Laikipia District is a vast 9,500 sq km plateau, one of 71 districts of Kenya located on the Equator. It stretches from the Great Rift Valley to the magnificent escarpments of the northern frontier. It has all the wildlife but none of the crowds found in the Masai Mara.
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| Grevy’s zebra is a highly endangered species of zebra |
Laikipia Plateau National Park Highlights
Dominated by livestock ranches in the colonial era, the vast Laikipia Plateau has since been transformed into one of East Africa’s finest and most exclusive wildlife destinations. Indeed, this mosaic of several dozen private and community-owned sanctuaries now operates as Kenya’s second-largest conservancy after Tsavo.
Laikipia National Park, north west of Mount Kenya, has all the wildlife but none of the crowds found in the Masai Mara. Some of the country’s very best eco-lodges are located on this rolling plateau of savannah, seasonal streams and bush.
The Laikipia plains are covered by open grasslands, basalt hills, lonely kopjes and dense cedar forests fed by the Ewaso Nyiro and Ewaso Narok rivers. This spectacular region is often considered the gateway to Kenya's wild Northern Frontier country.
The Laikipia District is regarded as one of Africa’s most remarkable conservation success stories. Once an area with a high density of fenced cattle ranches and farms, it has been transformed, in co-operation with the owners into an area of beautiful wilderness. Here, protected game roams freely and safely.
Mystery Gorilla Safaris Says
Since the fences of the old cattle stations were removed, Laikipia's unique eco-system, large wildlife population, and endangered species attracted the formation of some of the best luxury lodges in Kenya. Laikipia has established itself into a very wild but exclusive safari destination.
Roads are few and far between, and public transport is limited, but guests get to traverse the area on foot, horse or camel, offering an original take on a safari.
Laikipia has become a focus for many conservation efforts, and some ranches have become breeding sanctuaries for endangered species.
Despite Laikipia's unique biodiversity, it is remarkably not a protected area. Laikipia's wildlife is entirely sustained by private and communal landowners.
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| The Laikipia Plateau is a wonderful destination for camel-back safaris |
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| A walking safari at Ol Pejeta Bush Camp |
Top Destinations
Sanctuary at Ol Lentille is located in a private conservancy within the Naibunga Conservancy. This is a boutique destination that offers a very private service. Guests enjoy their own private house and safari vehicle as well as a personal butler, valet and Maasai guide.
Sosian Ranch is a beautifully restored colonial style African ranch built in the 1940s. It has 7 cottages in the tropical garden overlooking Mount Kenya and miles of unspoiled African bush. Some favourite activities include jumping off the waterfall, riding lessons and short treks on the trained horses, camel rides, fishing and archery.
The 365km2 Ol Pejeta is the most accessible of the Laikipia conservancies and the only one that welcomes day visitors. It flanks the upper reaches of the Ewaso Nyiro River at the southern end of the plateau, only 25 km from Nanyuki. One of the most important rhino sanctuaries in East Africa, it also supports elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, cheetah, reticulated giraffe, Jackson’s hartebeest, Beisa oryx, gerenuk and 500-plus bird species. In addition to guided drives and walks, activities include lion tracking with researchers and visits to traditional villages.
Situated within Ol Pejeta, Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary was established in 1993 to protect orphans formerly housed at the Jane Goodall Institute in Burundi. Since chimpanzees are not indigenous to Kenya, it is the only place in the country where these charismatic apes can be seen, ideally by taking a boat trip along the Ewaso Nyiro River, which runs through the riparian forest where they now live.
A former cattle ranch reconstituted as a non-profit-making wildlife sanctuary in 1983, the 263km2 Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is one of the oldest reserves in Laikipia, and relatively accessible by car. It is a crucial stronghold for the Endangered Grevy’s zebra, supporting around 400 individuals. It also provides sanctuary to significant numbers of black and white rhino, and an easily seen population of the localised sitatunga antelope. Other wildlife includes elephant, lion, leopard, spotted hyena and a semi-resident pack of African wild dogs.
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| Maasai in Ol Pejeta |
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| Chimpanzee in Sweetwater Chimpanzee Sanctuary |
Travel tips
Guests visiting a lodge within the Laikipia Plateau National Park will take a scheduled flight from Nairobi to a local airstrip, followed by a road transfer to the lodge.
But still, coming from Nairobi, the normal procedure would be to catch a scheduled flight from Wilson Airport to Nanyuki Airport, from where Ol Pejeta and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy are both relatively accessible by road, but more remote lodges are usually reached by light aircraft charter.
Laikipia Plateau Game Viewing and Activities
Laikipia forms part of the Ewaso ecosystem, which is larger than all of Kenya's protected areas except Tsavo. This ecosystem is home to the second largest population of elephant in Kenya. Laikipia is the one district that continues to record increasing wildlife populations. It hosts the highest populations of endangered species in the country. It has 8 rhino sanctuaries, which together hold more than half of Kenya's black rhino population.
Laikipia is also a safe haven for endangered Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe and the only viable population of Lelwel hartebeest in Kenya. Predators such as lion, leopard, cheetah, and a large population of wild dog roam this large area.
The Laikipia region is ranked second to the internationally renowned Masai Mara ecosystem, but sees a fraction of the tourists. There are no structured roads and most of the game activities are conducted without the use of vehicles, offering an entirely different perspective.
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