Laikipia Wilderness Camp

Laikipia Wilderness Camp is a small and personal family-run bush camp with beautiful views of Mt Kenya and the surrounding area. The area is fantastic for big numbers of elephants, giraffe, hippo, Grevy’s zebra, leopard, wild dog, lion, striped and spotted hyena, aardwolf, aardvark, and over 280 species of birds. The camp works closely with the Laikipia Predator Project collecting data from sightings of wild dogs and lions, some of whom are fitted with radio collars for this research and guests are able to participate in this.

The camp owners have 20 years of experience running walking safaris, expeditions and camps in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Kenya and they specialise in making each day an adventure and will suggest a programme designed to suit you.

They offer game drives and walking safaris which can be focussed on specific interests such as photography, tracking game on foot, following specific species and watching animal behaviour.

Laikipia is like nowhere else in Africa. Miles and miles of unfenced wilderness, beautiful scenery, wildlife that is on the increase and in greater numbers than anywhere else in Kenya except the Mara. A perfect climate, wonderful people still very close to their traditions and proud, and the freedom to explore this haven any way you can imagine. Unlike the endless open plains in the Mara, Laikipia boasts a wonderfully variable landscape; rocky outcrops, little rivers, riverine forest, acacia woodland, open plains and escarpments.

Laikipia Wilderness Camp gives you the option of seeing the area by vehicle or with walking safaris use a lightweight mobile camp. This enables guests to follow the wildlife and adventure rather than a set route.

Accommodation

There are just 5 guest tents – each built on a platform with a private veranda. Behind each tent is an en suite bathroom that is partially open to the skies allowing you to shower under the stars. Hot and cold running water offers just that little bit of extra comfort in the bush.

240 volt solar power is provided to the tents 24 hours a day and there is a charging area in the mess tent for recharging camera batteries.

Some tents are close together specifically for families and all tents can comfortably sleep three people. There is a family tent with a double and two singles for families with younger children.

Facilities & Activities

The large mess tent is the central reception area with dining room, sitting room and library. Outside there is an open veranda on a wooden deck where guests gather at night. There is a viewing point with a campfire where guests can eat under the stars. Private dining and romantic meals for couples can also be arranged. As many meals as possible are taken outdoors where you see and hear that much more of the wildlife around you.

The camp staff specialize in making each day an adventure, there are no set routines as each day is different depending on what the wildlife is doing, and what you will most enjoy. Activities include:

Walking:  this is the speciality of the camp. You can walk as much or as little as you like, anything from 30 minutes to several hours, a full day walking safari and a night camping, or multi-day mobile walking safari. Whether you are a fast or slow walker and regardless of fitness and age, walking is a completely different way to experience the bush. This is the most in depth bush experience you can have, tracking animals, finding bits of bark chewed by elephants, egg shell, bones, seeing birds you would miss in a noisy vehicle, hearing alarm calls of animals startled by predators. Walking opens up a completely different aspect of the bush, it is educational, thrilling and peaceful all at the same time.

Game drives, Night drives:  the best way to see wildlife up close and for photography. We have both open and closed vehicles with roof hatches, ideal for photography.

Samburu village visits: home to one of our guides, an afternoon visit is hugely rewarding and enlightening and the community are proud to show you their way of life

Birding: One of the camp owners – Steve – is an avid birder and loves taking guests out looking for new birds.

Fly-camping: Dinner around a campfire and sleeping under the stars is often a highlight of the holiday.

Tracking Wild-Dogs:  Laikipia has the fastest growing population of wild dogs in Africa. Tracking them by vehicle and occasionally on foot is unique and you can experience some of the best wild dog sightings in the world here. Their territories are huge but within a small area there are two wild dog packs.

Rock-Climbing, Swimming, Tubing , Fishing and Birding are also possible

If you have a specific interest such as following lions, wild dogs, photography or birding, please let us know and we can put together a programme to suit you exactly.