Horseback & Camel Safaris

Horseback Safaris

A Kenyan safari on horseback is a unique and incredible experience because it allows you to get extremely close to the animals. While wild animals may be nervous of human beings on foot or in a vehicle, they are more relaxed around horses because the horses disguise one’s smell. Traveling on horseback also allows visitors to explore beyond the reach of a vehicle and is a welcome change from being seated in a vehicle for six to eight hours in a day. Safari-goers can do single-day horseback excursions or multi-day horseback safaris, all of which travel agents can book through a tour operator.

On horseback, clients can explore the most remote locations in Kenya. Using the same paths walked for millennia by nomadic tribes, horseback safaris allow for unencumbered rides across open country and, of course, the freedom to move with the wildlife. From the Maasai Mara to Laikipia to Lake Naivasha to Mount Kenya, travelers on horseback will discover a new way of seeing Kenya, as close to nature as they can get.

Experienced riders, confident on broken terrain while riding athletic horses, will be in their element on a horseback safari. The opportunity to see big game and interact with wild animals is an unforgettable thrill. Often, in the Maasai Mara, vast herds of wildebeest and zebra extend as far as the eye can see. What’s more, the chance to see tribes whose cultures are so different from that in the West is a fascinating experience.

The sounds of nature

Most horseback safaris are undertaken with mobile, tented camps, which are surprisingly comfortable. One of the most unforgettable moments of a horseback safari is the concert of night noises which accompany sleep. Often you can hear the roar of a lion or the piercing calls of the hyena as you are lulled to sleep by the sounds of nature.

Camel Safaris

Camel safaris are another unique way to explore Kenya’s wilderness, particularly in Northern Kenya. Walk out into the bush with Samburu tribesmen and camels carrying the camp, or ride them through the dry riverbeds of Northern Kenya—here, your clients will traverse some of the most remote, breathtaking landscapes in Kenya. This serene journey travels across historic wilderness. Typically, camels with saddles are used. The annual International Maralal Camel Derby event held in August is a good place to experience a camel race among other immersive experiences such as Samburu culture, bike race, history and Kenyatta House, and wildlife at the Maralal Wildlife Sanctuary.