5-Night Safari Itinerary at Ol Pejeta: What We'd Recommend
Five nights at The Safari Cottages offers you an entirely different experience. You move from ticking animals off a sighting list to actually living in rhythm with the bush. If you’re considering settling in and staying a little longer than the standard three nights, this is how we'd suggest you structure it…
Your Itinerary: Day by Day
Day One: Arriving and Settling In
Arrival
You can drive up from Nairobi or fly into our local airstrip, Kamok. In both cases you’ll likely be in the bush by midday and then it’s around a one hour drive to Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages. You’ll settle in, enjoying lunch alfresco and watching the wildlife amble down the river and then have a bit of down time - catch up on sleep, read a book, take a walk around the property. Relax and let it soak in.
Late Afternoon Game Drive
After a cup of tea at four o’clock you’ll meet your guide and set out on your first drive on the conservancy. You'll see elephants, buffalo, zebra, impala, giraffe. Maybe leopard or lion. The guides are learning your preferences and figuring out what your priorities are, so they can structure the following days accordingly. You’ll return after sunset to a roaring fire and dinner under the stars.
Arriving at The Safari Cottages
An afternoon game drive with your guide
Day Two: A Full Day of Ol Pejeta’s Wildlife
MORNING
Dawn Game Drive: You’ll be woken at dawn with a cup of freshly brewed tea or coffee then you’ll embark on a morning game drive. You'll see predators returning from hunts, babies springing across the plains and birds in early morning feeding frenzies. Depending on what the guides find, you might sit long with one sighting or amble across the plains taking it all in.
Here’s what you can see on a safari to Ol Pejeta.
Mid-Morning Picnic Breakfast: As the sun rises a little higher over Mt Kenya your guide will find somewhere to pull over. You can jump out the vehicle and stretch your legs. He’ll set up a picnic table and a few picnic chairs for breakfast. This is usually a selection of fruits and fruit salad, Sonja’s famous granola, some baked goods goods and something “hot” that travels well.
A morning coffee at dawn before your game drive
Tucking into a picnic breakfast in the bush
AFTERNOON
Lunch and Downtime: It’s been a full morning out and you’ve been up since dawn, so a delicious lunch followed by a siesta will likely be just what the doctor ordered. If you’re still bouncing with energy though this afternoon is a great opportunity to wander down to the staff camp and ask Dominic or Vicky for a tour of our kitchen garden.
Late Afternoon: You’ll head out again this afternoon for a late afternoon game drive. When the sun starts to slink below the horizon your guide will pull over the vehicle and pour you your favourite drink whilst you watch the sky light up and the world grow slowly dark. On your drive home tonight be sure to keep your eyes peeled for leopards, zorillas or nightjars. Arrive home in time for dinner and probably an early bedtime.
Watching the sun set across the plains
Day Three: Conservation
MORNING
Visit the Northern White Rhinos: After breakfast at camp today you’ll have the incredible honour of meeting the last two northern white rhinos left on our planet, as well as their caretakers. You’ll learn all about rhino conservation from the people on the ground, doing the work every day. Explore the conservation centre too, and meet Baraka - a blind black rhino that was rescued and rehabilitated right here on Ol Pejeta.
Meeting Baraka - rescued black rhino
One of the last Northern White Rhinos left in the world
AFTERNOON
Visit the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary: After lunch and a siesta you’ll head to the nearby Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary. The sanctuary rescues chimps from the illegal trade and gives them the best life possible in captivity. When you watch them — really watch them — you understand something about intelligence, trauma, resilience, and inner lives recognisably similar to ours.
Night Drive: Enjoy your sundowner around the fire this evening, and an early dinner before you jump back into the vehicle and explore the conservancy after dark on a night drive. Nocturnal species are completely different from day animals. A leopard hunting at night moves with focused intensity. A serval is delicate and quick. Porcupines waddle through the grass and hyena clans move with purpose and hierarchy you can watch unfold.
Day Four: Day Trip
Full Day: Our central location in the heart of Laikipia means we are ideally placed for you to explore a little further afield. After an early breakfast at your safari cottage you’ll head out for the day with your guide to explore Mt Kenya, or the Aberdares or perhaps the Ngare Ndare forest. These areas are less about wildlife and more about incredible scenery, birdlife and the chance to hike and witness exciting and dramatic landscapes. You’ll carry a picnic lunch with you and return late after dark, for dinner.
A day trip to Ngare Ndare
Hiking in Ngare Ngare
Day Five: Classic Safari Day
Early Morning Game Drive and Picnic Breakfast: It’s your final day on safari today and it’s your chance to see of experience anything you haven’t managed to just yet. Let your guide know what that is - they will always do their best to make sure you leave fully satisfied. Otherwise it’s a great opportunity to sit back and enjoy the magic of the bush unfolding without the pressure of an agenda. This is our favourite way to safari because you never know what will pop up!
Lunch, Tea and a Final Game Drive: After some downtime at your private safari cottage today (or maybe you challenged the staff to a volleyball game!) you will head out for a final afternoon game drive, stopping to enjoy a sundowner and a night drive on the way home. If your askari hasn’t yet embroiled you in his stories from home, he just might do so tonight - ask for some marshmallows to roast over the fire after dinner and enjoy one final heart-to-heart with the people who have poured their hearts into this place.
Roasting marshmallows around an evening fire
Day Six: Departure
After a leisurely breakfast at camp this morning your guide will assist you onto a flight or to meet your road transfer out of Ol Pejeta and on to your next destination. The longer you stay, the more the conservcany reveals itself and we hope that, by now, you’ve settled deeply into the rhythm of nature.
Customizing Your Stay
This is a template. Your actual itinerary shapes around what you're interested in (big cats, birds, conservation, your families specific needs), your comfort level with walking, and what the bush gives you on the day. Your guides know this conservancy intimately — they'll make the decisions that matter and do their very best to ensure you have a safari of a lifetime!
ESTIMATED COSTS FOR THIS 5-NIGHT OL PEJETA SAFARI COTTAGES SAFARI
High Season 2026 (15 June - 31 October & 16 - 31st Dec 2026): USD3,900 per person
High Season 2027: (1 Jan - 7 Jan & 15 June - 31 October 2027): USD4,070 per person
Low Season 2027: (01 May - 14 June 2027): USD3,060 per person (includes 1 night free!)
Notes on pricing:
Prices include accommodation, all meals, drinks and a private vehicle and guide. Transport too and from Ol Pejeta is not included.
The above prices are based on two people sharing
Children under 12 are half price and under 3 are free
Please contact us with the number of people in your party and the ages of any children + your preferred travel dates for a personal and accurate quote
BOOK YOUR 5-NIGHT SAFARI AT OL PEJETA SAFARI COTTAGES
Keep reading
Getting to Ol Pejeta from Nairobi isn't complicated, but you have a real choice: fly in 60 minutes or drive in 5 hours. Both work. Both have advantages. The best option depends on your budget, how much time you value, and whether you're traveling solo or with others. Here's a breakdown of flights vs driving.