Lewa House
A authentic earthy family experience in a UNESCO world heritage site teeming with wildlife
Overview Lewa House
At the heart of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Lewa House is home to Sophie and Calum Macfarlane and their young family, whose roots on Lewa span over five generations. Lewa House is an intimate owner-operated and hosted property, with only ten rooms.
The spacious Family Pods and private Earthpods, designed to blend into the hillside, open onto sweeping views of Mount Kenya to the South and the rugged Mathews Range and the sacred mountain of Ol Olokwe to the north. A perfect, authentic option for both the experienced safari connoisseur or first time safari goer on Lewa.
The Earthpods, designed by Sophie’s father, were built to blend into the landscape and their curved walls create a comfortable atmosphere inside. They can be configured as either a twin or a double room given their spacious nature. The inside bathroom has a shower and bath and three of the Earthpods have an outdoor bath that allows you to bathe under the African sky and lose track of time.
Recently renovated from the original family cottages that were built in the traditional Lewa style with rough stone walls and thatched roofs, the new Family Pods now feature the same loved design of the individual Earthpods. Each cottage has two bedrooms, designed to be a twin or a double, connected by a sitting room with sweeping views over the landscape.
The heart of Lewa House is a large elegant building with a sitting room and open fireplace at one end, while at the other end is a large family dining table where the evening meals are served, hosted by Sophie and Calum Macfarlane. There is a large shaded veranda extending away from the main house with a comfortable seating area from which you can enjoy a cool afternoon drink and soak in the very special atmosphere of Lewa House. Beautiful shaded gardens surround the house and breakfast is often served alfresco on the lawn. Lewa House also has a large heated swimming pool, overlooking a waterhole, which provides some of the best wildlife viewing on Lewa.
Horse Riding
Archaeological Visits
Walking
Game Drives
Visit to Ngare Ndare Forest
Crab Catching
Behind the Scenes
Sundowners
Pool with a View
“From extraordinary game drives with Wilson & Joseph to exquisite meals with owners, Sophie & Callum, this location is absolutely perfection! Stunning views and elegant rooms. Highly recommend...this place is in the middle of a rhino conservancy.”
Sophie and Calum Macfarlane and their young family have roots on Lewa which go back over five generations, from Sophie’s great grandfather - Alec Douglas, (their children’s great great grandfather), who was instrumental in conserving wildlife . Before Alec handed over the ranch to Sophie’s grandparents, David and Delia Craig, he made them promise they would always leave space for the wildlife. Sophie's grandparents were innovative in establishing tourism on private land in Kenya with their tented camp, Wilderness Trails, and it was here that Sophie spent every school holidays working with them and watching hospitality in action.
Sophie went to university in Edinburgh where mutual friends introduced her to Calum. Calum had studied Zoology at university and at the time was working at a specialist African tour operator. Since then he has also attained his Field Guide Association of Southern Africa guiding qualification and now leads the majority of the walks at Lewa House. Calum and Sophie moved to Kenya in 2008 and spent four years running a luxury tented camp in the Masai Mara when in 2012 an opportunity arose to take over management of Lewa House. They moved to Lewa where they have been ever since, making it their home.
Sophie and Calum have two children, Seiya and Archie, who have an enviable childhood, growing up amongst the wildlife that their great grandfather made room for.
"Lewa was my family’s cattle ranch. My great grandfather came here in the early part of the century. He left us as a family, a legacy that has become the cutting edge solution spearheading conservation ideas. “Leave space for wildlife”, that was the way he summed up his philosophy and I think it’s just a beautiful summation of how everything is a network and we are just one little spot on that network and what we do has an enormous effect that ripples out around us."
Why Lewa House?
