Horse riding holiday at Sosian

There is no set itinerary during your safari and you can choose which activities you’d like to do. Non-riders can do game drives while riders head out on the trail. While vehicles cannot go as far off the beaten track, all guests will get a phenomenal safari experience with incredible guides.

Wake-up on a beautiful African morning, to the sound of the dawn chorus. Enjoy a light breakfast as dawn breaks. The morning will be spent on your chosen activity whether it’s on horseback or game drive vehicle, you will follow the ancient elephant trails, searching for a variety of wildlife.

Sosian offers a great variety of riding across open plains filled with zebra, oryx, giraffe, eland and gazelle, stretching down into thicker valleys, which are home to herds of kudu, buffalo and elephants. There is also a stretch of river where you’ll often spot pods of hippos, and the not-so-elusive leopard. Riding is generally 2-3 hours in the mornings and/or afternoons and riders can spend up to 6 hours per day in the saddle. Often you’ll ride to bush breakfasts or sundowners, which seem to appear out of nowhere as you turn a corner on a particularly beautiful stretch of the river or reach the top of a breathtaking escarpment.

Return to the lodge for lunch and siesta. In the afternoons, head out on a gentle evening ride, a sundowner game drive or afternoon walk, absorbing Laikipia’s magic and listening to the sounds of the bush. Enjoy Africa’s ‘golden hour’, where the wonderful afternoon light sets the landscape alight with beautiful colours. Return to camp for a delicious alfresco dinner under the stars or in the main dining area. The food produced is absolutely delicious.

Occasionally riding guests (and horses) may need to rest, which is the perfect opportunity to venture out on foot to appreciate the smaller creatures that inhabit the bush – or to learn some rudimentary tracking skills. Other activities include game drives, camel treks or learning more about cattle ranching in the wilds of Kenya. For those who wish to immerse themselves in the Kenyan culture, you may visit some of the nomadic tribes that welcome guests into their homes. And for the adventurous, you can head to teh Ewaso Narock River from swimming, tubing or kayaking. No two days are the same and every day is a different adventure in this piece of Africa paradise.

For the keener riders we can offer a 1-night fly camp with the horses. Leaving the lodge after lunch we ride approximately three hours north, exploring the rivers and escarpments along the way, arriving at our fly camp that evening, in time for a sundowner. With simple tents, a long drop loo and a traditional hot safari shower, guests can settle in for the night with a bush dinner and then fall asleep to the sounds of the African bush. There is a second stable block up on these northern plains where the horses spend the night. The following morning you’ll get up early, have some tea and then head out across the plains on the horses. Riding back southwards towards the lodge, you’ll stop for a bush breakfast before riding back into the lodge in time for lunch at the pool and a chance to cool off after the long morning’s ride.

With prior arrangement, we also offer longer riding safaris from Sosian. There are three other lodges and camps within a half day ride from Sosian and riding out to these properties is a fantastic way to see more of the area and sample some different lodges. Starting and ending at Sosian, our horses become our transport and together with our team of grooms and guides we can offer a really exhilarating riding safari experience, with plenty of wildlife and excellent riding. We can give you more information on this if this is something you would like.

Games drives at Sosian are in open 4×4 Land Rovers with specially raised seats to allow the best wildlife viewing. Early mornings and later afternoons are the best times to go, as the wildlife is more active when its cooler. However, the middle of the day can be a wonderful time to find herds of elephant playing in the mud and cooling off in the river.

Sosian has a diverse landscape and varying habitats, where you can expect to see elephant, buffalo, hippo, giraffe, zebra, antelope, lion, leopard and warthog to name a few. There is also over 350 species of birds on Sosian. Being a private conservancy guests are also fortunate enough to be able to experience the bush and its nocturnal animals with a spot light at night. After sunset guests often encounter leopard, spotted and striped hyena, aardwolf, aardvark, porcupine, bush baby, serval cat and other exciting species.

Walking is the most intimate way of exploring the bush. Led by an experienced walking guide you will learn how to follow animal tracks, recognise dung, insects, flora & fauna and all the other tiny details that you might otherwise miss from a vehicle. You don’t have to be super fit to enjoy one of our walking safari experiences and our guides will tailor make it to suit your preferences.

For those who prefer a different type of saddle, mountain biking is a must. Sosian has a range of bikes available. You must be relatively fit and confident with off-road bike riding, but you’ll be rewarded with exceptional views! The hills and valleys provide the perfect terrain for adrenalin-fuelled bike rides.

Sosian is lucky to have 15km of the Ewaso Narok River running through it, with its magnificent 30ft high waterfalls. A highlight for some (who are brave enough!) is to jump off the waterfalls into the deep pool below. For others, swimming in the pools, or paddling in a kayak is most enjoyable. When the river is high enough, tubing down the rapids is another exhilarating way to spend the day on the river….or simply relax on the river bank with a fishing rod and see what you can catch for your dinner!

Camels have been part of the northern Kenyan landscape for hundreds of years and are kept as livestock for their milk and meat. Contrary to popular belief, if well looked after, camels can be very well tempered. Sosian’s camels are very friendly and at times overly affectionate! Camel riding is a fun activity and typically a ride lasts approximately 40 minutes or so, and allows you to see the bush from a great vantage point.

Camels have been part of the northern Kenyan landscape for hundreds of years and are kept as livestock for their milk and meat. Contrary to popular belief, if well looked after, camels can be very well temperAed. Sosian’s camels are very friendly and at times overly affectionate! Camel riding is a fun activity and typically a ride lasts approximately 40 minutes or so, and allows you to see the bush from a great vantage point.

Cattle ranching in Laikipia is a long standing land use that is vitally important for the sustainability of this semi-arid area. When managed carefully, cattle ranching and wildlife conservation compliment each other and Sosian is a perfect example of how this can work. A morning spent with the ranch manager can offer a fascinating insight into how cattle and wildlife co-exist and also provide a fun and often hands on farming experience for all the family.