Nestled into a ridge line, the house provides the ultimate base from which to explore Borana Conservancy and beyond. Be it on foot, by car, on horseback, by helicopter or fixed wing aeroplane, Northern Kenya is your oyster.
These activities can be combined with immersive cultural encounters, conservation-based experiences and luxurious days by the pool.
Where is Lengishu House Located?
As Lengishu is nestled into a ridge, it offers stunning views across the Laikipia plains and blends seamlessly into its surroundings, thanks to its sustainably sourced design.
Stone for the floors and design features were excavated from the site itself, earth from the site clads the walls and the exposed teak timberwork and gum poles were all sourced locally. The interiors are tastefully decorated in neutral tones with splashes of red in a nod to the owner’s Scottish heritage and that of their new neighbours; the Maasai community.
What is the Accommodation like?
Lengishu boasts six bedrooms within four cottages which are situated separately from the main house.
Fish Eagle and Goshawk are standalone cottages, perfect for couples. The Upper and Lower Cottages work equally well for guests travelling with young children or two couples on safari together, with the bedrooms leading off the shared sitting room that is found at the centre of the unit.
All bedrooms are specious with an open, uncluttered design and have en-suite bathrooms with rain showers and freestanding copper bathtubs. Floor to ceiling windows open on to the views beyond, making the most of the spectacular setting and allowing for bathtub game viewing.
Whilst guests are encouraged to enjoy the conservancy, Lengishu has a wide range of activities for those wanting to stay at home.
What Activities are Available?
The fantastic game viewing draws guests here but it is also the variety of activities on offer that appeals. Being on a private conservancy affords guests far more flexibility and choice to either stay at home or go further afield.
At Home - there are a wide range of activities to enjoy from the comfort of Lengishu. With a pool, billiards table, darts board, pétanque pitch, gym and secluded sundowner spot there need never be a dull moment. The Lengishu gym is a wonderful location for yoga, facing west it is ideal for afternoon sun-salutations.
Away - activities include traditional game drives, mountain biking, fishing, horse riding, scenic helicopter flights and quad biking. Guests can also be part of valuable conservation work by joining anti-poaching units who track rhino on foot at dawn.
Explore the arid landscape of The Northern Frontier District via fixed wing aeroplane. Fish for trout on high altitude lakes in the shadow of the snow-capped peaks of Mt Kenya. Mountain bike through herds of zebra, walk with rhino, race through sand rivers on quad bikes or spend the afternoon with a pride of lion.
The possibilities are endless.
Why is Conservation at Lengishu and the Borana Conservancy so important?
Borana is part of 90,000 acres of stunning natural savannah, working closely with Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya Wildlife Services and the Ngare Ndare Forest Trust. The strong relationship with neighbouring communities is key, with much focus on health outreach and education support programmes.
The philosophy in the creation of Lengishu was to preserve the balance of the existing landscape with the ongoing focus of sustainability in conjunction with Borana Conservancy.
Nestled into either side of a ridge, Lengishu has been designed to blend quietly into its natural surroundings, taking care not to break the silhouette of this ridge. Its construction materials were predominately local, as was the team of builders. Much care was taken to create an almost entirely indigenous garden, the plants and shrubs blending subtly with those of the surrounding bush.
Water is sourced from two solar powered bore holes, its purity enabling the owners to filter, bottle and carbonate on site, reducing the necessity of importing plastic bottles and are committed to a Conservancy wide recycling policy. Rain water for irrigation is collected and stored separately in a 300,000 litre tank and all of the grey water is recycled, power is generated by their substantial solar farm.
All food, prepared by an experienced chef, is organically grown and sourced locally, some from Waitabit Farm within the Borana Conservancy.
The owners of Lengishu are shareholders of Borana Conservancy and as shareholders contribute to core conservation costs, on an annual basis. Collectively they support numerous health, education and microenterprise programmes outside the conservancy.
A Fixed Wing Flying Safari is a unique concept of travel in Africa. It introduces another dimension to a typical African safari, that of the beauty of the continent from the air. Accompanied and guided by experienced pilots who are also experienced safari guides a Fixed Wing Flying Safari is a truly memorable and exclusive experience.
Epic helicopter journeys exploring corners of Africa that few have been to or even ever heard of. We specialise in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, the Congo and Namibia. Our tailor-made safaris cover wild and spectacular mountains, valleys, forests and deserts, with a focus on ‘remote and unknown, unexplored and unforgettable’.
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour and catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore – Dream – Discover - Mark Twain - You can view clips of some of our own favourite discoveries here.
- Utterly designed and tailored around you and your requirements
- Totally unique every time you travel with us
- The very best hand picked guides which can make the difference between a good and an outstanding holiday
- Established over 30 years ago we have been around longer than most
- Our specialists come from, have lived in or travelled extensively in the regions we cover
- Unparalleled knowledge provides you with the best possible experience
- Philanthropy is our philosophy
- Our founding principle is to always ‘put something back’
- An amount from each holiday is donated to our selected conservation and humanitarian charities
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By Marcela Kunova - 20th April 2017
Nicola Shepherd, founder and CEO of The Exploration Company, organises unusual trips for HNW and UHNW clients ranging from birthday parties at an Indian Maharajah's palace to reliving Sir Vivian Fuchs's 1950s expedition to the South Pole. Citywealth caught ...
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