Solio Ranch Game Reserve Day Trip from Nairobi
Solio Ranch Game Reserve Day Trip is an affordable full-day safari tour to Solio Game Conservancy – a privately owned wildlife conservancy located between the slopes of Mt Kenya and the peaks of the Aberdare Mountains (30 km north of Nyeri Town).
Solio Conservancy is situated 180 km north of Nairobi (a 4-hour drive). This 45,000-acre sanctuary is home to Africa’s Big Four (there are no elephants at Solio) and a wide variety of other wildlife species, including over 200 black and white rhinos, Thompson’s gazelle, buffalo, Reticulated giraffe, zebra, oryx, impala, eland, waterbuck, lion, leopard, cheetah, and warthog.
Sightings of up to 40 rhinos at a time are not uncommon and make for the most unforgettable experience, unlike anywhere else in the world. Your safari day tour includes transfers from Nairobi in a 4×4 Toyota Land Cruiser to Solio Ranch Game Reserve and back, as well as a picnic lunch box at a designated site.
Solio Ranch Game Reserve Day Trip Itinerary
0500 Hours: Depart Nairobi
0830 Hours: Brief stop in Nyeri for breakfast/refreshments
0930 Hours: Enter Solio Ranch for a morning game drive
1300 Hours: Picnic lunch at a designated site
1400 Hours: Afternoon game drive, visiting watering holes
1600 Hours: Exit the gate and begin the drive back to Nairobi
Solio Ranch Game Reserve Activities
✓ Picnicking: Designated sites within the ranch allow visitors to enjoy packed lunches surrounded by wilderness
✓ Bird Watching: Home to over 300 bird species, including European rollers, eagle owls, and crowned cranes
✓ Game Drives: The most popular activity, offering reliable sightings of rhinos, lions, leopards, cheetahs, and buffalo
✓ Walking & Horseback Safaris: Guided walks and horseback rides provide an intimate encounter with nature just outside the main rhino sanctuary
Solio Ranch Game Reserve Travel Tips
✓ Operating Hours: The reserve is generally open for day visitors from 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM daily
✓ Packing: Bring neutral-colored breathable clothing, a hat, sun protection, binoculars, and a camera
✓ Travel Time: The drive from Nairobi takes approximately 3 to 4 hours each way via well-maintained tarmac roads
✓ Departure Time from Nairobi: Most organized day tours depart Nairobi early, around 5:00 AM or 5:30 AM, to maximize wildlife viewing time
✓ Best Time to Visit: The dry seasons (June to September and January to February) offer the best wildlife viewing as animals congregate near water sources
✓ Vehicle Requirement: While some roads are manageable, a 4×4 vehicle is highly recommended, especially during rainy seasons, to navigate the internal tracks safely
Solio Ranch Game Reserve Day Trip is a classic 1-day Safari package to Solio Ranch situated 180 km north of Nairobi. By road, the journey takes around 4 hours from Nairobi.
This Full-Day Solio Ranch Conservancy safari begins in Nairobi, where you are collected from your accommodation at 0500 hours. Leaving Nairobi, we make our way straight to Solio Ranch. Arriving at Solio Ranch, we check in and embark on our exciting game drive in the untamed bush.
Entering the park, we head north, scanning for wildlife, birds, and other creatures. Solio Game Reserve is the premier rhino-breeding sanctuary in Kenya, where we are sure to see an array of other large mammals, including lions, buffalo, and leopards.
During the game drive, we pause to watch any interesting animal or bird sightings and take photographs. We also stop to stretch our legs at the picnic area inside Solio Ranch and later continue on a game drive passing several watering holes where animals often congregate to drink and bathe.
Reaching a safe picnic site, we have our picnic lunch in the shade. Then we make our way back through the conservancy, watching for wildlife action along the way. We exit the park later this afternoon and return to Nairobi.
Back in the city, you can choose to be dropped off at one of Nairobi’s excellent restaurants or at your accommodation, bringing your action-packed day safari to a close.
Solio Ranch, or Solio Game Reserve, is a privately owned wildlife conservancy that plays a major role in preserving and breeding Black Rhinos in Kenya. There are great chances of encountering numerous black and white rhinos, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, oryx, antelope, gazelle, impala, waterbuck, and warthog.
Solio Ranch also offers some of the best leopard viewings in the country. Lions and cheetahs can also be found. More than 300 species are found in the game reserve, including European rollers, flycatchers, and birds of prey such as vultures, eagle owls, Montagu’s Harriers, long-crested eagles, and buzzards.
Also, crowned cranes and the European stork can be found here every year.
Solio Ranch Game Reserve Day Trip Itinerary
0530 Hours: Our Solio Ranch Game Reserve Day Trip departs Nairobi after breakfast and drives north through Kikuyu farmlands.
The Kikuyu are predominantly farmers growing tea and coffee as cash crops alongside food crops such as maize, beans, assorted vegetables, and sweet potatoes.
0830 Hours: We stop for tea/ coffee at Outspan Hotel in Nyeri. It takes about 2 hours to travel from Nairobi to Nyeri. We proceed to Solio Ranch, located 30 km north of Nyeri on the Nyeri – Nyahururu road.
Once at the park, we proceed on a game drive. The park guarantees excellent wildlife sightings, including leopards, lions, elephants, buffalo, sunis, bushbucks, and giant forest hogs, etc.
The Solio Reserve is also an ideal place for bird watching. The acacia forest in the middle of the reserve is traversed by a river that, at times, becomes a swamp-like area. This habitat is a paradise for birds.
The park has more than 300 species, including European rollers, flycatchers, and birds of prey such as vultures, eagle owls, Montagu’s Harriers, long-crested eagles, and buzzards. Also, crowned cranes and the European stork can be found here every year.
1300 Hours: We have our picnic lunch boxes at a designated site. A Solio Ranch game ranger at the site will brief us on conservation matters.
1400 Hours: Proceed for another game drive.
1600 Hours: Exit the Solio Game Reserve gate and drive back to Nairobi, arriving late in the evening.
(Between 1900-2030 Hours) Arrive back at your hotel/residence.
Solio Ranch Game Reserve Day Trip Prices
Solio Ranch Game Reserve Day Trip From Nairobi Includes:
✓ Park entry fees
✓ Picnic lunch boxes
✓ Extensive game viewing drives
✓ Services of our professional driver guide
✓ A bottle of water while on the day trip safari
✓ Return road transport from Nairobi to Solio and back in our customized tour van or 4×4 vehicle with pop up roof for game viewing
| Dates From | Dates To | Price Per Person | Child Aged 3 to 11 Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st January 2026 | 31st December 2026 | Request for rates | Request for rates |
Notes
* We can arrange for horseback riding, bush walks, or mountain biking at extra costs on your day Tour
Solio Ranch Game Reserve Day Trip From Nairobi Excludes:
* Tips or Gratuities
* Drinks, extra meals
* Visa and any related fees
* Medical cover & Travel personal insurance
* Any other item not mentioned in the inclusive
Booking & Reservations 1 Day Solio Conservancy Safari - Nyeri, Laikipia Contact
Mobile: +254-721-242-711
WhatsApp: +254-721-242-711
Reservations: +254 718-179-967
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://africanspicesafaris.com