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Photo courtesy of Sirai House

Sirai House, Laikipia, Kenya

A private family home taken whole: six suites on a 250-acre estate inside the 33,000-acre Borana Conservancy, in the foothills of Mount Kenya, with a team of more than 40.

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Borana Conservancy · Laikipia, Kenya: 250 private acres beneath Mount Kenya

Sirai House

Kenya

An exclusive-use private house of six suites across four wings, on its own 250 acres within the Borana Conservancy beneath Mount Kenya, with a waterhole and hide below the house, a heated 20 meter infinity pool, a Spa Retreat and a team of more than 40.

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The house

In stills

A first reading of the stay: rooms, light, and the quiet between them. Each still is a note, not a catalogue.

The heated infinity pool at Sirai House at sunset, daybeds and a parasol on the lawn and the plains of Borana beyond
Photo courtesy of Sirai House
The 20 metre infinity pool and pool house at Sirai House seen from above, set into dense green woodland
Photo courtesy of Sirai House
The main house of Sirai House from above in afternoon light, its drive curving through the woodland toward the hills
Photo courtesy of Sirai House
An elephant and her calf at the waterhole below Sirai House
Photo courtesy of Sirai House
Two rhinos at the waterhole below Sirai House, wooded hills rising behind
Photo courtesy of Sirai House
The waterhole and hide in the foreground with Sirai House on the ridge beyond, under a cloudy evening sky
Photo courtesy of Sirai House
A male lion resting in the grass beside an open safari vehicle on Borana Conservancy
Photo courtesy of Sirai House
A cheetah standing in the grass on Borana Conservancy
Photo courtesy of Sirai House
Horses at the stables of Sirai House, one standing in the yard between the stalls
Photo courtesy of Sirai House
The turquoise Blue Pools of Ngare Ndare Forest, ringed by rock and forest
Photo courtesy of Sirai House
The drawing room of the main house at Sirai House, sofas and armchairs beneath a vaulted thatch ceiling and walls of glass
Photo courtesy of Sirai House
The library at Sirai House, a fire lit beneath shelves of books, leather sofas and a patterned rug
Photo courtesy of Sirai House
The dining room at Sirai House, a long table beneath crystal chandeliers beside a fireplace
Photo courtesy of Sirai House
The wine cellar at Sirai House, its stone walls lined with bottles around a tasting table
Photo courtesy of Sirai House
The pool house at Sirai House at night, a long table set beneath chandeliers before a lit fireplace
Photo courtesy of Sirai House
Inside the Spa Retreat at Sirai House, a whirlpool beneath a timber ceiling and a broad window onto the bush
Photo courtesy of Sirai House
A guest in a yoga pose on the open timber yoga deck at Sirai House, trees and sky beyond
Photo courtesy of Sirai House
A thatched suite at Sirai House glowing at night among the trees
Photo courtesy of Sirai House

The Experience

How the days feel

Sirai House was built just over a decade ago by the Spencer family as their own Kenyan retreat, and it remains, at heart, a family home. Kenyan artisans made it from natural, tactile materials in the foothills of Mount Kenya, and it is only ever taken whole: six suites, one household, and a team of more than 40 that includes an executive chef, guides certified by the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association, a spa therapist and butlers.

The estate runs to 250 acres within the 33,000-acre Borana Conservancy, home to the Big Five and one of East Africa’s leading wildlife success stories. A permanent waterhole lies below the house, where elephant, buffalo, giraffe and rhino come to drink within sight of the terraces, and an underground hide beside the water brings them closer still.

Days are shaped entirely around the household. Game drives leave at first light in open-sided Land Cruisers, warm shawls across the knees, and go out again after dark for hyena, aardwolf and porcupine beneath clear skies. There are walks with the guides, rhino tracking on foot with Borana’s rangers, mountain biking at sunrise, rides on Sirai’s own horses for experienced riders, and helicopter days to the slopes of Mount Kenya to fish for trout beside an alpine lake.

Evenings belong to the house: sundowners on Pride Rock as the plains turn gold, dinner from the estate’s own garden and Jersey cows, a cellar of more than 3,000 bottles, a film in the cinema, and a fire in every suite. At this altitude the estate is free of malaria, and the nights are cool enough to want the fire.

Why EVC loves it

Why we would send you here

  • A family home, taken whole Built by the Spencer family as their own Kenyan retreat, Sirai House is reserved for one household at a time: six suites across four wings, for up to twelve guests.
  • Wildlife below the terrace A permanent waterhole below the house and an underground hide beside it, for elephant, buffalo and rhino without leaving the estate.
  • Inside Borana 250 private acres within the 33,000-acre Borana Conservancy, a stronghold for rhino, where every stay helps fund wildlife protection and neighboring communities.
  • A resort, kept private A heated 20 meter infinity pool, a Spa Retreat with sauna, steam and cold plunge, a Pilates studio, a cinema and a library of rare Africana.
  • Thirty-five minutes from Nairobi The family's own Pilatus PC-12 NG flies from Nairobi to Borana Airstrip in about 35 minutes, and helicopters land on the estate itself.

