| Off Season | Low Season | Mid Season | High Season |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
2010 set departure dates:
5th - 12th Feb 7 day Mara £2775
12th - 19th Feb 7 day Mara £2775
2nd - 12th March 8 days Mara + 2 Deloraine £3960
19th - 29th March 8 days Laikipia + 2 Sosian £3960
4th - 14th June 8 days Amboseli + 2 Deloraine £4200
18th - 28th June 8 days Mara + 2 Deloraine £4200
3rd - 10th July 7 days Mara £3040
10th - 17th July 7 days Mara £3040
6th - 16th August 8 days Mara Migration + 2 Del £4200
20th - 30th Aug 8 days Mara Migration + 2 Del £4200
3rd - 10th Sept 7 days Mara £3040
10th - 17th Sept 7 days Mara £3040
18th - 28th Sept 8 days Mara + 2 Del £4200
8th - 18th Oct 8 days Mara/Laikipia + 2 Del/Sosian £4200
Please click the cover to read Jane Wheatley's article on her Wild and Exotic exclusive ride with Offbeat Safaris
Offbeat riding safaris are perhaps the most exciting in all of Africa, and participants need to be competent riders to maximise their enjoyment. Safaris can be tailored to the requirements of a small group, however the normal format is for guests to join a set departure safari on itineraries that extend to 10 days. Two of these days are usually spent relaxing at Deloraine, the owner's sumptuous colonial mansion near Rongai, and the remainder riding through either the Mara plains or the Laikipia plateau in northern Kenya. The Mara offers wide open plains and quantities of plains game unrivalled anywhere else in the world - rides normally begin from a delightful campsite beneath the Loita Hills and finish on the banks of the Mara River over one hundred miles distant. Some days call for early starts and long rides, on others guests use the campsite as a base from which to explore the surrounding landscape. Nights are spent under canvas in comfortable tents, and guests are served exceptionally good food by uniformed waiters. Although riding with Offbeat is both challenging and strenuous, every concession to guest's comfort is made at camp, including hot water bottles, piping hot bush showers, ice cold cocktails, and an efficient laundry and shoe cleaning service.
Offbeat also organise rides of a similar nature through the vast and remote Laikipia plateau in the north, where the wildlife is equally diverse, if not evident in such numbers as the plains further south. In 2004 Offbeat Safaris and Wild and Exotic collaborated to pioneer a third and equally exciting destination through Amboseli National Park close to the border with Tanzania. All safaris are lead by either the owner, Tristan Voorspuy, or one of his experienced and charismatic guides.
We offer three riding itineraries with Offbeat Safaris. The Mara ride is our most popular itinerary however there is also a Laikipia (Northern) ride and an exciting safari in the Amboseli National Park. Please see the three separture itinerary tabs for more information including prices and departure dates.
Also, do contact us to discuss the detail of either Offbeat programme - we will be delighted to assist in the planning of your adventure, and having done several riding safaris in both locations, are eminently qualified to advise and help.
Please click on the play button below to watch the stunning film clip to get a feel for the amazing experience of an Offbeat riding safari
Wild and Exotic sample itinerary for the Offbeat Safaris Mara ride
Day 1: You will be collected from Nairobi airport and driven to the starting point of your riding safari.The journey will be broken for a picnic lunch, taken under the shade of an acacia tree, before continuing through the fertile Kikuyu Highlands and dropping 2000 feet into the Great Rift Valley. After crossing the volcano-studded floor of the Rift Valley you ascend the Mau Escarpment on the far side, and thence to the Masai capital of Narok. The 2008 rides all start with the guests flying from Nairobi to the start of the safari in the Mara. The campsite, which is besides a small stream that flows beneath a grove of fever trees, is reached in time for tea. Afterwards there should be time for an evening ride, or perhaps a walk through the Loita Hills. The accommodation is in roomy twin bedded tents, complete with bedside table and personal washbasin and mirror outside. Dust from the journey is washed off underneath a piping hot bush shower. Dinner is served in the mess tent or underneath the stars besides a blazing campfire.
