Safari to Lewa Downs

reliable wildlife sightings and a strong range of activities

Lewa Downs, also known as the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, is a major private reserve located around 45 km north of Mount Kenya in Northern Kenya.

The area represents a critical buffer against the heavily populated and farmed upland areas to the south and serves as a vital wildlife corridor connecting the lush Mount Kenya ecosystem with the vast open ranges of the north.

The Lewa Downs area is well populated with a full range of wildlife, including lions and elephants, as well as being an important sanctuary for highly endangered species such as black rhinos, white rhinos, Grevy’s zebras and reticulated giraffes.

The main reason to include Lewa in a safari trip is to support the conservation project. The area may feel a little bit tame, but you can always combine it with other more wild areas.

The best time of year to visit is generally considered to be the Jun-Oct dry season, but there are good reasons to visit during other months.

In June each year the reserve hosts a major high profile marathon race for around 1000 runners for fundraising purposes.

Getting there

Lewa Downs is usually accessed by light aircraft from Nairobi. The area is most commonly combined in trips with other parts of this region such as Samburu and Mathew’s Range, as well as the Maasai Mara far off to the southwest of the country.

We also sometimes recommend Lewa Downs as the first stop on an overland safari through this northern region, in which case you would also usually arrive by light aircraft, but depart with a private guide and vehicle.

In both cases the safari activities and general transport around the reserve are provided by the camp at which you are staying.

Where to stay

The Lewa Downs area contains a handful of accommodation options, all to a pretty high standard, but with differences in both style and comfort.

All of the properties are intimately connected to the project and revenues contribute substantially to the conservation effort.

Almost all visitors choose to stay at just one lodge in this area, usually for 2-4 nights.

a slightly artificial fenced environment