The suites

Six suites across four wings

Six suites placed for privacy across the estate, each with a fireplace, a deep soaking tub, a walk-in rain shower and a dressing area, sleeping twelve in all.

  1. The bedroom of the Master Suite at Sirai House, a king bed facing a seating area and the plains beyond the glass
    The bathroom of the Master Suite at Sirai House, a freestanding bath and twin vanities before a wall of glass at dusk
    The heated private plunge pool of the Master Suite at Sirai House beneath a starry night sky

    Room 01

    The Master Suite

    King bed · Private heated infinity plunge pool · Dressing room · Views over the plains

    Embroidered Ralph Lauren curtaining, suede upholstery and a reimagined Persian carpet, with the king bed beneath a sculptural pendant inspired by a suspended pangolin. The heated infinity plunge pool is part of the bathroom, and a glass wall opens onto a private terrace above the plains.

  2. The bedroom of Suite 2 at Sirai House in morning light, the bed facing tall glass doors onto the terrace
    The lounge of Suite 2 at Sirai House, a stone fireplace lit between deep sofas and windows onto the bush
    The outdoor shower and terrace of Suite 2 at Sirai House, set against a stone wall with seating beside it

    Room 02

    Suite 2

    Stands on its own near the main house · Private terrace · Outdoor rain shower

    Calm and private, a neutral palette lifted by African design, among it a Yoruba ceremonial cloak, with contemporary lighting and a design-led armchair. A short walk from the terrace of the main house, its own terrace leads to an outdoor rain shower with the view.

  3. A bedroom in Suites 3 and 4 at Sirai House, a fur dressed bed before a stone chimney and glass doors onto the view
    The sitting room that links Suites 3 and 4 at Sirai House, sofas and a wall of glass looking out over Borana
    A deep bath beside a lit stone fireplace in Suites 3 and 4 at Sirai House, glass doors open to the hills

    Room 03

    Suites 3 and 4

    Two suites joined by a sitting room · Fireplaces · Verandas · Outdoor showers

    Linked by a central sitting room, for families or friends traveling together. Dove grey with touches of aubergine and playful vintage photography from the Royal Geographical Society, each suite with its own fire, bathroom, veranda and outdoor shower.

  4. A bedroom in Suites 5 and 6 at Sirai House, a four poster bed beneath a timber and thatch ceiling
    The shared lounge of Suites 5 and 6 at Sirai House, long sofas beneath woven pendant lights and windows onto the trees
    A suite in the Suites 5 and 6 wing at Sirai House lit at dusk, the bedroom seen through the glass from the deck

    Room 04

    Suites 5 and 6

    Two suites with a shared lounge · Four-poster beds · Among the treetops

    Furthest from the main house and set among the treetops, with a private wooden walkway down to a hidden viewing platform. Rich, earthy design, four-poster beds, sisal, embroidered suede and reed thatch, around a dramatic shared lounge filled with natural light.

Photo courtesy of Sirai House

Inside the stay

The house, in notes

Where you sleep, what you eat, and how you arrive: the essentials, in brief.

The Master Suite at Sirai House, a king bed dressed in furs beneath a high timber and thatch ceiling, glass doors open to the view
Photo courtesy of Sirai House

The suites

Six suites, four wings

Sirai House sleeps twelve in six suites spread across four wings, each placed for privacy and joined to the main house by garden paths.

In every suite. Handcrafted furnishings, curated art, a deep soaking tub, a generous dressing area and a fireplace for the cool evenings.

The bathrooms. Walk-in rain showers, twin vanities and separate WCs, with outdoor showers in three of the suites.

The beds. 400-thread-count Egyptian cotton, with a choice of feather or hypoallergenic pillows. Four of the suites can be made up as a double or a twin.

Quietly connected. Wi-Fi, Sonos, bedside charging and a safe in every suite.

A table laid for lunch on a shaded stone terrace at Sirai House, framed by climbing plants and open to the sky
Photo courtesy of Sirai House

The table

From the estate's own garden

Meals at Sirai House are entirely personal, planned by the executive chef around the household’s tastes and served wherever the day suggests.

From the land. Vegetables from the estate’s organic garden, milk from its own Jersey cows and grass-fed beef from Borana.

Where to dine. The formal dining room, the terraces, the shaded Pool House beside the infinity pool, or a picnic out in the conservancy.

In the wild. Breakfast cooked fresh on the grill in the bush, and sundowners at Pride Rock as the light turns gold over the plains.

The cellar. House wines are poured throughout the stay, and the cellar holds more than 3,000 bottles of fine wine and Champagne.

The outdoor whirlpool of the Spa Retreat at Sirai House, set into a timber deck beneath a thatched roof
Photo courtesy of Sirai House

Wellness

The Spa Retreat

Between days in the bush, the Spa Retreat is the place to slow down, with a spa therapist on the house team.

The retreat. A sauna, a steam room, whirlpools indoors and out, and a cold plunge.