Day 2: Wake to the magical sounds of an African dawn, and the reassuring tinkle of hot water being poured into the washbasin outside your tent. Enjoy a delicious breakfast in the early morning sunlight before preparing your lunchtime snack and saddlebags for the 30-kilometer ride ahead. Your horse will be presented to you fully tacked up, and within an hour the Loita Hills are left far behind as you cross vast plains, populated by giraffe, gazelle, hartebeest, impala, wildebeest and zebra. The journey is broken for a picnic lunch and siesta in a suitably shady location, after which the ride continues to the Olare Lamun Springs. Here you will find your tent re-assembled, and your suitcase and other belongings neatly stowed besides your bed. Enjoy a hot shower before relaxing with a cold drink, as a prelude to a superb three-course dinner.
Day 3: Today is spent exploring the landscape surrounding this lovely area. You will be given the opportunity to leave at dawn for an early morning ride amongst the herds of plains game that carpet the plains in all directions. Afterwards return to a well deserved breakfast, and then set off to climb a nearby Kope, a steep rocky hillside with commanding views across Maasailand. During this walk your armed guide may be able to point out lion, buffalo, and leopard that frequent the area. Return to the camp for a late lunch and siesta, followed by a visit to a nearby Masai village. Here you are granted an insight into the extraordinary lifestyle of the famous Masai tribe, who live in simple huts constructed of mud and cattle dung, and whose wealth is measured not in money, but according to the number of cattle they own. After dinner join your guide for a nighttime foray into the bush by land rover, and see a multitude of unusual nocturnal animals, such as bush babies, spring hares and the perhaps the rare serval cat, illuminated by the powerful beam of a spotlight.
Day 4: Today you head off in good time for the longest ride of the trip, a journey of some 50 kilometers through acacia thickets, hidden valleys and huge savannah plains. As the day continues the ride encounters an increasing quantity of game on the fringes of the Mara River ecosystem. Expect to see both elephant and buffalo, as well as experiencing the unique sensation of galloping amongst herds of wildebeest that swarm in countless thousands across the grassy plains. Lunch - and a swim for the adventurous - is taken besides a delightful river that flows through a verdant wooded valley populated by elephant and buffalo. Shortly before arriving at the campsite on the edge of the Masai Game Reserve the ride reaches a plateau from whose vantage can be seen the far away plains of Tanzania's Serengeti wilderness in one direction, and the distant outline of the Loita Hills in the other. Campsite for the next three nights is located besides the Olare Orok Lugga. The abundance of game in this area is very evident, and at night both lion and hyena can be clearly heard from besides the campfire.
Days 5 & 6: The next two days are spent riding, walking and driving in search of game. There is the opportunity to ride out from campsite early every morning, or you may prefer to relax in bed and enjoy a late breakfast. The camp landrovers come in useful for an expedition through the Mara Game Reserve to the Mara River, followed a delicious barbeque lunch close by. Whilst driving through a corner of the reserve you may see other vehicles for the first time since arriving on day one. This is because the riding part of the itinerary operates beyond the confines of the Game Reserve, and therefore avoids the tourist activity that has tarnished the Mara's wilderness reputation. By taking to vehicles guests are provided with astonishing photographic opportunities, as it is possible to get close to larger game in absolute safety. An absence of Game Park restrictions also allows your guide to take you out by night on amazing spotlighting expeditions to witness the astonishing nocturnal activities of the wildlife. Whilst camping besides the Olare Orok Lugga, there will also be the chance to walk through dense scrub to a remote hidden valley. Here a river runs through the bottom of a towering gorge, and at its source guests can enjoy a refreshing swim in a deep, cool pool.
Day 7: We ride South West along the top of the escarpment enjoying glorious views to the east on excellent going for the horses. We hopefully see the beautiful Mrs Ross' and Schalows Turaco as well as much plains game. We descend the escarpment on foot along a rocky cattle track and have a picnic lunch under some acacias at the foot of the escarpment.
After lunch we ride back through the Mara Triangle at the foot of the escarpment before ascending on a game trail. Many bachelor buffalo herds are a feature of the afternoon. Overnight Soit Olololol.
Day 8: We descend the escarpment again and ride across to the same wildebeest crossing on the river. We head in a North Western direction and after lunch, we find our final campsite set up on the banks of the Mara River. Close by there are some hippo pools and their grunting at night is a special feature of this camp. Overnight Mara River.
Day 9: Leaving camp after breakfast with a picnic lunch we drive to Deloraine via the impressive tea growing area of Kericho. We arrive in time for tea and an evening walk around the beautiful garden. Overnight Deloraine.
