Ngare Ndare Forest offers a very different environment from the open landscapes that define the rest of Laikipia. It is an indigenous forest that forms part of the wider Mount Kenya ecosystem, linking the mountain’s upper slopes with surrounding conservancies.

The main draw here is the forest itself. A raised canopy walk runs for several hundred metres above the forest floor, giving a clear sense of scale and structure that you do not get at ground level. From the viewing platform at the end, the transition from dense forest to the slopes of Mount Kenya is easy to see.

Lower down, the forest opens into natural pools and waterfalls fed by the mountain’s water system. These areas allow time to stop and explore on foot, and they are often used for walking and swimming rather than continuous movement.