Laikipia & Lewa and Meru Reserves

Why visit Laikipia, Lewa and Meru?

Laikipia, a plateau district straddling the equator north west of Mount Kenya, is at the forefront of ecotourism in Kenya, and a pioneer in world terms in this sphere, mainly due to the leadership shown by Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. Lewa’s plains and escarpments contain a diverse range of habitats supporting an abundance of wildlife second only to the Masai Mara. Meru National Park is home to a large pride of lions, and was the setting for the book "Born Free".
Reasons to visit Laikipia, Lewa and Meru include:

• The glorious landscape of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, its vast plains stretching from the Rift Valley to magnificent escarpments dropping to the Northern Frontier District.
• Superb game drives - look for the Big Five (including thousands of elephants) and an increasing population of wild dogs, plus 25% of the world’s Grevy zebras. 
• Like rhinos? Over 50% of Kenya’s black and white rhinos make their home in Lewa.
• Enjoy wonderful views of snow-capped Mount Kenya from the beautiful surrounds of Meru National Park. 
• Meru’s swamps, rivers and woodlands provide habitat for over 300 species of birds, including the Pel’s Fishing Owl, eagles and the Peter’s Finfoot. 
• Meru is also home to the Big Five and to rare antelope, including the tiny dik-dik.

When to go to Laikipia, Lewa and Meru

The best time to visit northern Kenya for game viewing is January to March and July to October. But there is more than wildlife to this region, the scenery is beautiful. April and May see the rains but afterwards, in June and July the scenery is lush and green. July and August can be fairly chilly and December to March sees the warmest weather.

How to do it

You can drive to this area from Nairobi in around 4 ”“ 5 hours, or it is accessible by air to one of the many airstrips servicing this area.  Flights from Nairobi take about 1 hour. Laikipia, Lewa and Meru all combine easily with Samburu, Masai Mara and Amboseli.

Accommodation in Laikipia, Lewa and Meru

There are many excellent accommodation options in northern Kenya. There are traditional tented safari camps like Kitich camp which cater for walking safaris, or if you prefer bricks and mortar then Borana Lodge in Laikipia is a good option. Many of the lodges in this area are involved in community projects ranging from education to environmental projects, look for the heart logo to find out more.