Lewa, Loisaba, Solio and the conservancies
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with Mount Kenya, is one of Africa’s great rhino success stories and holds a significant share of the world’s Grevy’s zebra. Solio is a private rhino breeding sanctuary that has helped restock parks across Kenya. Loisaba, on the western edge of the plateau, is known for its star beds, open platforms where you sleep under the night sky.
Ol Pejeta, home to the last two northern white rhinos and a chimpanzee sanctuary, has its own page on this site. Together these conservancies make Laikipia the best region in Kenya for seeing both black and white rhino.
Wildlife and activities
Laikipia combines the classic species, lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo, with northern specialists such as reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, gerenuk and beisa oryx. It is also one of the strongholds of the African wild dog, which has returned to the plateau in recent decades.
Beyond game drives, many camps offer guided bush walks with Samburu and Maasai guides, horse and camel safaris, night drives for nocturnal animals, visits to anti-poaching teams and conservation projects, and mountain biking. It is an excellent region for families and for travellers who want to get out of the vehicle.
Getting there and when to go
By road, Nanyuki, the gateway town, is about four hours from Nairobi, with the conservancies a further one to two hours. Scheduled light aircraft fly from Wilson Airport to Nanyuki, Lewa and Loisaba in about an hour, which makes Laikipia easy to combine with Samburu, Meru or the Maasai Mara.
Laikipia is good all year, with the driest months from June to October and January to February. Its altitude keeps the climate pleasant, with warm days and cool nights.
Questions travelers ask
What is the difference between a conservancy and a national park?
Conservancies are privately or community-run land, so they can allow walking safaris, night drives and off-road driving, and they limit vehicle numbers. National parks are government-run and have stricter rules on activities.
Where is the best place in Kenya to see rhino?
The Laikipia conservancies. Lewa, Ol Pejeta and Solio protect large populations of black and white rhino.
How do you get to Lewa and Laikipia?
About four to five hours by road from Nairobi, or roughly an hour by scheduled flight from Wilson Airport to Nanyuki, Lewa or Loisaba.
Is Laikipia good for families?
Yes. Many conservancy camps welcome children and offer walks, horse riding and conservation visits, and the pleasant climate and short distances make it easy to travel with kids.
