Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Size: ca. 360 square kilometres
Founded: 1988
Distance from Nairobi: ca. 220 kilometres
Highlights:
The Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a prime example of successful wildlife conservation and home to black rhinos, rare African Wild Dogs and the only place in the entire Kenya where you can see chimpanzees. The diverse vegetation provides the perfect habitat for a wide variety of wild animals. You might even come across all members of the Big Five slowly walking past as Mount Kenya stands out in the background – a picture worth a thousand words.
Description:
The private Ol Pejeta Conservancy is located on the equator at the foot of the Aberdare mountain range to the one side and the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kenya to the other side. As with the Lewa Protected Area, the team behind the Ol Pejeta Conservancy is not only passionate about, but also successful in the protection of many African wildlife.
It is one of East Africa’s largest protected areas for the endangered black rhinoceros and the only place in Kenya where you can see chimpanzees. The sanctuary is exclusively home to abused and orphaned chimpanzees from West and Central Africa.
Even the rare African Wild Dog has for several years now made the Ol Pejeta its home. Thus, be on the lookout for this endangered species.
Not only endangered species are to be found here, but also many other East African wildlife, such as the other members of the Big Five – elephant, lion, buffalo and leopard. Ol Pejeta is also well-known for its many wildcats that lie in wait. In the grassland, you will find many antelopes and gazelles peacefully grazing and in the marshy wetlands more than 300 bird species fill the air with their calls. Watch as elephants and giraffes pluck the leaves from the acacia trees and the rhinos graze on the bushes below. The diverse vegetation creates the perfect habitat for a variety of animals.
Thus, you can see a wide variety of East African wilderness in a relatively small area.
Originally the Ol Pejeta was a cattle farm, but elephants kept moving through the fields and breaking down the fences. The owners soon realized that this is a special spot of earth and moved their focus to the conservation and protection of the wildlife habitat. Despite the high number of wildlife in the area, you will find the local people and their livestock living in harmony amongst them.
Newcomers to Africa can experience a very exciting safari in a relatively short time. The already well-travelled have the opportunity to get to know the modern strategies used for the protection of wildlife in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
