The History of Ol Pejeta
Read more about the history of Ol Pejeta and how it transformed from a large, successful cattle ranch to a model for wildlife conservation and the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa.
The history buffs among us might be curious to know a little more about how Ol Pejeta Conservancy came to be. To understand how far we’ve come we sat down with owner/manager Sonja Webb to unravel a little of the conservancy’s history.
RANCHING
During the colonial era, the Laikipia region was an extensive ranching area where wildlife had little to no value to land owners. Low rainfall meant crops couldn’t thrive here but cattle could, and so the landscape was speckled with ranches packed with cows.
In 1949 Ol Pejeta, then owned by the colourful Lord Delemere, was under the management of John and Jane Kenyon who spent the best part of fifteen years pouring their life and soul into it’s development and expansion. The most noteable growth was is the early years when John was joined by a school friend and business partner of Lord Delamere named Marcus Wickham Boynton. Over the course of a few years Marcus and John took the bull by the horns (pun intended) and successfully upscaled the farm from a “humble” 57,000 acre ranch into a sprawling 90,000 acre estate and widely successful beef production company.
Twenty years later and with a, now sizeable, feather in their cap John and Jane retired from their roles on Ol Pejeta in 1969 to run their own cattle ranch in the north.
Ol Pejeta’s Boran cows ander the plains alongside the wildlife (May 2025)
Following John and Jane’s departure the ranch changed hands a few times, falling under the ownership of a slew of colourful characters including Marcus Wickham Boynton, who was notorious for occasionally shooting cattle “he didn’t like the look of,” as well as the infamous international arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi. Over time cattle ranching became less and less profitable though. To make matters worse for the ranchers, increasingly, elephant populations that previously used the ranch as a transit area from the Northern expanses of the country to Mount Kenya and the Aberdares were forced to take up permanent residence on the property as fences started to go up all around country blocking off wildlife migratory routes. As a result, the ranch’s cattle fences were often destroyed and maintaining the fences became unsustainably expensive and time consuming.
Consequently, they gave in to the elephants; in the face of declining wildlife populations elsewhere and the increasing popularity of tourism in Kenya, talk of repurposing the ranch for wildlife conservation and tourism purposes began.
John and Jane Kenyon’s farmhouse on Ol Pejeta
Ol Pejeta House now stands in it’s place
STEPPING INTO WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
In 1988, a portion of the ranch; the Sweetwaters game reserve (24,000 acres) was opened by another of Ol Pejeta’s previous owners, Lonrho Africa. Primarily, Sweetwaters started as a sanctuary for the endangered black rhino, but animals of all shapes and sizes benefited from the new focus and wildlife populations (including the “Big Five”) have been steadily increasing since that time.
Image x Alison Dewar
In 2004 the ranch was purchased by Flora and Fauna International, a UK based conservation organization and the conservation area extended to encompass the entire ranch. “The Ol Pejeta Conservancy,” approximately 90,000 acres in extent was born. It is the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa, with the aim of generating profit from wildlife tourism and complementary activities (including cattle ranching which still happens on the conservancy) for reinvestment into community development in the local area.
And that’s that. Andy and Sonja made their home on Ol Pejeta in 2009, and you can read more about their journey to calling Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages their forever home via the link below.
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Ol Pejeta's mission to save the Northern White Rhinos
Following the recent release of The Last Rhinos: A New Hope we’re sharing a little more background into how the last two Northern White Rhinos left on the planet came to be here, the work Ol Pejeta is doing to bring them back from extinction and how you can see them today.
Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a 90,000 hectare wildlife conservation area in central Kenya and home to both endangered and critically endangered species including black and white rhino. Most famously though it is home to Najin and Fatu, the last two Northern White rhinos left in the world. Visitors to Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages often take the opportunity to visit “the girls” and meet their caretakers and, if you’re curious about the Northern White Rhinos, here’s a little background on how they came to be here, how you can see them and Ol Pejeta’s mission to bring this species back from the brink of extinction.
IN THE BEGINNING
On December 20th 2009 four of the world’s remaining seven Northern White Rhinos (Najin, Fatu, Suni and Sudan) were translocated to Ol Pejeta from a zoo in the Czech Republic after breeding attempts in captivity had yielded poor results. It was hoped that placing the rhinos in their natural environment would aid in their natural reproduction.
