Loisaba Wilderness is outstandingly beautiful, its abundant wildlife is truly wild
and it is comfortable beyond measure.

• MIND - A Working ranch - Wildlife research - The Community
  
  
• BODY - An Adventure - Mountain bikes - River Rafting - Horse riding - Camels - Helicopter Trips
  
  
• SOUL - Loisaba Lodge - The Star beds - Loisaba Nature - Soothing Spa - The Cottage
  

Revive your mind, rejuvenate your body and revitalise your soul.

After only a few hours here, our guests see the world anew. Thinking more clearly about the basics of life brings everything else into focus. Loisaba is not just a holiday destination of peerless beauty and infinite variety; It is a practical project in sustainable land-use. This basic premise infiltrates every part of the ranch.

After only a few hours here, our guests see the world anew.

The property is untamed bush but also a working cattle farm; it conducts important wildlife research and - crucially - works closely with the community who have defended this land for generations. Guests see Africa as it was before fences were invented. Here there are no game park rules, no caged animals and none of the constraints of western life. Like the wildlife we nurture, you can do whatever you want, whenever you want.

Bush buck, cattle and buffalo share the same water-holes in a symbiotic relationship whereby the dividends from ranching and tourism pay for the protection of the wider environment and its often endangered inhabitants. The local Samburu and Maasai tribes are full partners in the project so your visit not only conserves the environment but also pays for the education and welfare of the people who call this remote and magnificent region home.

CONSERVATION

The Loisaba Wilderness is run by Oryx Limited, a conservation enterprise established by Peter Silvester, Tom Silvester and Giles Davies in 1997.

All profits generated by tourism activities at Loisaba are dedicated to conservation of the 150 square kilometre private wilderness area, in addition to supporting community orientated health, education and enterprise programmes outside its boundaries with the neighbouring Samburu and Laikipiak Maasai tribes.

LOCAL CULTURE

Loisaba is a fully integrated local community project employing a number of staff and guides from the neighbouring Laikipiak Maasai and Samburu tribal communities.

Consequently, Loisaba has quickly earned a reputation as one of the best places to gain an insight into these fascinating traditional cultures.

Loisaba bestrides the border of Laikipia and Kenya's rugged Northern
Frontier District. Only a few miles from the equator, this private game ranch is in country of transcendent beauty where the farm management and the local Laikipiak Maasai and Samburu community work together to preserve the environment and the wildlife that abounds here.

The view from Loisaba extends for hundreds of miles - to Mount Kenya, the Lolldaiga Hills and the Mathews Range. They rise from plains where big game ranges free and undisturbed by the incursions of the twenty first century.

Through Loisaba roam elephant, lion and leopard alongside the rare northern species that thrive here - gerenuk, Grevy's zebra and reticulated giraffe. It is a setting little changed since the Great Rift Valley split Africa in two, creating the escarpment on which the lodge is built. Luxurious yet in harmony with its surroundings, full of adventure yet an oasis of calm, Loisaba is a tranquil and life-enhancing haven for wildlife and visitors alike.

At Loisaba your whole being is stimulated: for an invigorating and refreshing experience, it is unequalled. Revive your mind, rejuvenate your body and revitalise your soul.

Loisaba is made for adventure: guests enjoy complete freedom to choose how they spend their time so the only barrier is your own imagination. Trek through the bush with camels, mountain bike down the escarpment, raft, horseback-ride or drive through the wild canyons of the two great rivers that span the vast property. Loisaba is immense: bigger than ten of the world's fully-fledged nations. You could take months exploring this land and never encounter the same view twice.

In addition to horses, motor-bikes, camels and Land Rovers, the ranch owns a helicopter, an aeroplane and a micro-light so there really are no limits to what you choose to do:

• heli-camp, then surf the remote sand-dunes of the Northern Frontier District,
• rock-climb on the soaring pinnacles that reach up from the valley floor or
• just play a little tennis and lie by the pool.

We can assure you that you will not bump into anyone else and you will see the most extraordinary natural wonders - spectacular animal life that is wild, free and exhilarating to observe and a kaleidoscopic variety of birds, both endemic and migratory.

