Horseback Riding in Kenya
LAIKIPIA SAFARI |
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This trip along the base of Mt. Kenya presents an entirely different perspective into Kenya, since most of the ride is on vast private ranches up to 100,000 acres. It affords fascinating insights into the conflicts between wild game and cattle as well as into the life of the Kenya ranchers who pioneered this wilderness soon after the turn of the century.
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| Itinerary |
| Day 1: | Arrive into Nairobi no later than 10.00am. You will be picked up at the international airport or your hotel in Nairobi, and either flown by private charter directly to Lewa or driven the 3 ½ hour drive to Lewa. The Lewa Conservancy is a World famous Nature Conservancy on 40,000 acres of pristine country on the Northern slopes of Mount Kenya. It is home to the big five and a host of other species such as Grevy's Zebra, Somali Ostrich, Reticulated Giraffe and other rare species. We will have lunch in Camp and an evening ride.
Overnight Private Camp Lewa Downs. |
| Day 2: | A full day exploring the ranch looking for game on horseback (morning ride), game drive / walk before lunch in camp and evening ride. This is a spectacular area of Kenya with beautiful views to the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kenya in the south and the rugged mountains of the Mathews Range, Bodich and even Marsabit on the way to the Ethiopian border.
Overnight Private Camp Lewa Downs. |
| Day 3: | Your first moving day. You will ride across Lewa to the west crossing the Ngare Ndare River and onto Borana Ranch, another cattle ranch turned into a conservation area. You may meet a variety of game including black rhino and elephant and will see a host of other species including the reticulated giraffe. Camp in a grove of euphorbia trees after a picnic lunch on the Ngare Ndare River.
Overnight Private Camp Borana. |
| Day 4: | A full day exploring Borana by horseback and vehicle. Borana is a step up from Lewa being on top of an escarpment, that you had climbed the day before. The scenery is just as spectacular but different from Lewa. All the species of Lewa are present and a great variety of game is to be seen such as elephant, buffalo and kudu. Borana is home to our hosts Nicky and Michael Dyer, who own and run Borana Lodge.
Overnight Private Camp Borana. |
| Day 5: | The next move takes you to the west again with a delicious picnic lunch in your saddle bags. Cross from Borana onto Ole Naishi ranch and climb the first ridge of the spectacular Loldaiga Hills. These form a northern extension of the Mt Kenya Massive and consist of large rocky Kopje's interspersed with Cedar forest.
You will cross Ole Naishi onto Loldaiga Hills, a 55,000-acre ranch owned by Robert Wells and probably one of the most beautiful farms in Africa.
Reach camp at the head of a beautiful valley surrounded by cedar forest where you stay again for two nights.
Overnight in Camp Loldaiga Hills. |
| Day 6: | Some spectacular rides and a picnic lunch by land rover to the northern areas of the ranch will fill today's program. Explore this 55,000-acre ranch, which is host to a very healthy population of buffalo with other specialties such as klipspringer, kudu, elephant and wart hog all abundant.
At one point you shall be on the western edge of the Loldaiga Hills with breathtaking views of the Laikipia Plateau below, which you will be crossing over the next four days.
Overnight Private Camp Loldaiga Hills. |
| Day 7: | Leave Loldaiga Hills and today and cross four ranches on your way to El Karama- home of the Grant Family. Drop down a hidden valley on elephant and buffalo tracks with little dams before crossing Enasoit ranch and then onto the specialist cattle ranch of Mogwooni, home of the Kenyan family. This is one of the few days to see some cattle fencing and you will have a picnic lunch here on the banks of the Nanyuki River. After lunch cross onto El Karama ranch 13,000 acres of pristine game country and find your camp on the banks of the Ewaso Ngiro River.
Overnight Private Camp El Karama Ranch. |
| Day 8: | A full day exploring this vast ranch by horse and vehicle and a good chance of a game walk along the river, before lunch. There is a host of game including Grevy's Zebra, the rare endemic Jackson's Hartebeest, elephant, giraffe and hippo in the river.
Overnight Private Camp El Karama Ranch. |
| Day 9: | A long day's ride to Sosian. You cross the Ewaso Narok River and traverse Segera ranch to the Northwest. Your route takes you up the spectacular Sugoroi river valley before crossing rather monotonous black cotton plains, covered in whistling thorn (acacia Drepanolobium). This area is home to the Patas monkey, a chestnut colored long limbed primate which is widespread but rare among the northern savannahs of Africa.
Reach the Mutara River and follow this pretty valley down before crossing onto Sosian Ranch property for a late lunch at the edge of the lovely Suguta Swamp.
A short ride after lunch brings us to Sosian Ranch House where we exchange our tents for the comfort of the lodge. Sosian is a 24,000 acre cattle and game ranch located on the Laikipia Plateau, a unique area of large privately owned ranches containing an enormous diversity of wildlife. The ranch house at Sosian has been renovated to a high standard and furnished with unique pieces from Argentina, which lends an elegant bearing.
Overnight Sosian Ranch. |
| Day 10: | A full day riding, driving and enjoying this re-habilitated cattle ranch which boasts a wide variety of game including, Jackson's hartebeest, Grevy's Zebra, Elephant, Hippo, Buffalo, Lion, Giraffe and all the other amazing species.
From certain points you can look back at the Loldaiga Hills over which you passed over and Mt Kenya now appears a good distance away.
Overnight Sosian Ranch. |
| Day 11: | A last ride followed by lunch by the pool at Sosian and our transfer back to Nairobi in time for the international return flights. Earliest possible departing flight is 7.00pm. |
| THIS ITINERARY IS FLEXIBLE. CHANGES MAY OCCUR DUE TO WEATHER OR OTHER UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES. |
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| Pricing and Dates |
| Meeting Point | Nairobi |
| Length of Ride | 11 days, 10 nights and 7 days riding. |
| Riding Ability | Advanced Strong Intermediate |
| Group Size | Minimum-4 Maximum-12 |
| Riding Per Day | 4-6 hours |
| Pace | moderate / fast |
| Tack | English |
| Horses | Somali/Thoroughbred Cross |
| Weight Limit | 200 lbs |
| 2010 Dates | Jan 14-24, Mar 19-29 |
| 2010 Price | $6,215
Safaris from June 1 will be $6,715 |
| Single Supplement | $1,000 |
| Additional Information | Includes internal flights, from Nairobi to Laikipia and return |
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