As I write this post, the news of Prince William’s engagement to Kate Middleton is one of the trending topics in the world media, and of course in twitter. Not really surprising, considering our fascination with royalty, especially the British Royal family.
For African safari enthusiasts, you may cherish the fact that the prince proposed while on holiday in a private game reserve in Kenya – the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.
About the Lewa Conservancy
This wildlife sanctuary is situated about 250 kilometers (by road) North of Nairobi, near Isiolo town. Its history goes back to the early 1980s when rampant poaching threatened to wipe out the population of black rhinos in northern Kenya.
David Craig, the founder of Lewa conservancy, converted his private ranch into a high security rhino sanctuary to conserve the rhinos and allow them to breed. He named it the Ngare Sergoi Rhino Sanctuary. Eventually, in 1995, the sanctuary became a non-profit organization: the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.
Besides the rhinos, the conservancy is today a home to several other animal species that are rare and endangered in Kenya among them the Sitatunga, the Grevy Zebra, Somali Ostrich, and wild dogs.
What Other Animals are Found in the Lewa Conservancy?
Lewa is home to the other members of the big five animals: Lions, elephants, leopards, and buffalos. There is also a respectable population of white Rhinos in the reserve. Other animals include cheetahs, hartebeest, antelopes, Colobus monkeys plus other primates, and many more animal species. You will also find over 350 bird species within the sanctuary.
So What is Special with The Lewa Conservancy?
Of course the great bio-diversity is Lewa’s biggest attraction. There are very few places in Kenya where you can see such a variety of wildlife. Being a private game reserve, the conservancy is best suited for those seeking exclusivity. It has a very strict code of conduct that every visitor is expected to adhere to.
But besides just that, the conservancy has played a crucial role in Kenya’s conservation efforts, by reintroducing wild animals in other regions where their populations were almost extinct. Lewa conservancy is also one of the founding members of the renowned Ol-pejeta conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya.
How to Get To Lewa
You can travel to Lewa both by road and by flight. Air Kenya and Safari link are the two domestic airlines that operate scheduled flights to Lewa conservancy from Wilson airport in Nairobi. There are also several other smaller airlines that operate charter flights to Lewa, among them East African Air Charters.
Lodges and Accommodation in Lewa
Lewa conservancy has very high quality accommodation facilities. Some of the lodges you can stay in include the Lewa Safari Camp, Wilderness Trails, Kifaru, and Sirikoi.
