“We loved every minute – comfortable rooms, fabulous horses, great game drives, wonderful staff, incredible game, delicious food, stunning scenery, unforgettable memories.”
A small and traditional lodge of great charm and authenticity set on a 24,000-acre private ranch and wildlife conservancy with a wide range of fun and adventurous outdoor activities, a stay at Sosian always provides a very personal, relaxed and away-from-it-all safari experience.
“This was the most relaxing safari ever and in beautiful surroundings. Great game watching by both Land Rover and on horseback. Very experienced and entertaining guides. Great hosts, delicious food, wonderful sunrises on Baboon Rock and amazing bush suppers in the evening. Most highly recommended.”
Sosian, Samburu for ‘Wild Date Palm’, combines comfort and tradition with wilderness and adventure and is the perfect choice for guests searching for an authentic and intimate safari experience. With an abundance of wildlife and many rare species, guests enjoy a very private and exclusive game viewing experience. With more than 250 species of birds, it is also a paradise for ornithologists
Sosian is set on a 24,000-acre private conservancy and working cattle ranch in central Laikipia, close to the Equator at an altitude of 5500 feet, around 80 kilometres from Nanyuki and 30 kilometres from Rumuruti. With views of Mount Kenya and the expansive Laikipia Plateau to explore, Sosian is located in one of Kenya’s finest private wilderness areas.
The original Ranch House, centrepiece of the lodge, was built in the 1940s and has been restored to provide elegant dining and living accommodation. It consists of a large Drawing Room, Dining Room, Bar and Billiards Room. The rooms are airy and elegant and lead on to an expansive wrap-around veranda, offering undisturbed views of the surrounding bush. Four comfortable bedroom cottages sit nearby among shady gardens –
The Italian Cottage, ideal for honeymooners, was built by Italian artisans in the 1940s and is set apart from the other cottages with its own private garden. The large bedroom with a king size double bed and the airy ensuite bathroom offer comfort, space and privacy
The Family Cottage is perfect for families with younger children – its double and triple bedrooms interconnect, giving peace of mind to parents and children. Both rooms have their own bathrooms, one with a bathtub and the other with a shower.
Two Garden Cottages each house a double bedroom and a twin bedroom – all with ensuite bathrooms. Each cottage has its own veranda – perfect for early morning tea or coffee.
Nearby are the heated swimming pool, shady thatched pool house and hard tennis court. Lunches are often served in the pool house and barbeques take place around the pool in the evenings.
The cooking at Sosian is healthy and delicious. The lodge has its own extensive produce garden and is largely self-sufficient in salads, herbs and vegetables. The ranch rears its own pigs and sources high-quality, farm-fresh beef, chicken and lamb from its neighbours.
Meals are wholesome, organic and home-cooked. Bush breakfasts, sundowner drinks and candle-lit bush dinners are all on the extensive Sosian menu. Any dietary requirements can be catered for and child-friendly options and early suppers are available. For younger guests who need to go to bed early, a member of staff can sit on the veranda outside their bedroom, offering peace of mind to parents eating dinner.
Sosian is personally hosted by an experienced and dedicated team of managers and staff who create a warm, relaxed and informal atmosphere, ensuring guests always feel at home. Days are tailored to each individual guest or family, who can choose how energetic or relaxed they would like to be.
Game Viewing Game drives at Sosian are in open 4×4 Land Rovers with raised seats to allow for the best wildlife viewing. Early mornings and later afternoons are the best times to go, as the wildlife is more active away from the heat of the sun. The middle of the day, however, 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 guests can expect to see a wide variety of wild animals including Elephant, Buffalo, Hippo, Giraffe, Zebra, Antelope, Lion, Leopard and Oryx. Endangered species including Wild Dog, Reticulated Giraffe and Grevy’s Zebra are also increasing in numbers.