Day 10: An early morning ride before breakfast is optional. Also day trips to either Lake Nakuru or Bogoria famous for their flamingos can be arranged with a picnic lunch. Overnight Deloraine.
Day 11: There is the chance of a final ride this morning, or you may prefer to relax in the comfortable surroundings of Deloraine, and enjoy the swimming pool and gardens. Before leaving for Nairobi, guests are served a delicious lunch and depart early afternoon in time to check-in for the evening flight home.
Notes:
The cost includes shared accommodation, food and drink (excluding champagne), internal transfers as mentioned in the itinerary and park fees.
The cost excludes international flights, staff tips, single supplements and visa fees. As ATOL license holders (no. 6445) we can arrange your international flights to Nairobi.
The single supplement charge will be waived for those prepared to share accommodation.
Please note that whilst sample itineraries provides an accurate description of what you can expect to experience, campsites and itineraries are deliberately flexible in order to maximise game viewing opportunities according to the seasons and movements of game through the areas in which Offbeat operate.
Neither Wild and Exotic nor the operators or suppliers can accept any responsibility for changes to itineraries or dates that may arise due to weather or unforeseen circumstances such as changes, disruptions or delays to airline flights for whatever reason. This holiday is subject to Wild and Exotic's terms and conditions, a copy of which will be enclosed with your booking form.
Wild and Exotic fact sheet for Offbeat riding safaris
Accommodation: Spacious 10ft x 9ft sleeping tents with fly windows and built in floors. All are furnished with bedside tables, camp beds (double on request), mattresses, sheets and blankets, hot water bottles are supplied in the evenings, as are towels, soap and torches. There are gas lamps and hurricane lamps in each tent. Each double tent has its own private loo and hot showers are available at any time should you wish to clean off.
Activities: On non-moving days there is the opportunity to walk, swim and take game drives; sometimes we can arrange bird shooting, even fishing trips to Lake Victoria are possible for an extra charge provided that Wild and Exotic receive sufficient notice. At night we take powerful spotlights and have often been rewarded with experiencing the sensational sights that normally take place under the cover of darkness.
Cash: Suggest you change US$100 on arrival and get $30 in small change Kshs.20, 50 and 100 notes. There are no opportunities to change money once you have left Nairobi and small attractive items are on sale from the Masai.
Children: Children are accepted on riding safaris but they must be competent riders. There are no discounts for children.
Clothing List: Clothing list will be sent on request. A free laundry service is provided on all non-moving days and boots and shoes are cleaned daily by the Offbeat staff.
Drinks: Beers and Sodas are free, as is all alcohol on tailor made safaris. Set departures request for wines, spirits to be covered at cost. Duty fee whisky is offset against this if brought. Ice and lemon is supplied for drinks at all campsites.
Game: Is plentiful everywhere on riding safaris, including elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard and cheetah, as well as the countless tens of thousands of plains game that congregate in the Mara at certain times of year. Although rides take place where dangerous game abounds, the guides are knowledgeable and conversant with the habits and likely reactions of the game in any situation.
How to Get There: There are daily flights from the UK to Nairobi. Unless you wish to spend a night in Nairobi (Wild and Exotic can recommend hotels and book on your behalf) you are advised to take flights that arrive into Nairobi in the morning. Wild and Exotic are licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority (license number 6445) to sell the international flights necessary for this itinerary. Please contact us for further details and our recommended airlines. A representative of Offbeat will meet you on arrival and you will be driven to join the start of the safari, enjoying a picnic lunch en route. Nairobi is three hours ahead of Greenwich meantime, so there is little adjustment required by the body clock.
Insurance: Whilst Offbeat carry public liability insurance and take all possible care we strongly advise you to have full medical and holiday insurance. Wild & Exotic can arrange this if instructed.
Length of Rides: 4 - 6 hours in the saddle. Picnic lunch carried in saddlebags on moving days, with lunch breaks of up to two hours. Some walking on foot may be necessary over very rough terrain.
