Homa Bay

Pop 32,174

Homa Bay has a slow, tropical, almost Central African vibe, and the near total absence of other tourists means it’s extraordinarily and genuinely friendly. There is little to do other than trudge up and down the dusty, music-filled streets or wander down to the lake edge to watch the marabou storks pick through the trash as they wait for the fishermen and their morning catch. The town makes a great base from which to visit Ruma National Park.

4Sleeping & Eating

Twin Towers HotelHOTEL

(%0775612195; s/d from KSh2500/3000)

The Twin Towers (slightly unfortunate name, that) is a solid choice if all you require is a comfy bed and a bathroom that doesn’t require a biohazard suit to enter. It can suffer quite badly from street noise, though. The restaurant here offers decent, if unimaginative, mains for around KSh300. It's right in the town centre near the banks, mosque and park.

Homa Bay Tourist HotelHOTEL

(%0727112615; s/d from KSh2850/4350; pW)

This lakeside ‘resort’ is the town’s original hotel and though the rooms are rather faded they also have character and are a pleasure to sleep in. The expansive lawns, running down to the water’s edge, are home to many a colourful songbird and there's an outdoor bar with live music on Saturdays (so avoid rooms at the front).

8Information

Barclays BankBANK

(Moi Hwy)

With ATM.

KWS Warden’s OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION

In the district commissioner’s compound, it's the place for information on Ruma National Park.

8Getting There & Away

The Easy Coach office is just down the hill from the bus station and in the Total petrol station compound. It has buses to Nairobi (KSh1000, nine hours) at 8.30am and 8pm. Several other companies and matatus (operating from the bus station) ply the routes to the following: Mbita (KSh250, 1½ hours), Kisii (KSh200, 1½ hours) and Kisumu (KSh300, three hours).

Ruma National Park

Bordered by the dramatic Kanyamaa Escarpment, and home to Kenya’s only population of roans (one of Africa’s rarest and largest antelope), is the seldom-visited, 120-sq-km Ruma National Park (%0723097573; www.kws.go.ke; adult/child US$20/10, vehicle from KSh300; h6am-6pm). ​Besides roan, other rarities like Bohor’s reedbuck, Jackson’s hartebeest, the tiny oribi antelope and Kenya’s largest concentration of the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe can also be seen here. However, the most treasured residents are 28 (very hard to see) rhinos, both black and white, that have been translocated from other parks.

Birdlife is also prolific, with 145 different bird species present, including the migratory blue swallow that arrives between June and August.

The park is set up for those with vehicles; otherwise, contact the KWS rangers at the park gates who may be able to send a local with a pop-top minivan to collect you from Homa Bay.

4Sleeping & Eating

There are two simple campsites (public/special camping US$20/30) near the main gate. The Nyati special campsite is the more scenic. In either case you need to be totally self-sufficient with food and water.

Oribi GuesthouseCOTTAGES

(%0723097573; www.kws.go.ke; cottage excl breakfast KSh9000; p)

This KWS-run guesthouse, near the park headquarters, is extortionate if there are only two of you, but quite good value for groups. It has dramatic views over the Lambwe Valley and is well equipped with solar power, hot showers and a fully functioning kitchen, but bring your own food.

8Getting There & Away

With your own vehicle, head a couple of kilometres south from Homa Bay and turn right onto the Mbita road. After about 12km is the main access road, which is signed just as Kenya Wildlife Services (although coming from Homa Bay you might not see the sign as it faces the other way) and from there it’s another 11km. The park’s roads are in decent shape, but require a mega 4WD in the rainy season.

Kisii

Pop 97,000

Let’s cut straight to the chase. Kisii is a noisy, polluted and congested mess, and most people (quite sensibly) roll right on through without even stopping. However, it's an important transport point and there's a good chance you'll pass through at some point in your explorations of western Kenya.

KISII SOAPSTONE

While the feted Kisii soapstone obviously comes from this area, it’s not on sale here. Quarrying and carving go on in the Gusii village of Tabaka, 23km northwest of Kisii. Soapstone is relatively soft and pliable (as far as rocks go) and with simple hand tools and scraps of sandpaper the sculptors carve chess sets, bowls, animals and the unmistakable abstract figures of embracing couples. Each artisan specialises in one design before passing it on to someone else to be smoothed with wet sandpaper and polished with wax. Most pieces are destined for the curio shops of Nairobi and Mombasa and trade-aid shops around the world. As you would expect, prices are cheaper here than elsewhere. If you are undaunted by adding a few heavy rocks to your backpack, you can save a packet.

4Sleeping & Eating

St Vincent GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0733650702; s/d/tw KSh1500/2000/2400; p)

This Catholic-run guesthouse off the Moi Hwy isn’t the place for a party, but it's hands down the best place to stay in Kisii. Rooms are very clean and cosy, it's quiet and security is good. No alcohol allowed.

Nile Restaurant, Fast Food & GuesthouseHOTEL

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0786706089; Hospital Rd; excl breakfast s & d KSh1000-1500, tw KSh2000)

Clean, cheap rooms and a central location make the Nile the best deal in the town centre. The icing on the cake is that the 2nd-floor restaurant (mains KSh200 to KSh300) has a commanding view of the chaos below.

8Getting There & Away

The congested Matatu terminal in the centre of town is a chaos of loud, and often somewhat drunk, people trying to bundle you onto the nearest matatau whether or not you want to go where it's going. If you do manage to pick your own matatu you'll find regular departures to Homa Bay (KSh200, 1½ hours), Kisumu (KSh300, 2½ hours), Kericho (KSh500, two hours) and Isebania (KSh300, 1¾ hours) on the Tanzanian border.

Tabaka matatus (KSh100, 45 minutes) leave from Cemetery Rd. Returning, it is sometimes easier to catch a boda-boda (KSh70-100) to the ‘Tabaka junction’ and pick up a Kisii-bound matatu there.

Easy Coach ( GOOGLE MAP ) has twice daily departures to Nairobi (KSh900, eight hours) at 10am and 9.30pm. They also have a bus to Narok (KSh550, four hours) at 1pm which is handy for the Mara.

Kericho

Pop 150,000

Kericho is a haven of tranquillity. Its surrounds are blanketed by a thick patchwork of manicured tea plantations, each seemingly hemmed in by distant stands of evergreens and even the town centre itself seems as orderly as the tea gardens. With a pleasant climate and a number of things to see and do, Kericho makes for a very calming couple of days.

Kericho

4Sleeping

1New Sunshine HotelA2

2Sunshine Upper Hill HotelB3

3Tea HotelD1

5Eating

4Litny's RestaurantA2

ANYONE FOR TEA?

Kenya is the world’s third-largest tea exporter after India and Sri Lanka, with tea accounting for between 20% and 30% of the country’s export income. It’s unique in that its small landholders produce the bulk (60%) of the country’s tea.

Tea-picking is a great source of employment around Kericho, with mature bushes picked every 17 days and the same worker continually picking the same patch. Good pickers collect their own body weight in tea each day!

Despite Kericho producing some of the planet’s best black tea, you will have trouble finding a cup of the finest blends here – most of it’s exported.

1Sights & Activities

Tea Plantations

This is the centre of the most important tea gardens in all of Africa and the countryside surrounding town is one of interlocking pristine tea estates mixed with patches of forest. You might expect tea-plantation tours to be touted left, right and centre, but surprisingly they are fairly few and far between. If you just want to take a stroll in the fields, then the easiest plantations to get to are those behind the Tea Hotel.

If you want something more organised Mr Harman Kirui (%0721843980; kmtharman@yahoo.com; per person KSh200) runs fun and informative tea estate and factory tours. Most tours involve walking around the fields and watching the picking in process (note that the pickers don’t work on Sunday). If you want to actually see the process through to the end and visit a factory, you should book at least four days in advance through the Tea Hotel or by emailing Harman directly.

Gardens

ArboretumGARDENS

(B4 Hwy; hclosed when raining)

Eight kilometres east of town, this tropical park is popular with weekend picnickers and colobus, vervet and red-tailed monkeys (best seen in the early morning). The main attraction is the shade afforded by the tropical trees planted by estate owner Tom Grumbley in the 1940s. The nearby Chagaik Dam is responsible for the lovely lily-covered pond.

4Sleeping & Eating

Being a stronghold of the Kipsigis people, this is good place to try kimyet (maize-meal served with vegetables and beef) or mursik (soured milk). Naturally, tea is extremely popular and drunk from dawn to supper and every opportunity in between.

