Reviews of safaris to Laikipia
210 holiday reviews from our travellers of holidays which include Laikipia.
"Still plenty of unspoilt parts of Kenya"
We went on from our trip with Expert Africa to join a photographic trip in two of the conservancies north of the Maasai Mara, staying at Kicheche Mara and Bush camps. The sightings here were superb and we highly recommend these camps/conservancies too.
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Keep up the good work! Every trip Expert Africa has planned for us has been superb and we are very grateful.
The client feedback on your website and your staff's knowledge of the camps also really helps us to make the right choices time after time." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 10 on a Kenya safari
"A very successful holiday"
"A diverse and thought-provoking trip"
Second, we should also mention why we land-transferred to Nanyuki, ie to visit the Karatina market, reputedly the second biggest food market in East Africa. While we had a business-specific reason for making this unusual visit, we can certainly recommend it for anyone who wants an interesting and different experience for a couple of hours in the Nanyuki area, meeting and chatting with local small business people.
All this being said, the heart of the trip was, of course, the safari in general and, in particular, the opportunity to visit - and therefore support - three community-based projects in Laikipia which are all run in somewhat different ways. Our growing sense for some time during our regular visits to Africa since 2006 has been that, with national parks in some parts often failing to provide adequate environmental and wildlife protection, much of the future may well lie in community-based and private (eg Mundulea in Namibia where we stayed in sept 2013) projects. This trip firmed up this view further, especially as it gave us a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the commitment of the local community to the projects and its aspirations, including for the education and related opportunities available to future generations.
Despite the ready sharing of views by those we met, we are cautious about trying to draw firm conclusions other than in the following respects. First, Laikipia is a fabulous part of Kenya and well worth visiting for both its wildlife and its culture. Second, we feel that these community-based projects are genuinely helping the local community consistent with its aims and aspiration and are, therefore, well worth supporting. Third, it will nevertheless likely to difficult to balance preserving tradition with the evolving way of life which inevitably ensues.
Finally, a word of thanks to the Expert Africa team, especially Richard Trillo, for their efforts putting together for us what was another excellent trip." Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 13 on a Kenya safari
"Kenya with a toddler"
It was nice to feel like we had a common 'acquaintance' in Richard, when talking to the owners of the various lodges. They all seemed to respect his work and knowledge of Kenya.
However, we also feel a bit sad that parts of the holiday were not as perfect as we'd hoped despite careful planning and a significant budget (see issues mentioned about El Karama and Driftwood)." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 9 on a Kenya safari
"Wonderful"
It was all very informative and well organised." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 8 on a Kenya safari
"Wonderful Kenya Trip"
Firstly Naivasia which I booked myself but with advice from Richard. To see +/- 100,000 flamingos only 10 metres away was an experience, I would recommend Chui Lodge to others
Naboisho Camp was good, small but everyone so friendly. Bush bird walk great. Rolloff and Roger great guides, if you could stop them arguing about the size of the spot underneath the left wing of the LBJ lark. Tent great position. Saw the Wilderbeste crossing.
Kicheche Laikipia was also great, including the bird walk where even Andy the camp manager saw a bird for the first time ( Abasynian swallow on migration ). 6 tents only with ours being the best position (3), we left both the internal and external flaps up so the only thing between us and the Tigers and Polar Bears was a fly mesh, cold but exciting." Read full review: 7 nights in Africa; 5 on a Kenya safari
"My Jul 2013 trip"
Felt very well advised by Expert Africa staff. Despiite a brilliantly well laid out website, it was the little comments and recommendations made on the telephone that had directed our choices and as stated in our intital email, we felt we couldn't fail to have the best of times by simplly following your tracks. For us, Kenya has been a very different place in which to travel for, despite a fair amount of experience of living and travelling in Africa.
The one thing that would have been helpful would have been more transparency in the pricing of 'packages'. It all costs a great deal and in deciding how to distribute the budget, it would be useful to know more and make it stretch as far as possible on the more expensive bits. Will affect us considering any future visits - now that we've seen the reality of those roads, we can see the value of flying.
Jessica entered a trip advisor comment on return to discover that the US guests we met at Naibosho, first time in Africa, had gone out with Roelof and seen a leopard with its kill..! She has been on a quest to see a leopard for some tme now, plenty of evidence of their whereabouts but never seen one so she has some unfinished business." Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 12 on a Kenya safari
"My Jun 2013 trip"
I will stay with the memories till the next adventure, hopefully in the Zambezi and/or Mana pools, certainly with Expert Africa" Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 8 on a Kenya safari
"My Jun 2013 trip"
"My Feb 2013 trip"
Thank you Ellie.
