Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Ol Pejeta was a cattle ranch that became a conservancy, and it now runs both: some ninety thousand acres carrying livestock alongside the largest black rhino population in East Africa, with the Mount Kenya massif filling the eastern horizon. Its best-known residents are Najin and Fatu, the last two northern white rhinos on earth, both female, kept under armed guard around the clock; the subspecies is functionally extinct and the effort to save it now rests on advanced reproductive science using stored genetic material. The conservancy also runs a chimpanzee sanctuary, taking animals rescued from the illegal trade, which is unusual since chimps are not native to Kenya. Game viewing covers lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and cheetah, and the conservancy is known for openness about how the money works: tourism and livestock fund conservation and community programmes.

History

In 1949 John and Jane Kenyon took over the management of Ol Pejeta, then owned by Lord Delamere, and with Marcus Wickham Boynton they made the ranch, then 230 square kilometres, into a successful beef business; in 2013 the conservancy reached a population of one hundred eastern black rhinos (Wikipedia, Ol Pejeta Conservancy).

Highlights

• The last northern white rhinos - Najin and Fatu under permanent guard.
• Black rhino - the largest population in East Africa, seen on drives.
• The chimpanzee sanctuary - rescued animals from the illegal trade.
• Mount Kenya views - the massif rising east across the plains.

When to go

The dry seasons, June to October and January to March, for the best game viewing and passable tracks. Ol Pejeta is close enough to Nanyuki for day visits, though staying inside gives the early and late hours when animals move.

Good to know

The northern white rhino visit is a short, guarded, closely managed encounter, not a leisurely viewing, and it can be emotionally flat or heavy depending on expectations. Fees are high compared with national parks. The conservancy is popular and can feel busy at the main attractions. Chimpanzees are in enclosures, not wild.

Nearby

Lewa and Solio lie nearby; Nanyuki and Mount Kenya are east.

Key facts