Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Ol Pejeta Conservancy spans 90,000 acres in the Laikipia plateau of central Kenya, located between the Aberdare mountain range and the foothills of Mount Kenya. It is one of the most successful and celebrated private wildlife conservancies in Africa — a place where rigorous conservation science, community engagement, and world-class safari hospitality exist in genuine, working harmony. Unlike a national park, Ol Pejeta is a privately managed conservancy, which means it can offer a range of flexible, high-quality activities that are not available in government-managed parks.

The conservancy is internationally renowned as the home of the last two northern white rhinoceroses remaining on the planet — Najin and Fatu, a mother and daughter who live under 24-hour armed guard in a specially protected zone within the conservancy. The northern white rhino is functionally extinct in the wild, and these two animals represent the final chapter of their species’ story. Ol Pejeta works with leading scientists and reproductive biologists in an ongoing effort to save the subspecies through advanced reproductive technology, and visiting here means contributing directly to that effort. It is a profoundly moving experience and one of the most significant conservation encounters available anywhere in the world.

Beyond the northern white rhinos, Ol Pejeta is also East Africa’s largest sanctuary for black rhinos — one of the continent’s most endangered animals — as well as a significant population of southern white rhinos. Dedicated rhino tracking experiences, led by expert rangers, offer close and meaningful encounters with these ancient creatures in a landscape designed to maximise both their welfare and visitor access.

The Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary, located within the conservancy, is the only place in Kenya where visitors can observe chimpanzees. Home to rescued chimps from across Central and West Africa, the sanctuary provides a fascinating and educational counterpoint to the traditional savannah safari experience. Night game drives — unavailable in most of Kenya’s national parks — allow for encounters with the conservancy’s more elusive nocturnal residents, including leopards, servals, aardvarks, and porcupines. Lion tracking programs, guided bush walks, and cycling trails round out an activity list that is among the most diverse and flexible of any safari destination in Kenya.

June to October and December to March offer prime conditions. The drier months reduce vegetation and concentrate wildlife, while the cooler temperatures of the highland plateau make game activities especially comfortable.