On horseback
Among the best riding in Africa
And the fitness requirement is real. Please be honest with us about your level.
What "competent" means here
Not "I ride sometimes". It means: able to control a forward-going horse in open country, comfortable at a canter and a gallop, and able to stay on if the horse spooks at something it is entirely right to spook at.
You will be riding among zebra, giraffe, eland and sometimes rhino. Horses are prey animals; they react before you do. A rider who cannot sit a sudden movement is a danger to themselves and to the group.
| Your level | What is available |
|---|---|
| Never ridden | Gentle led hacks at walk, an hour or so. Genuinely pleasant. |
| Occasional / holiday rider | Hacks at walk and trot, in quieter areas, with a guide close by |
| Competent | Half-day rides, canters in open country, game at a distance |
| Experienced / hunting fit | Full-day and multi-day rides, fast work, riding among plains game |
Why we ask so directly
Because overstating it is the one thing on a Laikipia trip that can genuinely hurt you, and because the camps will assess you on arrival anyway.
If you have overstated, you will be quietly moved to a gentler ride, having paid for a riding safari you cannot do. Telling us the truth means we book the right thing.
Riding with children
Most conservancies with horses will take children on led hacks from around six, and confident young riders on proper rides from about twelve. It is one of the best things a child can do in Kenya and frequently the thing they talk about afterwards.
What to bring
- Your own hat if you have one you trust — camps have them, but fit matters
- Jodhpurs or comfortable long trousers; chaps if you ride in them
- Boots with a heel
- A sports bra, gloves, and sunblock on the back of your neck
More from our Kenya guides
Specialist guides across our Kenya network
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