Long Stay Safari in Kenya

Depending on the stage of each horse, the time of year and your riding ability, the following tasks will be done:

• Grooming and Feeding Horses
• Assisting with basic veterinary work
• Assisting the team where needed to clean stables/paddocks
• Tack maintenance and cleaning
• Fitness training for the horses
• Schooling of youngsters and trail horses
• Riding lessons, including show jumping and pole work
• Trail riding among wildlife on safari
• Setting up a new cross country course
• Snare patrols
• General help on the ranch including conservation work, landscape improvements, snare disposal, etc
• Setting up the mobile safari camp

This is an example only – It will be tailored to the volunteers and horses, the weather and the wildlife in the area. Each day is different and offers a unique adventure!

MONDAY: Arrive in Nairobi before 10AM. You’ll be met at the airport for a approx. 4 hour drive to Nanyuki, where Sarah or her team will meet you for the final drive to the ranch. Settle in and meet the family and horses

TUESDAY: Morning stable induction & work. Afternoon trail ride

WEDNESDAY: Morning stable work & trail ride. Afternoon game drive with sundowners

THURSDAY: Morning schooling session. Afternoon trail ride

FRIDAY: Excursion to Ol Pejeta Wildlife Conservancy to see rhinos

SATURDAY: Morning cross country/jumping. Afternoon braai (BBQ)

SUNDAY: Day off – feel free to relax, or head out on local excursions

MONDAY: Conservation workshop at Mpala Research Centre

TUESDAY: Morning boundary patrol trail ride. Afternoon schooling session

WEDNESDAY: Morning stable work. Afternoon trail ride to mobile camp, set up and sleep out

THURSDAY: Breakdown of mobile camp, ride back to base with bush-breakfast en-route. Afternoon game drive/bush walk with sundowners

FRIDAY: Morning reserve conservation work. Afternoon trail ride

SATURDAY: Morning Cross Country Session. Afternoon bush walk & BBQ

SUNDAY: Day off to do a final trail ride or local excursions

MONDAY: Depart to Nairobi

This is for those who want to spend longer in Kenya. Live, play and work in Africa! This is wild Africa, so you do need to come with an open mind, a sense of adventure and an inquisitive mind. It’s an incredible place to really experience life with horses in Africa, and perfect for those who want to see what running a horse safari business is like.

This incredible opportunity allows you to be mentored by the highly respected international event rider Sarah Kellard-Smith. Sarah began riding at a very early age, progressing and representing Great Britain throughout Europe as both a young rider and senior, leading on to successfully completing many world-renowned 5 star events including Badminton and Burghley. After training with, and being mentored by Olympic medal winner Captain Mark Phillips, Sarah was employed to produce and compete The Princess Royal’s and HRH Queen Elizabeth’s horses alongside her own. Her wide experience of producing horses is still her passion, making her string of well-schooled safari horses her pride and joy.

This is for intermediate plus or above riders only as you’ll be riding in areas where you can come across wildlife such as elephant and big cats on horseback. Besides incredible trail rides, you’ll also be part of anti-poaching snare patrols which require long hours in the saddle. It’s an incredible way to see the ever-changing landscapes, surrounded by nature, while directly contributing to conservation.

Horses are well-schooled, and Sarah offers jumping and flatwork lessons as part of the programme. Within the stable area and secure 24 acres is a large grass training arena (30m x 60m) for flatwork and jumping sessions together with a small round pen. They also have a small jumping paddock just a short hack away, which offers a change of scenery and a great location to do showjumping training on a regular basis.

One of the best things about being out in the bush is the trail rides. You’ll be able to head out with Sarah and her guides on a regular basis. These rides are always great fun and an incredible way to discover the area and see wildlife from the saddle. Plus you’ll see what it takes to keep safari horses fit. You’ll ride through thick bush and open country with incredibly diverse terrain including flat plains and rocky escarpments. There are even some great river crossings! The pace is varied and depends on the terrain. The rocky escarpments offer slower riding but incredible views. And the flatter plains, offer great areas for long canters (keeping an eye out for Warthog holes!)

As part of the every day trail rides in the bush they look out for suitable trees and logs, usually provided by our large destructive friends – the elephant! They’ll looking forward to getting the volunteers involved in locating an area to build their own cross country track within the natural surroundings.

If you want a break from the saddle, you can easily head out on game drives or walks with the team. Walking safaris offer a deep insight into the smaller creatures and unqiue plant life, plus you can learn the art of tracking wildlife. The open game drive vehicles offer the perfect vantage point for your wildlife photography. As it’s a private reserve, after a long day of riding, you might head out on an evening game drive to enjoy sundowners in the bush, coming back in the dark and keeping a close eye out for more nocturnal widlife such as hyena, porcupine and even leopard!

You will be living, riding and working on the exclusive 14,000 acres of Suguroi Ranch at Twiga House, Nanyuki, Laikipia. This beautiful region is where many of Kenya’s most encouraging conservation success stories are developing. The environment is carefully managed to protect and preserve wildlife, whilst aiming to promote human-wildlife coexistence, benefiting local communities and allowing us to appreciate the natural beauty that surrounds us, with wildlife existence at the forefront.

Here you have the chance to see wildlife including large herds of Elephant, Reticulated giraffe, Burchell zebra, Jackal, Impala, Thompson gazelle, Eland, Grants Gazelle, Waterbuck, Buffalo, Hippo, Bushbuck, Warthog, Striped and Spotted hyena, Troops of baboon and Somali ostrich. You’ll also get the opportunity to ride alongside a range of endangered Northern species such as Greater Kudu, Beisa Oryx, Jackson Hartebeest, Grevy Zebra, and Gerenuk.

This area is also home to the very rare and endangered African Painted Dog, and there is a pack that resides on Mpala research centre on the neighbouring conservancy. Visiting Mpala, you can learn more about the tracking and researching of the Phoenix pack. Facing extinction in the 1990s due to canine distemper, there are now 22 individuals, and it’s a privilege to see them thrive in the wild. Suguroi Ranch is also home to all the elusive cats and on occasion, guests are lucky to spot Leopard, Lion, and Cheetah. They regularly have the thrill of hearing them at night!

OL PEJETA WILDLIFE CONSERVANCY

Enjoy a day visit to the Ol Pejeta Wildlife Conservancy, where you’ll embark on game drives and have a picnic. Lion prides are often seen in this conservancy, and you will have the unique opportunity to visit the last two remaining Northern white rhinos and explore the chimpanzee sanctuary. It’s a unique experience and a great way to give back.

MPALA RESEARCH CENTRE

Adjacent to the reserve is the Mpala Research Centre, where workshops are frequently held. We can arrange to join a workshop or request a guided tour of their campus to learn about their research and its significant contributions to the Kenyan landscape. It offers an incredible opportunity to view African Painted Dogs in the wild.

EXPLORING FURTHER AFIELD

Other extra activities you can do include a day trek on Mount Kenya, visiting Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, exploring the local markets, and visiting incredible Ngare Ndare Forest. There are extra costs for these excursions, depending on the number of people, but Sarah and her team will arrange all the logistics.