Unfortunately, despite everyone’s hopes natural reproduction failed time and again for a number of reasons and, with Sudan as the only male Northern White Rhino alive, it seemed unlikely to happen at all. In 2014 Suni passed away and further hopes were dashed when vets deemed the remaining two females Najin and Fatu incapable of natural reproduction and Sudan’s sperm count was disappointingly low.
In July 2015 the two Northern Whites in captivity passed away, leaving just the three on Ol Pejeta and then the world morned as Sudan, the last remaining male Northern White Rhino died of natural causes in March 2018. It seemed all hope had been lost.
Najin & Fatu with their keepers. Image x Ami Vitale
THE FUTURE OF NORTHERN WHITE RHINOS
At this point Ol Pejeta could certainly have rolled over and given up, but they chose to use the opportunity to make a statement; that no more species should be allowed to go extinct on our watch. They wanted to show the world that there was still hope for wildlife, even when things seemed so bleak. The years that followed saw the beginnings of a unique Biorescue project whereby scientists used stored sperm from male Northern White Rhinos that have passed away, and the eggs collected from Fatu to create embryos which were then implanted into a surrogate Southern White Rhino.
Fatu is preparing for the procedure to retrieve her eggs. Image x Ali Vitale
IVF has never been performed on rhinos before so testing began using the embryos of Southern White Rhinos and in 2023, in a bittersweet moment that made headlines around the world, Ol Pejeta shared the news that the project had been successful; an embryo had been successfully implanted into a female Southern White Rhino, however the rhino that carried that embryo had passed away during her pregnancy from a bacterial infection. Nothing more than very bad luck. But it left Ol Pejeta and all those working on the Northern White Rhino project with a new hope because, whilst the world morned, it became clear that this is in fact a viable solution to the global threat of mass species extinction. The next step is to transplant a Northern White embryo in the hopes to welcome the first Northern White Rhino calf since Fatu’s birth in 2000.
Najin & Fatu on Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Image x Ol Pejeta Conservancy
HOW TO VISIT THE NORTHERN WHITE RHINOS
Najin and Fatu and a selection of Southern White Rhinos being considered for surrogacy are incredibly well protected armed guards and under 24hr monitoring and care in a 700 acre predator free area within the conservancy. Visitors to the conservancy are invited to visit Najin and Fatu on pre-arranged tours where they can enter into the Northern White Rhino enclosure to meet the girls and learn more about the rhinos and about Ol Pejeta’s role in the Biorescue project.
If you’d like to learn more then tune into Nat Geo who have released The Last Rhinos: A New Hope which covers the story of this groundbreaking conservation project. Even better, book your stay at Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages and include a visit to the Northern White Rhinos to witness history unfolding.
Photographs from PAST GUESTS visits to The Northern White Rhinos
Image x Kayla Neilson
Image x Yoga For The Wild
Image x Yoga For The Wild
Image x Yoga For The Wild
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Yoga for the Wild: Kenya yoga retreats for conservation
A chat with Yoga for the Wild founders Kat Macleod and Laura Messer on what it is that has them returning to The Safari Cottages every year to lead their Kenya yoga retreat raising funds and awareness for wildlife conservation.
We’ve had the joy of welcoming a number of yoga retreat groups to The Safari Cottages over the years and we adore them all. Many of them return, year after year, to share the magic of Ol Pejeta with more of their guests and many of their guests have returned a number of times too.
Yoga For The Wild joined us for their first yoga retreat in 2021 and since then they have run five successful retreats with us, with another two coming up! They are sharing a little of their story with us today, and what it is that they love about their Kenya yoga retreat home-away-from-home, The Safari Cottages.
In the beginning
Laura and Kat met when Kat planned and booked Laura’s anniversary safari to Kenya for herself and her husband. They discovered a mutual love of yoga and of wildlife conservation and kept in touch over the years that followed. During Covid, when tourism collapsed in Kenya and funding for Ol Pejeta became dire they teamed up to host online yoga classes and events that raised funds for Ol Pejeta to help them through that tricky time. And when borders reopened they led two groups of like-minded yoga and wildlife loving guests on the first of what was to become many yoga retreats for the wild at Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages. To date, Laura and Kat have raised over $17,000 for Ol Pejeta and their in-person retreats have made a further positive impact over $21,000.