As Sosian is a private conservancy, guests are also fortunate enough to be able to experience the bush and its nocturnal animals with a spotlight at night. After sunset guests often encounter Leopard, Spotted and Striped Hyena, Aardwolf, Aardvark, Porcupine, Bush Baby, Hippos grazing out of water, Buffalo, Serval Cat and other exciting species
Riding Horse riding is a wonderful way to experience the best of the bush and Sosian is one of the best places in Kenya to do this. The conservancy’s varied terrain makes for interesting riding – through rivers, along tracks and across more open country where guests canter, jump and gallop. A riding safari is a peaceful yet exciting way to explore and view wildlife in their natural habitat.
Rides are generally 1-3 hours morning and/or afternoon. Keener riders may also choose to ride out to an overnight fly camp for the night – this is a fantastic experience, camping out with the horses and sleeping under the stars, returning to the lodge for lunch the following day.
Sosian has a yard of 26 well-schooled safari horses (including children’s ponies) to suit all abilities. To ride out in the bush, however, guests do need to have considerable riding experience, and to be confident to handle a horse in open country at all paces. For less experienced riders, shorter rides are offered close to the lodge as well as lessons in the sand arena.
“Riding at Sosian is truly spoiling! The landscape is beautiful and riding amongst wildlife is an unforgettable experience. The horses are so well cared for and really know their job, making them such a pleasure to ride. Crossing flooded rivers and galloping with giraffe are real highlights, but then quietly riding along the river and meeting a beautifully set-up bush breakfast is also pretty special too!”
Bush Walks Walking is the most intimate way of exploring the bush. Led by an experienced and armed walking guide, guests can learn how to follow animal tracks, recognise dung, insects, flora and fauna and all the other tiny details that might otherwise be missed from a vehicle. Guests don’t need to be super- fit to enjoy a safari walk and guides will tailor a walk to suit guest preferences and abilities
Camel Treks 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 allows guests to see and experience the bush from a different vantage point.
Fly Camping A night spent outside sleeping in the bush brings guests even closer to nature and further from modern frills and luxuries. Fly camping in bedrolls around the campfire is a unique and adventurous experience. Dinner is eaten by the fire and guests can stargaze and go to sleep to the sound of nocturnal wildlife.
Ewaso Narok River Sosian is fortunate to have 15 kilometres of the Ewaso Narok River running through the ranch and conservancy – highlights include magnificent 30-foot-high waterfalls. Swimming in the pools or paddling in a kayak is most enjoyable. When the river is high enough, tubing down the rapids is an exhilarating experience. Or guests can simply relax on the riverbank and fish for Catfish or Tilapia.
Culture & Community 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 neighbouring village ‘manyattas’ to get a glimpse of these traditional ways of life. This is a fascinating and educational experience for all generations. The Samburu, Pokot & Turkana people are very welcoming and find visiting guests equally fascinating.
Summary
- A safari home-from-home in the heart of the Laikipia bush – intimate, comfortable and hospitable
- Exclusive access to the 24,000-acre Sosian cattle ranch and private conservancy
- Night & day game drives, guided bush walks, horse riding, camel treks – and more
- Uncrowded ‘Big Five’ game viewing – plus Wild Dog and other endangered species
- 15 km of frontage onto the beautiful Ewaso Narok River – enjoy waterfalls, kayaking, tubing, swimming and fishing
- Heated swimming pool, clay tennis court, snooker table, croquet
- Accommodates 16+ guests in flexible cottage bedroom accommodation
Destination - Laikipia
Straddling the Equator and stretching from the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kenya to the eastern rim of the Great Rift Valley, the Laikipia plateau is one of Africa’s most exciting and exclusive wilderness safari destinations – with abundant wildlife, spectacular scenery, extraordinary cultural and bio-diversity and some of East Africa’s most successful nature and game conservancies.
Ranching, conservation and high-end tourism go hand-in-hand, with few of the constraints that often apply in Kenya’s national parks and reserves. Night game drives, bush walks, bike tours, horse-riding, camel treks, scenic flights and helicopter safaris are a few the exhilarating pursuits on hand in the extensive private ranches and conservancies that make up much of the region.
