Your Luxury Laikipia Plateau Safari

High on Kenya’s central highlands, the Laikipia Plateau stretches wild and wide beneath Mount Kenya’s watchful gaze , an ancient volcano crowned with glaciers and moorlands. This is a land of dry valleys and rocky escarpments, where dust devils tumble along sky-wide plains. The area, which was once a patchwork of colonial cattle ranches has reimagined itself as one of East Africa’s most progressive conservation landscapes. These days, conservation, culture, and tourism coexist harmoniously. Mount Kenya, Africa’s second-highest peak, rises like a myth from the forests. Despite the ruggedness of the region, this is an ecosystem of resilience where water trickles, forests rise, and indigenous wildlife thrives.

You won’t find crowds in this remote region, but you will find rare animal species. Laikipia shelters more black rhinos than anywhere else in Kenya and remains a vital refuge for Grevy’s zebras and African wild dogs. Reticulated giraffes, elephants, rhinos, cheetahs and abundant herds of game wander freely across unfenced conservancies. A closer look reveals excellent leopard viewing within riverine forests and hundreds of bird species flitting between acacias. The plateau is also home to the incredibly rare melanistic or black leopard.

Safaris here venture curiously beyond the norm. Camel treks, horse rides and walking safaris immerse visitors into the region’s intricacies. Lodges are low on impact but high on style: earthy stone cottages, tented suites and private houses fold discreetly into the hills.