New Sunshine HotelHOTEL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %052-2030037, 0725146601; Tengecha Rd; s/d/tr KSh2000/2700/3000; W)

Without doubt, the best budget hotel in town (not that the competition is especially stiff). The rooms, while not large, are spotless and the showers are actually hot rather than lukewarm. The attached restaurant (meals KSh320 to KSh550) does a roaring trade.

Sunshine Upper Hill HotelHOTEL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0721700358; www.sunshinehotel.co.ke; s KSh4000-5000, d KSh5000-6000; pW)

This large hotel block, consisting of modern new rooms overlooking the town park, is where biusness types settle in to do important stuff in Kericho. The rooms have comfortable beds, vast bathrooms and in-room wi-fi.

Tea HotelHOTEL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0714510824; Moi Hwy; camping KSh700, s/d US$70/95; pWs)

This grand property was built in the 1950s by the Brooke Bond company and still has a lot of (very faded) period charm. The hotel’s most notable features are the vast hallways and dining rooms full of mounted animal heads, and its beautiful gardens with their tea-bush backdrops. Many of the rooms, though, are literally falling to pieces.

Litny’s RestaurantKENYAN

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Temple Rd; mains KSh250-400; h5.30am-8pm)

Along with New Sunshine Hotel, this is regarded as one of the better restaurants in town, though in truth the fried chicken and chips here was no different to the fried chicken and chips we ate elsewhere.

8Getting There & Away

Most buses and matatus operate from the main stand in the town’s northwest corner, while those heading south and west (such as Kisii and Kisumu) leave from the Total petrol station on Moi Hwy.

Matatus to Kisumu (KSh300, 1½ hours) are frequent as are ones to Kisii (KSh300, two hours), Eldoret (KSh400 to KSh500, 3½ hours) and Nakuru (KSh300, two hours). The odd Peugeot also serves these destinations, but costs about 25% more.

Easy Coach ( GOOGLE MAP ) offers the best buses, but its office, and departure point, is inconveniently located out of town opposite the Tea Hotel and inside the Libya Petrol Station. They have buses to Nairobi (KSh1100) throughout the day as well as frequent buses to Nakuru (KSh550) and Kisumu (KSh500).

Kakamega Forest

Not so long ago much of western Kenya was hidden under a dark veil of jungle and formed a part of the mighty Guineo–Congolian forest ecosystem. However, the British soon did their best to turn all that lovely virgin forest into tea estates. Now all that’s left is this slab of tropical rainforest surrounding Kakamega.

Though seriously degraded, this forest is unique in Kenya and contains plants, animals and birds that occur nowhere else in the country. It's especially good for birders with turacos, which are like flying turkeys that have been given a box of face paints, being a favourite with everyone. Other stand out birds include flocks of African grey parrots and noisy hornbills that sound like helicopters when they fly overhead. If you prefer your animals furrier then Kakamega is home to several primates including graceful colobus monkeys, black-cheeked-white nosed monkeys and Sykes monkey.

Kakamega Forest

1Sights

1Bullfighting GroundsA3

2Crying Stone of IlesiA2

3Kakamega Forest National ReserveB1

4Kakamega Forest ReserveB3

2Activities, Courses & Tours

Kakamega Rainforest Tour GuidesB2

4Sleeping

5Forest Rest HouseB2

Isikuti GuesthouseB1

6KEEP BandasB2

7New De Brazza's CampsiteB1

8Rondo RetreatB2

9Udo's Bandas & CampsiteB1

KAKAMEGA FOREST

Why Go

For a rare chance to see a unique rainforest ecosystem with over 330 species of birds, 400 species of butterfly and seven different primate species, one being the rare to Kenya de Brazza’s monkey. During darkness, hammer-headed fruit bats take to the air.

When to Go

The best viewing months are June, August and October, when many migrant bird species arrive. October also sees many wildflowers bloom, while December to March are the driest months.

Practicalities

As the northern section of the forest is managed by KWS and the southern section by the Forest Department, it is not possible to visit the whole park without paying both sets of admission charges. Both areas have their pros and cons.

Budget Tips

Entry fees to the southern Kakamega Forest Reserve are lower, and accommodation generally cheaper, than in the northern Kakamega Forest National Reserve so it makes sense for budget travellers to base themselves here.

1Sights & Activities

The best way, indeed the only real way, to appreciate the forest is to walk. While guides are not compulsory, they are well worth the extra expense. Not only do they prevent you from getting lost, but most are walking encyclopaedias and will reel off both the Latin and common name of almost any plant or insect you care to point out, along with any of its medicinal properties.

Kakamega Forest National ReservePARK

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.kws.go.ke; adult/child US$25/15, vehicles KSh300)

Rangers state that trails here vary in length from 1km to 7km. Of the longer walks, Isiukhu Trail, which connects Isecheno to the small Isiukhu Falls, is one of the most popular and takes a minimum of half a day. The 4km drive or walk to Buyangu Hill allows for uninterrupted views east to the Nandi Escarpment.

Guides, from a local association called Kafkogoa (%0724143064), cost KSh2000 for up to three hours and can be arranged at the park gates.

Kakamega Forest ReservePARK

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; adult/child KSh600/150)

Kakamega Forest Reserve is the more degraded area of the forest, yet it's the more popular area with tourists. The five-hour return hike to Lirhanda Hill for sunrise or sunset is highly recommended. An interesting short walk (2.6km) to a 35m-high watchtower affords views over the forest canopy and small grassland.

Next to the forest reserve office is the Kakamega Rainforest Tour Guides ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0726 951 764; per person short/long walk KSh500/1000 ) office, which supplies knowlegeable guides to the forest for a variety of walks, including recommended night walks (KSh1500 per person) and sunrise/sunset walks (KSh1000 per person).

4Sleeping & Eating

Kakamega Forest National Reserve

If you’re staying at either of the KWS-managed options, you will have to pay park entry fees for each night you’re there.

Udo's Bandas & CampsiteBANDA

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %Nairobi 020-2654658; www.kws.go.ke; camping adult/child US$20/15, bandas per person US$40)

Named after Udo Savalli, a well-known ornithologist, this lovely KWS site is tidy, well maintained and has seven simple thatched bandas. Nets are provided, but you will need your own sleeping bag and other supplies. There are long-drop toilets, bucket showers and a communal cooking and dining shelter.

New De Brazza’s CampsiteCAMPGROUND

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0706486786; camping KSh1000, bandas per person KSh1250)

Just before the park gates and hidden down a squiggle of squelchy, muddy lanes (ask for directions at the park gate), this simple campsite is as basic as basic gets. There’s no electricity and the toilets are the kind where the long-drops aren’t long enough. The setting though is top notch.

Kakamega Forest Reserve

Forest Rest HouseGUESTHOUSE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; camping KSh650, r per person KSh500)

The four rooms of this wooden house, perched on stilts 2m above the ground and with views straight onto a mass of jungle, might be very basic (no electricity, no bedding and cold-water baths that look like they’d crash through the floorboards if you used one), but they'll bring out the inner Tarzan in even the most obstinate city slicker.

oRondo RetreatGUESTHOUSE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0733299149, 056-2030268; www.rondoretreat.com; s/d full board KSh17,600/22,000; p)

To arrive at Rondo Retreat is to be whisked back to 1922 and the height of British rule. Consisting of a series of wooden bungalows filled with a family’s clutter, this gorgeous and eccentric place is a wonderful retreat from modern Kenya. The gardens are absolutely stunning and worth visiting even if you’re not staying.

8Getting There & Away

Kakamega Forest National Reserve

Matatus heading north towards Kitale can drop you at the access road about 18km north of Kakamega town (KSh80). It is a well-signposted 2km walk from there to the park office and to Udo's.

Kakamega Forest Reserve

Regular matatus link Kakamega with Shinyalu (KSh70), but few go on to Isecheno. Shinyalu is also accessed by a rare matatu service from Khayega. From Shinyalu you’ll probably need to take a boda-boda for KSh100 to Isecheno.

WESTERN BULLFIGHTING

Bull fighting (between two bulls) is one of the more popular 'sports' in Western Kenya, and Khayega (6km south of Kakamega) has Saturday morning showdowns. They start early at 7am (the whole thing wraps up at around 8am), with a whole lot of horn blowing, drumming, chanting and stick waving.

The purpose-bred bulls are fed on molasses-spiked grass and, to help them preserve their energy, isolated from heifers, making them understandably tetchy. Then the bulls are fed secret concoctions guaranteed to make them even more aggressive.

