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Ol Pejeta Conservancy is an incredible experience. Quite apart from being the most accessible of all the Laikipia conservancies, Ol Pejeta combines fantastic wildlife viewing with stirring scenery, a terrific range of accommodations, and some brilliant activities. When it comes to wildlife, Ol Pejeta is the closest Big Five reserve to Nairobi (although leopards can be hard to see). It’s also the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa, and it provides a refuge for the last two northern white rhinos left on Earth.
Best Time to Visit
Ol Pejeta Conservancy offers good wildlife viewing throughout the year, although the best time to visit is during the Dry season (June to September). The dry spell from December to February is also very good. Heavy downpours in the peaks of the Wet season can disrupt planned excursions. A 4x4 vehicle is essential if visiting in the rainy months of October to November and March to May.
June to September –Dry Season
October to May –Wet Season
Scenery
Ol Pejeta Conservancy has good looks to go with its substance. Extending between the foothills of the Aberdares and magnificent, snowcapped Mt Kenya, it’s a superb spot with so many glorious backdrops for those special wildlife sightings. Habitats here include grasslands, woodland, riverine forests, and wetlands. The conservancy flanks the scenic Ewaso Nyiro River.
Activities
Ol Pejeta has the best activities of any reserve in Kenya. In addition to guided game drives, for additional fees, you can go lion tracking, meet the last two northern white rhinos, enjoy a night game drive, join anti-poaching dog tracking teams, and go horseback riding alongside rhinos. You can book these online or through your accommodations. For free, you can also visit the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary, visit the rhino cemetery, meet ‘Baraka’ the blind black rhino, and visit the informative visitor center at Morani.
From: $264 to $663 pp/day
From: June to September (Dry season)
From: June to October and December to March
From: 364km² / 141mi²
Ol Pejeta Conservancy is home to all of the Big Five. It is the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa, and sightings of both black rhino (more than 160 at last count) and white rhino (more than 40) are common. Ol Pejeta is said to have the highest predator density in Kenya outside of the Masai Mara, and there is a good chance of seeing lions, cheetahs, and hyenas.
Wildlife Highlights
The Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary is a refuge for rescued chimpanzees, although you’re kept at quite a distance. The endangered species enclosure is home to the only two remaining northern white rhinos in the world. You can see them for free from outside the enclosure or pay extra to enter and get close. Elsewhere, watch for reticulated giraffes, defassa waterbuck, and large herds of buffalo. There’s also a hyena den near the airstrip.
Best Time for Wildlife Viewing
Wildlife viewing is best from June to September, but also very good from December to February (which is a great time for birding too). The soil in the region is mostly black cotton soil, which becomes very difficult to navigate after heavy rain. Wildlife viewing can be challenging in April and November, which are the wettest months. Four-wheel drive vehicles are a must during the rainy season.
Due to the high altitude, Ol Pejeta Conservancy experiences a mild climate. Temperatures are fairly constant all year. Daytime temperatures are in the mid-twenties Celsius (seventies to low eighties Fahrenheit), while nights are cooler. Warm clothes for game drives are essential. The main wet period (the long rains) is from March to May, and there is a shorter wet period (the short rains) that peaks in November.
Dry Season –June to September
The Dry season has mostly sunny days, although rainfall is possible anytime. Temperatures of around 23°C/73°F are common. Nighttime and early mornings are cold, with temperatures around 10°C/50°F.
Wet Season –October to May
Even though the Wet season is between October and May, a drier period from December to February separates the short rains and long rains. Overcast days are not unusual.
Your entry point to Kenya will most likely be Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO), 15km/9 mi southeast of the capital city Nairobi.
Ol Pejeta Conservancy is 210km/130 mi northeast of Nairobi, and the drive takes about 3 to 4 hours*. The last 13km/8 mi to Ol Pejeta is dirt, and 4x4 vehicles are essential in the rainy season. Ol Pejeta can be easily combined with some of the other conservancies on the Laikipia Plateau, or with Meru National Park.
*Driving times are only a rough indication. You should always consider the possibility of significant delays.
Airlines & Ticket Prices
Please check Skyscanner to see which airlines can take you to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO), and what tickets would cost.
Domestic Flights
The easiest way to get to Ol Pejeta is to take one of the daily scheduled flights from Nairobi to Nanyuki airstrip, which is a 45-minute drive away. It is also possible to charter a flight from any other park to Ol Pejeta’s airstrip (currently only open to charter flights).
Charter flights between parks are usually booked by tour operators as part of the tour package. Scheduled flights to Nanyuki (the closest airstrip to Ol Pejeta) leave from Wilson Airport (WIL), 6km/4 mi south of Nairobi. Flights can be booked with the following domestic carriers:
Passport, Visa & Other Entry Requirements
Please check our Getting There – Kenya page to learn more about passports, visas, COVID-19, and other entry requirements.
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