A safari into the O.P.C (Ol Pejeta Conservancy) will let you enjoy the company of rescued chimpanzees as you learn about the stories of torture they went through in captivity in West and Central Africa. This is actually the only place in Kenya to see chimpanzees and you can have a chance to adopt one of them!
On a game drive, you can visit the largest black rhino sanctuary and learn about the conservation efforts that are conducted to protect these endangered species. After the single largest translocation process, with the Kenya Wildlife Services and neighboring Lewa Conservancy, the O.P.C is home to 88 black rhinos.
Aside from black rhinos, O.P.C is also home to a founder population of southern white rhinos and the only 2 northern white rhinos that remain in a separate sanctuary.
Visit this conservancy and get to appreciate as you explore Kenya’s wilderness with the help of well-trained professional guides.
Just a 3-hour drive from Nairobi, Ol Pejeta is home to all of the “Big Five” wildlife and has one of the highest predator densities of big cats in Kenya. There’s a good chance you’ll see lions on your game drives as the six prides here offer a population of 72 of the great felines.
The conservancy also is home to around 30 cheetah and 20 of the phantom-like leopards. This is also one of the few parks where you may spot packs of African wild dogs. There was even a litter here a few years back, so the population continues to grow.
Being a conservancy, Ol Pejeta shelters other endangered species such as oryx, hartebeest, Grevy’s zebra and the bat-eared fox.
Like most Kenya parks you’re likely to come across various displays of giraffe, monkey, baboon, hippo, impala, gazelle, zebra, jackal and hyena. And the birdlife here is robust as well.
About Ol Pejeta Conservancy
The conservancy is 360 sq. km (139 sq. mi) and 207 km (128 mi) from Nairobi.
Game Corridors
Ol Pejeta employs a clever innovation to allow the animals free range of movement yet also protects the vulnerable rhinos. Special corridors allow the park’s wildlife to move in and out of the conservancy stepping over knee-high posts. This presents no obstacle to any of the animals except for the rhinos who are stopped from wandering into areas where they might be killed for their horns.
Habitats
The park’s 5 habitats provide a diversity of land and flora which help the variety of wildlife here to flourish. On your game drives you’ll be looking for the animals that make their home in these areas:
Accommodations
The conservancy offers 9 accommodations from river camping to the most luxurious lodges. Some of the tented camps are adjacent to watering holes to ensure plenty of day and nighttime game viewing.
Location:
Between the foothills of the Aberdares and snow-capped Mt. Kenya in central Kenya.
Climate:
Because it is near the equator temperatures don’t fluctuate too much. Expect daytime temperatures to be around 24oC (75oF).
Best time to visit:
Wildlife is easier to track during the dry months of June through September and December through February. However, the park is distinctly more lush during the wet season of October through May.
Operating Hours:
The park is open daily from 07:00 hrs to 21:00 hrs