When the bulls meet, they’ll lock horns and fight until one submits and turns tail. Besides a bruised ego or two, no bulls are injured during the show of strength (cattle are valued too highly for owners to put them at risk). There are no safety barriers, so spectators should keep their distance and be prepared to run or climb a tree should a bull break away.

The winning bull (and all of the crowd) then race to the next venue, usually about 1km to 2km away, where they meet up with a similar winner and the whole performance is repeated.

Bull fighting is practised mostly by the Isukha and Idako peoples.

Eldoret

Pop 289,000

The Maasai originally referred to this area as eldore (stony river) after the nearby Sosiani River, but this proved too linguistically challenging for the South African Voortrekkers who settled here in 1910 and they named their settlement Eldoret instead.

In 2008 Eldoret achieved notoriety when 35 people (mostly Kikuyus) were burnt alive in a church on the outskirts of town. This incident was the largest single loss of life during the 2007 post-election violence.

Today, Eldoret is a thriving service town straddling the Kenya–Uganda highway but, for the traveller, there is little to see, and even less to do.

Eldoret

4Sleeping

1White Highlands InnD1

5Eating

2Sunjeel PalaceC3

3Will's Pub & RestaurantB2

7Shopping

4Doinyo Lessos Creameries Cheese FactoryB3

1Sights

Doinyo Lessos Creameries Cheese FactoryFOOD

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Kenyatta St; h8am-6pm)

The highlight is a visit to the Doinyo Lessos Creameries Cheese Factory to stock up on any one of 20 different varies of cheese. Enjoy.

4Sleeping

White Highlands InnHOTEL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0734818955; Elgeyo St; s/d KSh2000/2500; p)

In a quiet corner on the edge of town, this place offers good value. Its spacious rooms were so spotless that we actually lay in the bathtub as opposed to just looking at it wistfully. The whole complex is a bit rambling, but retains a certain old-fashioned charm and has a popular bar and less-popular restaurant.

oBoma Inn EldoretHOTEL

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0719025000; www.bomahotels.com; Elgon View, off Elgon Rd; r from KSh12,650; pWs)S

This new business-class hotel, 2km from the city centre, is hands down the best place to stay in Eldoret. The large rooms are smart, stylishly decorated and have comfortable beds, big desks to work at, piping-hot showers and there's a decent in-house restaurant as well as a pool and gym. All profits go to the Kenyan Red Cross.

5Eating

oSunjeel PalaceINDIAN

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Kenyatta St; mains KSh450-600; h11am-11pm; v)

This formal, dark and spicy Indian restaurant serves superb, real-deal curries. Portion sizes are decent and if you mop up all the gravy with a freshly baked butter naan, you’ll be as rotund as Ganesh himself.

Will’s Pub & RestaurantINTERNATIONAL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Uganda Rd; mains KSh100-450; h9am-midnight)

Looks and feels like an English pub, with similarly heavyweight food – steak and fried breakfasts – but it also produces a few African dishes of the ugali and beef-stew ilk. The big-screen TV makes it a great place for a cold beer, and the low-key vibe makes it a safe spot for solo female travellers.

8Getting There & Away

Air

Fly540AIRLINE

(%053-2030814; www.fly540.com; Eldoret international airport)

Frequent flights between Eldoret and Nairobi, and less frequently to Lodwar and Juba (South Sudan).

Jambo JetAIRLINE

(www.jambojet.com)

This Kenya Airways subsidary flies to Nairobi and Kisumu.

Bus

A string of bus companies line Uganda Rd west of the Postbank.

Easy CoachBUS

( GOOGLE MAP ; Uganda Rd)

Buses to Nairobi (KSh1250, 10am and 10pm) via Nakuru (KSh700).

Kampala CoachBUS

( GOOGLE MAP ; Uganda Rd)

Noon and midnight buses to Kampala (KSh2000, six hours).

Mash BusBUS

( GOOGLE MAP ; Uganda Rd)

Direct bus to Mombasa (KSh2000, 12 hours, 5pm).

Matatu

The main matatu stand is in the centre of town by the municipal market although some local matatus and more Kericho services leave from Nandi Rd. Irregular matatus to Iten and Kabarnet leave from Sergoit Rd. Further west on Uganda Rd, matatus leave for Malaba on the Uganda border.

Matutu services from Eldoret include the following:

8Getting Around

A matatu to or from the international airport costs KSh80, and a taxi will cost around KSh1000-1500. Boda-bodas (especially the motorised variety) can be found on most street corners.

Kitale

Pop 106,100

Agricultural Kitale is a small and friendly market town with a couple of interesting museums and a bustling market. If you’re travelling further afield, it makes an ideal base for explorations of Mt Elgon and Saiwa Swamp National Parks. It also serves as the take-off point for a trip up to the western side of Lake Turkana.

Kitale

1Top Sights

1Kitale MuseumB3

4Sleeping

2Iroko Twigs HotelB3

5Eating

3Iroko Boulevard RestaurantA2

1Sights

Kitale MuseumMUSEUM

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; A1 Hwy; adult/child KSh500/250; h9.30am-6pm)

Founded on the collection of butterflies, birds and ethnographic memorabilia left to the nation in 1967 by the late Lieutenant Colonel Stoneham, this museum has an interesting range of ethnographic displays of the Pokot, Akamba, Marakwet and Turkana peoples. There are also any number of stuffed dead things shot by various colonial types, including a hedgehog and a cheetah with a lop-sided face.

Treasures of Africa MuseumMUSEUM

( GOOGLE MAP ; A1 Hwy; admission KSh500; h9am-12.30pm & 2-5pm Mon-Sat)

This private museum is the personal collection of Mr Wilson, a former colonial officer in Uganda and quite a character. Based mainly on his experiences with the Karamojong people of northern Uganda, Mr Wilson’s small museum illustrates his theory that a universal worldwide agricultural culture existed as far back as the last ice age.

4Sleeping & Eating

Jehova Jireh HotelHOTEL

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0716805512; s/d from KSh1500/2800)

A solid choice that boasts spacious, quiet and clean rooms with exceptionally helpful management. It’s not quite as God-fearing as it sounds. There’s an excellent downstairs restaurant that serves food later than most.

Iroko Twigs HotelHOTEL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0773475884; Kenyatta St; s/d KSh3000/3500; W)

If you can overlook a few missing bathroom tiles and a little wear and tear, this is far and away the smartest hotel in town. The rooms (doubles more than singles) are pleasingly decorated with polished wood and art and there are coffee- and tea-making facilities and even dressing gowns in the wardrobes. Cosy cafe downstairs.

Iroko Boulevard RestaurantKENYAN

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Askari Rd; mains KSh150-280; h6.30am-6.30pm)

It’s got style, it’s got glamour, it’s got big-city aspirations and it’s totally unexpected in Kitale. With cheap dishes and an old Morris car hanging from the ceiling, this is the most popular place to eat in town. There are two other places in town with very similar names and menus – all are good.

8Getting There & Away

Matatus, buses and Peugeots are grouped by destination, and spread in and around the main bus and matatu park.

Regular matatus run to Endebess (KSh100, 45 minutes, change here for Mt Elgon National Park), Kapenguria (KSh150, 45 minutes, change here to continue north to Marich), Eldoret (KSh250, 1¼ hours), Kakamega (KSh250-300, 2½ hours) and Kisumu (KSh500, four hours).

Most bus companies have offices around the bus station and serve Eldoret (KSh200, one hour), Nakuru (KSh700, 3½ hours), Nairobi (KSh900, seven hours) and Lodwar (KSh1500, 8½ hours) each day.

Easy Coach ( GOOGLE MAP ; Moi Ave) runs to (Nairobi, KSh1350; seven hours) at 8am and 8pm, The same bus stops in Nakuru (KSh850, 3½ hours).

Saiwa Swamp National Park

North of Kitale, this small, rarely visited Saiwa Swamp National Park (www.kws.go.ke; adult/child US$25/15; h6am-6pm) is a real treat. Originally set up to preserve the habitat of Kenya’s only population of sitatunga antelope, the 15.5-sq-km reserve is also home to blue, vervet and de Brazza’s monkeys and some 370 species of birds. The fluffy black-and-white colobus and the impressive crowned crane are both present, and you may see the Cape clawless and spot-throated otters (watch tower 4 is the best place from which to look for these).

The park is only accessible on foot and walking trails skirt the swamp, duckboards go right across it, and there are some rickety observation towers.

Guides are not compulsory although your experience will be greatly enhanced by taking one.

4Sleeping

Public CampsiteCAMPGROUND

(www.kws.go.ke; camping US$20; p)

A lovely site with flush toilets, showers, two covered cooking bandas and colobus in the trees above.

