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    Lewa Wildlife Conservancy
    Kevin Walsh (kevinzim) from Oxford, England / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

    Kenya

    Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

    Point of Interest

    Lewa is a private Wildlife Conservancy at the northern foot of Mount Kenya, south of Isiolo in Meru County, which originated from a Craig family cattle ranch.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Kenya
    7. Mount Kenya, Laikipia & Samburu
    9. Lewa Wildlife Conservancy
    Lewa is a private Wildlife Conservancy at the northern foot of Mount Kenya, south of Isiolo in Meru County, which originated from a Craig family cattle ranch. It protects more than twelve percent of Kenya's black rhinos and the world's largest single population of Grevy's zebra.Since 2013, Lewa, along with the adjacent Ngare Ndare Forest, has been part of the Mount Kenya UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    Sights in Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Ngare Ndare Forest
    Park

    1Ngare Ndare Forest

    Mountain forest on Mount Kenya's northern edge, within the Lewa fence since 1994, and part of the Mount Kenya UNESCO World Heritage Site with Lewa since 2013.
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    Canopy walk Ngare Ndare Forest Park
    Attraction

    2Canopy walk Ngare Ndare Forest Park

    Suspension bridge path through the Ngare Ndare Forest's treetops, showing the mountain forest from above.
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    Restaurants in Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

    History and Conservation

    From the Ranch to the Rhino SanctuaryThe colonial government granted the Craig family the land in 1922; it was a cattle farm for over 50 years. As poaching decimated Kenya's rhinos, the Craigs, with Anna Merz, founded the fenced Ngare Sergoi Rhino Sanctuary in 1983. Later, the sanctuary grew to encompass the entire ranch, and in 1994, the Ngare-Ndare Forest was added within the fence.Part of the World HeritageIn 2013, UNESCO expanded the Mount Kenya World Heritage site to include Lewa and the Ngare-Ndare Forest. A nearly ten-kilometer-long wildlife corridor connects both parts, which elephants use on their journey between the mountain and the northern lowlands.Grevy's ZebrasAround 350 Grevy's Zebras live in Lewa, representing the largest single population of this endangered zebra species.

    Useful Information

    Getting ThereLewa is located between Mount Kenya and the town of Isiolo. Accommodation is provided in camps and lodges within the Conservancy.While You're ThereGame drives and activities are booked through the Conservancy's camps and lodges.As a private Conservancy, Lewa levies its own fees; accommodations can provide details.SafetyLewa lies where Laikipia, Meru and Isiolo meet. Before your trip, check the current travel and safety advisories from the UK FCDO, linked on the country page.

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    Nearby

    Mount Kenya, Laikipia & Samburu

    Mount Kenya, Laikipia & Samburu

    North of Nairobi, the land rises towards Mount Kenya, Africa's second-highest mountain. Around the summit are national parks with mountain forest and moorland, private conservancies on the Laikipia Plateau, and further north the dry reserves of Samburu and Shaba, home to animals rarely seen in southern Kenya.The market town of Nanyuki, on the Equator, is a practical starting point for mountain treks and game drives.
    Mount Kenya National Park

    Mount Kenya National Park

    The Mount Kenya National Park protects the high altitudes of Africa's second-highest mountain, just south of the Equator in central Kenya. Trekkers ascend via the Sirimon, Naro Moru, or Chogoria routes to the 4,985-meter-high Point Lenana, while the main peaks Batian and Nelion are reserved for climbers.Since 1997, the park and mountain forest have been UNESCO World Heritage. Above the mountain forest, you reach glacier remnants and mountain lakes like Lake Michaelson.
    Nanyuki

    Nanyuki

    Nanyuki is a market town in Laikipia County at the western foot of Mount Kenya, whose southern part is crossed by the Equator. It is the base for tours up the mountain and for safaris in Ol Pejeta and the other conservancies of the Laikipia Plateau.British settlers settled here in 1907. Today, markets, lodges on the outskirts, and handicrafts characterize the town of over 70,000 inhabitants.
    Samburu National Reserve

    Samburu National Reserve

    The Samburu National Reserve lies approximately 350 kilometers north of Nairobi on the Ewaso Ng'iro, whose doum palms and riverine forests attract elephants, lions, and leopards to the arid landscape. Together with the Buffalo Springs National Reserve on the south bank, it is the most renowned safari destination in northern Kenya.Here you can spot the Samburu Special Five: Grevy's zebra, Reticulated giraffe, Gerenuk, Beisa Oryx, and Somali Ostrich.
    Ol Pejeta Conservancy

    Ol Pejeta Conservancy

    Ol Pejeta is a non-profit Wildlife Conservancy on the Laikipia Plateau directly west of Nanyuki, covering approximately 360 square kilometers and straddling the equator. It is considered East Africa's largest sanctuary for black rhinos and the last refuge for northern white rhinos.In addition to the Big Five, rescued chimpanzees live here in the Sweetwaters Sanctuary, the only place in Kenya where you can see these great apes.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI