Unveiling the Magic of Lewa: Wildlife, Conservation, and Enchanting Views

By Harriet James

“There was a tribe in Zimbabwe known as the Matabele tribe. They were fierce fighters, a splinter group from the Zulus. They would raid on the other tribes during the 1800 and take their property”, began Peter Lenina, our tour guide as we watched a colony of ants walking.

For a moment, I didn’t understand why we were talking about the Matabeles until it hit me that we were actually talking about the ants. The termite eating ants were given the name Matabele due to their column like raiding formation when attacking the termite feeding site.

“When you see them, know that the rains are coming,” he continues. And in deed the rains were coming going by the look of the dark grey clouds above us sending us signals that it was time to move fast or be drenched.

It was an interesting diversion, learning about the ants, one of the tiniest yet with so much lessons to learn from. Such conversations can only come from a guide who is thorough in his knowledge and research on the ecosystem as well as be intelligent enough to to turn things that seem irrelevant to be relevant.

Considering that we were at Lewa, a UNESCO world heritage site, where you can both see the big five as well as the northern five like the reticulated giraffe, the Somali ostrich, the beisa oryx, gerenuk and has the highest population of Grevy’s zebras in the region, such tiny creatures are more often than not, the neglected ones when it comes to game drive sightings. However, even with such conversations and learning, the thrill and anticipation of what we might find along the way still came out as we weaved our way through the conservancy, marveling at the great work it’s taken to maintain it.

For the bird lovers, Lewa is a great destination for that as over 300 species of birds have been recorded and can be sighted during the game drives. It is also much loved by celebrities and it’s the place where Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton the Princess of Wales making it one of the most prestigious conservancies in the country. My favorite was the late Anthony Bourdain, the American celebrity chef, author and travel documentarian whose stories on international cuisine, culture and human condition captured the hearts of many and inspired to look beyond travel and connect with locals. The last episode in Parts Unknown before he kicked the bucket was his experience in Kenya and Lewa’s conservation efforts being part of it.

But beneath the glamour is their serious mission of wildlife conservation, which has made the place a safe haven for rhinos. This all began in the 1980s when the Craig family, who owned the ranch, began a serious project of converting the land into conservation by introducing rhinos. This work has made it be recognized for its protection of the black rhino and it’s the leading pioneer in East Africa. Their numbers have risen from 15 to 255 rhinos and I watched them roam freely during my game drive. It’s a guarantee to see both of the species. There are also black rhinos at Olpejeta, with the last two endangered northern white rhinos in the world being the major attraction.

As we meandered through the conservancy towards our destination the wildlife experience only got better. We followed a single cheetah as he bound through the long grass, eventually resting on a fallen tree. A herd of elegant Grevy Zebra, found almost exclusively in Northern Kenya and sadly endangered, stood on the rise of a hill and slowly moved towards us in formation, each one following the other.

One can drive to the conservancy and it can take around six hours to get there from Nairobi. There is also a flight option with airlines like AirKenya plying the route. To resolve the issue of connectivity for guests who would like to connect to different destinations, Airkenya has an option where one can fly directly to the Masaai Mara via Nanyuki and to The Serengeti in Tanzania via Wilson and Kilimanjaro airports.

“We saw a demand in the number of travelers heading to such destinations and that informed our decision to start flights in the region. There was also a demand when it comes to connecting the northern circuit (Nanyuki, Loisaba, Meru , Lewa and Samburu to Masaai Mara and we also bridged that gap,” says Jean Uku the marketing manager at AirKenya

The beauty too of being on a game drive in a conservancy is the fact that there is no crowding and there is ease too when it comes to spotting wildlife. Apart from the array of wildlife that one can view during the game drive, I also enjoyed the panoramic views of Mount Kenya and Ololokwe from the conservancy.

After a driving through the narrow, dusty roads lined with thick bushes, it’s always awesome to watch the sunset or have breakfast overlooking the views.

As a destination, Lewa has five properties available for guests who would like to soak in the views and also support conservation through your bookings to one of them. In 2015, the conservancy saw the need to incorporate tourism into the conservation model to and looked for investors who are knowledgeable on both tourism and conservation to partner with them in doing so. The investors must also employ the locals in the properties to create employment as a means of supporting them. I stayed in two of Elewana’s properties at the conservancy; Kifaru house which was formerly a private home still maintains that feel with personalized treatment and warm staff who ensure that your stay is comfortable. I would say it is the home of stunning views being that it is perched on top of a hill giving you views to die for of the conservancy whether you are taking a dip at the swimming pool or taking your lunch or reading a book outside your room. It makes you feel like you have just reached the heart of the conservancy, deeply immersed in it’s beauty, unwinding from the hustle and bustle of the city life. You have five charming cottages with one of them being for honeymooners or couples celebrating something special.

The other camp that I tried out was the Lewa Safari Camp, another property under Elewana Collection, which also has the same feel as Kifaru.

“Most travelers both international and local visit the conservancy thanks to the conservation efforts that have been made. Lewa’s model focuses on wildlife conservation and being protective on the environment. The properties there focus on having the lowest impact on the environment,” says Thomas Omollo, one of the managers at Lewa safari Camp.

The fewer the camps, the higher the number of animals and also the more privy your game drive will be. Having five properties also means no crowding and there is enough space for every guest to have a great game viewing chance.

“Only our guests are able to view the sightings. Each of the properties has their own area of game viewing. The guides have excellent knowledge and they are all silver rated,” continues Thomas.

While national parks are open to the public, here there is more control in that you must have a booking in one of the camps before you are allowed in.

“The tourist that come here resonate more with the conservation model because of the communities and also the work that goes on in conservation. Our guests are not only that but also donors who ensure know that the money they spend on the booking or as donations goes to a worthy cause,” continues Thomas.

Another of its attraction is the Lewa Marathon, the conservancy’s flagship event that is held every year to raise funds for numerous community development and wildlife conservation efforts. Since its inception in 2000, the endurance race has become widely known for its difficult terrain and harsh climate, drawing competitors and spectators globally.

Notes

While the main activity at Lewa is the game drive, there are other activities that one can engage in like horseback rides, camel riding, and other external activities provided through the Lewa partners like the Ngare Ndare visit, Illengwesi Masaai visits done through their partners Borana.