Ol Pajeta Conservancy. Ol Pajeta Conservancy is one of the Kenya safari destinations to include in your Kenya safari itinerary and package. Established in 1988, Ol Pejeta Conservancy is one that strives to conserve wildlife and provide a sanctuary for great apes whilst generating income through wildlife tourism. The Ol Pejeta Conservancy has the largest black rhino sanctuary in the whole of East Africa.
Ol Pajeta Conservancy Location and Size
The Ol Pajeta Conservancy is located in the central Kenya region of Laikipia County, situated on the equator west of Nanyuki, just between the foothills of the Aberdare and Mount Kenya. Ol Pajeta Conservancy has a total size of about 360 square kilometres.
Wildlife in Ol Pajeta Conservancy
Ol Pajeta is a haven for the conservation of some of the rarest and almost extinct wildlife species, including rhinos, that is, the black rhinos and northern white rhinos. All the Big Five animals are in Ol Pajeta Conservancy, including lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and rhinos, which can be rare in some of the popular African safari destinations.
It is in Ol Pejeta that chimpanzees can be seen in Kenya at the Sweetwater’s Chimpanzee Sanctuary, which has been home to orphaned chimpanzees since 1993. Other animals in Ol Pajeta to look out for include the endangered African wild dog, oryx, Jackson’s hartebeest, Grevy’s zebra, serval, cheetahs and bat-eared fox.
Common animals, as can easily be seen in other Kenyan national parks, include giraffes, vervet monkeys, baboons, impala, elands, hippos, plains zebra, dik-dik, Grant’s gazelle, hyenas, silver-backed jacks, and so much more.
Apart from animals, there are several birds in Ol Pajeta, and even the avid birder can spot a good variety; there are over 300 birds in Ol Pajeta Conservancy.
Things to do in Ol Pajeta Conservancy
With a variety of wildlife, there is so much to enjoy while on a Kenya safari tour in Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Below are the various things to do in Ol Pajeta Conservancy:
Game Drives
Game drives in Ol Pajeta are the most done among travellers who visit Kenya on Ol Pajeta safaris. With the savannah park consisting of a variety of wildlife, one of the best and oldest ways to see the wildlife is by embarking on game drives. Game drives in Ol Pajeta can be done all throughout the day for an opportunity to see the different wildlife in Ol Pajeta, including the Big 5 animals and beyond. Night game drives are also available and can be done in Ol Pejeta, adding to one of the reasons to visit this conservancy, as night game drives are not allowed in many of Kenya’s national parks and game reserves.
Visit the Endangered Species Enclosure
The endangered species enclosure is the only area in the park fenced off for the animals. In Kenya, you will find white and black rhinos being monitored throughout the country to protect them from poachers. The endangered species enclosure is where you will be able to find the last 2 remaining northern white rhinos in the entire world, both of which are female! Also in the enclosure are the Grevy’s zebra and Jackson’s wildebeest.
Lion Tracking
Given the size of the conservancy, lions tend to spread out, and finding prides may be hard, especially for travellers with very limited time to spare for a Kenya safari in Ol Pejeta. Ol Pajeta has thus had tracking collars on several lions to help rangers establish their location easily and thus ease the locating of lion prides. Lion tracking can be done from 6:30 to 8:30 am and from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. 3:30 to 5:30 pm The tracking collars also help rangers keep tabs on the lions, keeping them safe from poachers.
Guided Walking Safaris
One of the best ways to explore Ol Pejeta is on foot! A guided walking safari in the Ol Pajeta plains rewards travellers with unrestricted game viewing and beautiful views of the park, especially in the dry season. Brave the wild and embark on a guided walking safari along with armed ranger guides in search of wildlife, allowing you a rare opportunity to follow animal tracks in their natural habitat and come up close with them! Guided walking safaris are done from 06:30 to 09:30 am 06:30–09:30 am or 03:30 to 06:30 pm, depending on your preferred time.
Visit the Chimpanzee Sanctuary
The Sweetwater’s Chimpanzee Sanctuary is the only place to see chimpanzees in Kenya in their natural habitat. The sanctuary is open daily from 10:00 am to 03:30 pm, allowing travellers on a Kenya safari in Ol Pejeta a chance to see these our relatives up close. The Sweetwater’s Chimpanzee Sanctuary has been home to orphaned chimpanzees since 1993. Once the orphaned chimpanzees are fully nursed back to health, they are released into the wild in Ol Pejeta.
When to visit Ol Pajeta Conservancy
Looking to go on an Ol Pajeta Conservancy safari and wondering when it is the best time is to go? The Ol Pajeta Conservancy is available to visit all throughout the year. The months of June to October are the best months to visit Ol Pajeta Conservancy, travellers, as it is the dry season, which is a great time to visit the conservancy for wild game viewing. The months of November and December are short rain months, and though it is a wet season, it is still a great time to see wildlife in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, given that the animals in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy are residents.
The months of January through March are a dry season and also a great time to visit the Pol Pajeta Conservancy in Kenya. This is a great time to see the blooming of flowers following the short rain of November; it is also a great time for photography safaris.
Accommodation in Ol Pajeta Conservancy
Where should I stay at Ol Pajeta? This is something to seriously consider as you plan your Kenya safari escape in Ol Pejeta Conservancy, any time of the year. There are several accommodations in Ol Pajeta to choose from, even though there are not as many. Accommodation in Ol Pajeta includes
Ol Pajeta Bush Camp
Ol Pajeta Bush Camp is a popular accommodation option in Ol Pajeta, located along the banks of the Ewaso Ngiro River with spectacular views of the conservancy. Ol Pajeta Bush Camp is a fully furnished tented camp with en-suite bathrooms.
Sweetwater’s Serena Camp
Sweetwater’s Serena Camp is part of the Serena Hotels, an international hotel chain with hotels, lodges and lodges across East Africa and beyond. With 50 fascinating tents offering views of the mountains, wildlife and watering holes which attract wildlife, Sweetwater’s Serena Camp is located in the eastern part of the Ol Pajeta Conservancy.
Other accommodation in Ol Pajeta Conservancy to consider includes Ol Pajeta House, Kicheche Laikipia Camp, Porini Rhino Camp, Ol Pajeta Safari Cottages, and The Stables, among others.
As you plan your Kenya safari tour, do not be shy to also include the Ol Pajeta Conservancy and be blown away by the diversity there is here, away from your usual Kenya national parks of Maasai Mara National Reserve and Amboseli National Park, plus Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks. Aside from your Kenya safari tour, ask your East Africa safari planner to incorporate a wildlife safari Tanzania experience for you, as well as a Uganda gorilla tour for a complete East Africa tour if you do have enough time to spare; you can switch up from Uganda to Rwanda if super luxury gorilla trekking is what you are interested in.
Conclusion
Ol Pejeta Conservancy is one of those places which stays with you long after you leave. It was more than just a safari stopover; it was a reminder of the reasons we travel to begin with: to connect with nature, to see something new, and to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Watching rhinos graze at sunrise, hearing lions roar in the distance, and seeing conservation and community come together like this is really special. Ol Pejeta is one place that should be on your itinerary, whether you’re road-tripping through Kenya or heading out on your one trip, your once-in-a-lifetime trip to the continent. And now it’s wild, it’s beautiful, and it has a history worth being part of.
