Kicheche Laikipia

Rooms

The six large canvas tents, each named after the peaks of Mount Kenya, overlook the waterhole and the wide expanse of open bushland. You can open up the front of your tent to extend the feeling of being out in the bush. They each feature a furnished outdoor deck where you can sit and look out for passing wildlife or simply enjoy the view over a drink.

Inside, cushions and throws brighten up dark-wood furniture, giving the tents a traditional African theme. You have a large en suite bathroom and dressing area, a small sitting area and either a double or twin beds. There’s one family tent comprising two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Location

The camp is situated in the heart of the Ol Peteja Conservancy, a large area of bushland wilderness in Kenya’s Laikipia region that supports a wide variety of wildlife, including the country’s largest population of black rhino. Nanyuki airstrip is a 30-minute drive from the conservancy and, on clear days, you can enjoy impressive views of Mount Kenya from the camp.

Food and drink

• Food is of a high standard at camp, with all the vegetables and meat sourced from local farms.
• Breakfast and lunch are usually taken alfresco, and evening meals within the atmospheric dining tent with its open fireplace.
• Picnic breakfasts and lunches can also be arranged if you’re setting off on a longer game drive, and sundowner drinks and snacks will conclude your afternoon activity.

Families

• Children are welcome and the camp is fenced, though young children should still be accompanied at all times.
• The family tent provides ample space, and while the camp itself doesn’t have any child-specific activities or facilities, the conservancy runs a Junior Ranger Program for children aged 4 to 12. This involves filling out an activity booklet as you explore the conservancy and, on completion, you’re sworn in as a junior ranger, receiving a hat, certificate and pin badge.

Facilities and activities

The camp has its own two-person canoe for use on the dam in front of the property, and you can stretch your legs after a game drive by following the walking trail that loops around the property. Wi-Fi is available in the main communal area.

Activities include day and night drives, bush walks with professional guides, mountain biking and horse riding. You can also arrange to go fly camping for a night or two in the Lolldaiga Hills for a true wilderness experience.

The wider conservancy offers the chance to participate in lion tracking by vehicle, visit the endangered species enclosure where the last two northern white rhino on the planet are protected, and take a behind-the-scenes visit of the nearby chimpanzee sanctuary.

Environmental and social responsibility

The camp has a ‘gold’ eco-rating and uses solar power. Part of the profits from your stay go toward community and conservation projects, and many of the staff are local to the area.