Sosian Lodge

7 Daysย  |ย  From ยฃ3675pp

Kenya ( Best airport: Nairobi)

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Create your perfect trip with a completely bespoke itinerary at this 24,000 acre wildlife ranch. Sosian Lodge is a ranch house which has been beautifully restored to accommodate up to 14 people. Four double cottages are dotted throughout the gardens, against a backdrop of Mt Kenya with views for miles over the Laikipia Plateau. This is true unspoilt Africa. The lodge has a beautiful swimming pool, plus a tennis court, organic vegetable garden and a stable yard of 30 safari horses. The list of safari activities available is extensive and the ranch lies at an altitude of 5500ft, which makes for a perfect climate, with no record of malaria.

The Riding

Kenya is the birthplace of horseback safaris, offering some of Africaโ€™s most outstanding riding. Sosian is no exception to this, and over the last 10 years has become one of Kenyaโ€™s top lodge based riding destinations. With over 24,000 acres of pure Laikipia wilderness, traversing this vast expanse of game filled land with Mt Kenya as a backdrop is an entirely private experience to only those staying at Sosian.

Sosian offers a great variety of riding, across open plains filled with zebra, oryx, giraffe, eland and gazelle, stretching down into thicker valleys harboring kudu, buffalo and elephant, plus a further 15km of river providing superb birding, as well as hosting large numbers of hippos and yet more elephant, plus the not-so-elusive leopard.

Level of Riding and Fitness

Riding is generally 2-3 hours in the mornings and/or afternoons and riders can spend up to 6 hours per day in the saddle. We often ride to bush breakfasts or sundowners, which seem to appear from nowhere as you turn a corner on a particularly beautiful stretch of the river or reach the top of a breathtaking escarpment. For beginners, novice riders and children there are shorter rides close to the lodge, as well as lessons in the fenced sand arena. The weight limit is 95kg.

Guides and Group Size

Youโ€™ll be guided by experienced and qualified guides who offer a bespoke riding experience. Riding groups are a maximum of 8.

Any questions?

Contact us now on WhatsApp with any queries you have about this trail.

The Horses

There are almost 30 horses to choose from at Sosian Lodge, all are in excellent condition; fit, forward-going and well-mannered. In 2017 the lodge began its own breeding program of Irish Sports Horses, to add some European quality to the string of safari horses. There is a wide range of horses to suit each individual and there are also ponies available for children. The horses are sure footed in their terrain and comfortable in their environment. The riding style is English using English generalโ€“purpose saddles.

Sosian-Lodge-3

Accommodation and Dining

Sosian Lodge is a welcoming and informal lodge offering a friendly home from home environment. The original main house provides classic elegance with a dining room, sitting room, bar and billiards room. Four cottages are then spread across the tropical gardens offering 6 en suite rooms, plus a family cottage, each with their own private verandas. The beautiful swimming pool and pool house provide welcome refreshment after a day out in the bush and for those with the energy, a tennis court is available for guests to use.

Your hosts at Sosian are passionate about food and over the years have nurtured their own extensive kitchen garden, becoming largely self-sufficient, growing their own salads and vegetables and sourcing high quality, farm fresh beef, chicken and lamb from their neighbours. With these wonderful ingredients, their head chef has no problem producing wholesome, organic, home cooked meals throughout your stay at Sosian. We can cater for any dietary requirements for all the family.

