Lewa’s story begins in 1977 with a man called Ian Craig and a small cattle farm where wildlife roamed free. In the 1980s, as a result of rampant poaching, 5,000 acres was dedicated as a rhino sanctuary, soon increasing to 10,000, before the entire 45,000 acre farm was turned into Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in 1995. Today, the conservancy is a critical part of Kenya’s conservation efforts and the pretty landscapes of gently undulating hills, savannah and patches of swampy papyrus hide an abundance of animals, including some of the rarer Northern species. And if it’s good enough for a royal proposal…

Lewa Downs is a small but diverse region with high densities of wildlife spread across a selection of habitats including grassland savannah, wetland and forest. Encounter impressive numbers of both black and white rhino, lions, leopard and cheetah as well as elephants, buffalo and if you are lucky, a pack of wild dogs that frequents the area. Birding is a welcomed colourful bonus with over 400 different species to keep you entertained between sightings.