Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a non-profit wildlife conservancy in Kenya famed for hosting the largest rhino population in Kenya with the last two remaining northern white rhinos in the world and being the only place to find the chimpanzees, it is located in central Kenya’s Laikipia’s County and situated on the equator west of Nanyuki between the foothills of Aberdares and Mount Kenya.
Ol Pejeta Conservancy was established in 1988 with the purposes of conserving a range of endangered wildlife species, the conservancy is also a home to the big Five that is lions, leopards, cape buffaloes, elephants and rhinos making it one of the best sites for big five sightings in Kenya. The Conservancy also hosts the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary providing a home to orphaned, abandoned and rescued chimpanzees.
Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a home to a range of wildlife species such as white and black rhinos, Grevy’s zebra, Jackson’s wildebeests, lions, elephants, cape buffaloes, leopards, cheetah, eland, impala, bat eared fox, baboons, hippos, giraffes, vervet monkeys, dik-dik, silver backed jackal, hyenas among others.
The Conservancy is also a great birding habitat hosting over 300 bird species, these birds includeOstriches, guinea fowls, vulturine guinea fowl, helmeted guineafowl, francolins, Quails, and spur fowls such as harlequin quail, common quail, crested francolin, Shelley’s francolin, yellow-necked spurfowl, Scaly Francolin, ducks, Egyptian geese, Hottentot Tea anas, red-billed Tea Anas, Knob-billed duck, African black duck, northern shoveler Anas, Spur-Winged Goose, Maccoa Duck Oxyura, the little grebe, Marabou Stork, yellow-billed Stork, Black stork, White stork, African Open billed Stork, Sandle billed stork and Abdms stork among others.
THINGS TO DO AT OL PEJETA
Game Drives
Game drives are the most exciting Kenya tour activity to do during your visit to Ol Pejeta Conservancy a home to the Big Five species and other endangered wildlife species, game drives in Ol Pejeta Conservancy are offered as morning game drives, full day game drives and evening game drives. During these game drives you have an opportunity to encounter several species of animals such as African wild dog, cheetah, Oryx, Grevy’s zebra, Beisa Oryx, Jackson hartebeests, lions, leopards, cheetahs, the large but friendly elephants, large herds of rhnis, lions, cape buffaloes, baboons, giraffes among others. Some of the fascinating species of the animals you will encounter during game drive in Ol Pejeta Conservancy are the large but friendly elephants and the last 2 northern white rhinos in the world (Najin and Fatu).
Night game drives in the Conservancy offer an opportunity to spot nocturnal creatures such as lions, leopards, African wild dogs and others roaming in the grasslands of the conservancy.
Lion tracking
Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a fascinating Kenya tour destination for lion tracking experiences, the conservancy has prides set aside for lion tracking experience. These lions have tracking collars in their necks which helps the rangers to establish their locations, lions in Ol Pejeta Conservancy can wander around for about entire 360 square kilometers and with the help of trackers installed they can be tracked. These trackers also help in ensuring the safety of the lions from poachers.
Ol Pejeta Conservancy is one of the best destinations in the world to observe the world’s fiercest predators in action.
Lion tracking best done from 06: 30 – 08: 30 and 15:30 and 17: 30.
Hippo hides
This activity takes you on a walk down on the banks of Ewaso Nyiro River, as you wait patiently adorned in camouflage you will be able to spot numbers of hippos. This activity is done early in the morning and you will be able to watch hippos as they surface for sunshine, this activity is conducted on a scenic nature route, meandering through various indigenous plants used to by the local communities for cooking and medicine.
The hide in Ol Pejeta Conservancy is between 07:00 – 18:30 on a daily.
Walking safari
Ol Pejeta Conservancy offers exciting walking safaris perfect for nature lovers, walking safaris in the Conservancy offers uninterrupted vies of the park and various species of animals living in the conservancy. Nature walks are done using various routes running through the conservancy and you walk alongside park rangers in search for animals, some of the animals to lookout for include wildebeests, leopards, and elephants among others.
Walking safaris in the Conservancy are arranged in the mornings and afternoons that is between 06:30-09:30 or 15:30-18:30.
Visit the chimpanzee sanctuary
While on a Kenya tour to the Conservancy you get an opportunity to visit the Sweet waters’ chimpanzee sanctuary a home to orphaned chimpanzees, the sanctuary was established in 1993 with the intentions of providing a natural environment to the non-indigenous species within an island on the park. Ol Pejeta is the only place in Kenya where you will get to see the chimpanzees and you will be able to see these creatures in their natural habitat.
When is the best time to visit Ol Pejeta Conservancy?
The Conservancy can be visited all year around, however the best time to visit the conservancy is from the dry season months that is from June to October, this period is the best time for game viewing.
The Conservancy receives varying climatic conditions throughout the months of the year,
In November and December there is short rainy season. In this period, plants are in bloom which makes it a perfect time to visit the conservancy for plants and to see the migratory birds.
- From January to March is a short dry season, in this season flowers are in bloom following the rains. This time is perfect for great photographers
- From April and May, the conservancy experiences long rainy season, in this period Ol Pejeta Bush Camp may close due to the rains.
Where to stay at Ol Pejeta Conservancy during your Kenya Safari?
In the Conservancy there is a variety of accommodation facilities to stay during a Kenya safari to the conservancy, these facilities are categorized as luxury, midrange and budget offering comfortable guest rooms and other necessary facilities and services you will need. Accommodations in the Conservancy include.
Ol Pejeta Bush Camp
The Ol Pejeta Bush Camp is one of the best accommodation facilities in the Conservancy located along the banks of the Ewaso Ng’iro River, the camp offers tented camp accommodations in fully furnished tented camps completed with en-suite bathrooms. Ol Pejeta Bush Camp should be one of your first accommodation options while visiting the conservancy.
Sweetwaters Serena Camp
The Sweetwaters Serena Camp is one of the beautiful and splendid luxury camps in the Conservancy offering a luxurious stay during your Kenya safari, the camp is located on the eastern side of the Conservancy. Sweetwaters Serena Camp has 50 beautiful designed tents boosting magnificent views of the Mountains, watering holes and wildlife, tents are fully furnished and have en-suite facilities.
Ol Pejeta House
The Ol Pejeta House is an intimate accommodation facility in the Conservancy located in a private and tranquil area of the conservancy, Ol Pejeta House has a limited number of guest rooms and some of the mesmerizing facilities at the house are the 2 private swimming pools.
Kicheche Laikipia Camp
Kicheche Laikipia Camp is a small luxury camp offering a luxurious stay in the Conservancy, this award winning camp is nested in the shadows of Mount Kenya at the foot of an indigenous forest overlooking a waterhole and surrounded by the wilderness zone of Ol Pejeta. Kicheche Laikipia Camp has won several awards for its conservation efforts, the camps donates 25% of their turnover to conservation and community projects.
Porini Rhino Camp
The Porini Camp is a beautiful isolated hidden camp situated behind a small forest of acacia trees, the camp is a eco-friendly camp nested in the a pretty valley in a secluded area giving you a peaceful retreat during your Kenya tour to Ol Pejeta Conservancy.