Laikipia Plateau Facts, Location, Tours, Map & More!

Laikipia is blessed with vistas of mighty Mount Kenya, the verdant northern Plateau, the distant Northern Frontier District, and endless horizons as it stands majestically and beautifully above the equator at an average (and delightfully cooling) height of 6,500 feet.

“Pearls of the Plains” – Amazing Wildlife Safari in Loisaba Conservancy, Laikipia Kenya

In the classic African fashion, Laikipia’s landscapes are dramatic and diverse, but the animal and bird characters that inhabit it are truly theatrical. The region is home to black rhinos, Grevy’s zebras, and an exceptionally rare population of wild dogs (“They are the most enthusiastic animal.”), all of which are East African species that are in danger of extinction but are thankfully well-protected. “Wild dogs live the life domestic dogs wish they could live,” argues Rosie Woodroffe of London’s Institute of Zoology, despite the fact that other predators may be bigger and fiercer. And that’s not even counting the Big Five: lions, buffalo, elephants, leopards, and both white and black rhinos. The list goes on and on, showing how diverse and abundant the gamelands are in East Africa: oryx, serval, cheetahs, baboons, eland, Grant’s gazelle, Jackson’s hartebeest, vervet monkeys, hippos, impala, plains zebras, bat-eared fox, silver-backed jackal, and the cunning and unexpectedly sympatico hyena.

“Laikipia is truly one of Kenya’s treasures, from its geology and landscapes to its vast and unique biodiversity.” – Ann Marie Howard Scientific American

Places to visit in the Laikipia Plateau

Featuring heavily on our experiences of visiting the Laikipia Plateau, these selected places are destinations that also prove consistently popular with our travelers. Our specialists can help you choose how to include them in your wider trip, based on your preferences.

Visit Il Ngwesi Group Ranch, Kenya

The Il Ngwesi Group Ranch lies north of Mount Kenya and encompasses an area of 16,500 hectares. The ranch is far from any settlements and on the border of Kenya’s Laikipia Plateau. Here, land spreads eternally to the horizon, you will not see a single light at night and the calls of the wild surround you.

Visit Lewa Wilderness Conservancy, Kenya

The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, which is located north of Mount Kenya, has more than 45,000 acres. Ian Craig, the protagonist, inherited his parents’ cattle property in 1977 and ran it with great determination.

Protecting Wildlife at Lewa
Once upon a time, animals could roam freely on the farm. However, with the rise of poaching in the 1970s, many of these creatures faced extinction. After the slaughter of all the rhinos on the farm in 1983, 5,000 acres of the ranch were set aside as a refuge for the endangered species. The property eventually expanded to 10,000 acres before being transformed into the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in 1995. The southern Ngara Ndara woodland and other nearby areas were eventually integrated as well.

Visit Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya

The Ol Pejeta sanctuary is a 90,000 acre wildlife sanctuary situated between the slopes of the Aberdares and Mount Kenya.

The conservancy has an extensive variety of animals including the Big Five as well as a chimpanzee sanctuary.

The International Conservancy for Flora and Fauna
The region served as a cow ranch throughout the colonial period. The ranch was once a migratory corridor for elephants, but the growing elephant population has taken up residence there, destroying fences and rendering cattle ranching obsolete. Fauna and Flora International, a conservation organization located in the UK, bought the reserve in 2004 and converted it into a conservancy.

Visit Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Visit Loisaba Wilderness Conservancy, Kenya

Roughly 150 square kilometers make up the Loisaba Wilderness Conservancy. Just north of Mount Kenya, on the Laikipia Plateau, it sits precariously.

Diverse landscape
Across the reserve, you can see vastly different landscapes. The expansive plateau grasslands are located in the reserve’s northernmost section. At its southernmost point, the plateau abruptly divides into cliffs, valleys, and escarpments. You may see out the distant blue shape of Mount Kenya from a few of these higher vantage spots. The lowlands and valleys host a distinct environment, with verdant forests of palm, acacia, and fig trees nourished by the rivers N’gare Narok and Ewaso Ng’iro.

Wildlife of the Laikipia Plateau

More species in danger of extinction call this region of East Africa home than any other. You can spot wild dogs, Jackson’s hartebeests, and Grévy’s zebras here. Wildlife from the north, such as gerenuk, beisa oryx, Somali ostrich, and reticulated giraffe, can be found here. Elephants abound, as do lions, leopards, and cheetahs, as well as gazelles and impalas in plenty.

Blown Away in Laikipia! Plus Land Cruiser Shakedown Trip

Huge wildlife conservancies, sometimes called ranches for the farms that once stood there, cover most of the plateau. Now they’re all about protecting animals. Borana Ranch, Il Ngwesi Group Ranch, Lekurruki Group Ranch, Sabuk Wilderness, Lewa Wilderness Conservancy, Loisaba Wilderness, and Sosian Ranch are the seven largest conservancies.

There is a striking lack of uniformity among the conservancies. Some are managed by Maasai communities; examples include Il Ngwesi and Lekurruki. As a guest, you can find more about the ongoing projects, and others, like Lewa, have played a significant role in research and education. Loisaba came up with the ingenious “star bed,” while Sabuk runs camel trips into the regions and works closely with Samburu locals.

You may unwind in complete nature at any of the conservancies because they are all off the beaten path. Some possible activities include hiking in search of elephants, traversing rough terrain on a camelback, or seeing the sunset from a kopje. As far as the eye can see, the landscape is arid and crimson, with game roaming freely.

Suggested itineraries featuring the Laikipia Plateau

Using the Laikipia Plateau as a backdrop, our itineraries will offer advice on what to see and do, highlighting the best paths we’ve found. Use them as a starting point; one of our experts will craft a vacation just for you.

Kenya Safari And Zanzibar Beach Honeymoon

Indulge in a thrilling safari across Kenya’s Maasai Mara Reserve and unwind on the beach of Zanzibar Island. Most people think of Kenya when they hear “safari” because of the Maasai Mara, which is home to some of the best wildlife watching in all of Africa. The seasonal migration of wildebeests is, without a question, the main draw. Kichwa Tembo Camp is a private concession where you can sleep under the stars while gazing out over the Maasai Mara.

Your safari will be followed by a scenic flight to Zanzibar, where you may unwind for six nights at the Breezes Beach Club & Spa. Enjoy a massage, go scuba diving in the coral reef, swim in the pristine Indian Ocean, or visit ancient Stonetown.

View Itinerary

Kenya Family Adventure to Laikipia, Samburu & Masai Mara

This 9 Days Kenya Family Adventure to Laikipia, Samburu & Masai Mara itinerary combines sublime game viewing in some of Kenya’s best wildlife areas with diverse cultural activities and plenty to see and do.

A trip of endangered Rothschild’s giraffes is the permanent residents of Giraffe Manor, a lovely English-style country mansion in Nairobi where your Kenya Family Adventure begins! You and your family will take a scheduled flight to Solio Lodge, a small camp with only six thatched chalets, after spending a delightful night there. It is situated in one of the earliest privately owned rhino conservation areas in Kenya to be established, which is also the site of one of the most productive breeding programs for these extremely threatened and defenseless creatures. One of your many varied activities includes a day excursion to Aberdare National Park, which is among the easiest game-watching in all of Africa.