Laikipia

Pedal into a truly wild, fantasy landscape. Here one appreciates the feeling of being potentially part of the food chain rather than just a spectator to it. Riding down an elephant trail gives a completely new meaning to single track biking. Imagine biking through country where the possibility of chancing on elephant, buffalo, rhino or one of the big cats keeps your heart racing even in the most mellow terrain.

Adrenaline rises as riders scour the bush for the flick of an ear, the swish of a tail. But it drops as the peleton immerses in a journey of reticulated giraffe or Cape buffalo, which straddle either side of the track allowing for a thin path to pass. Throughout this epic experience a world-class, professional guide ensures a safe journey, while helping to interpret the bigger picture of the overwhelming surroundings. Contrast pulse pounding days with evenings at the exclusive Borana Lodge, where guests share tales of the adventure while enjoying farm fresh cuisine and fine wines.

On arrival to Nairobi, Kenya, you will be met at the jetway of your international flight. Ease through a private immigration and customs process, before transferring to a city hotel or your next flight onward. Your EpicQuest guide will join you on a chartered flight into either the Borana airstrip. This flight into the northern Kenyan highlands will be your first opportunity to spot thundering herds of elephant and loping giraffe.

Straddling the equator and rising to 17,000ft, Mount Kenya is one of the most impressive free standing mountains on the continent. Its jagged peaks and glaciers can be seen from hundreds of miles. The surrounding rugged country to the north of the mountain offers some of the most exciting and challenging mountain biking on the continent.

From our base on Borana Ranch in eastern Laikipia, we have access to 7,000 vertical feet of playground begging for knobbly tires. The rarefied high altitude air coupled to the cloudless blazing skies, open plains, dense forests, steep escarpments and wooded riverlines drawing in a diverse mix of wildlife provides a truly epic platform for biking.

Using a fixed wing or heli drop, you’ll find yourself in the alpine moorland for an exciting mixture of downhill and cross-country biking. Giant groundsels and ericas interspersed with peat bogs and marshes give way to ancient Cedar forests, home to buffalo, elephant, lion and leopard.

Kenya offers warm, dry days with cool early mornings and evenings. East Africa's climate is reliant on the altitude. Laikipia accommodations are situated 4,500 to 6,500 feet (1,400-2,000 meters) above sea level. Even though the region is a mere 16 miles from the equator, the region offers temperate temperatures year round, with warm sunny days and cool nights. During the long and short rains of May and November, EpicQuest does not run trips to the region. Clothing should be light for the day and warm for the evenings, when bush dinners and night game drives are always an option. A windbreaker or fleece is essential, as are good walking shoes.

Laikipia is above the malarial line, so risks from mosquito bites are low.