Sitatunga Treetop HouseHUT

(www.kws.go.ke; tree house US$50; p)

Perched on stilts overlooking the Saiwa swamp, this KWS tree house can sleep three in a double and single bed. It has electricity, bedding and mosquito nets. There are no cooking facilities, but you can use those at the campsite next door.

Sirikwa SafarisGUESTHOUSE

(Barnley's Guesthouse; %0723917953; www.sirikwasafaris.com; camping KSh500, tents excl breakfast s/d KSh1500/2500, s/d with shared bathroom excl breakfast KSh4500/6000)

Owned and run by the family that started Saiwa, this beautiful old farmhouse is 11km from the swamp. You can chose between camping in the grounds, sleeping in a well-appointed safari tent or, best of all, opting for one of the two bedrooms full of National Geographic magazines, old ornaments and antique sinks.

8Getting There & Away

The park is 18km northeast of Kitale; take a matatu towards Kapenguria (KSh130, 30 minutes) and get out at the second signposted turn-off (KSh80, 15 minutes), from where it is a 5km walk or KSh100 moto-taxi (motorcycle taxi) ride.

Mt Elgon National Park

Straddling the Ugandan border and peaking with Koitoboss (4187m), Kenya’s second-highest peak, and Uganda’s Wagagai (4321m), the slopes of Mt Elgon are a sight indeed – or at least they would be if they weren't buried under a blanket of mist and drizzle most of the time.

With rainforest at the base, the vegetation changes as you ascend to bamboo jungle and finally alpine moorland featuring the giant groundsel and giant lobelia plants.

Common animals include buffaloes, bushbucks (both of which are usually grazing on the airstrip near Cholim gate), olive baboons, giant forest hogs and duikers. The lower forests are the habitat of the black-and-white colobus, and blue and de Brazza’s monkeys.

There are more than 240 species of birds here, including red-fronted parrots, Ross’s turacos and casqued hornbills. On the peaks you may even see a lammergeier dropping bones from the thin air.

While there's plenty of interesting wildlife and plants here the real reason people visit Mt Elgon National Park (www.kws.go.ke; park entrance adult/child US$30/20, vehicles from KSh350; h6am-6pm) is to stand atop the summit high above Kenya and Uganda. It is possible to walk unescorted, but due to the odd elephant and buffalo you will need to sign a waiver to do so.

Mt Elgon Guides & Porters Association (%0733919347) is a cooperative of guides and porters based at the KWS headquarters. Their services (per day guide/porter KSh3000/1000) can be booked through KWS.

MT ELGON NATIONAL PARK

Why Go

Some superb overnight treks along with some interesting half-day options to caves occasionally visited by salt-loving elephants.

When to Go

It’s extremely wet most of the year; serious trekkers should visit between December and February when it is at its driest.

Practicalities

The easiest section of the park to visit is the area accessed via Chorlim gate, from where you can walk or drive to the caves and surrounding forest. Waterproof gear and warm clothing is essential; altitude may also be a problem for some people. KWS produce a 1:35,000 map (KSh450) of the park as well as a guidebook (KSh750), both of which are sold at Chorlim Gate.

1Sights & Activities

Elkony CavesCAVE

Four main lava tubes (caves) are open to visitors: Kitum, Chepnyalil, Mackingeny and Rongai.

While rarely seen, elephants are known to ‘mine’ for salt from the walls of the caves. Kitum holds your best hope of glimpsing them, but sadly the number of these saline-loving creatures has declined over the years. Nonetheless, a torchlight inspection will soon reveal their handiwork in the form of tusking – the grooves made by their tusks during the digging process.

Koitoboss TrekHIKING

Allow at least four days for any round-trip hikes, and two or three days for any direct ascent of Koitoboss from the Chorlim Gate. Once you reach the summit, there are a number of interesting options for the descent, including descending northwest into the crater to Suam Hot Springs.

Alternatively you could go east around the crater rim and descend the Masara Route, which leads to the small village of Masara on the eastern slopes of the mountain (about 25km) and then returns to Endebess. Or you can head southwest around the rim of the crater (some very hard walking) to Lower Elgon Tarn, where you can camp before ascending Lower Elgon Peak (4301m).

If all this sounds too tiring, you’ll be pleased to know it’s possible to get within 4km of the summit with a 4WD in decent weather.

4Sleeping

If you’re trekking, your only option is to camp. The fee is the same whether you drop tent in the official campsites (Chorlim, Nyati and Rongai) or on any old flat spot during your trek.

Kapkuro BandasBANDA

( GOOGLE MAP ; www.kws.go.ke; per banda US$50)

These decent stone bandas can sleep three people in two beds and have simple bathrooms and small, fully equipped kitchen areas.

Mt Elgon LodgeLODGE

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0722875768; s/d/tr US$40/65/100)

A few hundred metres before the main gate, this very faded lodge is set in grassy grounds with views down to the lowlands. Rooms are plain but clean and meals are available.

8Getting There & Away

From Kitale, catch an Endebess-bound matatu (KSh100, 45 minutes), to the park junction from where it is a 15-minute motorbike taxi ride (KSh100-150) to the park gate. Be sure to grab your driver’s phone number so you can contact him for a ride back to Endebess.

Central Highlands & Laikipia

The Central Highlands are the green-girt, red-dirt spiritual heartland of Kenya’s largest tribe, the Kikuyu. This is the land the Mau Mau fought for, the land the colonists coveted and the land whose natural, cyclical patterns define the lives of the country’s largest rural population.

These highlands form one of the most evocative sections of Africa's Great Rift Valley. It is here that Mt Kenya, Africa's second-highest mountain, rises into the clouds – climbing it is one of the great rites of passage of African travel. In its shadow lie two of Kenya's most intriguing national parks: rhino- and lion-rich Meru National Park, and the Aberdare National Park, home to some of the oldest mountains on the continent.

And then there's Laikipia. Set against the backdrop of Mt Kenya, the Laikipia Plateau (www.laikipia.org) extends over 9500 sq km (roughly the size of Wales) of semi-arid plains, dramatic gouges and acacia thicket-covered hills. Conceived in 1992, this patchwork of privately owned ranches, wildlife conservancies and small-scale farms has become one of the most important areas for biodiversity in the country. It boasts wildlife densities second only to those found in the Masai Mara and is the last refuge of Kenya’s African wild dogs. Indeed, these vast plains are home some of Kenya’s highest populations of endangered species including half of the country’s black rhinos and half of the world’s Grevy’s zebras and one of the last viable lion populations in Kenya.

Nyeri

Pop 125,357

Nyeri is a welcoming and bustling Kikuyu market town. It’s as busy as the Central Highlands get, but unless you have a thing for chaotic open-air bazaars and the restless energy of Kikuyu and white Kenyans selling maize, bananas, arrowroot, coffee and macadamia nuts, there’s no real reason to linger for longer than it takes to plot your onward journey. Boy Scouts might think otherwise.

Nyeri

1Sights

Baden-Powell's GraveB1

1St Peter's ChurchB1

2Activities, Courses & Tours

2Bongo Asili TravelB1

4Sleeping

3Green Hills HotelA3

4Nyama Choma Village AccommodationC2

5White Rhino HotelB2

5Eating

Green Hills HotelA3

6RaybellsB2

7Rayjo's CaféC2

6Drinking & Nightlife

8Julie's Coffee ShopB1

1Sights & Activities

Baden-Powell MuseumMUSEUM

(admission KSh300; hopened on request)

Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of the Boy Scout Association, spent his last three years at Paxtu cottage in the Outspan Hotel. The ultimate scoutmaster’s retirement was somewhat poetic: to ‘outspan’ is to unhook your oxen at the end of a long journey. And he clearly loved his final home: he once wrote, ‘The nearer to Nyeri, the nearer to bliss’. Paxtu is now a museum filled with scouting scarfs and paraphernalia. Famed tiger-hunter Jim Corbett later occupied the grounds.

Baden-Powell’s GraveCEMETERY

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; B5 Hwy; h8.30am-5pm)

The scoutmaster’s grave is tucked behind St Peter’s Church ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ), facing Mt Kenya and marked with the Scouts trail sign for ‘I have gone home’. His more famous Westminster Abbey tomb is, in fact, empty.

TTours

Bongo Asili TravelTOUR

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %061-2030884, 0725556358; www.bongoasilitravel.com; off Kanisa Rd; h9am-5pm Mon-Sat)

The only locally based tour operator, Bongo Asili can arrange safaris, book hotels throughout Kenya and coordinate airline ticketing.

