Lengishu

Lengishu is a luxury, exclusive-use private home that sits at the center of Borana Conservancy. Picture a stately English manor house in the country with thatched roofs, eclectic art and African touches throughout…then you will have Lengishu.

• The views from the property overlooking Borana Conservancy’s rolling hills
• The U-shaped swimming pool, a perfect place to relax and spend a day
• Lengishu’s conservation efforts and status as a Long Run destination

Opened in June 2019, this family home was dreamt up by owners Joe and Minnie MacHale, and their frequent visits ensure that Lengishu always retains its warm and welcoming feel. Beginning with the perfectly positioned Acacia tree at the property entrance, the grounds are beautifully manicured, allowing the local plant life and vegetation to grow and seamlessly blend into the home. The property was built entirely of sustainable materials with the intention of integrating with the landscape. Minnie sourced each interior piece on expeditions from the back streets of Nairobi to England's Kempton Park Antiques Market.

Lengishu is comfortable and stately, and feels like a true home in the bush. Each room provides views of the valley below and the Lengishu Hills, the property's namesake. Lengishu has six unique bedrooms—each named for a different bird—and can sleep up to 12. It is important to note that while the rooms are close to each other, they are not all connected, so this property wouldn’t be the best option for a group that wants to stay under one roof. Fish Eagle and Goshawk stand away from the main house, and two-family cottages are set into the hillside below. Fish Eagle and Goshawk both have double beds and luxurious bathrooms, and Fish Eagle has its own sitting room and a large walk-in wardrobe. Each cottage has two bedrooms connected by a large sitting and dining room with fireplaces, verandas and a small kitchen.

The main house is Lengishu’s centerpiece. It has a large entrance, floor to ceiling windows, vaulted ceilings, a study, dining room, upper and lower sitting rooms and a veranda with a fireplace and pizza oven. There is also a pétanque pitch and pool house with a beautiful U-shaped swimming pool, lunch pavilion, gym, game room and sundowner bar. It is wise to not skip a meal here: Lengishu’s delicious food is predominantly sourced from the nearby organic Waitabit Farm, also located on the conservancy, and Lengishu’s private chef is expertly trained. Whether you’re eating in the bush surrounded by candelabra trees or at one of the beautiful dining locations on property, you are in for a treat.

From the property, you are a quick walk to Pride Rock (yes, that Pride Rock...Disney's production crew visited Borana seeking inspiration for the original Lion King film) which is an excellent location for sundowners after a bush walk from Lengishu. Activities while at Lengishu include game drives, horseback safari, rhino tracking, bush walks, mountain biking, cultural visits, heli excursions and visits to the nearby farm and Borana Conservancy headquarters for conservation activities. It is easy to find yourself in this routine: afternoon tea in the study (highly recommended), evening game drive followed by sundowners.

Lengishu is a Long Run destination, meaning it is a property that has been carefully selected for its commitment to the relationship between the 4C's: community, culture, conservation and commerce.

Families or groups of friends looking for a long-term stay property to use as a base for exploration or a final stop to unwind on a Kenya safari circuit