Laikipia is where the future of African conservation is being written. Rising north of Mount Kenya, this vast high plateau of nearly ten thousand square kilometres is not a national park at all, but a patchwork of private ranches, community conservancies and world-renowned wildlife sanctuaries that together protect more endangered species than almost anywhere else in the country. It is home to the largest population of black rhino in East Africa, the last two northern white rhinos on Earth at Ol Pejeta, thriving packs of endangered African wild dog, big cats, elephant, and the finest numbers of the rare Grévy's zebra anywhere. But what truly sets Laikipia apart is the freedom of how you explore it: because most of the land is privately managed, guests can go far beyond the game-drive vehicle — riding on horseback among giraffe and zebra, trekking with camels through golden hills, walking with expert guides, tracking rhino and lion on foot, night-driving for elusive predators, and sleeping out on open-air star beds beneath the Milky Way. Luxury here is deeply personal and pioneering, from design-icon lodges to intimate owner-run camps, and almost every bed directly funds the conservation and community programmes that make Laikipia a global model. Uncrowded, activity-rich and staggeringly beautiful against the backdrop of Mount Kenya, Laikipia is the thinking traveller's safari — wild, exclusive and full of purpose.
The thinking traveller's safari — rhino, wild dog and a freedom to explore found nowhere else. We open the private conservancies of Laikipia where you can ride, walk, track rhino on foot and sleep beneath the stars, and place you with the conservation teams writing the future of African wildlife. Every night here directly funds the land and the communities that protect it.
At a glance, Laikipia Plateau spans 9,500 km² of conservancies & ranches, black & white rhino, wild dog, lion & grévy's zebra, protected since Community conservancy movement, 1990s onward — and the best time to be here is typically June – October & December – March.
Rhino Tracking & Conservation Safari
Laikipia protects more rhino than anywhere else in Kenya, and here you can get remarkably close to the conservation story. At sanctuaries such as Ol Pejeta and Borana you track black and white rhino with expert rangers, meet the teams protecting them, and — at Ol Pejeta — stand before the last two northern white rhinos on Earth. It is a moving, unforgettable encounter with the front line of African conservation.
- Specialist conservation guide
- Rhino tracking with rangers
- Sanctuary & project visit
- Direct conservation contribution
Why Go
- The largest black rhino population in East Africa, plus the last northern white rhinos at Ol Pejeta
- Horseback and camel safaris across open plains among giraffe and zebra
- Sleeping out on open-air star beds beneath the Milky Way
- Thriving packs of endangered African wild dog and rare Grévy's zebra
- Walking safaris, night drives and rhino tracking on foot
- Pioneering community conservancies with Mount Kenya as a backdrop
Wildlife & Big Game
Of the Big Five you can expect Black Rhino, White Rhino, Lion, Leopard and African Elephant here. Here is what the guiding team looks for on a typical few days in the bush.
Black Rhino. Laikipia holds the largest black rhino population in East Africa
White Rhino. Ol Pejeta protects the last two northern white rhinos on Earth
African Wild Dog. A major stronghold — healthy packs den and hunt across the conservancies
Grévy's Zebra. Laikipia holds the finest numbers of this endangered fine-striped zebra
Lion. Prides thrive across the ranches, closely monitored by conservation teams
Leopard. Widespread and well seen on the private conservancies' night drives
African Elephant. Large herds move between Laikipia, Samburu and Mount Kenya
Reticulated Giraffe. Elegant northern giraffe seen on drives, walks and even horseback rides
The Experiences Worth Planning Around
Rhino Tracking & Conservation Safari
Half-day · Wildlife
Laikipia protects more rhino than anywhere else in Kenya, and here you can get remarkably close to the conservation story. At sanctuaries such as Ol Pejeta and Borana you track black and white rhino with expert rangers, meet the teams protecting them, and — at Ol Pejeta — stand before the last two northern white rhinos on Earth. It is a moving, unforgettable encounter with the front line of African conservation.
Best for: Conservation-minded travellers, Families, Wildlife enthusiasts.
Horseback & Camel Safari
2 hours to multi-day · Adventure
Because Laikipia is privately managed, you can leave the vehicle behind and explore as few places allow. Ride well-schooled horses at a canter alongside giraffe and zebra, or amble through golden hills on a string of camels with a Samburu handler. Riding puts you right into the herd's world at eye level — exhilarating for experienced riders and magical for all, and one of Laikipia's signature adventures.
Best for: Active travellers, Riders, Adventure seekers.
Wild Dog & Predator Tracking
Half-day · Wildlife
Laikipia is one of Africa's great strongholds for endangered African wild dogs, which den and hunt across its conservancies in healthy numbers. Guided by trackers who monitor the resident packs, you follow the painted wolves at first light as they streak across the plains on a hunt, alongside excellent lion, leopard and cheetah viewing. Few places offer better odds of a wild dog encounter.
Best for: Wildlife enthusiasts, Photographers, Repeat safari-goers.
Star Bed Sleep-Out
Overnight · Scenic
One of Laikipia's most romantic experiences is a night on an open-air star bed — a four-poster wheeled out onto a raised platform or riverbank beneath a limitless canopy of stars. Falling asleep to the sounds of the wild and waking to the sunrise over Mount Kenya, with a private attendant nearby, is pure magic. It is the ultimate way to feel the vast, quiet freedom of the plateau.
Best for: Couples, Honeymooners, Families.