Meals: Delicious full breakfasts that comprise fruit, porridge, bacon, sausages, eggs, tomatoes and fresh bread are served every morning. On moving days you carry saddlebag picnics, otherwise lunches may be served at campsite or by barbeque over an open fire. Dinner is three courses of fresh ingredients served by candlelight under the stars and besides a roaring campfire. There are supplies of dry ice and cubes, and camps are self sufficient for a week. Bread is baked daily on open fires and the chefs are extremely good and versatile.
Medical and safety: A medical kit is on hand in camp and in the saddle. Radio contact is maintained from camp with the Flying Doctor Service. Clients should take an anti malarial drug as a precaution.
Non-Riders: Offbeat will take non-riders but this should be discussed with Wild and Exotic first. The full set departure trips are not recommended for non-riders.
Riding Ability: You should be comfortable at all paces and able to gallop out of trouble. Rides are in big game country. You should be fit enough to ride between 4 and 6 hours a day.
Single Supplement: Is only charged for those who are not prepared to share accommodation.
Size of the Rides: Maximum of 12 guests.
Tack: English. Various saddles, polo, wintec, French Trekking and Australian stock. Mainly snaffle bridles.
Terrain: Most of the rides in Masai land and the Northern ranches are on open savannah (black cotton soil) interspersed with bush. They are short grass plains ideal for riding. Care must be taken for aardvark holes, but canters and gallops are taken across the open spaces, where it is often possible to experience the unique sensation of galloping amongst herds of game that extend into literally thousands of animals.
Type of Horses: Well schooled thoroughbred and thoroughbred cross. Many are home bred out of our best mares and are used as polo ponies. They are responsive, tough and fit, capable of jumping bush obstacles, swimming rivers and galloping besides wildebeest.
Types of Safari: Riding and land rover safaris are operated from luxury mobile-tented camps in remote areas. All are supported by lorry and a full complement of trained and attentive staff. Riding safaris are always accompanied by land rovers, which drive ahead using a completely different route taken by the horses to prepare the new campsites. These vehicles are used for game drives, particularly with spotlights at night.
Visas: Visas can be purchased on arrival in Nairobi for £35 or $50 or arranged in advance from the Kenyan Embassy.
Weather: There is no winter or summer, as the areas in which Offbeat operate are so close to the Equator. There are two rainy seasons November and April to May. The hottest months are February and March, September and October but there are no hard and fast rules on this. Rides are at an average of 5500ft. This makes for a cool climate, and also means there are very few mosquitoes and other biting insects.
Weight Limit: Maximum weight is 200 lbs for a novice rider and 210 lbs for an advanced rider (15 stone or 95 kg).Wild and Exotic sample itinerary for the Offbeat Safaris Amboseli ride
This ride begins close to the border town of Namanga, and crosses through Amboseli national park en route to the Chyulu Hills away to the east, with Africa's highest mountain, the snow capped Kilimanjaro, as a constant backdrop to your adventures. The distance in a straight line is some 90 miles, however you will cover a much greater distance exploring the bush.
Day 1: You will be collected from Nairobi international airport and driven to the first campsite at Lalahroi - meaning swamp of the buffaloes - near Namanga, stopping en route for a picnic lunch, there should be time for an evening ride before dinner. Overnight Namanga.
Day 2: Today you begin the ride towards Amboseli, heading eastwards parallel to the Tanzanian border. You are likely to see game such as giraffe, zebra, eland, gerenuk, a glimpse of a lesser kudu, impala, wildebeest, Grants and Thompson's Gazelle on your way to the Ngorambuni rocks, where a huge boulder on top of a rocky kopje provides a cool and shaded picnic spot with panoramic views towards Amboseli. After lunch you ride across the dried up lakebed to a campsite at Soit Nado (red rocks), where your tents are pitched beneath a grove of lovely fever trees, some 200 yards from the Tanzanian border, and home for the next three nights. Overnight Soit Nado camp.
Day 3: From this base you are able to ride and drive out from camp in any direction, exploring the defunct Meerschaum mines, the extraordinary landscape of Lake Amboseli Lake, and the surrounding marshes. These provide shelter to thousands of head of game, including large herds of buffalo and the famed herds of Amboseli elephant who spend hours of their day like dinosaurs in the swamp before wandering out onto the desert like features of the lake bed with its shimmering mirage of heat haze. Overnight Soit Nado camp.