Laikipia hosts a wealth and diversity of wildlife second only to the Masai Mara in Kenya. It has significant populations of predators and the “Big Five”, with over 50% of Kenya’s rhinos, thousands of elephants, about 25% of the world’s endangered Grevy’s Zebra, and an increasing population of rare Wild Dogs. The region is home to more at-risk species than anywhere else in East Africa.
Location - Sosian Ranch
First established as a thriving cattle ranch in the 1920s, by the 1990s Sosian was neglected and barren, devastated by over-grazing and drought and with livestock and wildlife unable to survive. In 1999 a diverse group of friends and investors came together and bought Sosian with the aim of restoring its ecology and wildlife.
Huge investment and careful grazing plans over the following five years were put in place to allow the vegetation to grow back. This, together with some years of good rains, allowed Sosian and its wildlife to regenerate. The northern grassy plains are now home to wildlife such as oryx, gazelle, zebra, ostrich and cheetah, whilst the southern end of the conservancy, full of acacia woodland, is home to elephant, buffalo, giraffe, lion, leopard and wild dog.
Sosian is now a thriving conservation project and income generated from high-end, low-density tourism has led to the establishment of community projects in areas including schools & education, healthcare clinics, family planning and community cattle buying. Sosian employs over 100 people from the neighbouring communities who are involved in running its tourism, cattle ranching, anti-poaching and security operations.
Sosian remains a functioning cattle ranch as well as a safari destination and conservation area. Cattle ranching in Laikipia is a long-standing land use that is vital for the sustainability of this semi-arid area. When managed carefully, ranching and conservation complement each other and Sosian is a perfect example of how this can work. A morning spent with the ranch manager shows how cattle and wildlife co-exist and provides a fun and often hands-on farming experience for safari guests.
There are daily scheduled flights to the Loisaba and Nanyuki airstrips from Nairobi and the Masai Mara. Driving time to Sosian is 50 minutes from Loisaba and 2 hours from Nanyuki. Private charters can land at the Sosian airstrip close to the lodge. Driving time from Nairobi is around 5 hours and the lodge is approximately 6km from the very good quality C77 Rumuruti to Maralal road.
In Detail
Activities and facilities
- Unlimited day and night game drives in custom 4×4 Land Rovers
- Guided bush walks – tracking and bird watching – with armed guide
- Horse riding – from morning or day rides to longer horse safaris
- Camel treks – walk or ride
- Heated swimming pool and pool house
- Pool house bar and barbecue
- Clay tennis court
- Fishing in the dams and river
- River tubing and kayaking
- Fly camping under the stars (also available with horses)
- Billiards / games room and bar
- Cattle ranching – dipping, branding and sorting cattle
- Samburu cultural visits
- Visits to community projects
- Wi-fi available in the lodge reception area
- 24-hour electricity
- Cell phone signal
- Safari shop – proceeds go to local women’s’ groups
Visitors' Book
“This is by far the greatest place to stay in Africa! There are tons of activities that you can participate in – or you can just relax by the pool if you prefer. We have stayed in 20 or more lodges in Africa (all top lodges), and it is hard to describe how much fun Africa can be until you visit Sosian. Our 12-year-old daughter did not ever want to leave. We rode horses most days, camped out under the stars, climbed up a huge rock for sundowners, went on night drives, rode a camel and enjoyed the wonderful family-like atmosphere. I wish I could put into words how truly special this place is and how you can get a real sense of Kenya by visiting Sosian Ranch. Did I mention more game that you can imagine? Wild dogs, Oryx, Lions (yes we did see one on horseback), Zebras, Giraffes, Elephants, Buffalo, and the list goes on and on!”
“What a stunning lodge, with immaculate rooms, soft, clean sheets & towels and gins and tonics on tap! I don’t think I’ll ever experience another week quite as wonderful, I really don’t.”
