Laikipia Plateau

Wildlife & Animals

Expert

Anthony is the author of the Lonely Planet guide to Kenya.

Laikipia Plateau is home to all of the Big Five. The different ranches offer very different wildlife experiences, and some have better animal densities than others. However, in general, the wildlife viewing is excellent. The plateau supports large numbers of elephants and plenty of predators. Most of the reserves have a good population of both black and white rhino.

ElephantCommon

GiraffeCommon

HippoCommon

BuffaloCommon

ZebraAbundant

WildebeestCommon

White RhinoCommon

Black RhinoCommon

LionCommon

LeopardOccasional

CheetahOccasional

HyenaCommon

Wild DogRare

Wildlife Highlights

Laikipia is home to more than 70% of the world’s remaining Grevy's zebra population, and it’s a good place to see the striking reticulated giraffe. It also has healthy numbers of wild dogs, although sightings are never guaranteed, and the reserves are home to one of Kenya’s most important lion populations. The fenced Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary at Ol Pejeta Conservancy supports a rescued chimpanzee population.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

Wildlife viewing at Laikipia is best in the dry months from July to September, when animals gather around predictable water sources. January to March is also good. Some lodges are closed in April, May and November due to rain. The soil in the region is mostly black cotton soil, which means that getting stuck is a real possibility after heavy rain.