge has an idyllic setting. It is just seventeen miles north of the equator. At an altitude of six thousand feet above sea level, it enjoys freedom from the malaria mosquito but is not too high to cause any physical discomfort. The nights are cool and the fireplace is lit in the rooms every night of the year. The clear view of the occasional snow and permanent small glaciers on Mount Kenya is a wonderful contrast to the huge panorama of mountains and desert to the North.
Borana Lodge was built is 1992 by local artisans. Only local building materials and dead wood from the ranch were used in its construction. The result is a supremely comfortable and luxurious lodge, which is totally in keeping with its surroundings; it seems to have grown organically from the rocks on which it was built. The lodge overlooks a dam, which fills with the floodwater flowing off the surrounding hills. It is the local watering hole for all the wildlife in the area so there is constant activity for the guests to watch. There is also a game blind built right on the edge of the dam so that visitors may go down and see the activity at close range: elephants swimming is a favorite
Tell Me More About Borana Lodge Located On Borana Ranch, Laikipia Region, as an African Safaris Accommodation in Kenya?
• Borana Lodge is built primarily for privacy; each cottage is exclusively sited with its own special view, totally secluded from its neighbor. This ensures guests have a chance to appreciate the wilderness and loneliness of Africa.
• Borana Lodge is a six-bedroom lodge set on the edge of the Samangua Valley with panoramic views of Mount Kenya, the Borana plains and the Ngare Ndare Forest.
• There is a central eating and sitting area: comfy leather sofas surround a huge fireplace with picture windows looking onto the valley below. A massive rosewood table in the dining room is where friendly and attentive staff serves meals.
• Local artists' paintings and sculptures decorate the lodge, and are also available for sale. Several Kenyan artists adorn the walls of Borana Lodge with works of art.
• Borana Lodge has a large drawing room, a cozy living room and grand dining room. All have fireplaces and sumptuous furnishings.
• Borana Lodge features a beautiful refreshing horizon pool.
• The lodge has a shop and displays a variety of local artwork within the lodge.
• Borana's Samburu and Maasai guides have become synonymous with the unique Borana experience. Guides Kasau and Francis have been carefully chosen not only for their knowledge of the bush and its inhabitants, but also for the rich tapestry of their culture that they are able to convey to AfricanMecca guests.
• Fuzz and Bimbi Dyer, your hosts, have made Borana their home and invite you to relax and feel as comfortable at Borana as you would in your own home. There: are no set patterns to the days, which are designed around whatever you would like to do. Plans for the day are usually made at lunch, and at dinner, the hosts and guests discuss what to do following morning.
Africa Safari Dining and Culinary Experience at Borana Lodge, Located On Borana Ranch, Laikipia Region
• All food is freshly prepared in the kitchen: vegetables and produce from the local farms, freshly squeezed juice from orchards and wines from around the world.
• Bush breakfasts, dinners and picnics can be organized on request. Meals are prepared from farm fresh products. Room service is also available.
Kenya Safaris Tour Activities Available For Guests at Borana Lodge, Located On Borana Ranch, Laikipia Region
• Day and Night Game Drives: Borana Ranch has a fleet of custom-built four-wheel drive vehicles, driven by supremely knowledgeable driver/guides. Since Borana is private property, there are no game park rules and no one else will ever obscure your view of the big game that lives here. Night game drives - when most animals are active - are very popular, allowing guests an insight into the nocturnal life of the bush that is denied to them in most of the parks.
• Nature Walks and Walking Safaris: One of the best ways to see wildlife is on a guided bush walk. Fuzz and Michael Dyer, or one of Borana's experienced local Maasai guides lead these hikes and give guests the benefit of their extensive knowledge of the bush and its ways. Both Fuzz and Michael were brought up on Borana and still live there so they have an intimate knowledge of the land and its inhabitants. Guests can walk through the bush in complete confidence - aware that they could be with no better guides. Seeing big game on foot is extremely satisfying and allows guests to stalk game in complete safety. The slower pace means that guests also have a chance to see smaller animals that they would miss if driving past in a car.
• Camel safaris afford a great way to see Kenya's wild north. Guests can walk through the bush with expert guides while their luggage and camping equipment is carried by hardy Somali camels through the arid bush to the north of Borana. Charlie Wheeler keeps a herd of camels on neighboring Lewa Conservation Area from which he organizes full-scale camping safaris into the north. Guests receive a unique insight into the lives of the nomadic herdsmen who live in this sparsely populated area - camping out under the stars and walking through spectacular bush areas, inaccessible to cars. For those with less time on their hands, there is a herd of camels in the boma at the community owned ranch of IL Ngwesi.
• Safaris on Horseback: Borana would not be the place it is today without horses. When the Dyer family first came to the area, horses were the only means of personal transport. Today, all Borana farms still have stables. One of the best ways of seeing big game is on horseback and is highly recommended. Borana has horses to suit all riders from beginners to experts. At the foot of the escarpment is the Ngare Ndare River; here Rose Dyer keeps a stable of horses that are suitable for novices. They are Patent Safety horse, which have been trained to be careful with children and non-experienced riders. Guests can ride through the plains at the foot of the escarpment among giraffe, hartebeest and impala or into the forest that cloaks the foot of Mount Kenya. Further up Mount Kenya at Kisima, Borana keep a stable of polo ponies, which are only suitable for experienced riders. Guests are welcome to stick and ball at the North Kenya Polo Club or ride up into the heather on the mountainside where daylong trips can be arranged. Back at Borana itself, they keep a few horses that are suitable for intermediate riders. Guests can ride around the ranch with guides to show them the special places and the big game that abounds here. Picnic lunches and sundowners can be organized for those wanting a day's ride but a quick hack before breakfast is just as easy to arrange.
• Bicycle Safaris: Black Mamba Safaris take guests on guided bike tours around the Laikipia area, to the two community owned lodges at Il N'gwesi and Tassia and around Borana ranch itself. The silence and off-road ability of Borana's top of the range mountain bikes allow guests to get very close to big game - quickly and in safety. All Borana bikes are in perfect condition and have back-up crews to deal with any flats or maintenance problems along the way. Mountain bikes give guests the opportunity to travel long distances, at their own pace and in a completely natural environment. There are few better ways to see the bush.
• Cultural Tourism: Borana is not just a game sanctuary it is also a working ranch. Many guests have found that spending a day on the ranch is equally as interesting as looking at the animals. Michael Dyer - who runs the ranch - is happy to take guests on his rounds.
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