ABOUT US

Our Story

Custodians of this land

Major Gerald Edwards settled on Sosian Ranch in 1920, when he was granted the land after the First World War. In those days Laikipia was several days drive from Nairobi and communications were virtually non-existent. Cattle ranching in northern Kenya was a seriously adventurous past time.

However, until Major Edwards died in 1977, he cared for every single acre, as well as building up his cattle ranch. Alas, following Major Edwards’ death, the land which he had dedicated his life to dwindled into ruin. Left unattended to, the over-grazing, combined with a severe drought in 1990 left Sosian entirely barren with no livestock or wildlife able to survive there. However, by 1999 a diverse group of friends, headed up by the late Tristan Voorspuy (founder of Offbeat Riding Safaris), came together and bought Sosian with the aim of restoring its ecology and wildlife. Huge investment and careful grazing plans over the following 5 years were put in place to allow the vegetation to grow back. This combined with a few years of good rains, Sosian and its wildlife bounced back.

Today, the beautifully restored ranch house is an intimate and homely safari lodge, and since the restoration of the ranch, the wildlife (including many endangered species such as wild dog, reticulated giraffe and Grevy’s zebra) has increased in great numbers, becoming a premier wildlife destination.

Sosian remains a functioning cattle ranch as well as a luxury safari lodge. There is a wonderful balance between cattle ranching and wildlife conservation that hugely benefits both parties and Sosian is a shining example of how this can be achieved.

Sosian employ over 100 people from the neighbouring communities, to help run the tourism, cattle ranching, anti-poaching and security.

Sosian is now a thriving conservation project and the income generated from the tourism enterprise has directly led Sosian to be able to get involved with community projects such as schools and education, healthcare clinics, family planning and community cattle buying schemes to name a few.