Laura, as you prepare to return to us for the fifth time, what is it about The Safari Cottages that you love that keeps you coming back?
“There are quite a few reasons I continue to return to Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages. Each time I visit feels like the first time - there are always new sightings and experiences! Even so, it is the wonderful people at The Cottages that keep me wanting to return time after time. It's very much a family atmosphere and everyone is there to help and make sure you're having the time of your life! They also value and prioritize the environment with a high set of standards and ethos to protect and care for our planet.
The guides are the best! They are so knowledgeable about every inch of the land. They are accommodating and I always feel safe with them.
It is just the most beautiful place! Mount Kenya's backdrop provides a picturesque view to the flat plateau of Laikipia. Even when it's not totally green, the landscape is still a stunning contrast, but when it has rained and the greenery is vibrant and lush, it is absolutely breathtaking! The Cottages are surrounded with views in every direction and the potential for wild visitors is always thrilling.”
“The wildlife seems to thrive in Ol Pejeta. It's a perfect location and habitat for so many animals, and being protected by the conservancy allows them to naturally flourish. This is so encouraging given that many places in Kenya and throughout Africa are losing their wilderness and wildlife due to the ever growing human population. I'm so grateful to find a place where I can see wildlife being truly wild.
I feel more alive here than anywhere else on Earth. I feel close to the natural world, surrounded by good people and it really gives me hope that keeps me going even when I can't be there.”
Kat, what are some of your favourite moments and experiences during your stays with us?
“I’m not a morning person at all but that changes when I’m at The Safari Cottages. I really love being up before sunrise and taking a cup of coffee down to the deck to practice yoga with our group at first light. There’s something so magical about the breaking of dawn here that really cracks you open, in the best way. The light, the texture of the air, the bird song. It’s so easy to be a morning person here!”
“But really every moment is so filled with wonder; I adore being out in the bush too. I grew up in the bush and spend as much time as I can here trying to share this wild place with my own kids too. So of course this environment is really the secret sauce to my inner peace - there is no better feeling in the world than sitting quietly in the car whilst elephants rumble around you or watching giraffe saunter across the plains whilst you have breakfast under an acacia tree or the incredible sensation of your bones rattling when a lion roars from only a few feet away.“
What is your vision for Yoga For The Wild?
“We return to Ol Pejeta every year to lead our annual Kenya yoga retreat; The Safari Cottages feels like home to us and Ol Pejeta continues to be such an incredible force for good that we are very passionate about rallying behind their efforts to make the world a better place. We've recently expanded to additional locations in Zimbabwe and the Maldives and have plans for even more adventures on the horizon, but we will always return to Ol Pejeta as it really represents the need for protecting our planet and all beings who call it home. The story of the iconic northern white rhinos at Ol Pejeta have a huge impact on all who visit and a way of changing people for the better by prioritizing the planet.
"The heartbeat of our operation is to go where the wildlife needs us and to share the magic of the world's wildest places with as many people as we can. Not only does this empower them with the understanding of why it’s so important that we continue to fight for the protection of endangered and critically endangered animals and their environments, but also creates a global community of people making a difference.”
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A dream come true: building and running our safari camp in Kenya
An interview with the owners offering a sneak peak into what it’s like living our dream of owning and managing our very own safari camp in Kenya!
From the outside, a stay at The Safari Cottages is all wildlife on your doorstep, roaring fires ready for your arrival, chilled wine on the African plains, big smiles and big hearts. What you don’t really get to see or understand is the vision, the hard work and the dedication that comes with living your dream every day and sharing it with the world. So today we thought we’d share an interview with Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages owners, Andy and Sonja Webb to hear more about how they came to be here and what it’s really like living their dream every day in the African bush.
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
Andy and Sonja met in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe in their teens, and married young, before moving to Lake Kariba to grow their family and begin their journey in the safari industry. Over the next eighteen years Andy became one of Southern Africa’s most celebrated guides and the two of them built and ran life-changing mobile safaris in Zimbabwe; Sonja seamlessly handling the catering, marketing and business admin whilst Andy expertly hosted and guided life-changing bush experiences for their guests.
