A Typical Day At Sosian Ranch
Early wake up at 6:30am with a cup of tea or coffee brought to your room.
After a quick light breakfast, an exhilarating ride through the ranch property with great views of the wildlife before the heat of the day sets in. Or, if you prefer, a morning game drive, stopping for a walk led by a professional guide, a chance to learn about tracking and the smaller details of the bush.
Picnic brunch on the side of the river, then return to the lodge to relax by the pool or siesta.
After tea an evening drive, or fishing expedition, sundowners on top of a hill overlooking miles of African wilderness followed by a night drive with a spotlight in search of leopard, porcupine and more exciting nocturnal animals.
Back at the lodge, a quick shower and then a 3 course dinner in the cozy dining room with an open fire.
The ranch offers the following activities:
Game Drives: unlimited, day and night
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 they are also fortunate enough to be able to experience the bush and its nocturnal animals with a spot light at night. After sunset you can often encounter leopard, spotted and striped hyena, aardwolf, aardvark, porcupine, bush baby, hippos grazing out of water, buffalo, serval cat and other exciting species
Camel Treks: walk or ride
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.
Fly Camping: bush dinner & a night under the stars
Bringing you closer to the bush and further from modern frills, fly camping in bedrolls under the stars is an adventurous experience. Dinner is eaten by the camp fire and most nights we drop off to sleep to the sounds of distant lion, hyena or leopard, and yet sleep better than we can ever remember…
Fishing and River Activities
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! A local expert and venture down to the river, or one of the pools below the waterfalls, or to one of the dams on Sosian Ranch. Tilapia, barbel and catfish are all common takers for worms or bait. Fly-fishing has also been tried and you are welcome to bring your own rod. There are spinning rods at Sosian for adults and children and it is a very popular way to spend a late afternoon, not only might you catch a fish or two but usually you will see an array of wildlife whilst you are fishing.
Cattle Ranching: dipping, branding and sorting
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.
Cultural Traditions: visit a traditional Manyatta
Sosian is situated in a very culturally diverse area of northern Kenya, rich in traditions and largely untouched by western development. Guests are welcome to visit our neighbouring villages (or manyatta’s), to get a glimpse of these traditional ways of life. This is a fascinating and educational experience for all generations. Most of our neighbours are nomadic, moving with their livestock, to wherever the grass takes them, but with prior arrangement Sosian can normally organise a visit for our guests. The Samburu, Pokot & Turkana people are very welcoming and find our guests equally fascinating