4Sleeping

Nyama Choma Village AccommodationHOTEL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0788174384; Gakere Rd; r excl breakfast KSh1200)

With its light-blue walls and blue-linoleum showers, Nyama Choma is as colourful as it is cheap. And as you’d expect with a name like Nyama Choma (barbecued meat), meat-eaters will love this place.

Green Hills HotelHOTEL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %061-2030604, 0716431988; www.greenhills.co.ke; Bishop Gatimu Rd; s/d from KSh500/7700, s/d ste KSh23,000/28,000; pWs)

The best deal in town is actually a little way out of Nyeri. The small drive is worth it for the palm-lined, poolside ambience and general sense of serenity. A few questionable style choices notwithstanding, the rooms are nicely turned out and comfortable.

White Rhino HotelHOTEL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %061-2030944, 0726967315; www.whiterhinohotel.com; Kanisa Rd; s/d/tw KSh6000/7000/7500; piW)

Since its remodelling in 2011, the hotel now boasts smart rooms that are polished to an inch of their lives, and swanky, tiled bathrooms. With three bars and two restaurants, this is the top hotel in the city centre.

Sandai FarmGUESTHOUSE

(%0721656699; www.africanfootprints.de; camping KSh500, s/d full board US$145/250, cottages from US$80; pi)

Fourteen kilometres northwest of town (ask locals for directions), Sandai is run by the effervescent Petra Allmendinger, whose enthusiasm and warm welcome make this a great weekend escape from Nairobi’s bustle or for those looking for something a little more personal than what's on offer elsewhere.

Outspan HotelHOTEL

(%061-2032424, Nairobi 020-4452095; www.aberdaresafarihotels.com; s/d from US$179/276; pWs)

This atmospheric lodge was last decorated in the 1950s, when wood panelling was the height of interior design, and some of the plumbing seems to date from then as well…Nineteen of the 34 standard rooms have cosy fireplaces, and all have a whiff of history that won't necessarily be to everyone's taste.

5Eating & Drinking

Green Hills HotelINTERNATIONAL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Bishop Gatimu Rd; mains/buffets KSh750/800; h7am-10pm)

The full buffet here (when numbers permit) is an impressive piece of work, with some tasty mixed-grill options done up in a satisfyingly fancy fashion. Steaks are tender and come sizzling on a platter with a good mix of vegies.

Rayjo’s CaféKENYAN

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Kimathi Way; meals KSh100-200; hnoon-9pm)

This tiny canteen is usually packed with customers, including bus and matatu (minibus transport) drivers, notoriously good judges of cheap places to eat.

RaybellsINTERNATIONAL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Kimathi Way; mains KSh150-500; h6am-8pm)

Pretty much anything you want to eat (well, anything Kenyan or Western), from pizza to nyama choma, is available and cooked passably well here. You may want to avoid the fresh juice as it has tap water added to it.

Julie’s Coffee ShopCAFE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Kanisa Rd; snacks KSh50-150; h7am-3pm; W)

The best place in town for genuine espresso coffee and free wi-fi.

8Getting There & Away

The Upper Bus Stand ( GOOGLE MAP ) deals with sporadic buses and a plethora of matatus to destinations north and west and of Nyeri including Nanyuki (KSh250, one hour), Nyahururu (KSh350, 1¼ hours) and Nakuru (KSh550, 2½ hours).

From the Lower Bus Stand ( GOOGLE MAP ) matatus head in all directions south and east including Thika (KSh300, two hours) and Nairobi (KSh500, 2½ hours).

Aberdare National Park

While there’s plenty of reason to wax rhapsodic over herds of wildlife thundering over an open African horizon, there’s also something to be said for the soil-your-pants shock of seeing an elephant thunder out of bush that was, minutes before, just plants. And that’s why people love Aberdare National Park (%0774160327, Nairobi 020-2046271; www.kws.org; adult/child US$60/30; h6am-6pm). Camera reflexes are tested as the abundant wildlife pops unexpectedly out of the shrubbery, including elephants, buffaloes, black rhinos, spotted hyenas, bongo antelope, bush pigs, black servals and rare black leopards.

The elephants are something of an anomaly. This is the highest-altitude resident elephant herd in Africa and it once migrated between the Aberdares and Mount Kenya, but human settlements and fences now block the route between these two upland habitats and the herd is effectively confined to the Aberdares.

The tallest regions of this range can claim some of Kenya’s most dramatic up-country scenery, packed with 300m waterfalls, dense forests and serious trekking potential. The park has two major environments: an eastern hedge of thick rainforest and waterfall-studded hills known as the Salient, and the Kinangop plateau, an open tableland of coarse moors that huddles under cold mountain breezes.

A 400km-long electric fence completely encircles the park. Powered by solar panels, the fence is designed to reduce human–animal conflict by keeping would-be poachers and cattle on one side and marauding wildlife on the other.

Aberdare National Park

1Sights

1Solio Game ReserveD1

4Sleeping

2Aberdare Country ClubD2

3ArkC2

4Public CampsiteB3

5Sapper HutB4

6Solio Game Reserve LodgeD2

7TreetopsD2

Information

8Aberdare National Park HeadquartersD2

ABERDARE NATIONAL PARK

Why Go

Two interesting ecosystems to explore: a dense rainforest and high, Afro-alpine moorlands with great trekking possibilities and some spectacular waterfalls.

When to Go

The park receives plenty of rain year-round. The driest months are January to February and June to September.

Practicalities

During the rains, roads are impassable and the numbered navigation posts in the Salient are often difficult to follow. The most straightforward visit is to drive between the Ruhuruini and Mutubio West gates.

Budget Tips

Camp at public campsites or organise a day trip with other travellers from Nyeri.

1Sights & Activities

To trek within the park requires advance permission from the warden at park headquarters, who may (depending on where you plan to walk) insist on providing an armed ranger to guide and protect you against inquisitive wildlife (KSh2000/4000 per half-/full day).

The Northern Moorland and its four main peaks (all 3500m to 4000m) are excellent trekking spots; the tallest mountain in the park is Ol Donyo Lesatima (4000m), a popular bag for those on the East African mountain circuit. Between Honi Campsite and Elephant Ridge is the site of the hideout of Mau Mau leader Dedan Kimathi, who used these mountains as a base; many of his companions learned the ropes of jungle warfare fighting in Burma in WWII.

On the Kinangop Plateau, from the dirt track that connects the Ruhuruini and Mutubio West gates, it is possible to walk to the top of Karura Falls and watch Karura Stream slide over the rocky lip into the 272m abyss. Weather permitting, you may be able to make out the misty veil of Kenya’s tallest cascade, the Gura Falls (305m), in the distance. Unfortunately there are no tracks to Gura Falls or the base of Karura Falls. You can, however, visit the far smaller Chania Falls further north.

4Sleeping

Public CampsiteCAMPGROUND

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0774160327; www.kws.go.ke; camping per adult/child US$20/15)

Basic sites with minimal facilities – some have water.

Sapper HutBANDA

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0774160327; www.kws.go.ke; bandas US$45)

A simple banda (thatched-roof hut) with an open fire, two beds and a hot-water boiler, overlooking a lovely waterfall on the Upper Magura River. It’s best to bring your own gear.

ArkHOTEL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0737-799990; www.thearkkenya.com; s/d/tr US$180/305/434)

The Ark dates from the 1960s, has large rooms and has a lounge that overlooks a waterhole. Watch buffalo as you sip wine in a moulded chair lifted from Austin Powers and you’ll have an idea of the ambience. An excellent walkway leads over a particularly dense stretch of the Salient, and from here and the waterhole lounge you can spot elephants, rhinos, buffaloes and hyenas. Sold as an overnight excursion from the Aberdare Country Club ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0737799990; www.aberdarecountryclub.com; s/d/tr full board US$195/260/370, day entry adult/child KSh500/300; ps) in Nyeri.

TreetopsHISTORIC HOTEL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %061-2032425; www.aberdaresafarihotels.com; s/d US$229/352, s/d ste US$279/402; piW)

Treetops is sold as part of a package with the Outspan Hotel in Nyeri. Guests are given lunch at the Outspan, transported to Treetops, where they dine and sleep before being returned to the Outspan the following morning for breakfast. Rooms are small and the 2012 renovations have done wonders for this place with dark-wood floors, ochre feature walls and attractive prints. There's also excellent wildlife viewing.