In 2003 they moved to Kenya’s Masai Mara and built, from the ground up, four incredibly successful Kenya safari camps that still hold rank in the country’s top safari properties. Finally in 2017, after forty years of guiding, hosting, building and operating safari camps and mobile operations in Zimbabwe and Kenya Andy and Sonja found their forever home on the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. It was here that they took all these years of experience and passion and expertise to create a bush experience that offers their guests everything that really matters without the fuss, without the hefty price tags and without the pretence. It was here that they redefined “luxury,” because the real luxury on safari, they know, lies in incredible value for money, in privacy and exclusivity, in feeling like you belong completely.
Andy, what was it about this location that appealed to you? And what were your top priorities in terms of minimising ecological impact during the construction?
“We found our location along the Ngobit River; this was originally a cattle station for Ol Pejeta Ranching Ltd and previously very barren. It had been completely overutilized by humans and livestock and the old wooden ranch managers house, built in the 50’s, still stood here but was totally unliveable. So our first thought was that it just made sense to build in an area where the soil had already been turned (utilised) rather than destroying virgin bush.
I think about our impact pretty much every day and protecting the existing, fragile eco system was a top priority for me during the build so I was careful to work around as many trees as possible and we upcycled the wood from the old house (stunning, aged cedar, purchased from Ol Pejeta) to make a lot of our furniture. To further protect both existing and new trees (primarily from from elephants - we love them but they can be very destructive) we ran a single strand electric fence around the property and wrapped some of the neighbouring acacias in chicken wire. The trees thanked us for it; today there is a beautiful grove of Yellow Bark Acacias in front of the cottages that not only look wonderful but support a multitude of insect and bird eco systems.”
Sonja, when it came down to curating and refining the guest experience what was your vision for the food, décor and staffing? What has most influenced your style and vision?
“Growing up on a farm in Zimbabwe, and being from an Afrikaans/Dutch descent, I have always had a passion for cooking and creating delicious dishes, pickles, and jams. This also stems from spending many happy hours in the kitchen with my Gran, Aunts and Mum who taught me to believe in the magic of a good, healthy, home cooked meal and gave me the foundational skills to create these types of dishes, with a little twist added by my amazing chefs.
I have always loved arts and crafts, so décor was a natural part of the learning process too. I did a year-long study in interior design, which I absolutely loved and this continues to fufill an artistic niche in my life. This love only grew as I designed and decorated a handful of camps in Zimbabwe and Kenya. I am a “bush bunny” at heart so when it came to setting up The Safari Cottages, my daughter Kathrine and I (we share a similar aesthetic) pulled together a vision board full of rich, warm colours and textures that were inspired by nature; I wanted people to walk in and feel like they have arrived home.
We worked closely with the staff during the design phase; hiring their artisan family members and purchasing hand-made goods from their communities whenever we could. The staff are a massive part of what we do and are the ambassadors for The Safari Cottages, so it was important that they love the space as much as I do.”
BEHIND THE SCENES: DAY TO DAY RUNNING OUR DREAM KENYA SAFARI CAMP
The days start nice and early, as radio chatter merges with birdsong and the askaris are preparing for morning calls. Andy and Sonja love to sit on the veranda with a cup of coffee and listen to Africa wake up as the sun rises, watching the day unfold before them. Then, when guests are well on their way for their morning game drive, they’re in the office, answering emails and checking in with their team for the day. They will often have guests who linger for breakfast in camp instead of heading out at first light, so they will usually pop down to say hello and make sure they have all they need or if they have any questions or concerns that can be addressed. Then the day really kicks off; restocking kitchen supplies, managing guest movements, vehicle and property maintenance, business management, preparing rooms and welcome packages for arrivals and allocating vehicles for transfers, supply runs and activities.
