Ol Pejeta Conservancy Safari Experience – A Safari in Olpejeta
Any trip to an out of county destination begins in the wee hours of a cold morning. This particular day was carved out for Ol Pejeta – home of the last 2 Northern white rhinos. Given that human beings are causing the extinction of this species, the Rhinos at Ol Pejeta are battling for survival 24/7.
The drive took us through sleepy towns as we headed to Nanyuki where the conservancy is located.
Any drive to Nanyuki includes a stop at the famous Cedar Mall, however, we opted to stop at Nanyuki Mall for the all important snack and bathroom break.
On proceeding, we started getting onto rough roads that were an indication that the conservancy was just a few kilometers ahead. Please note, to ALWAYS have some form of identification as it is required at the payment point. This identification can be a passport or ID. The Residents are also required to have their identification documents.
As previously mentioned, Ol Pejeta is the home of the last two Northern white rhinos. It is unfortunate to see how far the effects of poaching have reached. These rhinos have been extinguished by the human hand. How utterly sad! More about their conservation efforts can be found on their webpage.
Wildlife in Olpejeta Conservancy
The conservancy is also a chimpanzee sanctuary. They are quite the noisy playful bunch when interacting with their handlers. These chimps were imported from Rwanda through the combined effort of both countries.
(the chimps are kept behind an electric fence to ensure no interaction takes place with human beings who are not their handlers – their security and ours!)
In addition to having the opportunity to touch the famous blind rhino Baraka, we had a game drive that was peppered with Thompson’s gazelles! We also got to see some more white rhinos, some giraffes, plenty of buffalos and some zebra.
What was absolutely fascinating was seeing how the wildlife coexist peacefully with the cows and herders. It is interesting to note that the ankole cows are quite graceful even with the large horns on their heads.
At the conservancy, there are curio shops and lovely grassy areas where one can enjoy a cool picnic in the shade.
At the end of a lovely day, we got to experience a light cooling drizzle, which was quite welcome given the current hot temperatures. Just to mention, it’s always important to have a sun-hat/cap on the standby just in case the sun starts showing off how hot it can be.
There is no trip that is complete without catering to the needs of the stomach! We stopped at a restaurant in the town, whose food was delicious and served on humongous platters! The food was quite fresh although it took some time before serving.
After the very satisfying meal, we were now ready to head back home. Just to mention, it’s always important to have a neck pillow for long journeys, because inevitably you will doze!
Ol Pejeta is a must-visit for anyone who is passionate about species conservation. Thank you Starboard safaris!
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