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Laikipia Wilderness
Laikipia Wilderness
Laikipia Wilderness
Laikipia Wilderness
Laikipia Wilderness
Laikipia Wilderness
Laikipia Wilderness
Laikipia Wilderness

Reviews of Laikipia Wilderness

Wildlife sightings and reviews

35 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

Wildlife sightings by our travellers
Starting in Dec-2018, 24 of our travellers have recorded their wildlife sightings at Laikipia Wilderness.
Lion

50% success

Leopard

91% success

Cheetah

5% success

Wild dog

43% success

Elephant

100% success

Giraffe

100% success

Hippo

100% success

Zebra

100% success

Buffalo

76% success

Spotted Hyena

76% success

Eland

67% success

Striped Hyena

43% success

Aardvark

0% success

Pangolin

0% success

Showing 11-20 of 35
Duration
Arrival date
Lynda
Nomad

"Laikipia Wilderness review"

3 nights Arrived 13 Jan 2023
"This is a wonderful, slightly rustic, bit of luxury in a great area - fabulous staff and of course the black Leopard Giza.

The fly camping out was really great." See all these reviews: 11n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Sightings Report

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

Chris
sint genesius r

"Laikipia Wilderness review"

6 nights Arrived 11 Jan 2023
"A wild camp! So remote." See all these reviews: 11n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

1 sighting

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Hippo

Multiple sightings

Leopard

Multiple sightings

Striped Hyena

Multiple sightings

Zebra

Multiple sightings

Jenny
Faversham

"Laikipia Wilderness review"

4 nights Arrived 11 Jan 2023
"A small, relaxed and friendly camp, cheerful and helpful staff. Great food. Really good to have options - wild swimming, fishing, walking etc. Beautiful swing-seat located on a rocky outcrop above the camp. Saw the beautiful black leopard three times. Such an unexpected treat." See all these reviews: 9n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Sightings Report

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

Mr C.
West Horsley

"Laikipia Wilderness review"

4 nights Arrived 4 Aug 2022
"Warm and welcoming from the moment we arrived. Journey from Nanyuki was superb, a mini safari in itself.

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
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Sightings Report

Buffalo

3 sightings

Eland

3 sightings

Elephant

10 sightings

Giraffe

10 sightings

Hippo

5 sightings

Leopard

3 sightings

Lion

Multiple sightings

Zebra

9 sightings

Geoff @ St Albans
UK

"Laikipia Wilderness review"

3 nights Arrived 3 Mar 2022
"Very different to Maasai Mara, much dryer and very quiet, a good contrast.

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
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Good
Mr & Mrs J
Hanwell

"Still wild heaven"

4 nights Arrived 13 Feb 2022
"I had been dreaming of returning to Laikipia Wilderness ever since our last visit in 2015. I'm delighted to say that, although it was quite a different experience this time, it's still just as glorious a place to spend time.

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
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Good
Sightings Report

Eland

1 sighting

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Hippo

Multiple sightings

Leopard

5 sightings

Spotted Hyena

Multiple sightings

Zebra

Multiple sightings

Uli
Germany

"Wild Dogs and Black Leopard !!!"

3 nights Arrived 9 Jan 2022
"Laikipia Wilderness Camp is located on a ranch in a very dry area (at the time of our visit!) causing less game as usual. Nevertheless we saw a lot of different and special species even not many individuals of each.

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
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Good
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Sightings Report

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

The VD family
London

"Laikipia Wilderness review"

3 nights Arrived 28 Nov 2021
"This was our second time to the Laikipia region for us. We like this region with its beautiful landscapes which are completely different from the Maasai Mara.

A safari in Laikipia is more hard work to spot animals but it feels more authentic and rewarding when you spot them. It was particularly on our list this time as we hoped to see the wild dogs. Unfortunately we missed them as they were quite far while we were there but we knew in advance there wasn't a guarantee to see them.

Our guides were top notch and making every effort to make sure we could see as much as possible. Especially if you like birds Laikipia and LWC should be on your list. The manager Steve is also making every effort to make sure you have a good time, again with activities different than in the Mara like walking safaris, night drives, swimming in the river, dinner in the bush,...

The tents are comfortable and clean with a nice view. Good hot water for showering and good internet from the dedicated internet tent." See all these reviews: 8n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Sightings Report

Eland

1 sighting

Elephant

10 sightings

Giraffe

5 sightings

Hippo

10 sightings

Leopard

1 sighting

Zebra

10 sightings

Miss P
London

"Dogs are back in town"

8 nights Arrived 27 Sep 2020
"This was a return to Laikipia Wilderness from a first visit in 2013, before the wild dog population was decimated by the distemper outbreak (in 2017). My trip was planned last minute to replace my Covid cancelled safaris, and I had read on LWC's FB that the revived pack had denned in June and so the timing was chosen to maximise the chances of seeing the puppies once they had left the den but hopefully not mobile enough to move too far afield.

This was a success and I enjoyed some fantastic sightings of the pack and their five puppies. The atmosphere at Laikipia Wilderness is very relaxed with no overtly strict "Covid protocols".

It's a lovely authentic owner run camp and it was a pleasure to spend time with the owner, Steve Carey and his children and hear about their bush adventures. I did a few great walks with Steve and also Barend, although it was a constant dilemma of whether to walk or track the dogs!!" See all these reviews: 13n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

6 sightings

Cheetah

1 sighting

Eland

5 sightings

Elephant

10 sightings

Giraffe

10 sightings

Hippo

4 sightings

Leopard

3 sightings

Spotted Hyena

10 sightings

Wild dog

10 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

Dr R.
Colombo 5

"Laikipia Wilderness"

3 nights Arrived 2 Oct 2019
"The four of us (2 couples) spent three nights at Laikipia Wilderness Camp (LWC). The camp is run with real passion and soul. This, I think is a reflection of Steve, the owner, who has instilled the same ethos in all his staff, several of whom told us that Steve was the best boss they have ever had. All four of us are experienced safari goers and we were primarily at LWC to try to see wild dogs, which we felt there was a good chance to do at LWC because of the radio tracking they were able to do as part of a research project. The dogs had moved on to a neighbouring ranch when we arrived, but LWC had access to this area as well, we did have to pay a small additional fee of USD 50 per person towards the Wild Dog Trust for the access, we did not mind this. We had a fabulous sighting of the entire pack, including a large number of pups, after a long search. As a bonus during our stay we also had two good sightings of leopard.

The camp facilities were unpretentious compared with many other premiums priced camps, although it was more than sufficient to meet all our needs. The food was fabulous. The staff were all friendly and efficient and provided exceptional service. The guides, including Steve who accompanied us on two game drives/walks, were very knowledgeable and skilled. I have no hesitancy in recommending LWC to any potential safari goer, particularly if you are interested in seeing wild dogs, which are not that easy to see in most other places." See all these reviews: 9n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Good
Sightings Report

Buffalo

Multiple sightings

Elephant

10 sightings

Giraffe

10 sightings

Hippo

5 sightings

Leopard

2 sightings

Spotted Hyena

Multiple sightings

Wild dog

10 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

Showing 11-20 of 35
94%
35 reviews of Laikipia Wilderness by travellers since August 2007
Overall rating by our travellers
27
6
1
1
0
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