RIGHT ROYAL CONNECTIONS

Trivia for royal-philes: Treetops isn’t actually the spot where Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II. Yes, Liz was sleeping in Treetops when George VI died in 1952, but in 1954 Mau Mau guerrillas blew the original lodge to twigs; three years later, a much larger rendition was built on the opposite side of the waterhole. ‘Every time like the first time’, goes the Treetops slogan, and we agree: sleeping here feels like travelling back to the day that the 25-year-old Elizabeth went to bed a princess and awoke a queen.

Fifty-eight years later, another young lady, this time a commoner, answered ‘yes’ to a question that will eventually see her crowned the Queen of the Commonwealth. On the verandah of a small log cabin, high on the flanks of Mt Kenya, Prince William asked Kate Middleton to be his wife. Under the guise of fishing on Lake Alice, William and Kate travelled to the remote Rutundu cabins where he popped the big question. And so it is, that while the fishing trip was a complete failure, Prince William still managed quite the catch.

8Information

To enter the park through the Treetops or Ark gates, ask permission at national park headquarters ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %061-202379409; Mweiga; h6am-6pm). Excellent 1:25,000 maps are available at the gates.

8Getting There & Away

Access roads from the B5 Hwy to the Wanderis, Ark, Treetops and Ruhuruini gates are in decent shape. Keep in mind that it takes a few hours to get from the Salient to the moorlands and vice versa.

WORTH A TRIP

SOLIO GAME RESERVE

The family-run, private 19,000-acre Solio Game Reserve ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %061-2055271; B5 Hwy; admission US$70) and part of the larger Solio Ranch, is Kenya's oldest rhino sanctuary and an important breeding centre for black rhinos; many of the horned beasts you see wandering national parks were actually born here. The physical contours of the park, which run between clumps of yellow-fever acacia, wide skies and wild marsh, are lovely in and of themselves and in addition to rhinos you'll see oryxes, gazelles, hartebeests, giraffes, lions, hyenas and buffaloes. Self-drive safaris are permitted but you will need to be accompanied by a Solio guide (KSh750). Poaching is a particular problem here with a number of rhinos lost in the battle.

The reserve is 22km north of Nyeri.

Solio Game Reserve LodgeLODGE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %Nairobi 020-5020888; thesafaricollection.com; s/d ste full board US$1015/1684; pW)

Built in 2010, this upmarket lodge forsakes the classic look of so much safari accommodation and goes instead for a refreshing contemporary look – slick curves, whitewashed walls and colourful prints. The suites are enormous and utterly gorgeous. Horse riding, mountain biking and helicopter trips are part of the mix.

Nyahururu (Thomson’s Falls)

pop 36,450 / elev 2360m

This unexpectedly attractive town leaps out of the northwest corner of the highlands and makes a decent base for exploring the western edge of the Aberdares. Thompson’s Falls, its former namesake, are beautiful in their own right with great trekking potential, but they're largely off limits due a series of serious assaults in the area, with women a particular target.

1Sights & Activities

Thomson’s FallsWATERFALL

(adult/child KSh250/150)

At the time of writing, the falls were not safe to visit. Set back in an evergreen river valley and studded with sharp rocks and screaming baboons, the white cataracts plummet over 72m. The dramatic sight of looking up at the falls as baboons pad over the surrounding cliffs is worth the drenching you get from the fall’s spray.

4Sleeping & Eating

It’s best to eat early in Nyahururu; for reasons we couldn’t fathom, most eateries shut by 7pm.

Safari LodgeHOTEL

( GOOGLE MAP ; %065-2022334; Go Down Rd; s/d excl breakfast KSh750/1500; p)

Clean toilets with seats; big, soft beds with couches in the rooms; a nice balcony; TV and a place to charge your phone – what did we do to deserve this luxury? Especially at this price, which makes Safari one of the best budget deals around.

Thomson’s Falls LodgeHOTEL

(%065-2022006; www.thomsonsfallslodge.org; off B5 Hwy; camping KSh750, s/d/tr KSh5000/6000/9000; p)

The undisputed nicest splurge in the area sits right above the falls and does a great job of instilling that good old ‘I’m a colonial aristocrat on a hill-country holiday’ vibe. Rooms are spacious but cosy, with parquetry floors, thanks in no small part to the log fireplaces.

Thomson’s Falls LodgeBUFFET

(%2022006; breakfast/lunch/dinner buffets KSh550/1000/1250; h7am-7pm)

This is the best (and only) place in town to go for a fancy feast. There’s a set buffet for each of the day’s three meals, and while they’re pricey for this area, you’ll walk away well stuffed and satisfied. It’s located off the B5 Hwy.

8Getting There & Away

There are numerous matatus that run to Nakuru (KSh220, 1¼ hours) and Nyeri (KSh350, 1¾ hours) until late afternoon. Less plentiful are services to Naivasha (KSh400, two hours), Nanyuki (KSh420, three hours) and Nairobi (KSh500, 3½ hours). The occasional morning matatu reaches Maralal (KSh600, four hours).

Several early-morning buses also serve Nairobi (KsH450, three hours).

WORTH A TRIP

LAIKIPIA CONSERVANCIES

Virtually all of Laikipia's lodges and camps (now numbering close to 50) fall squarely into the luxurious bracket and cater to the well-heeled who visit as part of prepackaged tours. The following list includes some of the options.

El Karama Eco LodgeLODGE

(%0720386616; www.laikipiasafaris.com; per person from US$370)

One of few Laikipia places with modest prices (at least by Laikipia standards). The simple but pleasing bandas and cottages make use of natural materials such as stone and thatch. It's located on 14,000-acre El Karama Ranch, which is next to Segera Ranch. Watch out for African wild dogs and make sure you take a walking safari.

Loisaba WildernessLODGE

(s/d all inclusive US$594/990; s)

Refined accommodation (including four-poster star beds under the stars) on a 61,000-acre ranch in northern Laikipia plus activities that range from walking safariis and wildlife drives to white-water rafting, horse riding and camel safaris; the latter two activities are not included in quoted rates.

Ol MaloLODGE

(%062-32715; www.olmalo.com; s/d all inclusive US$720/1220, plus US$80 conservation fee; s)

Posh rock and olive-wood cottages in a stunning setting close to the Ewaso Nyiro River make this a fine choice. The surrounding conservancy is quite small, but that's not how it feels from the swimming pool with views to the very distant horizon. The rooms have soaring thatched ceilings, stone-tiled floors and earth tones throughout. It's in northwestern Laikipia.

SosianLODGE

(%0704909355; www.sosian.com; per person US$700; Ws)

Horse riding, fishing and even cattle ranching make a nice change from the usual wildlife drives (they do these, too) on this 24,000-acre central Laikipia ranch which is home to lions, elephants, leopards and even African wild dogs. The lodge is centred around a colonial-era ranch house and accommodation is spacious and beautifully appointed.

Nanyuki

pop 36,142

This small but bustling mountain town makes a living off sales, be it of treks to climbers, curios to soldiers of the British Army (which has a training facility nearby) or drinks to pilots of the Kenyan Air Force (this is the site of its main airbase). For all that mercantilism, it’s laid back for a market town. Nanyuki also serves as a gateway to the Laikipia plateau, one of Africa’s most important wildlife conservation sites.

Nanyuki

2Activities, Courses & Tours

1Montana Trek & Information CentreB2

5Eating

2Kungu Maitu Hotel & ButcheryB2

3Walkers KikwetuB2

Information

4Barclays BankB3

5Boma HolidaysA3

1Sights & Activities

Nanyuki is a popular base for launching expeditions to climb Mt Kenya’s Sirimon or Burguret routes. One local group worth contacting for information and excellent trekking programs is Montana Trek & Information Centre. There's also the possibility of camel safaris at Nanyuki River Camel Camp.

Mt Kenya Wildlife Conservancy Animal OrphanageZOO

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %062-2032406; www.animalorphanagekenya.org; Mount Kenya Safari Club; per person KSh1500; h8am-12.30pm & 1.30-5.30pm)

It may come off a little zoolike at first but this orphanage is one of the few places in the world to have successfully bred the rare mountain bongo. Its success is such that there are now plans to release some of the captivate-bred antelope into the Mt Kenya forests to bolster the current population of around 70. Children, and anyone who wants to have a baby monkey scramble over their head, will love this place.

Lily Pond Arts CentreART GALLERY

(%0702006501; www.lilypondartscentre.com; off Nairobi–Nanyuki Rd; h8am-7.30pm Sun-Thu, 8am-11pm Fri & Sat)

This fascinating centre has many strings to its bow, among them some fascinating examples of contemporary African art. It's 3km south of town and signposted off the main highway.