For the spirited adventurer - Loisaba Wilderness, is equipped with
5 state of the art Shimano 21 speed mountain bikes, which offer a unique way to explore some of Loisaba’s varied terrain and stunning flora and fauna.

Customised mountain bike jaunts, can be arranged on request, from a full day, with delightful picnics, to short exercise excursions accompanied by a Professional Safari Guide.

For another exhilarating experience spend an afternoon rafting sections of the Ewaso Ngiro and Ng’are Narok rivers that flow through Loisaba in our specially designed two person inflatable rafts.

Availability is however, dictated by the seasonal level of the rivers.

Experience the unique exhilaration of riding on the plains with a herd of zebra, walking gentle through a graceful forest of giraffe or past a herd of elephant. On horseback it is possible to get unusually close to wildlife and our stable of horses have all been reared from birth in the bush so are quite accustomed to its presence.

We do, however, require a reasonable degree of riding skill.

The traditional mode of transport in the dry land of Northern Kenya and another great way to experience Loisaba.

Short or longer walks can be arranged or as well as over night camel camps using lightweight tentage for the more intrepid.

YOUR PILOT

THE HELICOPTER
Loisaba's helicopter is a Eurocopter AS 350 BA Squirrel powered by a turbine engine of proven reliability. It seats 5 passengers in leather-bound, air-conditioned comfort; headsets allow guests to chat or listen to the 12 disc CD system as they fly through the world's most breathtaking scenery. The chopper is equipped with a satellite telephone and a comprehensive medical bag in case of emergencies. More frequently used are the well-stocked coolers: for spur of the moment cocktails in Africa's most remote, inaccessible and beautiful places.

SUNDOWNER FLIGHT
A dream flight over Loisaba's 61,000 acres

THE FLAMINGOS OF LAKE BOGORIA
Visit one of the most beautiful parks in Kenya - Lake Bogoria

LAKE BARINGO - A PICNIC BREAKFAST
A flight to a unique Rift Valley Lake

MOUNT NYIRU - A DAY SAFARI TO DESERT ROSE
Explore the Suguta Valley in Kenya's northern desert

TAILOR MADE SAFARIS
Fishing and Helicamping out of Loisaba

All helicopter activity is subject to availability and advanced booking is advised.

HELICOPTER EXCURSIONS FROM LOISABA - SUNDOWNER FLIGHT

Loisaba is a 61,000 acre conservation area of dramatic beauty. The Ewaso Nyiro River, which runs along the eastern border of the ranch, leads through steep valleys to the Laikipia plains of the Samburu. The floors of the valleys are lush with palms and fig trees: home to elephant and giraffe; the arid escarpments shelter rare greater kudu, leopard and gerenuk.

As the light softens the sharp edges of this extravagant landscape, fly over grazing herds of antelope to a perch high above the wilderness where no roads lead. Here, in the shadow of a great balancing rock, sip cocktails as the moon rises, before returning home to Loisaba for dinner.

HELICOPTER EXCURSIONS - THE FLAMINGOS OF LAKE BOGORIA

As the sun rises over the Laikipia plains, fly west with the sun to the Mukutan Gorge - the sheer-sided corridor to the Great Rift Valley. Mukutan is truly majestic - a deep pass, crowned with spires of rock, home to rich plant and animal life. Once over the vertical sides of the Rift the helicopter carries guests south to one of the most beautiful parks in Kenya - Lake Bogoria. As you approach the lake, a broad pink ribbon comes into view and slowly transforms into thousands of individual flamingos, sifting the lake for food. A picnic breakfast will be served on the eastern shore. Unapproachable by vehicles, this area is utterly private and undisturbed. The park abounds with game of all sorts - and with the sun ideally placed, guests have a chance to photograph flamingos on the water before the light becomes too harsh.

A short and attractive return flight to a rendezvous with our game drive cars or horses gives guests a chance to explore the more remote parts of Loisaba.

HELICOPTER EXCURSIONS - LAKE BARINGO - A PICNIC BREAKFAST

Guests depart for the Great Rift Valley as the morning sun illuminates the landscape. We thread the narrow Mukutan Gorge, following the twists and turns of the pass, almost close enough to touch its walls.

