Borana Conservancy

An Elite Laikipia Reserve

If I were to pick my top Laikipia conservancies, Borana would make the list every time. I love its combination of wildlife, scenery and community engagement – in other words, it gets all of the characteristics that make Laikipia special just right. In fact, it’s a little like Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, which Borana borders without fences, but smaller, more exclusive and with much the same wildlife. Think about that: Lewa is one of the best wildlife reserves anywhere in Kenya, and yet Borana feels like a smaller and more exclusive experience…

In Borana I have, I confess, stayed only a short time with a rhino sighting because I have seen so many. But then I could say the same about elephants or lions. I love how close you can get to everything and that’s not just about being allowed to drive off-road. The guides here are fantastic and really know their stuff – they know when to get close and when to keep their distance. And there is never a feeling of harassing the animals – the guides are deeply respectful of the animals’ need for space. And it helps, of course, that I’ve often had fabulous sightings here and have been the only vehicle present.