GUIDE ON LAIKIPIA IN KENYA

Located in northern Kenya, the private conservancies of Laikipia represent an outstanding model of wildlife management that provides AfricanMecca guests with a distinctive safari vacation in Kenya. The conservancies are home to the second highest wildlife density in Kenya, and while many other areas are experiencing dwindling populations of animals, Laikipia is recognized for its ever-increasing numbers of wildlife, including threatened, rare and endangered species.

Guests who visit Laikipia during their bush travel in northern Kenya will not only see the Big 5 roaming freely, but also both black and white rhinos, African wild dogs, grevy’s zebras, reticulated giraffes, jackson’s hartebeests and other rare species. The statistics are almost staggering – the Laikipia conservancies are home to approximately half of Kenya’s black rhinos.



Accounting for 70% of the world’s population, the largest single population of grevy’s zebras is found in Laikipia. Other notable wildlife numbers are the second highest population of elephants in Kenya and one of Africa’s thriving wildernesses for wild dogs.

Beyond the individual species, Laikipia is recognized for having a greater diversity of large mammals than any other park or reserve in Kenya with the exception of Masai Mara. Overall, there are more than 70 different mammals and 440 avian feather species in the varied conservancies of Laikipia. Visitants also see some of Kenya’s most ferocious predators, including leopards, lions and cheetahs, and some distinct conservancies participate in important research studies to protect these mighty creatures.

The conservation and wildlife successes of Laikipia are largely attributed to the local efforts of individual conservancies contained within Laikipia’s borders. These individual conservancies are either privately or community-owned and operated, with some of the land belonging to the Kenyan ranchers of the early colonial settlers who have generously dedicated portions of their land to wildlife protection. Maasai, Samburu and other native tribes have joined the efforts, recognizing that the steps to preserve the ecosystems and animals not only ensure the future of their villages, but also of their culture and way of life.



Unlike many other places in East Africa, the people of Laikipia wilderness have learned to appreciate the native fauna as resources that can be effectively managed without jeopardizing human needs and welfare. These individual, sub-conservancies have each constructed safari accommodations that offer unfettered access to the flora and fauna through many activities that are not allowed at national parks in Kenya.

The limited number of lodge and camp rooms within each conservancy means that every AfricanMecca lodger is treated to an exclusive safari experience, no matter the budget, and chances are small that any other tour vehicles are seen during game drives.



Parts of the revenues from these sustainable accommodations are distributed between wildlife conservation, outreach and local programs to enhance the quality of local life. Additionally, conservancies like Lewa and Borana maintain and protect the vital migratory paths that the animals need to survive throughout the year.