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Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive at Sosian in time for lunch at the pool. Your hosts will give you a brief tour of the lodge and rooms and introduce you to our friendly team of staff. After lunch you can discuss what you would like to do that afternoon. You may like to head straight to the stables and meet our horses or relax by the pool. Guests generally head out in the afternoons after tea, going on a game drive, walk or horse ride from about 5pm for a couple of hours. If between your group you are all doing different things, you can all end up at the same spot with a sundowner out in the bush and then drive back together, just after dark, to find some of the nocturnal species found at Sosian such as leopard, hyena, small cats and hippos out grazing. After showers and some time to freshen up in your rooms you can head to the main lodge for drinks and canapes before dinner. For younger children who go to bed earlier we can arrange early childrenโ€™s dinner and a listening service outside their rooms.
Day 2 This morning tea or coffee is brought to your room with an early wake-up call before you head to the stables to ride at 07.30am. You will meet your horses and head out with the riding guides to explore Sosian on horseback for 2-3 hours. In a normal morning you can expect to see elephant, giraffe, zebra, hippo, antelope and buffalo to name a few. You may choose to finish your ride on the river where you can have a beautiful bush breakfast! The horses will be taken home whilst you take a gentle walk upstream with the guides to see the Sosian waterfalls and even jump off the top for the brave! After a full morning in the bush you head back to the lodge to relax a little before lunch. This afternoon, you can either head out on the horses again or perhaps cover a greater distance and go for a game drive in search of lions or the rare wild dogs that are endemic to the area. Sundowners in the bush will become your afternoon ritual and there are so many different, but equally beautiful, spots to choose from at Sosian. Back to the lodge for dinner.
Day 3 After your tea or coffee wake up call you can either head across to the stables once again or perhaps head out this morning on foot, with our walking guides to stretch your legs and see the bush from a different perspective. Following tracks and learning about the flora and fauna of the area is fascinating for all ages. You all meet up for breakfast back at the lodge and for those who are feeling active you may choose to jump in the game drive vehicle and head downstream with the kayaks for some late morning fun on the river. Getting back to the lodge you can cool off in the pool before sitting down for lunch. Lunches are healthy and light using fresh produce from the organic kitchen garden. For any younger riders ponies can be brought over to the lodge gardens at teatime for lead rein rides or novice riders can have some lessons in the arena. Experienced riders can head out once again for a few hours exploring the rivers and escarpments of Sosian from horseback. Back to the lodge for sundowners, canapes and dinner.
Day 4 This morning you may choose to have a light breakfast and a leisurely morning of relaxing at the lodge, practicing some yoga, playing tennis, swimming or reading your book. After an early lunch riders can then head to the stables and set off in a northerly direction for a long (4 hour) ride across bush and savanna to our overnight fly camp. The riding on this part of the conservancy can be fast paced across the open plains, with plenty of zebra, eland, gazelles and giraffe to encounter along the way. Non-riders can head in the same direction in the game drive vehicles. Meeting at the camp in time for sundowners around a campfire, the horses will be camped on a picket line for the night, whilst guests enjoy a beautiful bush dinner laid out under the stars and later fall asleep to the sounds of the African night. Overnight fly camp.
Day 5 This morning you will wake up with the sunrise and after a cup of hot tea or coffee head off on the horses once more, back in the direction of the lodge. Cutting down through valleys harboring elephants and buffalo you can stop to water the horses at Acacia Dam where we have a stunning treehouse and a bush breakfast set out for you. The horses are tied to trees whilst they graze and your full English breakfast is cooked on an open fire! As the day heats up you can get back on the horses and ride the last stretch back to the lodge for a well earned cool off in the pool! After another fresh and delicious lunch down by the pool you have the afternoon to relax. Later this evening you can head out in the game drive vehicles to the river with fishing rods and sundowners and see if you can catch your supper! Dinner back at the lodge.
Day 6 For the keen riders you can saddle up again for a morning or perhaps try your hand at riding a camel. Camels are amazing animals and the height advantage gives a wonderful new perspective of the bush. Camel treks are a gentle walk through the bush with the camel herders leading the way. No previous experience is required! After a full breakfast back at the lodge some guests may like to head out with the cattle ranching manager at Sosian and learn about the intricacies of farming alongside wildlife in this fauna rich and diverse area. Our nomadic neighbours from the Samburu and Pokot tribes are also cattlemen and we work closely with them to ensure a coherent and peaceful relationship between people, cattle and wildlife. Making this last full day a cultural one, guests can also choose to visit a local village or school and learn more about the projects that we run within our community, supporting schools and clinics, promoting family planning and empowering women into positions of employment.
Day 7 Today is your last day and after an early ride or game drive you will head back to the lodge for a full breakfast laid out in the lodge gardens before saying goodbye.

Sosian Lodge

7 days / 6 nights / 7 riding days
ยฃ3675pp

Prices are based on a 6 night stay but the lodge can accommodate any day arrivals with a minimum stay of 3 nights. Get in touch if you would like to book a shorter stay.

Conservation fees are not included in the displayed rate. For 2024 these are ยฃ92 per adult per night.

Flights & Airport transfers

Do not book flights until you have received the Booking Confirmation email from saddletravel.com.

The meeting point is Sosian Lodge. There are several transfer options to get there from Nariobi:

1) Private charter flight to Sosian airstrip (10 minutes from the lodge) – no extra transfer charge.

2) Safarilink light aircraft flight from Wilson Airport, Nairobi to Loisaba airstrip (50 minutes from the lodge) – extra transfer fee from Loisaba to the lodge applies and includes a game drive en-route and entrance fees to Loisaba reserve.

3) Safarilink light aircraft flight from Wilson Airport, Nairobi to Nanyuki airstrip (2 hours from the lodge) – extra transfer fee from Nanyuki to the lodge and includes a game drive en-route.ย 

We can also arrange for a meet and greet service to meet you from your international flight and transfer you from Nairobi International Airport (Jomo Kenyatta – NBO) to Wilson Airport, which is where internal charter flights operate from.ย 

Price Includes
  • Luxury lodge accommodation
  • All drinks (excluding champagne)
  • Sosian airstrip transfers
  • Activities; game drives (day and night), guided walks, horse riding, camel riding, fishing, fly camping, ranching activities
  • Laundry
  • All meals
Price Excludes
  • International flights and visas
  • Travel insurance
  • Champagne
  • Conservation Fees