Borana Conservancy, KenyaAccommodations
The great house, remindful of a lushly gardened English country manor beautifully and aptly placed amidst an animal-thronged wonderland, has eight uniquely furnished, interconnectable bedrooms, split into four wings, making it ideal for families whose members may want varying degrees of privacy. Each room has its particular bright personality, but all offer vast views of the Plateau, and, it almost goes without saying, all are a delightful mix of English tradition and the most modern of amenities.
Laragai’s drawing room is the House’s centre. With two large fireplaces and antique mirrors reflecting candlelight, it’s an ideal gathering point for sundowners while watching Borana’s animals—elephants, lions, skittish impala, bouldery Cape buffalo—as they frequent the waterhole just outside its windows. In the evening, we head to the grand dining room for a lavish dinner prepared by the House’s chef and crew. Lunches are usually taken nearby, by the beautifully imagined pool, set above a dammed lake much admired by frolicking elephants. The House has a clay tennis court, gym, and spa, in-house nannies for the younger visitors (and a fine bedroom for those accompanied by their own nannies).
Laragai House has its own airstrip for private flyers, and the Lewa Downs strip, serviced by regular bush flights from Nairobi, is a 45-minute drive away (a lovely mini-game drive; many Micato guests have seen the Big Five on their way to Laragai).