Day 4: Another morning exploring the area on horseback, perhaps crossing the border to explore the foothills of Mt Kilimanjaro. We will take a day drive into Amboseli with a barbeque lunch, so will be able to get some close up shots of big game from the landrovers. Approaching large and peaceable bull elephant of 70 lb+ tusk size per side by horse and landrover is one of the more exciting prospects from the Soit Nado area. Overnight Soit Nado camp.
Day 5: Today we move camp from Soit Nado heading northeast across the National Park, skirting the green swamps and passing large amounts of game as you canter across the lake bed, which provides near perfect going for horses without any of the dreaded aardvark holes to trap the unwary. You will break for lunch on the far side of the lake bed, and a welcome siesta beneath the shade of an acacia before riding a further 10 miles to camp at Risa, on the plains between Amboseli and the Chyulu Hills.
Day 6: The ride continues towards the Chyulu Hills, which rise from the plains to a height of 7000ft. These hills are recent volcanoes only 500,000 years old and some of the craters and lava flows are only 200 years old. This evening you will camp at the foot of a small hill, amongst beautiful groves of Balanites and Acacia Tortilis trees with craters rearing up at intervals as if the ride were passing through some kind of magical theme park. Overnight Millennium campsite.
Days 7 and 8: We will spend two full days at the Millennium camp from where we will do an early morning stalk accompanied by game scouts, to find fresh signs of the small but closely guarded black rhino population that live in the Lava flows of the Chyulus. We shall also do some game drives and take an energetic walk up Ol Donyo Sambu, one of the conical craters found towards the western end of the range. There will also of course be the opportunity for some early morning and evening rides in this stunning scenery with soft volcanic ash as great going for the horses. Overnight Millennium campsite.
Day 9: After breakfast you will fly direct to Deloraine for your final two nights in Africa. Deloraine is a fabulous colonial mansion built by Lord Francis Scott, a prominent settler and politician in Kenya, and now the headquarters of your hosts, Tristan and Lucinda Voorspuy. Here you can choose between walking, riding, swimming, tennis or croquet - or relaxing besides the swimming pool with a cold drink. Dinner and overnight Deloraine.
Day 10: Enjoy an early morning ride into the hills behind Deloraine, and then visit Lake Nakuru or Bogoria with a picnic lunch. The journey to Nakuru takes less than an hour, and is broken by a visit to the market place where there is the chance to bargain for souvenirs, or just watch the bustle of this busy African town. Nakuru is famous for its healthy flamingo population, as well as an abundance of other game including black and white rhino, leopard and buffalo. You will return to Deloraine for a three-course dinner in the evening.
Day 11: After an early last ride and breakfast we can relax in the comfortable surroundings of Deloraine, enjoy the swimming pool, gardens and attendant sports. We will leave for Nairobi after lunch by the pool by vehicle for an approx 3 hours drive on reasonable tarmac road. Arriving in time for your onward transfers as necessary.
Notes:
The cost includes shared accommodation, food and drink (excluding champagne), internal transfers as mentioned in the itinerary and park fees.
The cost excludes international flights, staff tips, single supplements and visa fees. As ATOL license holders (no. 6445) we can arrange your international flights to Nairobi.
The single supplement charge will be waived for those prepared to share accommodation.
Please note that whilst the sample itinerary provides an accurate description of what you can expect to experience, campsites and itineraries are deliberately flexible in order to maximize game viewing opportunities according to the seasons and movements of game.
Neither Wild and Exotic nor the operators or suppliers can accept any responsibility for changes to itineraries or dates that may arise due to weather or unforeseen circumstances such as changes, disruptions or delays to airline flights for whatever reason. This holiday is subject to Wild and Exotic's terms and conditions, a copy of which will be enclosed with your booking form.
Wild and Exotic sample itinerary for the Offbeat Safaris Laikipia or Northern Ride
Day 1: You will be collected either from Jomo Kenyatta Airport or your Nairobi hotel and driven across the famous Rift Valley to Deloraine, a fabulous colonial mansion built by Lord Francis Scott a prominent settler and politician in Kenya, and now the headquarters of your hosts, Tristan and Lucinda Voorspuy. You will arrive in time for lunch, with a choice of walking, riding, swimming, tennis and croquet available afterwards - or you may prefer to unwind besides the pool with a cold drink. Dinner and overnight Deloraine.
