Governors’ Mugie House (Laikipia)

Day and Night Game Drives

Enjoy traditional shared game drives with a dedicated, highly qualified and experienced guide. Game drives can depart at any time. Though they are generally best in the early morning or late afternoon. This is when animals tend to be more active as the temperature is a little cooler.

Look out for all members of ‘The Mugie Five’. There are five species living on the conservancy which guests won’t find at any of the other Governors’ properties. These are the Grevy Zebra, Jackson’s Hartebeest, Reticulate Giraffe, striped hyena and Common beisa oryx. Each is perfectly adapted for a life in more drought-prone regions and each needs special conservation efforts to ensure their long-term survival in the wild as all of their global populations are currently listed as ‘endangered’, or in the case of the striped hyena, ‘near threatened’.

Explore the varying landscape of Mugie, from the dam to olive tree forests and acacia scrubland. Host to a wealth of diverse wildlife, including northern endemic species Grevy Zebra, Jackson’s Hartebeest, Reticulate Giraffe and Gerenuk.

Included in the accommodation price

The conservancy is rich with nocturnal wildlife and the night drives open up a previously unseen world for many guests. Head out just after dinner with your guide. And search for aardvarks, porcupines, bat-eared foxes, leopards, lions, honey badgers, caracals, genets, civets and aardwolves (just to name a few) using respectful, red-filtered spotlights.

Tala the Reticulated Giraffe

Tala is most definitely one of Mugie’s ‘cast of characters’! At just a few days old, Tala was brought to Mugie Conservancy by a local herder after she began following his herd of goats. She was cared for by Margaret, who quickly became her surrogate mother. She wanders freely within the conservancy, but often returns to her chosen ‘home’ at the Head Quarters. Where the staff are quite accustomed to being overseen by this towering presence!

Laikipia Birding

Mugie Conservancy in Laikipia is home to a completely different range of bird species than the southern regions of Kenya. The region is considerably more arid compared to the Masai Mara. And is situated at a higher altitude (between 1500m to 1950m). Common bird species found here include sandgrouse, black-shouldered kites, namaqua doves, yellow-necked spurfowl, white-bellied go-away birds, white-browed coucals, brown babblers, rufous-crowned rollers, marico sunbirds, red-billed hornbills, gabar goshawks, D’Arnaud’s barbets, bearded Woodpeckers, crested francolins, northern white-crowned shrikes, black-headed orioles, paradise fly-catchers and greater blue-eared starlings to name just a few.

The Mugie Dam also pulls in a plethora of birds that are attracted to the freshwater or safe nesting sites on the small vegetated islands. A special sight is to sit with a sundowner in hand as you watch thousands of cattle egrets descend upon the islands each night to roost.

Canoeing on Mugie Dam

Mugie Dam is Kenya’s third largest private dam with 156 acres of surface area to explore. The dam welcomes a variety of game which comes to drink or graze along the shore. Especially elephants that are partial to a playful dip in its refreshing waters.

Governors’ Mugie House has two beautiful Canadian canoes which guests can enjoy during an early morning’s entertainment. Canoeing on the dam offers a thrilling opportunity to view wildlife from the water, out in the open air, armed with the spirit of adventure.

If a family of elephants happens to be bathing at the same time, rest assured that you have just witnessed one of life’s most enchanting adventures.

Anti-poaching unit

The Mugie Rangers are based close by with a team of bloodhounds who are used for daily anti-poaching patrols. Visit their headquarters to learn about the work they do. And experience the power of their keen scenting skills with a tracking demonstration.

Ask the manager to book a visit for you to meet the dogs and their handlers. If they are available, they will be happy for you to participate in a mock search. To demonstrate the hounds incredible sense of smell, with you hidden away as the ‘poacher’! You’ll be impressed with just how quickly they find you!

Lion tracking

In order to reduce Human-Wildlife Conflict both within and beyond the conservancy boundaries; Mugie Conservancy have collared some of the lionesses in the different prides. This data is used to update the herders on the whereabouts of the lions. So that they can navigate their livestock to safer areas that avoid the lions.

This is a perfect opportunity to learn how modern technology is being used by wildlife conservancy teams. In order to mitigate conflicts between herders and lions. Guests can also visit to the Mugie Conservancy Headquarters. Here you can see the live tracking data on a big screen in the rangers control room. This work was implemented in partnership with Lion Landscapes and The Kenya Wildlife Service.

Please note, the topography and simple equipment mean that tracking can be challenging. However, guests will learn about the use of this technology and how it assists the Conservancy in aiding pastoralists and wildlife to live alongside each other.

Sun downers and bush picnics

Mugie’s undulating landscape offers some excellent lookout points for a perfect sun downer or bush picnic. As the sunsets, this is a lovely time of the day to take a minute out and watch the sunset over the Laikipia landscape with a cold drink in hand.

Guided bush walks

Get up close with nature on a foot safari and experience the untamed beauty of the Laikipia region. Being out of a car will allow you to get down to the same level as the wildlife and the smaller creatures that inhabit this incredible ecosystem. Learn all about them and their importance from your guide. See other wildlife like giraffes and zebras from ground level too.

Golfing

Enjoy a round of golf on this 9-hole private course, which is also Kenya’s most northern golf course! Caddys are available to help you whether you are a beginner or a pro. Golf clubs are provided if you would like to borrow them.

The golf course is also a perfect place for a walk or jog, or a spot of bird watching!

Ranching and farming on Mugie Conservancy

Cutting edge community grazing programs and community empowerment projects through micro-economic assistance have encouraged engagement and investment from the local community in the conservation goals of Mugie.

Mugie Conservancy is at the forefront of conservation. Operating as a low-impact cattle ranch and farm alongside preserving the delicate and productive ecosystems that host abundant wildlife. And provide key corridors for wildlife between the Laikipia plateau, the Mathews Range and the Samburu lands to the north and east. Guests are welcome to visit the ranching and farm operations. Get an understanding on how each functions alongside securing essential habitat for wildlife.

Mugie Trading Stock has brought about a new era of community livestock management, based on the premise of shared resources. This is a program unique to Mugie, it’s a program from which all parties benefit and furthers conservation, environmental and ecological conscientiousness.

Head down to visit the Mugie farm to collect freshly laid eggs. Or watch the dairy cows being milked at dawn. Learn about the Miraa plant and how it provides much needed income. Saturday is Mugie’s ‘Dip Day’. A fascinating experience for those that wish to see this cutting-edge program for themselves.

Spa treatments

Mugie House has a fully trained spa therapist.

Visit the Pokot

Guests staying at Governors’ Mugie have the opportunity to visit the Pokot at a nearby village and learn about the traditions and customs of this colorful tribe who hail from the districts of West Pokot and Baringo.

Watch highly adorned women carry out vibrant song and dance. While an elderly lady prepares cloth out of a goat hide. Meanwhile, a village elder demonstrates the art of fire making by rubbing two pieces of wood together. And other men play a fast-paced game of ‘bao’ in the sand.

This is a truly fascinating experience.