Karisia Walking Safaris just beat some of the best-known names in African travel for one of the industry’s most competitive titles. The Safari Awards 2026 named the small Laikipia outfit Best Safari Experience in Africa, ahead of Botswana’s Jack’s Camp and Tanzania’s Greystoke Mahale. There are no vehicles and no fixed lodge here. Just camels, guides, and open bush in northern Kenya.
That result deserves a closer look for two reasons. Karisia is tiny compared with most winners in this category, a family-run operation working one private conservancy in Laikipia East. Its whole model also runs on foot and camel, not the vehicle-based game drives most safari marketing still leans on. This guide covers what the award recognizes, how the camel trek works day to day, and what it actually costs to book one.
What Karisia Walking Safaris Just Won
The Safari Awards has run since 2007. It pulls votes from thousands of safari-specialist tour operators across the continent, not a public popularity contest. Best Safari Experience in Africa is one of its headline categories. Judges score guiding quality, conservation impact, and how distinct the experience is from a standard lodge stay.
For 2026, Karisia Walking Safaris took the top spot. Jack’s Camp, on Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pan, placed as runner-up. Greystoke Mahale, on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania, came third. Muzimu Lodge and Gorongosa Safaris in Mozambique received a highly commended mention. Karisia beating three lodge-based, vehicle-supported operations with a walking-and-camel model is the headline here.
Why This Award Category Is Different From a Lodge Award
Most travel awards score a property: rooms, food, spa, service. This category scores an experience instead, which is a harder thing to fake. A walking safari lives or dies on the guiding team’s tracking skill. There is no vehicle door between a guest and a buffalo or elephant, so safe wildlife reading matters more on foot.
Karisia’s guides are Samburu trackers who grew up reading this exact landscape, working alongside camel handlers who move the entire camp each day. That combination, expert local guiding plus a genuinely different way of moving through the bush, is what a peer-voted award like this is built to reward.
Where Karisia Operates: Tumaren Conservancy and Northern Laikipia
Karisia is based at Tumaren, a private conservancy in Laikipia East, roughly 80 km beyond Nanyuki town. Reported figures for the conservancy’s size vary by source. Estimates run from about 3,000 acres for the original ranch core to roughly 13,000 acres once adjoining, unfenced wildlife land is counted. Either way, it sits inside one of Kenya’s most game-diverse landscapes.
Laikipia’s mix of private and community land supports the country’s widest range of large mammals outside the national parks. That list includes African wild dogs, Grevy’s zebra, elephants, and the big cats. Tumaren was cattle ranch land before Karisia’s family took it over. Grazing pressure had thinned it out, and the shift to conservation management is what let wildlife numbers recover on the property.
How the Camel-Supported Trek Actually Works
A Karisia mobile safari moves camp to a new site most days. Camels carry the tents, food, and gear ahead of the group. Guests walk with a private guide and tracker, typically covering 8 to 15 km each morning. Walks start around 6 or 7 am and finish before lunch to avoid the day’s heat.
A short evening walk from camp is common too. Camels also carry water and snacks during the day and can carry a tired walker for a stretch if needed. Trips run mobile (camp moves daily) or from a fixed base at Tumaren Camp, with day walks and camel outings instead of a nightly relocation.
Karisia Walking Safaris at a Glance
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Location | Tumaren, Laikipia East, Kenya |
| Distance from Nanyuki town | ~80 km |
| Conservancy size (reported range) | ~3,000-13,000 acres |
| Minimum mobile safari length | 3 nights |
| Maximum trip length | Up to 14 days (longer with resupply) |
| Typical daily walking distance | 8-15 km |
| Group size | Minimum 3, maximum 8 guests |
| Solo/duo supplement | ~USD 500 per person (indicative) |
| Reported rate | ~USD 2,100 per person per night (indicative, varies by season and operator) |
| Sample camps on a 4-day mobile route | Nyasura Camp, Nyarara Camp, Tumaren Ewaso Camp (Ewaso Nyiro River) |
Prices above are indicative ranges pulled from third-party operator listings, not fixed rates. Confirm current pricing and availability directly with Karisia or a booking partner before you plan around any figure here.