“This was the most relaxing safari ever and in beautiful surroundings. Great game watching by both Land Rover and on horseback. Very experienced and entertaining guides. Great hosts, delicious food, wonderful sunrises on Baboon Rock and amazing bush suppers in the evening. Most highly recommended.”
“Riding at Sosian is truly spoiling! The landscape is beautiful and riding amongst wildlife is an unforgettable experience. The horses are so well cared for and really know their job, making them such a pleasure to ride. Crossing flooded rivers and galloping with giraffe are real highlights, but then quietly riding along the river and meeting a beautifully set-up bush breakfast is pretty special too!”
Rates
Low Season (March, April, November, 1st December – mid December)
$650 per adult guest sharing per night
$485 per teen guest sharing per night (12-17 years)
$325 per child guest sharing per night (4-11 years)
Mid Season (early January to end January, February, June, September, October)
$700 per adult guest sharing per night
$525 per teen guest sharing per night (12-17 years)
$350 per child guest sharing per night (4-11 years)
High Season (July and August)
$850 per adult guest sharing per night
$640 per teen guest sharing per night (12-17 years)
$425 per child guest sharing per night (4-11 years)
Peak Season (mid December to early January)
$900 per adult guest sharing per night
$675 per teen guest sharing per night (12-17 years)
$450 per child guest sharing per night (4-11 years)
Children 3 years old and younger stay free of charge
Conservancy Fees
$130 per adult per day
$100 per teen per day (12-17 years
$65 per child per day (4-11 years)
Please contact us for comprehensive information on rates, special offers, inclusions & exclusions, optional extras and terms & conditions of booking
“This was the most relaxing safari ever and in beautiful surroundings. Great game watching by both Land Rover and on horseback. Very experienced and entertaining guides. Great hosts, delicious food, wonderful sunrises on Baboon Rock and amazing bush suppers in the evening. Most highly recommended.”
Sosian, Samburu for ‘Wild Date Palm’, combines comfort and tradition with wilderness and adventure and is the perfect choice for guests searching for an authentic and intimate safari experience. With an abundance of wildlife and many rare species, guests enjoy a very private and exclusive game viewing experience. With more than 250 species of birds, it is also a paradise for ornithologists
Sosian is set on a 24,000-acre private conservancy and working cattle ranch in central Laikipia, close to the Equator at an altitude of 5500 feet, around 80 kilometres from Nanyuki and 30 kilometres from Rumuruti. With views of Mount Kenya and the expansive Laikipia Plateau to explore, Sosian is located in one of Kenya’s finest private wilderness areas.
The original Ranch House, centrepiece of the lodge, was built in the 1940s and has been restored to provide elegant dining and living accommodation. It consists of a large Drawing Room, Dining Room, Bar and Billiards Room. The rooms are airy and elegant and lead on to an expansive wrap-around veranda, offering undisturbed views of the surrounding bush. Four comfortable bedroom cottages sit nearby among shady gardens –
The Italian Cottage, ideal for honeymooners, was built by Italian artisans in the 1940s and is set apart from the other cottages with its own private garden. The large bedroom with a king size double bed and the airy ensuite bathroom offer comfort, space and privacy
The Family Cottage is perfect for families with younger children – its double and triple bedrooms interconnect, giving peace of mind to parents and children. Both rooms have their own bathrooms, one with a bathtub and the other with a shower.
Two Garden Cottages each house a double bedroom and a twin bedroom – all with ensuite bathrooms. Each cottage has its own veranda – perfect for early morning tea or coffee.
Nearby are the heated swimming pool, shady thatched pool house and hard tennis court. Lunches are often served in the pool house and barbeques take place around the pool in the evenings.
The cooking at Sosian is healthy and delicious. The lodge has its own extensive produce garden and is largely self-sufficient in salads, herbs and vegetables. The ranch rears its own pigs and sources high-quality, farm-fresh beef, chicken and lamb from its neighbours.
