Our friends the wild dogs mated a month ago and are due to den mid October which means all going well the pups will be out and about with the pack early January.

We have been having some lovely leopard sightings, a kill two nights ago by a large male accompanied by his mate but he ate the entire dik dik and didn't share a morsel with her!

A fantastic July, a year since we opened camp and we were fully  booked mostly with intrepid families. Once they all go back to school at the end of August we have several groups of photographers and walkers. Laikipia's stunning scenery continues to amaze people, there are many places in Africa where you can enjoy fantastic wildlife but less with such beautiful scenery and variety of terrain.

Our friend Albie Venter, wildlife photographer, guide and idiot friend is coming to stay in October so we will hopefully twist his arm and get some new shots of the camp and activities.

More chat soon. Its pouring with rain here, not sure what happened to the seasons this  year but green is good and everything is fat and happy including us at the end of the busy season.

Laikipia Wilderness piece on family holidays in the Sunday Times March 10th 2013

Laikipia Wilderness was featured in the Sunday Times on the 10th March in a piece about family holidays:

 

"This year, give them more than a beach. Expect wide eyes and wider smiles on a family expedition says Stephen Bleach..

 

Most family safaris charge from camp to camp, ticking off the animals. They miss the point. Kids don’t want long days travelling: they just want to go wild in Africa. The Laikipia Wilderness Camp, started last year by husband and wife guiding team Steve and Annabelle Carey with help from their two young children, is just the place. There’s masses of game to see – lions, elephants, zebras, hippos, all the favourites – but also masses to do. You can swim or tube in the river, visit the local village, learn to throw a spear, go fishing and head off for a night’s fly-camping under the stars. The bush is a natural playground and Steve is happy to give kids maximum freedom to roam with experienced guides to keep them safe. Aardvark Safaris has a week, just long enough for them to become semi-feral bush rats from GBP 2822 including flights meals and activities. "

January 2013 News

Laikipia Wilderness January2013

 

Happy New Year to all and best wishes for a wonderful year ahead. We can hardly believe we have been up and running now for 6 months. After a steady start in July, by December we were very busy and the year ahead looks strong so we are feeling very positive!

Camp is great, our staff have become a strong team, and many of them had never had a job before, let alone looking after international tourists. Slowly everything falls into place and the morning tea and coffee in the tents is no longer accompanied by milk in a gravy boat. We have had guests of all ages, children as young as 2 and others in their 80’s. Families, couples, walkers, birders, photographers and all round safari goers. They all seem to love the spot we are in, the simple camp, hottest showers in the bush and biggest bathrooms, comfortable and homely but not over the top. Our towels were recently voted the best on safari but our pet Augur buzzard has since taken to perching on the grass walls of our guests’ bathrooms, showing off by attacking their towels of which she has shredded four, eyeing guests on the loo, and more recently she joined one rather beautiful girl in the shower and hopped down onto the shower mat and spread her wings and had a good shake alongside her. We now think it must be a he not a she.

Wildlife has been amazing. We do not live in the Masai Mara but the diversity of mammals is huge and the setting unbeatable. Big herds of elephants and giraffe, some great leopard sightings, aardwolf, striped hyena and of course the wild dogs. Since we opened in July last year we have had several groups of professional wild dog photographers as well as plain enthusiasts and they have managed to follow the dogs and access them in a way which is becoming increasingly unique in Africa and which only private conservation areas can afford the freedom. Our local pack produced 12 pups in October and we sighted them for the first time between Christmas and New Year since when we have followed them almost daily. 

 

Special Offers: We have a busy year ahead but are always keen to make life easier for everybody so here are two offers for the whole of 2013 for 2013 bookings only (for bookings made after 20th January 2013).

• 5 nights for the price of 4 in mid and low seasons
• Families with 3 or more children sharing a tent, the youngest child goes for free
• (Accommodation package only, not Conservation Fees on both offers)

More news soon and if you are planning a trip to Kenya this year, come and see us.

Best wishes,

Annabelle and Steve