Top 5 Walking Safari Destinations in Kenya
Kenya is home to numerous national parks and reserves, ensuring plentiful opportunities for game viewing and diverse activities. While game drives are the primary safari experience in Kenya, the country's extensive landscapes allow for a range of thrilling activities. Among these are camel riding, horseback riding, tubing, helicopter tours, community visits, hot air balloon adventures, and more. In recent times, Kenya has increasingly embraced walking safaris, offering this immersive experience wherever feasible.
Walking in the Loita Hills in Kenya
In Kenya, walking safaris are not allowed in most national parks and reserves like the Masai Mara Reserve, Samburu, and Tsavo. However, they are increasingly popular in surrounding conservancies, private ranches, and wildlife concessions across the country.
While Zambia and Zimbabwe are renowned for their walking safaris, Kenya's bush walks offer an intimate exploration of its landscape. Guides focus on the finer details of the bush – the flora, fauna, footprints, culture, and scenery. Although big game sightings are not guaranteed, the excitement of walking in the bush is unparalleled.
Kenya boasts several camps and destinations renowned for their walking safaris. Here's a guide to the top five:
Sosian, The Laikipia Plateau: Located in central Laikipia Plateau on a private ranch, Sosian offers diverse landscapes, including a scenic walk along the Ewaso Narok River, featuring small waterfalls, natural plunge pools, and beautiful forests.
Saruni Samburu, Kalama Wildlife Conservancy: Positioned in the Kalama Community Wildlife Conservancy, Saruni Samburu offers expansive space and stunning cliff-top views. The vastness of the area inspires long walks in this breathtaking region.
Elephant Pepper Camp, Mara North Conservancy: Situated in the Mara North Conservancy, this camp offers bush walks focusing on local flora and fauna, including the 'elephant pepper' trees, known for their fiery taste and medicinal properties.
Tortilis Camp, Amboseli: Located in the Kitirua Conservancy near Amboseli National Park, Tortilis Camp offers walking safaris with views of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s largest mountain, providing a spectacular backdrop.
Lewa Safari Camp, Lewa: This camp, with access to 65,000 acres of private land, is known for exceptional game viewing and a variety of activities. It's part of Lewa Conservancy, which is dedicated to protecting endangered species, including 10% of Kenya's rhinos.