Movement. A Pilates studio with reformer machines, a yoga pavilion open to the view, a fully equipped gym and a two-kilometer running track.

The pool. A heated 20 meter infinity pool overlooking the Borana plains, with the Pool House for long lunches in the shade.

Play. Pickleball and basketball on a court overlooking Mount Kenya, croquet on the lawn, boules, billiards and table tennis.

Golden grassland and scattered bush rolling toward distant hills across Borana Conservancy
Photo courtesy of Sirai House

The setting

Borana, beneath Mount Kenya

Sirai House stands on its own 250 acres within the Borana Conservancy, 33,000 acres of protected wilderness in the foothills of Mount Kenya, in Laikipia.

The wildlife. The Big Five, cheetah, wild dog, reticulated giraffe and Grevy’s zebra, with plains game and exceptional birdlife.

Rhino. Borana is a pioneering stronghold for rhino conservation, and guests can join the rangers at first light as they locate and identify each animal on foot.

The waterhole. A permanent water source below the house, with a concealed hide beside it for close encounters and photography.

Conservation. Sirai House is one of the shareholders of Borana Conservancy, so each stay directly funds the protection of its wildlife and habitat, and the work of the Borana Conservation Trust with neighboring communities.

The firelit boma at Sirai House at dusk, a circle of seats around the fire beneath a lone acacia
Photo courtesy of Sirai House

Who it suits

Families and private groups

  • Family

Families across generations. Suites 3 and 4, and Suites 5 and 6, are each linked by a shared sitting room, so parents and children, or old friends, sleep close but apart.

Riders. Sirai’s own horses are kept for experienced riders, who canter out among giraffe, zebra and antelope. Beginners and children ride gently at nearby Borana Stables.

The curious. A visit to a school supported by Sirai’s community work, a mobile clinic outreach, a night with an astronomer and telescopes, and a tour of Sirai Stud, one of East Africa’s most respected horse breeding farms.

The restless. E-bike safaris across the conservancy, the canopy walk and Blue Pools of Ngare Ndare Forest, and helicopter days north to Lake Turkana and the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary.

Good to know. The house is taken exclusively, for up to twelve guests, and the guiding, the table and the days are planned around your party alone.

The Sirai Air Pilatus PC-12 NG on the grass at Borana Airstrip beneath an evening sky
Photo courtesy of Sirai House

Getting there

Thirty-five minutes from Nairobi

Sirai House lies in the Borana Conservancy, in the foothills of Mount Kenya in Laikipia.

By private aircraft. The family’s own Sirai Air Pilatus PC-12 NG flies from Jomo Kenyatta International or Wilson Airport in Nairobi to Borana Airstrip in about 35 minutes, its pressurized cabin seating up to eight in reclining leather armchairs.

The last stretch. A twenty-minute game drive from the airstrip to the house, the first safari of the stay.

By helicopter. The estate is helicopter friendly, with a private helipad for arrivals and for days out to Mount Kenya.

Share your dates through Plan My Trip and we time the flights to your arrival in Nairobi.

Mount Kenya seen through tall flowering grasses from the grounds of Sirai House
Photo courtesy of Sirai House

When to go

Green hills, open plains

Wildlife viewing on Borana is exceptional all year. The seasons change the color of the land more than the quality of the game.

The climate. At this altitude the days average in the mid 20s°C, the mid 70s°F, with crisp mornings and evenings for the fire and the early drives. Warm layers are worth packing in any month.

The rains. Showers are possible all year, most often in the long rains of March to May and the short rains of October and November, usually brief and dramatic before the skies clear.

After the rain. The hills turn a vivid green. In the drier months the plains open and the sightlines sharpen.

Malaria free. The elevation keeps the estate free of malaria.

Share your dates through Plan My Trip and we confirm the house with Sirai, personally.

Pair it with

A natural companion

A second stay that belongs on the same itinerary.

Olderkesi Conservancy, Maasai Mara, Kenya

Cottar’s 1920s Camp

Cottar's classic Maasai Mara tented camp on Olderkesi Conservancy: eleven vintage-style suites, dedicated guiding, and plains light, personally curated by Exclusive Villa Collection.

Olderkesi Conservancy, Maasai Mara, Kenya: private hilltop villa with Mara and Serengeti outlook

Cottar’s Bush Villa

Cottar's exclusive-use Maasai Mara villa: five en-suite bedrooms, 25-metre pool, private chefs and guide, on a hilltop facing the Mara and Serengeti horizon, curated by Exclusive Villa Collection.

Kenya

Maasai Mara

Kenya’s Maasai Mara: Olderkesi Conservancy wildlife and Cottar's Safaris stays, curated by Exclusive Villa Collection.

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From the Journal

Stories that include this stay

Where this house appears in our writing, beside the places and companions we pair with it.

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Gibb’s Farm: A Working Coffee Farm on the Rim of the Ngorongoro

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Safari, Privately: Camps and Lodges in East and Southern Africa

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