With one of the requirements being that the rider be 'able to gallop out of danger', you know that this horseback riding trip wouldn't be the metaphorical walk in the park. No other approach to the traditional safari suffices though, once you've viewed game on horseback. Urbane Nomads caps the adventure off with a relaxing beach getaway in the remote luxury of Vamizi Island on the Quirimbas Archipelago of Mozambique.

Day 1

Arrive Lewa either by charter or 3 1/2 hr drive from Nairobi. The Lewa Conservancy is a World famous Nature Conservancy on 40,000 acres of pristine country on the Northern slopes of Mount Kenya. It is home to the big five and a host of other species such as Grevy's Zebra, Somali Ostrich, Reticulated Giraffe and other rare species. We will have lunch in Camp and an evening ride.
Overnight Private Camp Lewa Downs.

Day 2
A full day exploring the ranch looking for game on Horseback (morning ride), game drive / walk before lunch in camp and evening ride. This is a spectacular area of Kenya with beautiful views to the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kenya in the south and the rugged mountains of the Mathews Range, Bodich and even Marsabit on the way to the Ethiopian border.
Overnight Private Camp Lewa Downs.

Day 3
Our first moving day. We ride across Lewa to the west crossing the Ngare Ndare River and onto Borana Ranch, another cattle ranch turned conservation area. We might meet a variety of game including black rhino and elephant and will see a host of other species including the reticulated giraffe. We reach camp in a grove of euphorbia trees after a picnic lunch on the Ngare Ndare River.
Overnight Private Camp Borana.

Day 4
A full day exploring Borana by horseback and vehicle. Borana is a step up from Lewa being on top of an escarpment, we will have climbed the day before and the scenery is still spectacular but different from Lewa. All the species of Lewa are present and a great variety of game is to be seen. Borana is home to our hosts Nicky and Michael Dyer, who own and run Borana Lodge.
Overnight Private Camp Borana.

Day 5
Our next move takes us with a picnic lunch (in our saddle bags) to the west again. We cross from Borana onto Ole Naishi ranch and climb the first ridge of the spectacular Loldaiga Hills. These form a northern extension of the Mt Kenya Massive and consist of large rocky Kopje's interspersed with Cedar forest.
We cross Ole Naishi onto Loldaiga Hills a 55,000-acre ranch owned by Robert Wells and probably one of the most beautiful farms in Africa.
We reach camp at the head of a beautiful valley surrounded by cedar forest where we stay again for 2 nights.
Overnight in Camp Loldaiga Hills.

Day 6
Some spectacular rides and a picnic lunch by land rover to the northern areas of the ranch will fill today's programme amply. At one point we shall be on the western edge of the Loldaiga Hills with spectacular views of the Laikipia Plateau below, which we will be crossing over the next four days.
Overnight Private Camp Loldaiga Hills.

Day 7
We leave Loldaiga Hills and today cross four ranches on our way to El Karama home of the Grant Family. We drop down a hidden valley on elephant and buffalo tracks with little dams before crossing Enasoit ranch and then onto the specialist cattle ranch of Mogwooni, home of the Kenyan family. This is one of the few days we see some cattle fencing and we will have a picnic lunch here on the banks of the Nanyuki River. After lunch we cross onto El Karama ranch 13,000 acres of pristine game country and find our camp on the banks of the Ewaso Ngiro River.
Overnight Private Camp El Karama Ranch.

Day 8
A full day exploring this ranch by horse and vehicle and a good chance of a game walk along the river, before lunch. There is a host of game including Grevy's Zebra, the rare endemic Jackson's Hartebeest, elephant, giraffe and hippo in the river.
Overnight Private Camp El Karama Ranch.

Day 9
A long day's ride to Sosian. We cross the Ewaso Narok River and traverse Segera ranch to the Northwest. Our route takes us up the spectacular Sugoroi river valley before crossing rather monotonous black cotton plains, covered in whistling thorn (acacia Drepanolobium) which is home to the Patas monkey, a chestnut coloured long limbed primate which is widespread but rare among the northern savannahs of Africa.
We reach the Mutara River and follow this pretty valley down before crossing onto Sosian ranch for a late lunch at the edge of the lovely Suguta Swamp.
A short ride after lunch brings us to Sosian Ranch House where we exchange our tents for the comfort of the lodge.
Overnight Sosian.

Day 10
A full day riding, driving and enjoying this re-habilitated cattle ranch which boasts a wide variety of game including, Jackson's hartebeest, Grevy's Zebra, Elephant, Hippo, Buffalo, Lion, Giraffe and all the other species.
From certain points we can look back at the Loldaiga Hills over which we passed and Mt Kenya now appears a good distance away.
Overnight Sosian.

Day 11-16
A last ride followed by lunch by the pool at Sosian and our transfer back to Nairobi. Transfer to Dar es Salaam, for your private charter to Vamizi Island in Mozambique. Spend 5 days on Vamizi Island- too short a time from the people who'd been there.

Day 17

Transfer back by private charter to Dar es Salaam for your international flight back.