Laikipia Maasai Group Ranch
Suggested Programme
The Laikipia Group Ranches are your base for this fantastic adventure.
Owned by the Laikipiak Maasai who go about their traditional lives,
the grassland, plains, forests, steep rocky valleys and the Uaso
Nyiro River makes these wilderness areas the place to be. With
all types of game present you never know what you might see.
Day 1 Depart Home
Day 2 Arrive Nairobi & Mt. Kenya
You are met and collected by the Rift Valley Adventures team at
JKI Airport Nairobi. Our journey from Nairobi to the William
Holden Wildlife Foundation Centre, take us through central province
where the Rift Valley walls of the Aberdare ranges can be viewed.
Soon the imposing bulk of Mt. Kenya, an extinct volcano complete
with equatorial glaciers, moor lands and huge tracts of forest,
can be seen stretching up to 5199m. After a programme brief the
evening is free to settle in and recover from your journey.
Day 3 Mt. Kenya & Lekurruki Group Ranch
After a morning walk
through the Mt. Kenya forest we board our vehicles for Il Ngwesi
Group Ranch as we will be staying at their wonderful eco-lodge.
To get to Il Ngwesi 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 Il Ngwesi you have time to relax 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 4 Exploration by Mountain Bike
Day spent exploring Il Ngwesi 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 5 Community Interaction Project
Being motivated and full of
enthusiasm is the key to interacting with local communities 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.
A selection of projects that you may be involved in:
1. Build, repair and paint the local school
2.
Conservation of endangered
species (such as Wild Dogs)
3. Water catchment surveying and construction
4. Wildlife counts with Group Ranch
Tonight we invite some of the Laikipiak Maasai school students
who helped to our camp for a feast! A time to spend a little more
time with your new found friends.
Day 6 Rockclimbing & Abseiling
Laikipia 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 7 Camel Safari
Lets pack up the camels and head
down to the Sinyai Luggar for a two day trek with the Laikipiak
Maasai. 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. We camp out underneath the stars complete with hot
water bush showers!
Day 8 Camel Safari
Following the Ngare Ndare river we head back
to Il Ngwesi for a well earned swim and relaxing afternoon.
Day 9 To Timau River Lodge
We leave the beautiful surroundings
of Il Ngwesi, back tracking the route we came in on through Lewa
Wildlife Conservancy. One last chance to view the amazing array
of animals with Mt. Kenya as a backdrop.
We rest at Timau River
Lodge for the night where the generous open fire and lounges are
great for relaxing after fly fishing for trout in the afternoon.
Day 10 To Nairobi
We head early to Nairobi and a visit to David
Sheldrick’s Elephant and Rhino Orphanage, before your evening
flight to home.
Day 11 Arrive Home
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