Borana is a useful place to visit if you want to understand how conservation, livestock and tourism are being managed together in Laikipia. It is a private conservancy of around 32,000 acres on the northern foothills of Mount Kenya, sitting at roughly 6,500 feet above sea level, where the landscape shifts quickly from fertile highlands to more arid ground.

What defines Borana is its role within a much larger conservation picture. In 2013, the fences between Borana and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy were removed, creating the Lewa–Borana Landscape, a combined area of more than 90,000 acres. This has allowed wildlife to move freely across a far broader range than would otherwise be possible, particularly black and white rhino. The area is now recognised as one of Kenya’s Key One rhino populations, supporting a significant proportion of the country’s remaining animals .

Rhino conservation is central here. Borana introduced black rhino in 2013 and has invested heavily in security, veterinary care and ranger training, working closely with Lewa on anti-poaching operations. That work shapes how the conservancy functions day to day and gives real context to time spent on the ground.

What is often overlooked is that Borana still operates as a working landscape. Managed grazing is allowed in partnership with neighbouring communities, generating income for local herders while improving grassland health through livestock movement. It is a pragmatic model rather than a purist one, and it reflects how conservation is being approached in this part of Kenya.