Laikipia County is located on the Equator in the former Rift Valley Province of the Country. Laikipia is a cosmopolitan County,. with two major urban centres: Nanyuki to the southeast, and Nyahururu to the southwest. Its County government headquarters town is Nanyuki.
Tourism Attractions
a) Ol Pejeta Conservancy
The Ol Pejeta sanctuary, which was founded to rehabilitate animals rescued from the black market, is now the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa and the home to two of the last remaining northern white rhinos in the world. It is the only place in Kenya to see chimpanzees, has some of the highest predator densities in Kenya, and still manages a very successful livestock program.
In order to ensure that animal protection leads to greater infrastructure, healthcare, and educational opportunities for the following generation of wildlife guardians, Ol Pejeta also works to serve the local communities that surround its borders.
b) Nanyuki
Nanyuki is a town in central Kenya. It’s known as a gateway to Mount Kenya and the wilderness of Mount Kenya National Park. Nanyuki town is famous for farms, ranches, game parks and wildlife conservancies in the region, it is also the base for people seeking to climb Kenya.
The park’s wildlife includes leopards, giant forest hogs and more than 100 bird species. Northwest of Nanyuki, the plains and hills of the vast Laikipia Plateau are home to lions, elephants and rare Grevy’s zebras
c) Naro Moru
Naro moru is a small market town in Nyeri County in central Kenya, lying on the Naromoru River, between Nyeri and Nanyuki.It is 21.8 km to Nanyuki town. Its main industry is tourism, as a base for hikers ascending Mount Kenya, to its east.
Even though Naro Moru isn’t the most beautiful path, it is the quickest way to go to Point Lenana. It approaches from the mountain’s western flank. Due to its relative shortness and the presence of huts at Met Station (3050 meters) and MacKinders (4200 meters), this route used to be by far the most popular one. On this path, the bamboo zone and the forest are both still heavily forested. Although it is feasible to drive a vehicle as far as the Met station (3050 meters), the majority of climbers start at the park gate.
Farming Activities
The county is largely rural in settlement with the main economic activities being crop farming, livestock rearing, tourism, retail and wholesale trade.
Majority of residents keep livestock and grow different food crops such as maize, carrots, peas, potatoes, wheat and cash crops as well as horticultural crops. Laikipia County is known for its big open ranches like Solio, Borana and Oljogi which provide a significant source of beef for local consumption and export.