Getting There: Flights, Roads, and Timing
Three ways in exist, and the right one depends on your budget and time. A private charter from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport lands directly on Karisia’s own airstrip in about 30 minutes. Scheduled flights land instead at Nanyuki or the Loisaba airstrip, followed by a roughly 2-hour road transfer into the conservancy.
Driving the whole way from Nairobi takes about 6 to 7 hours. Tarmac covers the first stretch to Nanyuki, roughly 195 km, usually 3 to 4 hours depending on traffic. The remaining 80 km beyond Nanyuki runs on unpaved conservancy roads, which is why the full drive takes noticeably longer than the tarmac leg alone.
Walking Safari vs Vehicle Game Drive: What Actually Changes
| Factor | Karisia Walking Safari | Standard Vehicle Game Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Pace | 8-15 km on foot per day | 40-80+ km by vehicle per day |
| Camp movement | Camp relocates most days (mobile) | Fixed lodge, guests move by vehicle |
| Wildlife encounters | Closer, slower, guide-managed on foot | Faster, more sightings per drive |
| Group size | 3-8 guests, one private guide | Often 4-7 guests sharing a vehicle |
| Fitness needed | Moderate, several hours walking daily | Minimal, mostly seated |
| Best suited to | Guests wanting depth over volume | First-time visitors wanting the Big Five fast |
Neither format is objectively better. A walking safari trades ground covered for depth of experience, and a vehicle safari trades that depth for range and speed.
Explorer Notes
Here are a few field details worth knowing before you book. Karisia’s guiding team is almost entirely Samburu, drawn from communities that have worked this stretch of Laikipia for generations. That local depth shows in how fast they spot tracks most visitors would walk straight past. Ask your guide to point out fresh Grevy’s zebra sign early in the trip. Laikipia holds a meaningful share of the world’s remaining wild population of this endangered species.
Pack for cold mornings even in dry season. Laikipia sits at higher elevation than the Mara or Amboseli, and a 6 am departure can start well below what most first-time safari guests expect. Camel rides are available for anyone who needs a break mid-walk, so fitness worries should not rule this trip out on their own. If you want the full mobile experience rather than a base-camp stay, book at least 4 nights. Three-night trips move fast and leave little room to slow down once you find a good sighting.
Who a Camel-Supported Walking Safari Suits
This style of trip suits travelers who have already done a vehicle-based safari and want something slower and closer to the ground. It also suits anyone drawn to a genuinely private trip, since groups cap at eight and most bookings run smaller. Guests short on time who want to maximize Big Five sightings in two or three days should look elsewhere, as should anyone unable to walk several hours across uneven terrain.
Families with older teenagers tend to do well here, as do honeymooners looking for something distinct from a standard lodge circuit. Younger children and travelers with limited mobility are better served by a vehicle-based Mara or Amboseli itinerary first.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Karisia Walking Safaris win in 2026? Best Safari Experience in Africa at the 2026 Safari Awards, ahead of Botswana’s Jack’s Camp and Tanzania’s Greystoke Mahale.
Where is Karisia Walking Safaris located? At Tumaren, a private conservancy in Laikipia East, Kenya, about 80 km from Nanyuki town.
How many days does a Karisia walking safari need? A mobile walking safari runs a minimum of 3 nights, with most guests booking 4 or more. Trips can extend to 14 days or longer with resupply.
Is a camel-supported walking safari physically demanding? It requires moderate fitness for daily walks of 8 to 15 km, but camels are available to carry gear and tired walkers, so it is manageable for most reasonably active adults.
How does a walking safari differ from a normal Kenya safari? Guests move on foot with a private guide instead of by vehicle, camp relocates most days, and group sizes stay small, usually under eight guests.
Curious whether a camel-supported walking safari fits your Kenya trip? Visit our Tour Packages page to compare walking, mobile, and lodge-based itineraries, or ask a partner operator for current Laikipia availability.
What to Read Next
- New to walking safaris? See our self-drive vs guided Masai Mara guide for how guided formats compare.
- Curious about other Laikipia stays? Check our Laikipia conservancies compared guide.
- Planning logistics for a remote-camp trip? Read our Kenya safari booking lead-time guide.