Meals are wholesome, organic and home-cooked. Bush breakfasts, sundowner drinks and candle-lit bush dinners are all on the extensive Sosian menu. Any dietary requirements can be catered for and child-friendly options and early suppers are available. For younger guests who need to go to bed early, a member of staff can sit on the veranda outside their bedroom, offering peace of mind to parents eating dinner.
Sosian is personally hosted by an experienced and dedicated team of managers and staff who create a warm, relaxed and informal atmosphere, ensuring guests always feel at home. Days are tailored to each individual guest or family, who can choose how energetic or relaxed they would like to be.
Game Viewing Game drives at Sosian are in open 4×4 Land Rovers with raised seats to allow for the best wildlife viewing. Early mornings and later afternoons are the best times to go, as the wildlife is more active away from the heat of the sun. The middle of the day, however, 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 guests can expect to see a wide variety of wild animals including Elephant, Buffalo, Hippo, Giraffe, Zebra, Antelope, Lion, Leopard and Oryx. Endangered species including Wild Dog, Reticulated Giraffe and Grevy’s Zebra are also increasing in numbers.
As Sosian is a private conservancy, guests are also fortunate enough to be able to experience the bush and its nocturnal animals with a spotlight at night. After sunset guests often encounter Leopard, Spotted and Striped Hyena, Aardwolf, Aardvark, Porcupine, Bush Baby, Hippos grazing out of water, Buffalo, Serval Cat and other exciting species
Riding Horse riding is a wonderful way to experience the best of the bush and Sosian is one of the best places in Kenya to do this. The conservancy’s varied terrain makes for interesting riding – through rivers, along tracks and across more open country where guests canter, jump and gallop. A riding safari is a peaceful yet exciting way to explore and view wildlife in their natural habitat.
Rides are generally 1-3 hours morning and/or afternoon. Keener riders may also choose to ride out to an overnight fly camp for the night – this is a fantastic experience, camping out with the horses and sleeping under the stars, returning to the lodge for lunch the following day.
Sosian has a yard of 26 well-schooled safari horses (including children’s ponies) to suit all abilities. To ride out in the bush, however, guests do need to have considerable riding experience, and to be confident to handle a horse in open country at all paces. For less experienced riders, shorter rides are offered close to the lodge as well as lessons in the sand arena.
“Riding at Sosian is truly spoiling! The landscape is beautiful and riding amongst wildlife is an unforgettable experience. The horses are so well cared for and really know their job, making them such a pleasure to ride. Crossing flooded rivers and galloping with giraffe are real highlights, but then quietly riding along the river and meeting a beautifully set-up bush breakfast is also pretty special too!”
Bush Walks Walking is the most intimate way of exploring the bush. Led by an experienced and armed walking guide, guests can learn how to follow animal tracks, recognise dung, insects, flora and fauna and all the other tiny details that might otherwise be missed from a vehicle. Guests don’t need to be super- fit to enjoy a safari walk and guides will tailor a walk to suit guest preferences and abilities
Camel Treks 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 allows guests to see and experience the bush from a different vantage point.
Fly Camping A night spent outside sleeping in the bush brings guests even closer to nature and further from modern frills and luxuries. Fly camping in bedrolls around the campfire is a unique and adventurous experience. Dinner is eaten by the fire and guests can stargaze and go to sleep to the sound of nocturnal wildlife.
Ewaso Narok River Sosian is fortunate to have 15 kilometres of the Ewaso Narok River running through the ranch and conservancy – highlights include magnificent 30-foot-high waterfalls. Swimming in the pools or paddling in a kayak is most enjoyable. When the river is high enough, tubing down the rapids is an exhilarating experience. Or guests can simply relax on the riverbank and fish for Catfish or Tilapia.
Culture & Community 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 neighbouring village ‘manyattas’ to get a glimpse of these traditional ways of life. This is a fascinating and educational experience for all generations. The Samburu, Pokot & Turkana people are very welcoming and find visiting guests equally fascinating.
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