Ol Pejeta Bush Camp: Our full report
Ol Pejeta Bush Camp is a simple but smart bush camp on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River in the northern ...
... part of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, in southern Laikipia. The guiding, service, and food are of the same high standard and the camp is located in a good location for wildlife viewing, including both black and white rhinos.The central area at Ol Pejeta Bush Camp was built in 2016 and is a large, tan, concrete structure that is raised on a concrete base, a couple of meters off the floor, in case the river was to ever burst its banks. The building is open fronted, and all of the windows have canvas blinds that usually have the sides rolled up to let the breeze pass through and also allow guests to take in the views of the river. The comfortable lounge is tucked around a corner decorated with small sofas, armchairs, director's chairs, and big floor poufs to sit on, while traditional woven kikois are draped around to add a touch of colour and rugs are strewn around to soften the concrete floors. Numerous coffee-table books are placed on tables, that surround a roaring log fireplace, to create a homely feel. In the centre of the main area is a large communal dining table and on the other side is a bar and two guest toilets. Another seating area overlooks the Ewaso Nyiro River and a salt lick beyond with an extended decking allowing for dinner beneath the stars or drinks around the firepit. On our recent visit, we spent some time here watching a large herd of elephants across the river enjoying themselves beside the water. On cool nights the tent's side panels are closed to create a cosy dinner party-style atmosphere.
The eight desert brown safari tents, including one large family tent, are dotted throughout the nearby bush. All are spacious and set quite a distance apart from each other, but the thick vegetation in between and rustic dividing fences makes each tent feel really private.
Each tent's veranda features a small table and two chairs with cushions, with views of the river. The main bedroom, accessed via canvas flaps on the side, is of a comfortable size and is simply decorated. The tents suit people who are not after a room with lots of frills, but want it to be comfortable, spacious, clean, and of good quality. Each has a canvas floor with a couple of rugs, a large bed with bedside tables, and shelving to store and hang clothing. Solar power lights the rooms, and there are plugs for you to charge your batteries.
The fully-plumbed en-suite bathroom is located through a canvas flap behind the bedroom. This includes a double basin on a simple wooden stand and two separate canvas cubicles – one is the shower, and the other is a flush toilet. Hot water is available 24/7.
Activities focus on safari drives in 4WD vehicles in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Most activities are led by experienced guides – many of whom come from the local community. As of 2021, walking safaris, as an alternative activity to game drives, are currently not being offered from Ol Pejeta Bush Camp while the nearby bush is very dense and extra firearm protection would be required. Check with your Expert Africa specialist to see if bush walks have been resumed.
Visits to the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee refuge, and the Northern White Rhino Sanctuary, home to the last two remaining individuals of this subspecies in the world, are also possible. Visits to the latter offer a wealth of insight into the surrogacy and insemination efforts underway to protect this subspecies from extinction, great photo opportunities, and are best booked in advance due to limited daily visitor numbers, so do ask us about it.
For those who want to relax in camp, there is also the chance to view game at the salt lick on the opposite bank of the river. It often brings in rhinos at night, which causes great excitement.
Our view
Ol Pejeta Camp is an authentic yet smart bush camp located in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. It can offer great flexibility due to its small size and focuses on good food and guiding. Its informal, homely approach doesn’t divorce you from your surroundings and you feel fully immersed in the African bush, making it ideal for seasoned Africa visitors and adventurous travellers.
Kenya expert
Geographics
- Location
- Laikipia, Kenya
- Ideal length of stay
- 3–4 nights would be ideal here.
- Directions
- To reach Ol Pejeta Bush Camp, there is an hour’s flight from Nairobi to Nanyuki, then it is another hour’s drive to the camp. The town of Nanyuki is 30kms away.
- Accessible by
- Fly-and-Transfer
Food & drink
- Usual board basis
- Full Board & Activities
- Food quality
- During our last visit, the food at Ol Pejeta Bush Camp was very tasty and we enjoyed the communal dining.
Breakfast is either taken as a picnic, with cereals, fresh breads, boiled eggs, cold sausage, and bacon, or back in camp where there is a greater selection, including a selection of pastries, yoghurt, and a full cooked English breakfast to order with tea and coffee.
Lunch is buffet-style and, during our visit, included tasty butternut and leek ravioli, beetroot salad, green salad with avocado, and tempura fried vegetables. Dessert was a fresh melon salad.
Dinner is a more formal meal, with three set courses served to the table. When we stayed, we started with delicious butternut and ginger soup, followed by stuffed chicken breast served with cauliflower, broccoli, and cheese-stuffed potatoes. This was finished off with apple doughnuts served with custard.
Like the camp, the food is unfussy and hearty and uses good fresh ingredients. - Dining style
- Group Meals
- Dining locations
- Indoor and Outdoor Dining
- Further dining info, including room service
- Group Meals - unless requested otherwise.
Ol Pejeta Bush Camp can be very flexible on room service, but there are no phones in the rooms so it has to be arranged in advance. - Drinks included
- All drinks are included at Ol Pejeta Bush Camp, except Champagne and specially imported wines and spirits.
