Reviews of Laikipia Wilderness
Wildlife sightings and reviews
28 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Laikipia Wilderness and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa
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73% success
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"Laikipia Wilderness review"
The accommodation is rustic although comfortable and the bathrooms are open to the elements and would benefit from a slightly better shower arrangement.
The welcome was warm and the camp staff were all great.
The food is good solid "bush food".
This camp is made by the outstanding wildlife sitings, the guides we encountered and the ability to walk during the days and consequently have a completely different experience. We were guided by Barendt, Dan and Joseph. One of the many highlights was tracking a leopard that had made a kill overnight and finding the leopard asleep in the rocks - a very rare opportunity.
A great few days." See all these reviews: 8n in Kenya
Buffalo
5 sightings
Eland
4 sightings
Elephant
10 sightings
Giraffe
4 sightings
Hippo
1 sighting
Leopard
3 sightings
Striped Hyena
1 sighting
Zebra
5 sightings
"Laikipia Wilderness review"
Laikipia Wilderness is a very comfortable camp, ideally located near the river (but not on it) and not as flashy as some other safari camps but still pretty nice. My tent was huge with a nice double bed and a day bed out on the veranda where I'd pretend to read (nap!) during midday siestas. There was an outdoor bathroom, my first, that was pretty cool. Everything was clean, tidy and really comfortable. My first night there was quite loud, with a nearby hyena den being quite active and leopards going through camp as well as lions roaring nearby.
The draw for me here was leopards, and in particular the melanistic leopard, and I was lucky enough to see the melanistic leopard on 3 out of 4 game drives. I also saw a very large male leopard on one night drive. Lots of plains game and some of the Northern Five. I heard a lot of lions but we never found them while I was there (other guests did). The foliage is quite low to the ground and tough to navigate and see through, not open like the Mara is. The wild dogs had been in the area the day before my arrival, but did not surface again while I was there (we tried radio pinging the collared ones, to no avail).
Simon was my guide and he was excellent. He knew what cats and particularly the leopards meant to me and he bent over backwards to deliver on the sightings. He was great to chat with too; I learned a lot about guiding and his experience in Laikipia. I would definitely request him again if I return to LWC.
The food here is great. As a vegetarian I ate very well. I like the camp's schedule of a small bit of breakfast to get you going pre-sunrise and a proper brunch around 11:30. No stopping in the middle of a game drive mid-morning for breakfast. That works out really well!
I think there is a lot more on offer here than just game drives. Had I had more time perhaps I would have walked or done something else, but my focus was really on the cats." See all these reviews: 12n in Kenya
Buffalo
3 sightings
Eland
1 sighting
Elephant
10 sightings
Giraffe
10 sightings
Hippo
2 sightings
Leopard
4 sightings
Spotted Hyena
1 sighting
Zebra
10 sightings
"Laikipia Wilderness Camp review"
Throw in regular encounters with wild dogs and Giza the black leopardess on top of all the other wildlife and amazing birds and you have a dream safari destination. 5 nights is not enough! I look forward to another repeat visit next year." See all these reviews: 12n in Kenya
Buffalo
10 sightings
Eland
10 sightings
Elephant
10 sightings
Giraffe
10 sightings
Hippo
10 sightings
Leopard
10 sightings
Lion
1 sighting
Spotted Hyena
10 sightings
Striped Hyena
1 sighting
Wild dog
10 sightings
Zebra
Multiple sightings
"Laikipia Wilderness review"
The fly camping out was really great." See all these reviews: 11n in Kenya
Buffalo
1 sighting
Eland
1 sighting
Elephant
Multiple sightings
Giraffe
Multiple sightings
Hippo
Multiple sightings
Leopard
Multiple sightings
Spotted Hyena
Multiple sightings
Striped Hyena
Multiple sightings
Zebra
Multiple sightings
"Laikipia Wilderness review"
Buffalo
Multiple sightings
Elephant
Multiple sightings
Giraffe
Multiple sightings
Hippo
Multiple sightings
Leopard
3 sightings
Striped Hyena
Multiple sightings
Wild dog
1 sighting
Zebra
Multiple sightings
"Laikipia Wilderness review"
Buffalo
1 sighting
Elephant
Multiple sightings
Giraffe
Multiple sightings
Hippo
Multiple sightings
Leopard
Multiple sightings
Striped Hyena
Multiple sightings
Zebra
Multiple sightings
"Laikipia Wilderness review"
We didn’t have anything to compare but felt the wilderness and loved it. very much our cup of tea. Relaxed and communal while also private for individual family drives out. Great food, plenty of it.
The guides were incredible. They taught us so much, very patient with all the kids’ questions and clearly loved their jobs and the wildlife.
An unforgettable place and experience." See all these reviews: 10n in Kenya; 5n in Zanzibar
Buffalo
3 sightings
Eland
3 sightings
Elephant
10 sightings
Giraffe
10 sightings
Hippo
5 sightings
Leopard
3 sightings
Lion
Multiple sightings
Zebra
9 sightings
"Laikipia Wilderness review"
Again, what we wanted, a small remote camp with great guides and no gold taps frills.
