LEWA DOWNS

Lewa Downs is a 40,000-acre ranch, home to the Craig Family since 1924, hosting a diverse array of wildlife in some of Kenya's most spectacular scenery. The snowcapped peaks of Mount Kenya dominate the views to the south, where the southern boundary rises to an altitude of some 6,500 ft above sea level. To the north, the terrain drops away rapidly with breathtaking views of Samburu, Ololokwe and the Mathews Range beyond.

The Lewa Downs Conservancy supports a myriad of plains game species, all perfectly adapted for the semi-desert environment. The thinly striped and endangered Grevy's zebra and the chocolate brown reticulated giraffe are common. The lance-like horned Beisa oryx and the rare greater kudu are seasonal visitors. Gunther's dikdik, with its huge nasal swellings, the giraffe-necked gerenuk and the beautiful blue-legged Somali ostrich are resident all year.

The swamp has become a sanctuary for the fascinating semi-aquatic sitatunga antelope and its primary predator, the leopard. Birdlife is equally rich with numerous species of Bustards, Plovers, Coursers and birds of prey. A few days at Lewa Downs is a unique combination of hospitality, spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife.