Ol Pejeta Conservancy: Home to the largest rhino population in Kenya, Ol Pejeta Conservancy is home to the last remaining northern white rhinos in the world. It is also home to the Big Five and has the largest portfolio of safari activities of any park in Kenya.
Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a protect land in Laikipia District in central Kenya.
Originally, the conservancy was established in 1988 as a cattle farm and has since developed into a wildlife sanctuary and is an important conservancy for protecting endangered species.
Ol Pejeta Conservancy is the best place to see rhinos in Kenya, it offers the most activities available in all Kenya parks and conservancies including game drives, mountain biking, horse riding, lion tracking, running with rangers, cycling and community visits.
Ol Pejeta Conservancy run a community development program, and support local communities with funding for education, water provision and infrastructure.
Things to do at Ol Pejeta
Game Drives
Ol Pejeta Conservancy is home to the Big Five as well as endangered species such as the African wild dog, cheetah and oryx, Grevy’s zebra, beise oryx and Jackson’s hartebeest alongside giraffes, baboons, hippos and hyenas.
Night game drives are also possible in Ol Pejeta, allowing the opportunity to spot the nocturnal creatures that roam these grasslands.
Visit the endangered species enclosure
The endangered species enclosure is the only are of the conservancy that is fenced off for the animals, here you will find white and black rhinos that have to be monitored around to clock to protect them from poaching.
The enclosure is home to the last two remaining northern white rhinos in the world, both are female.
The Grevy’s zebra and Jackson’s wildebeests are also kept in the endangered species enclosure. The numbers of these animals have been reduced due to poaching and loss habitat, now they need urgent protection.
Lion Tracking
Ol Pejeta Conservancy has a few lions fitted with tracking collars to help rangers establish the prides’ location. Lions can wander around the entire 360km² range, so to ensure their safety, trackers have been installed to help the rangers keep them safe from poachers.
You can join a ranger to find the lions between 06:30-08:30 and 15:30-17:30.
Most visitors to Ol Pejeta Conservancy include lion tracking and visiting the endangered species enclosure together on the first day of their tour. One in the morning and one in the afternoon.
Hippo Hides
Get out of the vehicle and take a walk down the Ewaso Nyiro River, patiently waiting and adorned in camouflage, soon you will spot the hippos that come to the surface for sunshine.
The walk down to the hide is a scenic nature route, meandering through various indigenous plants that are used by the local communities for cooking and medicine.
The hide is open daily between 07:00 – 18:30 every day.
Walking safari
Walking safari in the plains of Ol Pejeta Conservancy offers unrestricted views of the conservancy, walk alongside park rangers, learn about their daily lives as you explore in search for wildlife.
Walking safaris can be arranged in the mornings or afternoons.
Visit the Chimpanzee Sanctuary
The Sweetwater’s Chimpanzee Sanctuary has been home to orphaned chimpanzees since 1993 and provided a natural environment to the non-indigenous species within as an island in the conservancy.
Chimpanzees that arrive at the sanctuary are nursed to health and released into the conservancy. Ol Pejeta Conservancy and the Sweetwater’s Chimpanzee Sanctuary is the only place in Kenya where you can find these animals.
When is the best time to visit Ol Pejeta
Ol Pejeta Conservancy can be visited all time of the year, however the best months to visit are from June to October, this is the dry season and generally the further into the dry season you get better game viewing.
In November and December there is a short rainy season, but this is a very pretty time to visit as plants are in bloom and it is a good time to see migratory birds.
From January to March there is another dry season, and the flowers are in full bloom following the rains, this time of the year makes for great photographs.
The long rainy season take place in April and May.
Where to stay
There are limited accommodation options in Ol Pejeta Conservancy and the available options are
- Ol Pejeta Bush Camp
- Sweetwaters Serena Camp
- Ol Pejeta House
- Kicheche Laikipia Camp
- Porini Rhino Camp