Special interests
- Solo Travel
- Ol Pejeta doesn’t apply a single supplement outside of high season, so this camp is great value for a solo traveller looking for a range of activities and wildlife in the Laikipia region – where camps tend to be costlier than the average across Kenya.
- See ideas for Solo Travel in Kenya
Children
- Attitude towards children
- Ol Pejeta Bush Camp is happy to have children in the camp.
- Property’s age restrictions
- 5+.
- Special activities & services
- Ol Pejeta can do short tracking activities around the camp and other activities focused on engaging children.
- Equipment
- They don’t have any special equipment for children in camp, but can borrow it if required.
- Generally recommended for children
- The relaxed nature of this camp makes it a great spot for families, but it is also quite wild and rustic. We think it is best suited to families with older children who are aware of their surroundings.
- Notes
- Ol Pejeta Bush Camp has a very discrete electric fence on three sides and the Ewaso Nyiro River on the fourth, with an electric fence beyond. The primary aim of this is to keep elephants out to help tree rehabilitation, but it also means that you are less likely to get these big animals coming through camp. That said, it doesn’t stop all dangerous animals and buffalo sometimes come into camp, meaning children cannot walk unaccompanied in camp during the day or night. Parents must keep a close eye on their children at all times.
Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Ol Pejeta Bush Camp
Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Ol Pejeta Bush Camp have kindly recorded their wildlife sightings and shared them with us. The results are below. Click an animal to see more, and here to see more on our methodology.
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
86% success
71% success
43% success
43% success
14% success
0% success
0% success
Communications
- Power supply notes
- There is 24 hour electricity in camp and guests can also charge their batteries in the tents.
- Communications
- Ol Pejeta Bush Camp offers Wi-Fi throughout the camp, however, the phone signal is intermittent and unreliable. There probably isn't enough signal to make a phone call, unless you drive 100m out of camp, but it usually allows text messages to be sent. The camp has a radio for emergencies.
- TV & radio
- No TV.
- Water supply
- Borehole
- Water supply notes
- A borehole supplies water for washing, laundry and showers, while 18-litre drinking water barrels are distributed into flasks for guests' tents. Hot showers and running water are available 24/7.
Sustainability
Fighting to save the last remaining white rhinos
Situated within Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Ol Pejeta Bush Camp makes up an ideal base for getting involved in game-changing conservation efforts whilst exploring an area hiding some of Kenia’s highest densities of wildlife. Perhaps the most meaningful contribution of the bush camp is the extraordinary support it provides to Ol Pejeta Conservancy for its rhino conservation efforts.
With over 100 critically endangered black rhinos, the conservancy is home to the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa. Providing access to the sanctuary, Ol Pejeta’s guests can observe the rhinos, and in exchange financially support the conservancy’s dedicated employees, who monitor and protect rhinos on a 24h basis.
Tourists therefore play a central role in supporting Ol Pejeta Conservancy’s projects, and especially the last two remaining Northern white rhinos in the entire world. Visitors are invited to donate in memory of Sudan, the last male white rhino who unfortunately passed away in May, 2018. Donations are essential for supporting IVF research, and hopefully get these animals one step away from extinction, and one stop closer to being able to roam freely in their natural habitat. In exchange, Ol Pejeta Bush Camp offers visitors exclusive access to the Northern white rhino sanctuary, which make for a unique chance to learn about what makes Ol Pejeta one of the leading examples of modern day rhino conservation.
So far £47,805 has been raised for supporting research. Bush Camp plans to remain an active supporter through educating tourists and spreading the word about the fundraiser, thus contributing to the goal of reaching £9.0M for saving a species in the brink of extinction because of humans’ irresponsibility.
See more great sustainability projects in Kenya
Health & safety
- Malarial protection recommended
- Yes
- Medical care
- Ol Pejeta Camp has first-aid equipment in camp and six members of staff have done first aid courses. All vehicles have basic kits too. The trusted Nanyuki Cottage Hospital is less than an hour away. The camp has links to flying doctors for more serious emergencies.
- Dangerous animals
- High Risk
- Security measures
- Ol Pejeta Bush Camp policy is to escort guests around the camp at night.
- Fire safety
- There are fire extinguishers dotted around the camp and the river in front acts as a natural firebreak. The six staff who did first-aid training also did fire-training at the same time.
Activities
4WD Safari
Birdwatching
Night drive
Private activities
Extras
- Disabled access
- On Request
- Laundry facilities
- Laundry is included at Ol Pejeta Bush Camp. It is hand washed, line dried and coal ironed, so it is best to avoid anything too delicate. The team doesn’t wash ladies underwear, but soap powder is provided in the rooms.
- Money
- Ol Pejeta Bush Camp can exchange small amounts out of cash, but no more than about GB£100/US$150. There are safes in all of the rooms and the central office.
- Accepted payment on location
- Ol Pejeta Bush Camp accepts cash and cards.
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