Property Highlights
- Owner-run and hosted boutique safari lodge
- Located at the heart of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy
- Centrally positioned for exceptional black and white rhino viewing
- Strong Big Five viewing year-round
- Set on a hilltop with panoramic views towards Mount Kenya and the Mathews Range
- Family-friendly property with flexible room configuration
- Wide range of conservancy activities
- Farm-to-table dining approach
- Only heated swimming pool within Lewa Conservancy
- Pre-historic archaeological hand axe site on Lewa, with unique interpretation and contextual insight provided by owner of Lewa House, Calum
Positive Impact
- Conservancy fees paid per guest directly support Lewa Wildlife Conservancy operations
- Conservation Fees contribute towards:
- - Protection and monitoring of black and white rhino populations
- - Anti-poaching operations and ranger patrols
- - Habitat management and wildlife research programmes
- - Community education, healthcare and water initiatives
- - Local employment and sustainable livelihood projects
- Lewa House provides hospitality training and employment opportunities for local community members
- Solar-powered lodge operating on 24-hour renewable energy supply
- Sustainable operational practices including responsible water and resource management
- Organic garden for delicious farm-to-table produce
- All cleaning products made in house with natural products
What to expect at Lewa House
Accommodation
- Three ensuite Family Pods (interconnected with shared living area and verandah)
- Four individual Earthpods with ensuite bathrooms
- Indoor showers and outdoors baths
- One Earthpod includes indoor shower and bathtub
- Mosquito nets, pure cotton linen and dressing gowns
- Room safe and torch provided
- Private verandas with views across Lewa Conservancy
- Visit to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy HQ (educational talks, school or project visits)
- Heated swimming pool
- WiFi in the main area
- Hairdryers available on request
Experiences Included (Safari Package)
- Shared day and night game drives
- Guided walks
- Pre-historic site visits (Archeological talks with Calum subject to availability)
- Bush breakfasts and picnic lunches
- Sundowners
- Visit to Lewa Wildlife Conservancy HQ and Behind the Scenes Tour
- One visit to Ngare Ndare Forest (canopy walkway and waterfall swim) OR one afternoon horse or camel trek (for stays of 3 nights)
- Visit to Il’Ngwesi cultural boma (entrance fees payable direct)
- Full board accommodation
- Soft drinks, drinking water, beers, house wines and non-premium spirits
- Laundry service
- Lewa airstrip transfers
- Lewa Wildlife Conservancy Fees not included in accommodation rates and will be quoted separately
Enhance Your Stay (Additional Cost)
- Additional horse riding (subject to availability)
- Additional camel treks (subject to availability)
- Additional Ngare Ndare Forest visit
- Il’Ngwesi cultural boma entrance fees
- Exclusive use of vehicle
- Helicopter trips
- Champagne, premium spirits and cellar wines
Getting There
By Air
- Scheduled flights from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport to Lewa Airstrip
- Private charters to Lewa Airstrip
- Direct transfer from Lewa Airstrip (approximately 15 minutes)
By Road
- Approximately 5 hours’ drive from Nairobi
- Access via Matunda Gate, Lewa Conservancy
- GPS Coordinates: 0°13’55.7”N 37°27’56.6”E
Additional Information
Property Details
- Maximum 20 guests
- Closed in April and November
- Altitude: 1,750 metres above sea level
- Climate: Warm year-round (12–27°C)
- Check-in: 11:00AM
- Check-out: 10:00AM
- No late departures
- Guide accommodation available
- Partial wheelchair access (no dedicated disabled facilities)
Power and Connectivity
- Solar power (220V), 24-hour supply
- Charging points in rooms and main areas (3-pin square sockets)
- No adapters provided
- CPAP supported
- Intermittent Safaricom mobile reception
- WiFi in the main area
Facilities
- Solar heated swimming pool
- Yoga mats available on request
- Massage available (pre-booking required, payable direct)
- Gift shop
- Payment accepted: Visa & Mastercard
- Tipping: cash only at lodge
- Communal dining (private dining available on request)
- Special dietary requests catered for with advance notice (Kosher friendly)
Child Policy
- Children of all ages welcome
- Child minding available at additional cost (advance notice required)
- Recommended kids activities include crab catching, farm activities, garden games and Ngare Ndare visits
Vehicles
- Open and closed Land Cruisers
- Shared vehicle policy
- Photography bean bags provided
- Reference books available (birds and mammals)
- Refreshments provided (water and soft drinks)
- No charging points in vehicles