Day 2: Enjoy an early morning ride into the hills behind Deloraine, and then visit Lake Nakuru or Bogoria with a picnic lunch. The journey to Nakuru takes less than an hour, and is broken by a visit to the market place where there is the chance to bargain for souvenirs, or just watch the bustle of this busy African town. Nakuru is famous for its healthy flamingo population, as well as an abundance of other game including black and white rhino, leopard and buffalo. You will return to Deloraine for a three-course dinner in the evening.
Day 3: Drive from Deloraine, via Nakuru, Thompson Falls and Rumuruti to Sosian Ranch. This is a fascinating journey through African villages, farmland and bush. The delightful and secluded campsite besides the Ewaso Narok River is reached in time for a late lunch, after which there is an opportunity to enjoy an afternoon ride or game drive before dinner. Sosian is a stunning wilderness property recently purchased by a consortium of friends, including the owners of Offbeat Safaris. Although there is a small herd of breeding cattle, camel and sheep on the ranch, most of Sosian's 24,000 acres are given over to indigenous wildlife including healthy populations of elephant, buffalo, giraffe, lion and leopard. Overnight Sosian.
Day 4: Today you will be woken at dawn for a magical ride across Sosian ranch, and possible encounters with elephant, buffalo and other game. Return to campsite for a delicious breakfast of fresh fruit, porridge and cream followed by a bacon, sausages and eggs. Afterwards head out in a specially adapted land rover for further game viewing, and the opportunity to get even closer to the big herds of elephant that populate this beautiful ranch. Lunch today is a leisurely affair, taken on your return to campsite during which the wine flows freely, and discussions centre on the morning's adventures. Following an afternoon siesta, enjoy sundowners besides the Ewaso Narok River a few miles downstream from campsite. Here the waters plunge dramatically off the edge of an escarpment into a deep pool to create a delightful swimming spot - the adventurous can leap off the rocks into the cool waters some thirty feet below. Nocturnal game can be picked out by spotlight en route to dinner back at campsite. Overnight Sosian campsite.
Day 5: Today is a moving day, and you leave camp after breakfast for the five hour ride to Loisaba, although frequent detours may be necessary in order to avoid disturbing herds of big game that favour the dense scrub through which you pass. Lunch is taken under the shady veranda at Il Penguin ranch, the charming home of Nick and Heather Day, before riding on across Loisaba ranch and arriving at a delightful campsite set up beneath a stand of tall yellow fever trees. The nearby dam is a favoured place for lions to congregate, especially in the dry season when the surrounding environs are much favoured by other game needing access to water. After dinner explore Loisaba by spotlight from the safety of a land rover, and watch nocturnal animals such as the African wildcat, striped hyena and aardwolf. Overnight Loisaba campsite.
Day 6: Today is spent exploring some of Loisaba's sixty thousand acres of wilderness, beginning with an exciting early morning ride before the temperatures heat up, and game has not yet settled down into thicker scrub for the day. Expect to find elegant reticulated giraffe, distinguished by the clean white lines that separate their rich chestnut markings, rare Grevy's zebra with bulb-like ears, and perhaps a lithe cheetah bitch accompanied by her cubs, as well as impala, Thompson's and Grant's gazelle, kudu, Oryx and other plains game. After a couple of hours return for the usual substantial breakfast, and then depart by land rover for the Ewaso Ngiro River, where your guide will select a suitable place for swimming and a late barbeque lunch. As succulent lamb chops are prepared over the fire, enjoy a refreshing dip in the swirling waters, and then relax with an ice cold cocktail before sitting down to a magnificent lunch of meat, salads and quiches. On the way home search for game from the comfort of your land rover, and perhaps enjoy an encounter with one of Loisaba's resident lion prides. Overnight Loisaba Campsite.