Ahead lies the Rift Valley and in the distance, Lake Baringo. Guests are met on an exclusive island by a fully-equipped boat, skippered by an expert guide. While breakfast is prepared on another private island to the north, your skipper will show you the wonders of this remote lake. Hippos, crocodiles and myriad birds abound in the lake's untouched environment.

Relax, enjoy breakfast and hot coffee in the shade of an acacia tree before flying back to Loisaba to meet up with a rafting excursion or a walk with camels.

Availability of facilities at Baringo, rafts and camels, will have to be confirmed.

HELICOPTER EXCURSIONS - MOUNT NYIRU - A DAY SAFARI TO DESERT ROSE

Guests awake at the Star Beds, elephants bathing in the lake below, before boarding the helicopter for a flying safari that traverses some of Kenya's most magnificent and remote territory.

Humphrey flies guests low over the Loisaba conservation area, pointing out the big game and the spectacular geography along the way. The helicopter follows the contours of the hills as it flies through the Mukutan Gorge, along the Great Rift Valley escarpment and touches down at Lake Baringo.

Baringo is a haven for bird-watchers, the last oasis before the harsh Northern Frontier District. A highly qualified guide points out different species: fish eagles stoop for tilapia as pelicans gather in vast flocks. A picnic breakfast is served on a private island where guests can swim in the lake, shower and relax.

The flight from Baringo to Desert Rose takes guests over the green pastures and cedar forests of Losiolo (8,000 feet above the Rift Valley) to land on a volcanic outcrop only a few minutes' scramble above the sand dunes of the Suguta Valley. Drink ice-cold cocktails and look out over the shimmering dunes before flying up Mount Nyiru to Desert Rose. A picnic lunch will be served under the shade of a spreading fig tree. Later in the afternoon guests can walk on the mountain, relax by the pool or follow the stream by the house.

In the evening guests return to Loisaba by a different route: through the Ndoto Mountains and the Mathews Range, following the course of the Milgis River and shaving the sides of the Ewaso Nyiro. Here we stop for sundowners high above the Samburu plains and enjoy the peace of complete exclusivity.

Guests can stay the night at Desert Rose and, the following day, explore the treasures of Teleki's Volcano, Nabiotum and the ancient rock engravings on the southern shores of Lake Turkana. You might like to meet up with a camel train on your way home or horse-back ride on the plains. With Loisaba Helicopter Safaris, the only barrier is your imagination.

HELICOPTER EXCURSIONS - TAILOR MADE SAFARIS

Fishing
The peaks of Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Mountains make for an extremely refreshing day-out in the middle of a dusty safari. High above the plains, these mountains have their own cool and invigorating climates despite being on the equator. The helicopter is equipped with fly-fishing rods so that small groups of 2 or 3 people can fly high up onto Mount Kenya and fly-fish the stocked lakes at Rutundu and Alice. Plans are afoot to fish in the Aberdares too. If you prefer coarse fishing we have the necessary rods and lines for catfish and barbel in the nearby Ewaso Nyiro River.

Heli-camping
For the more adventurous couple, the helicopter can be flown to the most pristine and untouched parts of Northern Kenya - heedless of roads or runways. We have invested in all that you need for an overnight stay, cooked for and cared for by your pilot and camp orderly. Plan with us something totally original - the sky's the limit!

Constructed from stone, local timber and thatch, the lodge is perched high on the edge of the plateau looking south towards Mount Kenya.

Each room has large French windows that open onto a private deck cantilevered off the escarpment. The views are legendary, and a water hole a few hundred feet below draws continuous wildlife.

All the furniture in the lodge is handmade at Loisaba. The lodge has a swimming pool, tennis court, bocce court and croquet lawn. The spa offers massage and beauty treatment and a romantic open-air bubble bath, all with a tranquil view of the unspoilt Karissia Hills.

7 rooms: 4 doubles and 3 twins. One room has a separate sitting room that can double as a further bedroom for a family group. Each room has an en-suite bathroom.

The two sets of Star Beds are unique to Loisaba.

These are named ‘Koija’ Star Beds and are part of an exciting new joint venture project that Loisaba has undertaken in partnership with the Laikipiak Maasai people from the Koija community.