Tent and terrace good. Food was excellent, the best of the trip. A good meal plan of brunch and supper, plenty. Owner was not there but the Deputy Manager, Kenneth was delightful. All staff were good.
Great guiding and birding with Dan, ex Zimbabwe guide. The night spent under the stars after a camp fire supper was wonderful, strongly recommend if you like camping." See all these reviews: 11n in Kenya
"Still wild heaven"
Different? Well firstly the weather - last time we came it was in the rainy season, everything green and the tracks slick with mud; this time we were in the middle of a drought and the river was seriously drying up. Secondly the wild dogs, who we spent a lot of time watching before, were denning and therefore not really possible to see. There's plenty to Laikipia other than dogs, and it was interesting to see how the environment changed and an object lesson in the importance of the rains.
As far as wildlife is concerned, drought equals easy pickings for predators and the leopards were out in force. They barely even needed to hunt - the local livestock seemed to be doing rather worse in the dry conditions than the wildlife and the leopards were more than happy to provide a disposal service for any cow that expired. We got some terrific daylight sightings - a pair appeared to be enjoying a romantic Valentine's meal of carcass - and also twice saw the gorgeous melanistic leopard (big) cub who is living near the camp.
Laikipia though, is really less about what you see than how you see it. There's no luxury trappings or conventional creature comforts- but I've rarely found somewhere where I feel more comfortable. Every meal we had was delicious and often improved by being eaten out in the wilds. All the meals are taken with the guides and other guests, and evenings usually finished by sitting around the fire with a drink swapping travellers tales!
It's a great place to go if you love walking in the bush - our guide, Dan, had recently arrived in Kenya after guiding in Zimbabwe but was very knowledgeable and clearly very experienced as both a walking and a driving guide. He was ably assisted by our spotter, Simon." See all these reviews: 11n in Kenya
Eland
1 sighting
Elephant
Multiple sightings
Giraffe
Multiple sightings
Hippo
Multiple sightings
Leopard
5 sightings
Spotted Hyena
Multiple sightings
Zebra
Multiple sightings
"Wild Dogs and Black Leopard !!!"
Our guide was Steven - very experienced and a great spotter! We came to Laikipia Wilderness to see Wild Dogs and so he tried everything to find them. There was just 1 pack around and last seen about 20 km away from where were. Although some individuals of the pack were collared it was really hard for him to track them but finally (after a whole day of searching them!) he found them. it was amazing to to observe them while meeting and greeting after the day rest before heading out for hunting. We were so lucky to see them again next morning while crossing a river before they disappeared on an other ranch.
But the most amazing and spectacular sighting in Laikipia Wilderness was the spotting of a normal coloured female leopard and her black (melanistic) cub during a night drive. This was a really very very rare and special sighting - not only for us! Even our guide Steven had seen the black cub only 2 times before.
The Camp is the only one in the huge area of the ranch - no other people or vehicles around. It is a bit rustic but also very comfortable, the food not extraordinary but still very good.
Manager Steve was around but doesn't seem to be interested very much in us and didn't join us for one drive or walk although we've been the only guests during our whole stay at Laikipia Wilderness. That was a little bit disappointing after reading lot of comments about his very special guiding but Steven was a very good guide as well!" See all these reviews: 16n in Kenya
Buffalo
3 sightings
Eland
2 sightings
Elephant
5 sightings
Giraffe
5 sightings
Hippo
5 sightings
Leopard
2 sightings
Lion
2 sightings
Spotted Hyena
1 sighting
Striped Hyena
1 sighting
Wild dog
2 sightings
Zebra
10 sightings
Holiday styles & special interests in Kenya
From birdwatching breaks to walking holidays, find great ideas for your trip in Kenya.
Other lodges in Laikipia
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
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.
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.
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.
Lewa Wilderness
Lewa Wilderness is a comfortable, fenced safari lodge with nine cottages, great views and a huge range of activities.
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.
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.
Porini Rhino Camp
Porini Rhino Camp is a small, simple, well established tented camp, with a keen focus on sustainable and low-impact tourism.
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.
Tassia Lodge
Tassia offers a unique wilderness experience in a remote location: come here for cultural interaction, stunning views and something a bit different.
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.
Lewa House
Lewa House is a very comfortable, boutique safari lodge located on the Lewa Conservancy, north of Mount Kenya.
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.
Kifaru House
Kifaru House is a small, stylish safari lodge in the Lewa Conservancy, with beautiful views across the landscape.
Sandai
Sandai is a pretty, owner-run homestay, set between the Aberdare Range and Mount Kenya, offering a range of activities at extra cost.
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.
Sabuk Lodge
Sabuk Lodge is a charismatic and remote lodge in western Laikipia on the high, rocky banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River.
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.
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.
Ekorian's Mugie Camp
Ekorian's Mugie Camp is a pleasant, family-friendly safari camp in a remote location in northwestern Laikipia.
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.
