Stuart is an award-winning travel journalist covering safari, trekking and conservation in Kenya and Tanzania for the Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, BBC, Bradt Travel Guides, amongst many others. He is the author of Walking With The Maasai, a journey through some of Kenya's lesser-visited Maasai lands.
Laikipia is known for its rhino conservation, but my own personal highlight in this area wasn’t the rhinos. Rather it was the day I spent with a biologist in very close proximity to around 200 habituated baboons. Having a huge male baboon shove its way past you as it bares its teeth was an experience easily on a par with gorilla and chimpanzee encounters in East Africa. The other nice thing about this particular experience is that it doesn’t involve staying inside an expensive conservancy but rather you are hosted by a grassroots Maasai womens’ project. And hardly anyone – even other Kenyans – know about it!
At a glance
Destinations
Laikipia
Activity
Safari, Nature & WildlifeRelated Guides

Safari in Kenya

My first Kenya safari was in 1994 and I’ve been coming back almost every year since in my role as a travel journalist and guidebook author. This is the original home of the safari and, in my view, it’s still one of the finest safari destinations in Africa.

Laikipia safaris

The Laikipia plateau area of central Kenya is one of the most exciting places in African conservation. The fertile, rain fed lands here were prized by British colonialists as prime wheat growing and cattle ranching territory and much of the area's rich wildlife populations were slowly removed to make way for farming.

Kenya besides safari

The most popular add-on to a safari is to throw in a bit of sun and sand time on Kenya’s delicious Indian Ocean coastline. Direct flights link most of the main national parks and reserves with Diani and Malindi beaches.

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Up close and personal with baboons
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