Visit Lewa Wilderness Conservancy, The Laikipia Plateau
To the north of Mount Kenya, the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy stretches for over 45,000 acres. As a result of poaching, the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy was set up and now the amount of wildlife in the area has grown enormously, including many endangered species.
Lewa Wilderness Conservancy
The Laikipia Plateau, Kenya
To the north of Mount Kenya, the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy stretches for over 45,000 acres. Its story begins with a man named Ian Craig, who took over the running of his parents' cattle farm in 1977.
The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy
Wildlife used to roam free on the farm, but in the seventies increased poaching threatened the existence of many animals. In 1983, due to the plight of the rhino which had all been killed when they wandered off the farm, a rhino sanctuary was made from 5,000 acres of the ranch. This then grew to 10,000 acres and then in 1995 the entire farm was turned into the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. Eventually neighbouring land was also incorporated, including the Ngara Ndara forest to the south.
Wildlife of Lewa
As the conservancy has grown, the amount of wildlife it supports has increased and now you can enjoy some rewarding game viewing here. Both Grevy's and common zebra can be found on the open grass plains alongside Grant's gazelle, buffalo, reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx, eland and impala. Black and white rhino are both found and predators are well represented with lion, cheetah, leopard and hyena. During the heat of the late morning many of these animals converge at the swamps to drink. Waterbuck are always nearby and large elephant herds are frequent visitors so sometimes it is possible to see hundreds of animals all in one spot. Finally, the lucky may spot the rare swamp-dwelling antelope, the sitatunga.
Other places within The Laikipia Plateau
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- The Borana Ranch lies at the foot of Mount Kenya, just sixteen miles from the equator and 6,500 feet above sea level. The ranch is home to fifty indigenous tree families and over 300 species of bird life.
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- Ol Lentille is a private conservancy of 14,500 acres, lying around seventy-five kilometres north of Mount Kenya. Although not a place to tick off the Big Five, the varied terrain and diverse habitats of the conservancy nevertheless support a wide variety of wildlife.
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- The Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a 90,000 acre wildlife conservancy situated between the foot hills of the Aberdares and Mount Kenya. The conservancy has an extensive variety of animals including the big five as well as a chimpanzee sanctuary.
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- High up on the Laikipia Plateau the Sabuk Wilderness Area stretches over miles and miles of wilderness. Rugged and untouched country it is a place of open plains, rocky hillsides and deep gorges. Sabuk is one of the best places in Kenya to meet and learn about the Samburu culture and people.
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- Sosian is a 24,000-acre working ranch in the centre of the vast Laikipia Plateau. The scenery is beautiful, with views to the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kenya, the Aberdares to the south and the cedar-clad Karisia Hills to the north.
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- The Il Ngwesi Group Ranch is north of Mount Kenya and covers an area of 16,500 hectares. The ranch is not a ranch in the traditional sense but is rather a huge tract of land owned by many Maasai villages. Il Ngwesi is home to a wide range of big and small game.
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- The Lekurruki Group Ranch is north of Mount Kenya and covers an area of 60,000 acres. The Lekurruki is as much about learning about Maasai culture as it is enjoying the game and wilderness that this wonderful part of Kenya has to offer.
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- The Loisaba Wilderness Conservancy covers an area of roughly 150 square kilometres. Although not a place to tick off the Big Five, the varied terrain and diverse habitats of the conservancy nevertheless support a wide variety of wildlife.
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Lewa Wilderness Conservancy
View place- {EE1F02D4-CDE0-4106-A459-AED2B88C1CB0}
- To the north of Mount Kenya, the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy stretches for over 45,000 acres. As a result of poaching, the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy was set up and now the amount of wildlife in the area has grown enormously, including many endangered species.
- 0.236892025268525
- 37.4503326416015
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