4Sleeping

Nanyuki River Camel CampHUT

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0722-361642; www.fieldoutdoor.com; camping KSh1250, huts without bathroom half-/full board KSh5000)

The most innovative sleep in town (well, 4km outside of it, off the C76 Hwy) is this ecocamp, set in a dry swab of scrub. The camp offers lodging in genuine Somali grass-and-camelskin huts imported from Mandera; they have been relocated to sit close to the Nanyuki River.

Kirimara Springs HotelHOTEL

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0726370191; www.kirimaraspringshotel.com; Kenyatta Ave; s/d/tw KSh2300/3000/3500; pW)

While Kirimara isn’t going to win any architecture awards, and its website's claim that the rooms are comfortable and luxuriously furnished is plainly absurd, the friendly staff and spacious and bright rooms were cleaner and cheaper than others in this price bracket. The rooms on the western side of the building catch less traffic noise, while those on the east get glimpses of Mt Kenya.

Kongoni CampBANDA

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0702868888, 062-2031225; www.kongonicamp.com; s US$56-95, d or rondavels US$100-175; piW)

Founded by a friendly local-turned-Londoner-turned-local-again, Kongoni has five, concrete circular bandas as well as some newer rooms that are simple but designed with a touch of safari flair. It's one of the few genuinely mid-range options around town and there's a large barnlike restaurant-cum-bar.

Mount Kenya Safari ClubHOTEL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %Nairobi 020-2265555; www.fairmont.com; d from US$533; piWs)

For our money this is the top-end resort in the Central Highlands – it’s the kind of place that makes you want to grow a moustache, kick back and smoke a pipe. The rooms have a luxurious, classic look to them and are decorated to a sumptuous standard, all with their own open fires and exquisite bathrooms. The whole shebang overlooks the Mt Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.

5Eating

oKungu Maitu Hotel & ButcheryKENYAN

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; off Laikipia Rd; meals KSh200; h8am-10pm)

Friendly and utterly local, this simple place serves up Nanyuki's best barbecued meats. Choose your cuts of meat on the way, order a chapati or samosa to go with it and wait for it all to appear at your table. We found the toilets (upstairs) to be bearable only if you hold your breath and close your eyes – if you can wait, do so.

Walkers KikwetuBUFFET

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Kenyatta Ave; mains KSh200-450; h7am-11pm Mon-Sat)

Kikwetu means ‘ours’ in Kikuyu and provides the inspiration behind the menu. Several African dishes from various tribes are brought together and served buffet style (but charged according to the dishes you select). If you haven’t tried matoke (cooked plantains), pilau (Swahili curried rice) or mukimo (mashed beans and vegetables), here's your chance.

oLily Pond Arts CentreCAFE

(%0726734493, 0702006501; www.lilypondartscentre.com; off Nairobi–Nanyuki Rd; 2-/3-course menu KSh950/1150; h8am-7.30pm Sun-Thu, 8am-11pm Fri & Sat)

Fabulous home-cooked meals to be enjoyed while looking out over a lily pond right on the equator (you enter the restaurant from the southern hemisphere, but eat in the north…) makes for a winning combination here. You choose from a selection of dishes that might include soup or a Kenyan beef curry.

Cape ChestnutINTERNATIONAL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0705250650; www.capechestnut.com; mains from KSh600; h8.30am-6pm Sat-Thu, 8.30am-11.30pm Fri; W)

This coffee garden is a terrific place to come to eat, a little removed from the Nanyuki scrum. The food is excellent with dishes like rack of Timau lamb or rainbow trout with fresh greens, and the atmosphere is relaxed and popular with local expats. Friday night is tapas night. It’s off Kenyatta Ave, 1km south of town.

Le RustiqueINTERNATIONAL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0721609601; www.lerustique.co.ke; off Kenyatta Ave; mains KSh1000-2200; hnoon-3pm & 6-11pm)

This one-time Nairobi favourite has upped sticks and headed north to Nanyuki. The food, overseen to every last detail by owner Maike Potgeiter, is excellent with pizzas, crepes and an excellent wine list. But the atmosphere is as much of a drawcard, with an open fireplace for those cold Laikipia evenings or the quiet garden when things are warmer.

8Information

Boma HolidaysTRAVEL AGENCY

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %Nairobi 020-2329683; www.bomaadventures.com; 2nd fl, Nakumart Centre, Kenyatta Ave)

Travel agency that can arrange airline ticketing, car hire, airport transfers, hotel reservations and local safaris.

8Getting There & Away

Nanyuki is well connected to all points north and south, as well as most major Rift Valley towns. Sample matatu fares include Nyeri (KSh250, one hour), Isiolo (KSh280, 1½ hours), Meru (KSh250, 1½ hours), Nakuru (KSh650, three hours) and Nairobi (KSh500, three hours).

AirkenyaAIRLINE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %Nairobi 020-3916000; www.airkenya.com; Nanyuki Airport; one-way adult/child US$173.50/131.40)

Flies once or twice daily between Nairobi's Wilson Airport and Nanyuki.

SafarilinkAIRLINE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %Nairobi 020-600777; www.flysafarilink.com; one-way adult/child US$170/122)

Flights at least daily between Wilson Airport in Nairobi and Nanyuki's airport.

Tropic AirAIRLINE, HELICOPTER

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %Nairobi 020-2033032; www.tropicairkenya.com; Nanyuki Airport)

Charter-helicopter and light-aircraft services from Nanyuki's airport.

Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Ol Pejeta Conservancy ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0752325379, 0707187141, Nairobi 020-2033244; www.olpejetaconservancy.org; adult/child/student US$90/45/23, vehicle from KSh400; h7am-7pm) was once one of the largest cattle ranches in Kenya, but is now a 90,000-acre, privately owned wildlife reserve. It markets itself as the closest place to Nairobi where you can see the Big Five and possesses a full palette of African plains wildlife, including a healthy population of rhinos.

It's the rhinos that form the centrepiece of what they do here – their (at last count) 102 black rhinos is the largest population in East Africa. A reminder of the challenges they face came when one of their rhinos was poached in March 2014, with another killed four months later.

Apart from its impressive conservation work, Ol Pejeta is, so far, the only one of the private conservancies open to the paying (but not necessarily staying) public – most other conservancies are accessible only for those who stay in one of their exclusive lodges.

OL PEJETA CONSERVANCY

Why Go

East Africa's largest black-rhino sanctuary; excellent wildlife-viewing and activities; most accessible of the Laikipia conservancies.

When to Go

Year round, although you'll need a 4WD from late March to late May

Practicalities

Only the Serat and main Rongai Gate (both in the conservancy's east) are open to visitors.

Budget Tips

Rent a matatu for the day with other travellers in Nanyuki; if staying overnight, stay in one of the campsites.

1Sights & Activities

In addition to the following sights and activities, you can also arrange at the park gate or through your accommodation guided bush walks, bird walks and night wildlife drives; each costs US$40 per adult (US$20 per child).

oChimpanzee SanctuaryZOO

(h10am-4.30pm)

Home to 39 profoundly damaged chimpanzees rescued from captivity across Africa and further afield, Ol Pejeta's Chimp Sanctuary encompasses two large enclosures cut in two by the Ewaso Nyiro River. There's an elevated observation post and keepers are usually on hand to explain a little about each chimp's backstory; note the tiny replica cage in which one of the chimps was chained for years on end prior to being brought to the sanctuary.

oEndangered Species EnclosureZOO

(adult/child US$40/20)

This 700-acre drive-through enclosure next to the Morani Information Centre is home to three out of the world's last five remaining northern white rhinos, an ever-so-close-to-being-extinct subspecies. The rhinos were brought here from the Dvur Kralove Zoo in the Czech Republic in 2009, but have not yet bred successfully. Also in the enclosure are the endangered Grevy's zebra and Jackson's hartebeest.

oMorani Information CentreMUSEUM

(h7am-6.30pm)F

Part education or interpretation centre, part museum, this three-roomed structure is appealingly interactive and comes with the instructions to 'Please touch' the leopard skin, antelope horns and other similar objects. You'll also find displays and information on Ol Pejeta's predator-proof bomas (cattle enclosures designed to keep predators out) and the history of the conservancy's rhino conservation work.

oLion TrackingWILDLIFE

(adult/child US$40/20)

Easily our pick of the activities on offer, this nightly excursion trains you in the art of identifying individual lions and takes you out to find lions using radio receivers. The data you gather forms part of the conservancy's database on Ol Pejeta's estimated 65 to 70 resident lions.

Rift Valley AdventuresCYCLING, ADVENTURE

(%0707734776, 0712426999; www.riftvalleyadventures.com; cycling per person half-/full-day from US$70/120)

This highly recommended operator runs cycling tours through Ol Pejeta, as well as other activities in the Mt Kenya area.

