ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTION TOWARDS ECOTOURISM AMONG PASTORAL COMMUNITIES IN LAIKIPIA COUNTY, KENYA Rono B. J. 1 , Obwoyere G. O. 1 , Owuor G. 2 1. Department of Natural Resources, Egerton University, P. O. Box 536-20115, Egerton, Kenya 2. Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Management, Egerton University, P. O. Box 536-20115, Egerton, Kenya Corresponding Author; Email: betty.rono379@gmail.com ABSTRACT Kenyan rangelands are characterized by low income, food insecurity, poverty, low and unreliable rainfall and conflicts. Pastoral communities in these areas have developed land use diversification and livelihoods mechanisms to help them cope with these challenges. Ecotourism is one of the strategies these communities engage in with the aim of conserving the environment as well as provide income for them. However it is anticipated that local communities benefit little in terms of profit sharing and are rarely involved in decision making concerning tourism matters in the region. This study was conducted in Laikipia County which is a well-known tourism destination with facilities owned by the community and private developers. The main objective of the study was to assess the attitude and perception of local community towards ecotourism. The study used a sociological survey research design with 232 community members. The research relied on primary and secondary data for information from which the analysis was conducted and conclusion generated. Primary data was collected through one-on-one interviews within households using structured questioners and conducting focus group discussions using checklists. Quantitative data from questionnaires was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), Ms Excel and MINITAB, after which it was presented using frequency tables, graphs and bar chats to illustrate the findings. Findings suggested that there is positive attitude among pastoral communities towards ecotourism in Laikipia as supported by 73.7% of the respondents, while 79.3% of them perceive it as beneficial. Overall, community attitude and perception on ecotourism was affected by community and motivational factors. The findings of this study contribute to the knowledge of community perception towards ecotourism, and will help in understanding the roles of the different stakeholders in the industry. Key words: Ecotourism, Perception and attitudes, Laikipia, pastoralism