Laikipia sits on a sweeping plateau between the Aberdare Ranges and the foothills of Mount Kenya, and it is one of the most rewarding places in East Africa to spend time on safari. Unlike the well-trodden circuits of the Masai Mara or Amboseli, Laikipia operates largely through private conservancies that offer something increasingly rare in Kenya: space, silence, and genuine exclusivity. Whether you are planning African safari tours that cover multiple destinations or looking for a single standout stop, Laikipia deserves serious consideration.
The region is home to some of the largest populations of endangered species in East Africa, including Grevy’s zebra and black rhino. Its network of private conservancies has made it a global reference point for conservation-led tourism, blending wildlife protection with cultural encounters and outdoor adventure in a way few destinations in Africa can match. Here are 20 activities that make Laikipia worth the journey.
At a Glance: 20 Things to Do in Laikipia
• Classic game drive
• Explore Ol Pejeta Conservancy
• Track rhinos in Solio Game Reserve
• Walking safari
• Horseback safari
• Camel trekking with Samburu guides
• Visit Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary
• See the last Northern White Rhinos
• Lion tracking
• Birdwatching
• Visit Maasai and Samburu communities
• Sundowner drinks in the bush
• Stay in a luxury safari lodge
• Sleep under the stars on a star bed
• Explore Mukogodo Forest
• Kayaking at Muinge Dam
• Conservation experiences
• Lewa Safari Marathon
• Photography safaris
• Mountain biking in the wilderness
1. Classic Game Drive
Game drives are the backbone of any Laikipia visit and the region delivers them with a twist. Most private conservancies permit off-road driving, meaning your guide can follow animals wherever they go rather than staying on designated tracks. Night game drives are also widely available here, opening up encounters with nocturnal species that daytime safaris simply cannot offer. Expect lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, and a long list of antelope species on any given drive.
2. Explore Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Ol Pejeta, situated near Nanyuki, is one of the most important wildlife sanctuaries in Kenya. It holds the largest black rhino population in East Africa, operates the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary, and is the only place on earth where you can see the last two Northern White Rhinos. Game drives here cover an enormous range of habitats and the wildlife density is exceptional. Conservation tours are also available for visitors who want to understand the work happening behind the scenes.
3. Track Rhinos in Solio Game Reserve
Solio Game Reserve is one of the most rhino-dense places on the continent. Established specifically for rhino conservation, it now supports a thriving population of both black and white rhinos in a landscape of open plains and rocky ridges. Beyond rhinos, Solio is home to buffalo, leopard, and a rich variety of birdlife, making it a rewarding visit even on days when the rhinos are not immediately visible.
4. Walking Safari
A walking safari in Laikipia is an experience of a completely different order to a vehicle game drive. Moving slowly through the bush on foot with an armed guide, you begin to notice things that a vehicle simply rolls past: tracks in the dust, the call of a hornbill overhead, the smell of elephants before you see them. Experienced guides explain local ecosystems, identify plants, and read animal signs as you go. It is more demanding than a game drive but far more intimate.
5. Horseback Safari
Laikipia is one of the best destinations in Africa for horseback safaris. Wildlife is far less disturbed by horses than by vehicles, which means you can ride alongside herds of zebra and giraffe at remarkably close range. Several conservancies offer rides ranging from a few hours to multi-day expeditions across the plateau, and the riding itself through open savannah with Mount Kenya on the horizon is an experience worth the trip on its own.
6. Camel Trekking with Samburu Guides
In the drier northern reaches of Laikipia, camel trekking with Samburu guides offers a genuinely traditional way of moving through the landscape. These treks can run from a half day to several days, covering remote terrain that no vehicle can access. The Samburu guides bring deep knowledge of the land and its wildlife, and the pace of a camel trek creates space to observe the environment in a way that faster travel never allows.
7. Visit Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary
Kenya is not natural chimpanzee habitat, which makes Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary inside Ol Pejeta all the more remarkable. It is the only place in the country where you can see chimpanzees, all of them rescued from illegal wildlife trade or abusive captivity in Central and West Africa. Guided visits allow you to observe the chimps in their large, forested enclosures while learning about the rescue and rehabilitation process.
8. See the Last Northern White Rhinos
Najin and Fatu, the last two Northern White Rhinos alive on earth, live under round-the-clock armed protection at Ol Pejeta. Visiting them is genuinely moving. Conservation teams are working with scientists to develop assisted reproduction techniques that may eventually save the subspecies, and guided visits explain this ongoing effort in detail. Whatever the outcome, seeing these animals is an experience that very few people will ever have.
9. Lion Tracking
Several Laikipia conservancies collaborate with wildlife researchers to monitor lion populations using GPS collars and radio tracking equipment. Some of these conservancies open their tracking activities to visitors, allowing you to accompany researchers in the field. It is an educational activity that reveals how conservation science actually works on the ground, and the chance of finding lions this way is considerably higher than a standard game drive.