4Sleeping & Eating

oEwaso CampsiteCAMPGROUND

(%0707187141; info@olpejetaconservancy.org; camping adult/child KSh1000/500)

Protected by dense foliage but with good river views, this is probably the pick of the sites in the park centre.

oNgobit CampsiteCAMPGROUND

(%0707187141; info@olpejetaconservancy.org; camping adult/child KSh1000/500)

Along the Ngobit River in the conservancy's far south, this is the quietest of Ol Pejeta's campsites.

oKicheche LaikipiaTENTED CAMP

(%Nairobi 020-2493569; www.kicheche.com; s/d all-inclusive US$800/1330; p)

Close to the geographical centre of the park and overlooking a waterhole, this excellent tented camp has six stylishly furnished tents, an overall air of sophistication and impeccable service. It's Ol Pejeta's most exclusive accommodation.

oSweetwaters Serena CampTENTED CAMP

(%0732123333; www.serenahotels.com; s/d full board from US$280/370; piWs)

The 39 large and beautifully appointed en-suite tents by the reliable Serena chain are high-end but with prices more accessible than other properties. The central location is a plus (handy for most of the conservancy) and a minus (things can get busy around here), depending on your perspective.

oMorani's RestaurantCAFE

(%0706160114; www.moranisrestaurant.com; mains KSh675-875; h10.30am-6pm)

Next to the Morani Information Centre, this terrific little cafe with outdoor tables serves up excellent dishes that range from the Morani burger made from prime Ol Pejeta beef to Kenyan beef stew or a Mediterranean wrap. Fresh juices, fine smoothies and Kenyan coffee round out an excellent package.

8Information

Pick up a copy of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy map (KSh700) from the entrance gate or download it for free from their website. Other useful (and free) resources include the Mammal Checklist, Bird Checklist and Chimpanzee Factfile.

8Getting There & Away

Ol Pejeta is 15km southwest of Nanyuki, which also has the nearest airport.

Segera Ranch

North of Ol Pejeta Conservancy, in southern Laikipia, this 50,000-acre ranch is a perfect example of how Laikipia works. It's a model cattle ranch, but wildlife is also prolific here, including the three big cats, elephants, buffaloes and endangered species such as Grevy's zebra (15 of them at last count), Patas monkey (a small troop lives along the ranch's eastern border) and the reticulated giraffe. The landscape here is classic Laikipia terrain – seemingly endless savannah country cut through with rocky river valleys and riverine woodland.

oSegera RetreatLODGE

(www.segera.com; s/d all inclusive US$1940/2420; paWs)

Wow! We can be difficult to impress, but this place left us speechless. Six villas and a couple of houses inhabit an oasis in the heart of the ranch, looking out onto the savannah, yet enclosed within their own natural compound that keeps dangerous animals out. The villas are utterly magnificent – spacious, luxurious in every way and steeped in safari tradition.

It's no coincidence that the villas capture perfectly that Out of Africa longing that caused a generation of would-be travellers to fall in love with the continent – one of the bar areas is strewn with original letters and personal effects from Karen Blixen, and the Retreat even has the plane that was used in the movie; flights can be arranged. The food, too, is memorable, and there's a wine list to match. There's a spa, hi-tech gym, sculpture garden and thought-provoking installations of African contemporary art fill the ranch's artfully converted stables.

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

Although technically not a part of Laikipia, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy (LWC; %0722203562, 064-31405; www.lewa.org; conservation fee per adult/child per night US$105/53), a vast region of open savannah grasslands that falls away from the Mt Kenya highlands, is very much a part of Laikipia's story. It was at Lewa that the conservancy idea was pioneered and it remains a leader in all of the elements – serious wildlife protection wedded to innovative community engagement – that have come to define the private conservancies of Laikipia and elsewhere. And unlike in Kenya's national parks where off-road driving is prohibited, Lewa's guides delight in taking you to almost within touching distance of rhinos, elephants and other species.

LEWA WILDLIFE CONSERVANCY

Why Go

For some of the finest game-viewing in Kenya; almost guaranteed sightings of all the Big Five; walking safaris and night safaris. No minibus circus.

When to Go

Year-round, but the dry season (June to March) is best.

Practicalities

Lewa is closed to casual visitors: you must be staying at one of the (very expensive) lodges in order to enter. Most visitors fly in from Nairobi but road access is easy from Isiolo or the Central Highlands.

Budget Tips

Not suitable for budget travellers.

1Sights & Activities

The following activities (with sample per-person prices) complement the day and night wildlife drives. Bookings are most easily made through your accommodation.

Excursions to Il Ngwesi US$40, half-day

Tour of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy's HQ Free (US$10 if you visit the tracker dogs), one to two hours

Orphan Rhino Project US$15, 30 minutes (this was where the moving final scene in Sir David Attenborough's Africa series was filmed)

Visit to local school US$50 donation

Horse-riding safari US$55, one hour

Walking Safari in Ndare Ndare Forest US$30 conservation fee, one to three hours

Quad bike/buggy safari Price varies

Flying Safari Price varies

4Sleeping & Eating

oLewa Safari CampTENTED CAMP

(%Nairobi 0730127000; www.lewasafaricamp.com; s/d all inclusive US$708/1180; Ws)

This impressive property lies in the northwest corner of the conservancy, about one hour's drive from the main Matunda Gate. Its safari tents are large and have that whole chic-bush-living thing down to a tee; they're arrayed around a shallow valley and large wildlife is kept out so you can walk around freely (although they give you an escort at night). Service is impeccable.

KifaruLODGE

(%Nairobi 020-2127844; www.kifaruhouse.com; per person US$1000; Ws)

Luxury hilltop bandas with no expense spared, not to mention fine views over the plains and an air of exclusivity with no more than 12 guests in camp at any one time.

Lewa WildernessCOTTAGES

(%0723273668; www.lewawilderness.com; r from US$1590; Ws)

Nine cottages owned and run by the Craig family in Lewa's east. Rooms are classic safari in style and faultlessly luxurious.

8Getting There & Away

The turn-off to LWC is only 12km south of Isiolo and is well signposted on the A2 Hwy.

AirkenyaAIRLINE

(%Nairobi 020-3916000; www.airkenya.com; adult/child one-way US$238/175.30)

Up to twice daily flights between Lewa and Nairobi's Wilson Airport, sometimes via Nanyuki.

SafarilinkAIRLINE

(%Nairobi 020-6000777; flysafarilink.com; adult/child one-way US$230/164)

Up to three daily flights between Lewa and Wilson Airport in Nairobi.

THE LEWA STORY

Like so many Laikipia properties that later became wildlife conservancies, Lewa Downs was an expansive cattle ranch. In 1983, the owners, the Craig family, along with pioneering rhino conservationist Anna Merz, set aside 5000 acres of Lewa as the Ngare Sergoi Rhino Sanctuary. They received their first rhino a year later, and the numbers grew to 16 in 1988. The Craigs doubled the sanctuary's size, and by 1994 the entire cattle ranch (along with the adjacent Ngare Ndare Forest Reserve) was enclosed within an electric fence to create a 62,000-acre rhino sanctuary. The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in its current form was created in 1995.

True to its origins as a sanctuary to save Kenya's rhinos, Lewa's primary conservation focus continues to be rhinos. Lewa suffered not a single poaching event between 1983 and 2009 – the joke doing the rounds of the conservation community for much of this time was that lewa was 'State House' (Kenya's presidential palace) for rhinos. Sadly, poaching has been on the rise ever since, with six of Lewa's rhinos killed in 2013, prompting a massive investment in anti-poaching operations.

At last count, Lewa was home to 66 black rhinos and 62 white rhinos (that's around 15% of the Kenyan total). And despite the poaching, the conservancy is close to its carrying capacity for rhinos. In 2014, the fence that separated Lewa from the 32,000-acre Borana Conservancy to the west was torn down, effectively increasing the size of the rhino sanctuary by 25%.

Rhinos aside, Lewa's conservation effort has been astounding and 20% of the world’s Grevy’s zebras call the reserve home.

Central to the Lewa model is a serious commitment to community development, fuelled by a recognition that local people are far more likely to protect wildlife if they have a stake (financial or otherwise) in its survival. LWC is a nonprofit organisation that invests around 70% of its annual US$2.5 million-plus budget into health care, education and various community projects for surrounding villages.

In 2013, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy was inscribed on Unesco's World Heritage List as an extension to the existing Mount Kenya National Park/Natural Forest site.