Each Star Bed dramatically designed, handcrafted wooden raised platform, and partially covered with a thatched roof. Homemade ‘Mukokoteni’ (uniquely designed bed on wheels’), can either be wheeled onto the open deck area for a night under the stars, or left under the shelter of the roof.

All the beds have complete ‘four-poster’ insect netting. The Star Beds are normally reached by one of many options; on foot, horse, camel or vehicle and with two sets now in place create a unique opportunity to travel between them both and the lodge as part of a Star Bed Expedition.

Guests are guided and hosted by a team of traditional Samburu and Laikipiak Maasai warriors. Food is prepared in traditional camp kitchen, Barbeque style.

Both the Kiboko and Koija Star Beds comprise of 2 double sleeping platforms and one large family platform. Each double platform is designed for 1 or 2 people. The family platform accommodates 4 people (sharing bathroom facilities.) Each platform is en-suite and has a large camp-style shower. The platforms are sited to ensure complete privacy.

Loisaba is the same size as the Ngorongoro Crater and larger than many of Kenya’s principal National Parks.

To the north lie the grassy plains of the plateau; to the south, the plateau breaks into valleys, cliffs and escarpments that frame stunning views up to the snows of Mount Kenya.

At their base lies a different riverine ecosystem on the banks of two major rivers, the Ewaso N’giro and the Engare Narok.

The wilderness is a haven for more than 250 species of birds and 50 species of wildlife. Alongside all the more usual types, elephant, buffalo, grevy zebra and greater kudu abound; the area is also rapidly gaining a reputation for exceptional big cat sightings. Even wild dog, thought for many years to be extinct in the region are now appeared to be re-colonising the area and are closely monitored in the area.

Situated in the very heartland of the nomadic Samburu and Laikipiak Maasai people, Loisaba also offers a rare insight into cultures, traditions and a way of life that has stood the test of time.

Already offering a unique combination of remarkable wildlife, diverse activities and magnificent location, Loisaba has further enhanced guests’ safari experience with the opening of the Loisaba Spa.

Whilst the initial attraction of a Kenyan safari is undoubtedly an unparalleled wildlife safari, the sheer indulgence of enjoying a soothing massage overlooking the vast Laikipia Plateau in between game viewing activities takes Kenyan safaris to a new level.

Loisaba’s ‘Mind, Body & Soul’ concept encompasses the enriching experience a stay in the wild can evoke, one which affects visitors not only visually but also spiritually and emotionally – vast tracts of wilderness alive with wildlife of every shape and form, local tribes continuing their traditional lifestyle little changed for centuries, and a majestic landscape sweeping down to the indomitable Mount Kenya. The Loisaba Spa offers guests the opportunity to relax and absorb this awakening of senses.

During her time in Northern Kenya, Naomi has blended her qualified knowledge with local traditions to provide a unique range of complementary treatments. As well as full body massages and delicious wraps in mineral-rich Dead Sea mud, the spa also offers facials, manicures and pedicures. Prices range from USD 15 – USD 55.

Loisaba - revitalise your mind, body and soul.

A truly exclusive, self-contained private cottage built on the edge of the escarpment entirely from local stone and thatch.

The location and architecture of the cottage are breathtaking, as are the furnishings, most of which have been designed and made at Loisaba.

The cottage has its own staff, game-drive vehicle and a private, cliff-top swimming pool. The ultimate hideaway, for small groups.

The Cottage is a private house on Loisaba. Built entirely from local materials gathered on the ranch and thatched with Mombasa palm, the house commands a spectacular view over the Laikipia plains towards Mount Kenya.

Two large en-suite bedrooms surround a duplex sitting room, bar and dining room. An eye-level swimming pool on the lip of the thousand foot escarpment lies at the foot of the garden.

Guests at the cottage enjoy the service of its own staff, cars and drivers: it is completely independent of the lodge, allowing guests all the facilities of the ranch with absolute privacy and exclusivity.

2 Bedrooms, 1 double and 1 twin (convertible to double) both with en-suite bathrooms with bath and shower.

© Loisaba  / Cheli & Peacock Ltd / Choices Wild Limited. All Rights Reserved, 2005.