10. Birdwatching
Laikipia records over 400 bird species across its varied habitats, from open grassland to riverine forest and rocky escarpments. Notable species include the ostrich, lilac-breasted roller, secretary bird, martial eagle, and numerous raptors. The diversity of habitats within a single conservancy means serious birders can cover extraordinary ground in a short time, and most guides can identify species by call as well as sight.
11. Visit Maasai and Samburu Communities
Cultural visits to Maasai people and Samburu villages in and around Laikipia offer a genuine window into communities that have lived alongside wildlife for generations. Visitors can take part in traditional dances, watch beadwork demonstrations, tour a traditional manyatta, and hear stories that connect the community’s history to the landscape around them. These interactions are arranged respectfully and the income goes directly to the families and villages involved.
12. Sundowner Drinks in the Bush
The sundowner is one of the great safari traditions and Laikipia does it exceptionally well. As the light drops and the sky turns amber over the plateau, guides set up drinks and snacks at a carefully chosen viewpoint, often overlooking a waterhole or with Mount Kenya forming the backdrop. It is a simple pleasure but one that somehow captures everything that is good about being in the African bush.
13. Stay in a Luxury Safari Lodge
Laikipia is home to some of Kenya’s finest safari properties, many of them owner-managed and deeply committed to conservation and community benefit. Lodges here tend to be small, exclusive, and immersed in wilderness in a way that larger parks cannot match. Private game drives, bush dinners, and personal guiding are standard rather than exceptional at most top-end properties.
14. Sleep Under the Stars
A number of Laikipia conservancies offer star bed experiences where guests sleep on raised open-air platforms with nothing between them and the African sky. The sounds of the bush at night, the movement of animals nearby, and the extraordinary clarity of the stars above the plateau make this one of the most memorable overnight experiences available anywhere in Kenya.
15. Explore Mukogodo Forest
Mukogodo Forest is one of the largest indigenous forests remaining in Laikipia and the ancestral home of the Yaaku community, one of Kenya’s smallest ethnic groups. Guided walks through the forest cover birdwatching, plant identification, and cultural history, with Yaaku guides providing context that no outside guide can replicate. It is a quieter, slower kind of activity that rewards those who take the time for it.
16. Kayaking at Muinge Dam
Kayaking at Muinge Dam offers a completely different perspective on Laikipia’s wildlife. Paddling quietly across the water, you can observe elephants, giraffes, and antelopes coming to drink along the shoreline without the noise of a vehicle engine to disturb them. It is a peaceful activity that works particularly well in the early morning when the light is soft and the animals are most active around the water.
17. Participate in Conservation Experiences
Laikipia has established itself as one of Africa’s leading models for conservation-led tourism, and many conservancies actively involve visitors in the work. Guided conservation tours cover anti-poaching operations, habitat restoration projects, wildlife research programmes, and community engagement initiatives. These experiences give visitors a much deeper understanding of what it actually takes to protect wildlife in a place like Laikipia.
18. Lewa Safari Marathon
The Lewa Safari Marathon is one of the most famous fundraising events in Africa, held annually on the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy at the northern edge of Laikipia. Runners from across the world take on the course through open wildlife areas, raising funds for conservation and community projects across the region. Spectating is an experience in itself, with the combination of competitive running and free-roaming wildlife creating a genuinely unique atmosphere.
19. Photography Safaris
The combination of rare and endangered species, dramatic landscapes, and flexible off-road access makes Laikipia one of the best photography destinations in Kenya. Grevy’s zebra, black rhino, reticulated giraffe, and wild dog are among the subjects that serious wildlife photographers travel specifically to photograph here. Most conservancies can arrange specialist photographic safaris with guides who understand light, positioning, and animal behaviour in detail.
20. Mountain Biking in the Wilderness
Mountain biking through the open plains of Laikipia is an adventure that very few people associate with a Kenya safari, but it is available at several conservancies and it is genuinely exhilarating. Riding through wildlife areas on trails that cross game corridors, you cover ground at a pace that sits between a walking safari and a vehicle drive, fast enough to cover distance but quiet enough to get close to animals. It is one of the more unusual ways to experience northern Kenya and one of the most memorable. If you are planning Kenya safari tours that go beyond the standard circuit, Laikipia and its extraordinary range of activities is where to start.
Why Visit Laikipia with Africa Holiday Safaris
Laikipia rewards travellers who want more than a standard game drive experience. The conservancy model that defines this region means lower visitor numbers, more flexible guiding, and a stronger connection between tourism and conservation than you will find in most of Kenya’s national parks. Africa Holiday Safaris works with experienced local guides and carefully selected conservancy partners to build Laikipia itineraries that make the most of everything the region offers, from wildlife encounters and cultural visits to adventure activities and luxury lodge stays. It is a destination that consistently surprises people and consistently brings them back.
Conclusion
Laikipia stands apart from every other safari destination in Kenya. The combination of endangered wildlife, private conservancies, cultural depth, and adventure activities creates an experience that is difficult to replicate anywhere else in East Africa. Whether you come for the rhinos at Ol Pejeta, the horseback rides across the plateau, the night skies above a star bed, or the chance to kayak alongside elephants at a waterhole, Laikipia will give you something to talk about long after you get home.
