Laikipia
El Karama Ranch, also known as El Karama Lodge, sits in central Kenya's Laikipia Plateau on a spectacularly beautiful, 6,000 hectare cattle ranch. It's a true home from home, and the Grant family will go out of their way to make you feel totally comfortable and very, very welcome. Cattle ranch it may be, but you're far more likely to notice the abundance of game, including lion, leopard, cheetah and the impressive reticulated giraffe. Oh, and there's more activities on offer than you can shake a stick at, from game drives to camel riding, and jogging to baking lessons, El Karama has a particular emphasis on keeping the whole family entertained.
The main area is constructed of entirely natural materials, with stone walls, polished stone floors, and a traditional thatched roof. It houses a small bar, an intimate family dining table (though private dining is also available) and a couple of cushioned sofas and camp chairs. The decor is rustic, simple and down-to-earth, and you can definitely put your feet wherever you please! Down by the pool, there's a second lounge and dining area - the perfect spot for watching the birds flit in and out of the water.
Six, Fred Flintstone-style stone cottages are dotted around the grounds. Each one is slightly different in size and style, yet all are spacious with plenty of wicker furniture, and funky round and triangular glass windows. The chalets have ensuite bathrooms with giant stone and plaster baths, but the family rondavel has a separate outdoor bathroom. For extra space, book into the private 'Hobbit House', ideal for families, it is complete with two treehouse bedrooms, a huge round window for game viewing, and a resident genet cat!
There are over eighty species of mammals (including four of the big five) and 424 species of birds at El Karama, and plenty of ways to see them! Morning and evening game drives and walks are the core activities, but for something a little different, ask for a horse-back safari to be arranged for you, or a camel ride. Visits to nearby Nanyuki village are possible, as are baking lessons in the camp kitchen, and yoga and massage treatments are available on request. Now that's what we call a safari!
El Karama offers hope that wildlife can live alongside people and livestock with minimal conflict, and their holistic approach to sustainably managing both has been remarkably successful.
With game drives, night drives, walks, horse and camel rides, and rhino tracking on offer, you'll definitely need to stay for more than a few days!
Predator sightings at El Karama aren't as prolific as at some other lodges, but the tradeoff is that you'll have the sightings, and the extraordinary landscape, almost entirely to yourself.
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A patchwork of pretty reserves where conservation and communities are just as important as safaris.
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