Expert Reviews of Ol Pejeta Conservancy (5 Reviews)

This is the busiest conservancy in Laikipia, but also one of the largest. Most tourist activity is concentrated in the eastern third, which is the site of the main lodge, but a number of other lodges and tented camps are scattered around the conservancy. Based on a recent four-night stay, we found game viewing to be excellent, and had great sightings of lion, cheetah, elephant, buffalo and black and white rhino, along with reticulated giraffe, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelle, Jackson’s hartebeest and Beisa oryx. Both Kenyan species of zebra are present and we saw several individuals that appeared to be hybrid. It is also the only place where I’ve had good sightings of the localised and secretive striped hyena, a far more beautiful creature than the more common spotted hyena. An enjoyable diversion (admittedly of limited conservation value) is the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary, founded in 1993 to protect a group of orphaned and sterilized chimps formerly housed at the Jane Goodall

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Institute in Burundi – the chimps can be viewed from across a river, allowing for great (albeit rather artificial) photographic opportunities.

Ol Pejeta Conservancy is one of the larger and more popular game ranches on Laikipia Plateau, and for good reason – game viewing here is exceptional. However, unlike some of the other ranches in the area, it feels a bit too farm-like for my taste, with fences, power lines, and farm sheds at every turn. Even the yellow fever tree forest is protected from elephants by electric fences. Both black and white rhinos are common and you can easily spot lions and cheetahs.

With Mount Kenya as a perfect backdrop, you can get some great pictures here. The main game drive circuit is somewhat small, which can make wildlife sightings a bit crowded. For a more exclusive experience, I recommend staying at the rustic Porini Tented Camp, which has its own private concession within Ol Pejeta.

Most people will visit the chimpanzee sanctuary. It is the only place in Kenya to see these amazing primates. Having seen chimps in the wild many times, I didn’t feel the zoo-like experience

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worthwhile. More interesting perhaps is the fact that Ol Pejeta is home to the last two remaining northern white rhinos. For their safety, their horns are shaved off and they are kept in a separate enclosure. Guided tours are available, providing valuable insights into their care and the challenges they face.

Ol Pejeta, in Kenya’s Laikipia county, is a brilliant example of coexistence – communities, conservation and, surprisingly, cattle-ranching all come together here and provide for a fascinating destination. The Big Five are all present and I saw more rhino on my first day in the conservancy than I have in 16 years of travelling to Africa, not surprisingly perhaps, considering it is the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa. It’s also home to Southern White rhinos and the world’s last known two remaining Northern Whites (both female). I had the privilege of meeting Sudan, the last male Northern White, before his death and believe me, it was an emotional experience, particularly knowing he may have been the very last one of his kind.

But Ol Pejeta isn’t just about rhinos. We visited the Sweetwaters chimp sanctuary that’s home to around 40 rescued primates and tracked lions with researchers. A family with young children was staying with us and fell in love with

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the place. It struck me that this is an ideal place for a first safari for youngsters because of these additional activities on top of the usual game drives, and they’ll see plenty of wildlife.

Ol Pejeta has many drawing cards, but one stands out – it’s the closest place to Nairobi where you can see the Big Five. Rhinos in particular are a highlight – with over 100 in residence, Ol Pejeta has East Africa’s largest single population of black rhinos. Seeing lions also takes on a whole new dimension with the conservancy’s nightly lion-tracking excursions. On recent visits, I’ve also enjoyed a spotted hyena den, found northern corners of the conservancy where very few visitors go, and watched spellbound as storm clouds formed in epic shapes above the plains.

But Ol Pejeta’s accessibility – this is one of Laikipia’s only public-access conservancies – is also its weakness as it’s much busier and noisier than anywhere else in the region, especially on weekends when a Nairobi crowd regularly breaks the solitude. The sight of cattle roaming the savannah may disconcert some, but it’s also key to the successful multi-use Laikipia model. A fenced-off sanctuary

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for rescued chimps, a guided riverside walk in search of hippos and the chance to see the last two remaining northern white rhino (in the Endangered Species Enclosure, along with Grevy’s zebra and Jackson’s hartebeest) all add considerable depth to the experience of visiting.

In the foothills of Mount Kenya, Ol Pejeta was established by a consortium of philanthropic investors in 2004, and today this not-for-profit conservancy is famous for its pioneering and sophisticated conservation efforts. It was certainly super-impressive to see their methods of high-level security, from armies of rangers in the bush to a central control tower operating drones and helicopters – no wonder Ol Pejeta is home to the largest black rhino population in East Africa. It’s home to the other Big Five too, and cheetah, African wild dog and plenty of plains species, and the expertly guided game drives were very rewarding. It was also fun to walk around Sweetwaters and watch the characterful chimpanzees relaxing in their hammocks in their spacious private forest and learn their stories from the guides. I also noted large herds of cows, and like elsewhere in the Laikipia region, Ol Pejeta makes an income from cattle farming. Some safari-goers think this distracts from its ‘wildness’,

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but by using the land productively and profitably, it secures the protection of wildlife populations too. Ol Pejeta is the only Laikipia conservancy open for day visitors and also has great places to stay – from campsites and simple self-catering cottages to 5-star tented camps and lodges – and plenty of activities and a variety of animals complete a fully-rounded safari experience.