14-19 Day Laikipia Holiday Camp
July 2004

Situated on Kijabe, Koija, Lekurruki, Il N’Gwesi and other Group Ranches on the Laikipia Plateau, our Laikipia Holiday Camp operation area covers over 800,000 acres, providing wonderful sites for students to explore. Our Holiday Programmes are unique, utilising a large area of Laikipia from the Acacia covered banks of the Uaso Nyiro River to the glacier covered peaks of Mt. Kenya and down to the sand filled luggars (river beds) at the base of the Laikipia plateau.

While we operate in a true wilderness area, rich in wildlife and Laikipia Maasai and Samburu culture, it is free from mass tourism and easy to access by road and air. Our ethos is simple. We aim to provide income for the communities of this region through camping and lodge fees, whilst challenging students, making them aware of the need to conserve flora and fauna and immersing them in the local culture.

Day 1: To Nairobi

Together with Nicholas Miller, Managing Director of Rift Valley Adventures, group departs.

Day 2: Arrive Nairobi

We are met and collected by the Rift Valley Adventures team. Our journey from Nairobi to Mt. Kenya and Nanyuki takes us through central province where the Rift Valley walls of the Aberdare ranges can be viewed. Soon the imposing bulk of Mt. Kenya, an the extinct volcano complete with equatorial glaciers, moor lands and huge tracts of forest, can be seen stretching up to 5199m. After lunch we make our way through traditional Maasai grazing land and to our Laikipia Adventure Education Camp. After a programme brief the evening is free to settle in and recover from your journey.

Day 3: Kijabe Group Ranch

The day is spent exploring Kijabe on mountain bikes, viewing game, visit a traditional manyatta, view everyday Laikipiak Maasai activities, view how honey is collected, bush skills, collecting water from dry river beds, general bush skills.

Day 4-8: Community Interaction Project

Community interaction project. Being motivated and full of enthusiasm is the key to interacting with local communites and helping in projects. Don’t worry if you think your skills are lacking, you will become a valuable member of the team and contribute greatly to the success of the project. After choosing what projects interest you we begin the real work.

Your recently acquired skills are put to work everyday, interacting with and if the programme permits, living with local villagers. A selection of projects that you may be involved in are:

• Build, repair and paint the local school or Kijabe Education Centre
• Conservation of endangered species (such as Wild Dogs)
• Water catchment surveying and construction
• Wildlife counts with Kijabe Group Rangers

Day 9: Abseiling and Rockclimbing

Kijabe has some of the best granite rock in the country perched on the edge of the Laikipia Plateau. For those that do not wish to participate there are numerous walking trails to lookout points with views over Northern Kenya.

Day 10: Canoe down the Uaso Nyiro River

After a quick vehicle trip to the Uaso River river we jump into canoes and paddle our way down river. With the Western World left far behind the raw feeling of a true wilderness area abounds, as does the wildlife. Paddling our way down through stunning rocky, river valleys you never know what we might see. We make a fly camp tonight on the river bank, a small fire to keep the chill off and lean back and watch the stars as you have never seem them before.

Day 11: To Lekkurruki Group Ranch and Tassia Eco-Lodge

In the morning we leave the Uaso Nyiro River and it’s elephants and other resident wildlife and head to Tassia. To get to Tassia Eco-Lodge we drive through Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and we will definitely see more wildlife here than anywhere else! Elephant, cheetah, leopard, rhino and the list goes on. Upon arrival at Tassia you have time to relax, take a swim in the pool and enjoy the sounds of the wilderness before a guided walk around the Group Ranch to meet the resident Laikipiak Maasai in all their splendour.

Day 12: Exploration of Lekkurruki

A full day spent exploring Lekurruki Group Ranch, viewing game, visit a traditional manyatta, view everyday Laikipiak Maasai activities. Here it is possible to witness Illaikipiak-Ndorobo indigenous skills such as hunting by disguising a donkey as an oryx, hut building, bee keeping, traditional dancing, medicinal plants, blood tapping from cows, milking, and branding all at first hand in their natural environment

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Prices includes international airfare, all land transport, meals, accommodation, activities, travel insurance, airport taxes and fully qualified & experienced Rift Valley Adventures instructors and group leaders.