Community & Conservancy Experience
Half-day · Culture
Laikipia's conservation success is built on its people, and a visit to a community conservancy reveals how wildlife and livelihoods thrive together. Meet Samburu and Maasai communities, visit schools and women's beadwork enterprises, and learn how tourism funds anti-poaching, healthcare and education. It is an inspiring, uplifting side of safari that turns a holiday into something genuinely meaningful.
Best for: Cultural travellers, Families, Conservation-minded travellers.
Night Drive & Walking Safari
2–3 hours · Adventure
Private land means Laikipia can offer what national parks cannot — night drives and walking safaris. After dark, a spotlight reveals aardvark, genet, porcupine, bushbaby and hunting predators rarely seen by day. On foot at dawn, an armed guide reads the bush at ground level, tracking rhino, elephant and the smaller wonders of the plains. Together they reveal a Laikipia most visitors never experience.
Best for: Active travellers, Wildlife purists, Repeat safari-goers.
Where to Stay
We hand-pick every camp and lodge we use in Laikipia Plateau. These are the addresses we return to, chosen for their guiding, their location and the way they make the wilderness feel like your own.
Loisaba Tented Camp ★★★★★
From $780 per person per night. A spectacular camp on the vast Loisaba Conservancy with an infinity pool gazing towards Mount Kenya, a full range of horseback, camel and star-bed adventures, and superb conservation credentials.
- Infinity pool over the Ewaso valley
- Views to Mount Kenya
- Star beds, riding & camel safaris
- Elewana Collection
Elewana Collection — leading conservation lodge
Segera Retreat ★★★★★
From $1450 per person per night. An extraordinary art-and-conservation retreat on the Segera Conservancy, blending luxury villas, a world-class African art collection, lush botanical gardens and a philosophy of the 4Cs — conservation, community, culture and commerce.
- Art-filled luxury villas & gardens
- World-class contemporary art collection
- Botanical gardens & wellness spa
- Zeitz / member of exclusive collection
Globally recognised design & conservation icon
Borana Lodge ★★★★★
From $900 per person per night. A warm, family-run lodge of just eight cottages on the Borana Conservancy — now a combined rhino sanctuary with neighbouring Lewa — with sweeping Mount Kenya views and superb riding, biking and rhino tracking.
- Owner-run ranch overlooking Mount Kenya
- Rhino sanctuary joined with Lewa
- Riding, biking & rhino tracking
- Borana Conservancy
Borana Conservancy — leading private rhino haven
Lewa Safari Camp ★★★★★
From $850 per person per night. Set in the UNESCO-listed Lewa Wildlife Conservancy — one of the birthplaces of the community conservancy movement — with outstanding rhino, Grévy's zebra and general game viewing from classic luxury tents.
- In the UNESCO Lewa Conservancy
- Superb rhino & Grévy's zebra viewing
- Classic luxury tents
- Elewana Collection
Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Lewa-Borana landscape
Loisaba Star Beds ★★★★★
From $720 per person per night. A magical open-air sleep-out on the Loisaba Conservancy, where handcrafted four-poster beds roll out under a limitless sky beside a busy waterhole — the ultimate romantic Laikipia night.
- Open-air beds beneath the stars
- Handcrafted rock-and-thatch platforms
- By a wildlife-rich waterhole
- Elewana Collection
Elewana Collection — signature star-bed experience
Timing Your Safari
Peak Dry Season (Best for Game) (Jun – Oct). Cool, clear highland weather and concentrated wildlife make this the finest time for game viewing, riding and every outdoor activity across the plateau. Wildlife: peak game & activities; weather 10–28°C, cool & dry.
Short Dry Season (Dec – Mar). A warm, largely dry window with excellent wildlife, green highland scenery and superb riding and walking — a lovely and often quieter time on the conservancies. Wildlife: excellent, scenery green; weather 12–30°C, warm & mostly dry.
Short Rains (Nov). Brief afternoon storms green the plateau and bring migrant birds and newborn animals, with dramatic highland skies and few visitors. Wildlife: birding & newborns; weather 12–27°C, brief storms.
Long Rains (Apr – May). The greenest and best-value season, with fine birding and lush scenery; some tracks turn muddy but the private conservancies remain rewarding and beautiful. Wildlife: birding & scenery; weather 12–26°C, green & wet.
Access & Logistics
Most guests reach Laikipia on a short scheduled flight from Nairobi's Wilson Airport, landing at one of the conservancy airstrips where lodge vehicles complete the transfer. A scenic drive via Nanyuki and the equator is also popular. Laikipia pairs naturally with Samburu to the north and the Maasai Mara to the south-west for a complete and varied Kenya safari.
- Nairobi (Wilson): 45–60-minute light-aircraft flight (Scheduled flight)
- Nairobi: 4–5 hours by road via Nanyuki and the equator (250 km by road)
- Samburu: 1-hour flight or scenic drive for a northern circuit (Adjoining region)
Build the Bigger Journey
The finest journeys rarely stop at one destination. Here is how our specialists most often pair Laikipia Plateau:
- Samburu National Reserve — Pair Laikipia with the neighbouring wild north of Samburu for the rare Special Five — the definitive northern Kenya circuit.
- Masai Mara Kenya — Add the Maasai Mara's big cats and Great Migration to balance Laikipia's conservation adventures with classic plains game.
- Amboseli National Park — Contrast the high plateau with Amboseli's great tuskers beneath Kilimanjaro for a north-and-south Kenya journey.
Plan Your Journey
Every trip we craft to Laikipia Plateau is private and built around you — your dates, your pace and the wildlife you most want to see. Our specialists have travelled this ground themselves and design each itinerary by hand. Contact our team to begin planning, or explore our Laikipia Plateau destination guide for more detail.
