Laikipia & Chyulu Hills Riding Safari

Spend the night in Nairobi at Karen Gables relaxing after your International travels

Take the early morning flight from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport to Nanyuki and then a road transfer to El Karama, Laikipia.

Settle in to your airy, thatched rooms, unpack and enjoy the river views as you take in the surroundings. Stroll over to the pool for lunch where you can taste the organic farm to fork menus and watch the birds feeding at their own colourful table.

Experienced riders over the age of 12 years can ride in this exceptional terrain over 14,000 acres choosing from 3 hour rides to full day rides and over night bivouac experiences with the team. Designed for small groups of riders, two to six (80kg weight limit), this is one of the most incredible ways to experience El Karama Wildlife Conservancy. The horses are medium-sized bush horses, savvy to the eco system and animals. They are strong and hardy and led by two equine guides. Hours in the saddle always vary depending on the weather, aptitude of the riders etc and so no itinerary is set in stone and can a morning or afternoon ride may be flipped if due to conditions or the weariness of the riders. 

Ol Donyo Lodge is located on over 111,000 hectares of private land in the heart of the Chyulu Hills, between Kenya’s Tsavo and Amboseli National Parks. The property, honed from the ancient lava rock spewed out of Kilimanjaro 360,000 years ago, creates a timelessness that touches everyone who visits. Safari experiences include horseback safaris, mountain bike safaris, guided walking safaris and open vehicle safari drives.

Ol Donyo Lodge is the perfect choice for those who wish to enjoy a riding safari, while staying in a luxurious lodge with swimming pool, massages, amazing views and top end service – and is perfect for mixed groups, some of whom can ride while the others game-drive, experience a walking safari or even try mountain biking through the African bush.

The horse riders will typically ride from the lodge either early in the morning or at sunset, and can of course also enjoy  enjoy game drives, bush walks as and when they choose.

Although Mount Kilimanjaro is the ever present backdrop, the habitat you ride though varies from the savannah plains, thick acacia forests, and the Chyulu Hills, the youngest range of volcanic hills in Africa. Within this area you may encounter all of the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo) as well as lots of plains game (various antelope, giraffe and zebra) and a myriad of birds life.

Ol Donyo can cater for riders from intermediate through to experienced rider. There are a selection of very well-schooled horses which are used to the wildlife and terrain. The horses are normally ridden in lightweight English saddles, however South African trail saddles and Western saddles are available which fit some of the horses.

Experienced riders (after an initial riding assessment) typically enjoy a long morning ride (around four hours), sometimes stopping for or ending with a picnic or brunch. There are lots of opportunities for long canters across the plains and great game viewing opportunities. Novice riders will usually be taken by vehicle to meet their horse on the more open plains in order to minimise the possibility of surprising an elephant (and your mount) in the woodland, these tend to be shorter rides and are often in the afternoon. Experienced riders will normally have a long morning ride, then a relaxing afternoon by the hide at the water hole, or go on a game drive –  it is not normally possible to ride twice a day.

After six nights on safari game-viewing it is time for some relaxation on the beach, which Kwindo Kwetu delivers in spades.

It is still possible to ride and as there there is horse riding on the beach and in the sacred ‘Kaya’ forests, with stables on site.

For the non-riders there are boat trips and visit to Kinondo Kwetu village and community workshops, there are vehicles to take guests to golf and Shimba Hills National Park; there is tennis, deep sea fishing, windsurfing, water skiing, paddleboards, scuba diving and two swimming pools – and of course the beach.

In the words of the Swedish owners, Ida and Filip Anderson, ‘we wanted to create an African ‘home away from home’ and this they have achieved in spades. Situated on a 16 acre plot south of Diana Beach and distanced from neighbours by rocky cliffs and endless beaches, this is a place to wind down completely and do nothing at all if the mood takes you but with the option to do a lot if not.  Each of the five cottages has its own personalised charm, furnished and decorated with Swahili handicrafts and antiques. Several are large enough to take more than two people, with Mama Tina being ideal for a family of up to six.   Three courses lunches and dinners are served daily in different spots – by the beach under the shade of trees or in the evening under the stars.  All the fruits and vegetables are locally grown and fresh fish and seafood is delivery daily to the doorstep.