Day 7: Today you ride to the next campsite on Mpala ranch, owned by George Small, who has bequeathed the property to the Smithsonian Institute in perpetuity. This is a long journey of some forty miles through a richly varied landscape of hidden green valleys, sweeping escarpments, wide-open planes and thick scrubland where the cruel wait-a-bit thorn lies in ambush to tear and pluck at the unwary. After riding for an hour or so, breast the summit of a small rise and look out over miles of untouched wilderness to the twin peaks of your destination - the Mpala campsite - shimmering in the heat haze way out on the sunlit plains that stretch interminably ahead. On a clear day it may be possible to make out the silhouette of Mt Kenya peering through the clouds that roll in to cloak the mountain each dawn. Before reaching the Ewaso Narok River where you break for lunch and a welcome swim, you must first dismount from your horse and lead it down the steep Ewaso Narok escarpment on foot. When weaving through the thick thorn country beyond, expect to see huge flocks of vulturine guinea fowl taking to the wing in a shower of iridescent finery, or perhaps the shy gerenuk antelope - it stands on its hind feet to browse - or a Kudu bull disturbed from a secluded waterhole. By late afternoon you reach the charming Mpala campsite and discover tents set up besides the river on a level plain dotted with mature fever trees. Enjoy a well-earned cold drink or two before sitting down to dinner served beneath the stars. Overnight Mpala Campsite.
Day 8: This morning you leave after breakfast for a gentle five-hour ride to El Karama ranch, home of the Grant family. After weaving southwards through miles of whistling thorn and traversing part of the Segera ranch, you breast the lip of the gorgeous Suguroi lugga, a hidden valley frequently favoured by large and varied herds of game. You may have to follow your guide carefully as he circumnavigates herds of potentially dangerous cow elephants and their young, sometimes passing within metres of these ill tempered grey giants and their huge fanning ears testing the wind for noise. El Karama is reached early in the afternoon, and the Ewaso Ngiro flowing through camp provides a refreshing dip before lunch. After a siesta embark on a game drive in the cool of dusk, returning to the roaring fire of campsite in the dark. Overnight El Karama.
Day 9: This morning you set off after breakfast for the final campsite in the Loldaiga Hills, a five-hour ride eastwards across Ol Jogi, Mogwooni and Enasoit Ranches. As the ride moves into higher ground the landscape undergoes a subtle change to include magnificent cedar trees in the foothills and the paths become steeper and rockier as you climb into the mountains, until eventually the horses are picking their way up a precipitous elephant track that clings to the contours of a dramatic gorge. Lunch is taken besides a waterhole at the head of this steep valley, and from there it is an easy ride to the final campsite in the Loldaiga hills. Here the tents are pitched around on the grassy floor of a small valley surrounded by cedar forest, with peerless views across the plains to the jagged, snow capped peaks of Mount Kenya - now tantalisingly close, although the mountain was barely discernible from the safari's starting point a week earlier on Sosian ranch. Overnight Loldaiga.
Day 10: The morning is spent exploring the lovely Loldaiga hills by land rover with game sightings that may include the rare Jackson's Hartebeest, as well as the usual elephant, giraffe, zebra and other plains game. After breakfast the energetic may choose to climb to the top of a steep rocky kopi and gaze out across the plains towards where the safari began, before returning to campsite for lunch and then a final ride before night draws in and guests gather around the warm campfire, which dispels the chill mountain air.
Day 11: Say goodbye to this beautiful campsite and set off to Nairobi after a leisurely breakfast.
Notes:
The cost of this itinerary is £3960 per person for 10 days including two charter flights.
Laikipia is a unique wildlife area and contains an enormous diversity of wildlife. It is famous as the last reserve of the Jackson's Hartebeest and is home of several rare species such as the Reticulated Giraffe, Beisa Oryx, Grevy's Zebra, Gerenuk and Somali Ostrich amongst others. In recent years landowners have turned their back on cattle ranching in favour of wildlife conservation, and even large predators such as lion and hyena are more abundant now than they were 25 years ago.
Please note that whilst the sample itinerary provides an accurate description of what you can expect to experience, campsites and itineraries are deliberately flexible in order to maximise game viewing opportunities according to the seasons and movements of game through the Laikipia region.
Neither Wild and Exotic nor the operators or suppliers can accept any responsibility for changes to itineraries or dates that may arise due to weather or unforeseen circumstances such as changes, disruptions or delays to airline flights for whatever reason. This holiday is subject to Wild and Exotic's terms and conditions, a copy of which will be enclosed with your booking form.
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Kenya
"We had the most fantastic holiday ever with Offbeat. Tristan was great and all the children had a wonderful time and we loved the camps, especially Meru camp, which was very beautiful and completely unspoilt and we swam in rivers and fished a bit as well as going on game drives. Thank you for arranging everything." Louise Guinness Kenya (Offbeat riding safaris)