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Stretching over a vast area from the foothills of Mount Kenya to the shores of Lake Baringo, the Laikipia Plateau is one of Kenya’s lesser known wildlife areas.

Wildlife of the Laikipia Plateau

It harbors more endangered species than anywhere else in East Africa. This is the place to see Grévy's zebra, Jackson’s hartebeest and wild dog. Many northern species are found including reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, beisa oryx and gerenuk. There are large elephant populations, thriving lion, leopard and cheetah and numerous impala and gazelle.

The land on the plateau is divided into huge wildlife conservancies, sometimes known as ranches after the farms that used to exist there. All are now devoted to wildlife conservation. There are seven large conservancies: Borana Ranch, Il Ngwesi Group Ranch, the Lekurruki Group Ranch, Sabuk Wilderness, Lewa Wilderness Conservancy, Loisaba Wilderness and Sosian Ranch.

Local Maasai communities

All the conservancies are very different from each other. Some, such as Il Ngwesi and Lekurruki are run by Maasai communities. Others, such as Lewa have been instrumental in research and education and as a guest you can learn about the ongoing projects. Sabuk works closely with Samburu communities as well as running camel treks into remote wilderness whilst Loisaba was the creator of the inventive ‘star bed’.

All of the conservancies are far from the beaten track and the place to relax in total wilderness. You might track elephant on foot, ride a camel across rugged plains or watch the sunset from the top of a kopje. The earth is brick red and game wild and unfettered as far as the eye can see.