Borana Lodge

Located on a Kenyan ranch at the foothills of Mt. Kenya that takes its name from the humped Boran cattle raised there, Borana Lodge lies on the edge of the Samangua Valley with panoramic views of Mount Kenya across the Lewa plains to the Ngare Ndare Forest. Built in 1992 by local artisans using local materials and dead wood, the lodge is supremely comfortable and luxurious and seems to blend natural with its surroundings.

Property Details

Each of the eight cottages at Borana is completely secluded from its neighbor and has a private veranda, apart from the family unit in which two cottages share a spacious veranda with an amazing view over the dam. The cottages all have open fireplaces for the chillier weather, and the bathrooms are extremely spacious and well-appointed and have exceptional views.

The lodge looks over a dam that acts as the waterhole for nearby wildlife. There is constant activity here for the guests to watch, and there is a game blind built on the edge of the dam for visitors to view the activity from up close. The central sitting and dining area is centered around a huge fireplace, and large picture windows look out onto the valley below. Artwork from local artists is on display throughout the lodge. Each meal is freshly prepared with produce from the farm and orchard and paired with wines from around the world. The dramatic swimming pool allows guests to observe the elephants while swimming or relaxing on the pool veranda.

Since Borana is private property, no other tourists have access to the areas you will visit, and there are no game park restrictions on your activities. The lodge has a fleet of custom-built safari vehicles, and all game activities are accompanied by experienced guides. You will even be able to participate in game drives at night, when many animals are the most active. Guided bush walks are conducted by highly knowledgeable Maasai guides, and the surrounding landscape is excellent mountain biking country. You can also join the ranch manager on his daily duties and learn about the challenges of ranching in these difficult conditions, from elephants in the vegetable patch to lions in the cattle pens.

Perhaps one of the most amazing ways to see the area is on horseback, and Borana keeps 26 horses in several stables for guests to use. From the Patent Safety horses that are perfect for novices and children to the polo ponies and others for experience riders, the horses are well cared for and supervised to ensure that they are always in peak physical condition. Guests can ride through the plains at the foot of the escarpment among the game or into the forests at the foot of Mount Kenya. They are welcome to visit the North Kenya Polo Club, or they can explore the ranch with guides to view game and learn about the beautiful landscape.

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