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 flown by private charger directly to Sosian Ranch, Rumuruti flying over the towering Aberdare Range at 13,000 ft.
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. Laikipia is now the last major stronghold of three very endangered species; the Jackson’s hartebeest, Grevy’s zebra and Somali ostrich, as well as such unusual species as the reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, and great kudu. The rare African wild dog has also returned to breed here at various intervals. The ranch house at Sosian has been renovated to a high standard and furnished with unique pieces from Argentina, which lends an elegant bearing.
An evening ride will be taken after lunch. Overnight Sosian Ranch. |
| Day 2: | A full day exploring the ranch on horseback, by vehicle, and on foot, looking for game, and joining in ranch activities. For the more adventurous guests, the 30 ft waterfall jump into a deep palm-fringed pool of the Ewaso Narok River is an exciting prospect. Overnight Sosian Ranch. |
| Day 3: | Today is our first moving day, riding from Sosian to El Karama in a southeasterly direction towards Mt Kenya. Most of the day is spent on Segera Ranch, a 55,000-acre property in the center of the Laikipia. Black cotton plains and whistling thorn are major features here before dropping down the beautiful Suguroi River valley, which joins the Ewaso Ngiro River near our campsite. Buffalo, elephant, giraffe and a variety of plains game should be encountered enroute.
Camp is set up on the Ewaso Ngiro River on El Karama Ranch, home of the Grant family. Overnight El Karama camp. |
| Day 4: | Continue with a picnic lunch through El Karama, host to open plains with perhaps the best concentrations of game in all Laikipia. We touch a corner of Ol Jogi before passing through Mogwooni, a ranch with only livestock, and perhaps the finest Boran cattle in all Kenya. The Boran breed was developed 50 years ago by pioneers such as Lord Delamere and Gilbert Colville, from the original Masai stock of Bos Indicus. They are exported to countries as far away as Australia as a drought resistant, docile breed.
Pass through Enasoit Ranch before climbing up into the Loldaiga Hills to the ranch of the same name where the night’s camp is tucked away in an exquisite valley surrounded by a cedar forest. The Loldaigas are northern foothills of Mount Kenya and the stunning scenery is some of the finest in all Africa, with snowcapped Mount Kenya brooding on the horizon. Overnight Loldaiga Hills camp. |
| Day 5: | A full day is spent exploring 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.
A picnic lunch will be taken in the northern end of the ranch by land rover after an early morning ride. Overnight Loldaiga Hills camp. |
| Day 6: | Today we move camp heading east with a picnic lunch, crossing Kamwaki Farm which is also part of the Loldaigas. The scenery is equally stunning with Mt Kenya to our right and the mountains of the NFD (Northern Frontier District) to our left.
We cross the fenced stock route and move onto Borana Ranch where we spend two nights. Borana is to the east of the Loldaigas and although different in scenery it is host to plenty of game and has a beautiful escarpment giving way to the Mokogodo forest in the north and Lewa Downs to the east. Our camp is set about with giant euphorbia candelabra trees. Overnight Borana Ranch camp. |
| Day 7: | A full day exploring Borana by land rover, foot and horses and perhaps a picnic lunch down by the Ngare Ndare stream which marks the eastern boundary of Borana. Elephant, buffalo, kudu and many other species of game abound on Borana. Overnight Borana Ranch camp. |
| Day 8: | Today we head southeast and ride up the lower slopes of Mt Kenya to 8000 ft. We climb through the Ngare Ndare forest before entering fertile farmland and extensive wheat fields. Arrive at Kisima Farm, owned by the same family as Borana Ranch, in the early afternoon. Overnight Kisima Farm camp.
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| Day 9: | Ride with a picnic lunch through Kisima Farm, climbing through well-tended wheat fields with the snow capped peaks of Mt Kenya ever closer. At 9,000 ft the farmland gives way to the unique moorland. We reach Rutundu Lodge in the afternoon. It is considerably colder here and the horses will need blankets at night while we will huddle round a roaring log fire. There will be a chance to fish in Lake Rutundu. Accommodation will be split between tents and Rutundu’s log cabins, which sleep 8. Overnight Rutundu Lodge. |
| Day 10: | A full day riding or/or fishing. Those keen to fish will visit Lake Alice try their hand at catching some hard fighting, very clean rainbow trout from his crater lake. Riders will explore trails higher up the mountain but shall meet for lunch at Lake Alice. We return to the lodge in the afternoon for keen attention to the log fire and overnight. |
| Day 11: | Today we ride back down to Kisima Farm where we will meet the trucks and a picnic lunch, and prepare for the drive back to Nairobi. We pass through Nanyuki and Thika on the drive back skirting Mt Kenya to the west. 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 | 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 |
| 2008 Dates | Feb 1-11, March 6-16, March 19-29, June 5-15, Oct 23 - Nov 2 |
| 2008 Price | $7,215
(includes internal flights, from Nairobi to Laikipia and return) |
| Single Supplement | $1000 |
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