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Not currently" Read full review: 8 nights in Africa; 9 on a Kenya safari
Where to stay in Laikipia
Our suggestions for safari camps in Laikipia
Kicheche Laikipia
Kicheche Laikipia is the most luxurious tented camp of the handful of places to stay in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in central Laikipia.
Laikipia Wilderness
Laikipia Wilderness is a rustic owner-managed bush camp, in excellent wild dog territory, offering outstanding guiding.
Lewa Safari Camp
Lewa Safari Camp is a comfortable and homely tented lodge, located in the Lewa Conservancy and offering a relatively exclusive safari away from mass tourism.
Sosian
Sosian Lodge is a distinctive, estancia-style ranch house on a former cattle ranch, with great opportunities for riding, relaxing and seeing wild dogs and other savannah wildlife.
Lewa Wilderness
Lewa Wilderness is a comfortable, fenced safari lodge with nine cottages, great views and a huge range of activities.
El Karama Lodge
El Karama is a comfortably rustic, very personal, riverside eco-lodge on a game-rich private ranch in Laikipia, an hour’s drive north of Nanyuki airport.
Il Ngwesi Eco-Lodge
The community-owned Il Ngwesi Eco-Lodge sits atop a small hill in the remote Il Ngwesi Group Ranch, a two-hour drive north of Lewa Conservancy in north-eastern Laikipia.
Ol Pejeta Bush Camp
Ol Pejeta Bush Camp is a simple camp, with comfortable tents, delivering an authentic wilderness experience backed up by good food and guiding.
Borana
Borana is a comfortable and striking lodge on the Borana Conservancy in eastern Laikipia, offering pleasant accommodation with good food and service and a very wide range of activities.
Solio Lodge
Solio Lodge is an exclusive and luxurious bush lodge set in the private Solio Game Ranch in southern Laikipia.
Porini Rhino Camp
Porini Rhino Camp is a small, simple, well established tented camp, with a keen focus on sustainable and low-impact tourism.
Lewa House
Lewa House is a very comfortable, boutique safari lodge located on the Lewa Conservancy, north of Mount Kenya.
Sirikoi
Sirikoi is a small, very high-quality safari camp with excellent service and food and a wide selection of activities.
Loisaba Tented Camp
Loisaba Tented Camp is a luxury safari base of tented rooms, ranged along a ridge in the Loisaba Conservancy, facing Mount Kenya. The camp was completely rebuilt in 2016.
Kifaru House
Kifaru House is a small, stylish safari lodge in the Lewa Conservancy, with beautiful views across the landscape.
Tassia Lodge
Tassia offers a unique wilderness experience in a remote location: come here for cultural interaction, stunning views and something a bit different.
Loisaba Star Beds
Loisaba Starbeds is a simple camp of 4 rooms with pull-out, open-air 'star beds', located near a dam in the Loisaba Conservancy, in northwestern Laikipia.
Sandai
Sandai is a pretty, owner-run homestay, set between the Aberdare Range and Mount Kenya, offering a range of activities at extra cost.
Karisia Walking Safaris
Karisia Walking Safaris operates camel assisted, multi-day walking safaris from its main camp, Tumaren, set in a remote part of Laikipia.
Sabuk Lodge
Sabuk Lodge is a charismatic and remote lodge in western Laikipia on the high, rocky banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River.
Sweetwaters Serena
Sweetwaters Serena is a large, older tented camp – the largest camp in the Laikipia region – in the eastern part of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
Sanctuary at Ol Lentille
The Sanctuary at Ol Lentille is an unusual safari lodge in northern Laikipia, consisting of three exclusive villas, and offering a huge range of activities.
Governors' Mugie House
Governors' Mugie House – a substantial, luxury safari lodge – is one of only two properties in the Mugie Conservancy in northwestern Laikipia.
Thomsons Falls Lodge
Thomsons Falls Lodge is a simple hotel dating back to the colonial era, located above the falls of the same name, near the western Laikipia town of Nyahururu.
Ekorian's Mugie Camp
Ekorian's Mugie Camp is a pleasant, family-friendly safari camp in a remote location in northwestern Laikipia.