They will often host bush brunches in the late morning too, so after a quick bite to eat they’ll load up vehicles with staff, equipment and food then head to the river to set everything up ready for the guests’ arrival. If they aren’t out and about at midday then lunch is usually delivered to the office, and they admit they’re lucky enough to eat incredibly well thanks to their team of chefs! They’ll then check in with any guests they have yet to chat with at teatime, before they head off on their afternoon activity and finish up any final tasks and checks for the day.
In the evenings, if things are quiet, they try to make time to enjoy a sundowner together or to talk a walk around the property with the dogs (and the cat!) before the guests return. This is a great opportunity to assess the perimeter and grounds, and to spend some quality time enjoying their bush home and their years of hard work, love and care.
Sonja, what do you find the toughest part of managing the behind the scenes and what is the most rewarding part of it all?
“I would say that the toughest part behind the scenes would be making sure that everything from the cottages, menus, orders, and staff are all operating smoothly. I just love it when the “Floating Duck Syndrome” is well in place; things look to be operating with smooth, calm efficiency on the surface but we’re paddling like crazy out of sight!
I find the most rewarding part of all of this is being able to share my home in the African wilderness and love for nature with amazing guests and having them leaving wanting more!”
Andy, what is your favourite part of each working day?
“Sunset, easily. After a busy day in the office, welcoming new arrivals and bidding farewell to departures, chatting with guests over lunch down on the river deck we will often pack a cold beer or gin and tonic and enjoy a sundowner on the plains behind the cottages.”
“Like all other business, running The Safari Cottages is no mean feat and comes with it’s fair share of challenges, set backs and frustrations. But in the moments of quiet we so often look to one another and think, "aren’t we lucky to wake up each morning in a place that we love and spend our days pouring our hearts into watching our dream come true!" - Andy & Sonja
A safari proposal: Rachel & Pete
Rachel & Pete got engaged during their stay with us; here’s their romantic story.
It was May 2023 and Rachel and Pete joined us for their second visit on a Yoga For The Wild Kenya Yoga Retreat. Ahead of their trip we received the most exciting message; the type we just love to read. Pete was planning to propose to Rachel on their safari and could we help him set it all up? Our team couldn’t have said yes fast enough!
Ol Pejeta’s golden light, the sweetness in the wind, the titillating melody of birds and the quiet moment a family of elephants wanders past you makes Ol Pejeta easily one of the most romantic Kenya holiday destinations we can think of. It’s no wonder so may choose to spend their honeymoons with us and return for wedding anniversaries years down the line.
THE BIG DAY
On the day of Pete’s proposal the group was out on an afternoon game drive whilst our guides were secretly searching for an idyllic backdrop for the proposal. As luck would have it, they found a cheetah lounging around on the plains just down the road from the spot our team had so carefully selected (this particular cheetah had set up camp here and they had seen him almost every day on their trip). Everyone paused for photographs but Mike, key proposal organiser, hurried everyone along as subtly as he could. As you might expect there was a lot of confusion around why they were being rushed to get to a sundowner. But, it became clear very quickly, because they made it to their just spot in time for sunset and one of the group pulled out a camera to photograph the couple in the golden light when Pete dropped to one knee and the group let out a collective gasp!
The wildlife on the game drive to their proposal spot was excellent!
Rachel was completely taken off guard and, upon popping the question got promptly told to “F** off.” Ahhh, romance. We still laugh with Rachel to this day about her reaction to Pete’s declaration of love on their Kenya safari holiday.
She said, “it was a genuine surprise- you only have to look at my face in the picture! I don’t think I even heard him ask me the actual question, I just saw him get down on one knee in this just incredible location and my heart just filled with genuine delight. We were both buzzing for weeks, and it was so glorious to be able to share such a special moment with everyone (including all of zebra, buffalo and giraffe!).”
Rachel was shocked!
Rachel and Pete celebrated with bubbles and a little dance party with our staff that night at dinner. Pete says, “everyone at OPSC were amazing. I had been talking to Kat prior to even setting foot back in Kenya so she was well prepared for what was going to happen and that I wanted to do it at one of the sundowners. This is where all the behind-the-scenes planning took place as when I said “today?” to Kat I could tell Mike, and the rest of the team were on the lookout for something special as we headed out for the sundowner’s drive.
Sundowners are such a special time of the day regardless but the team bringing a bottle of fizz and being fully involved made me so much more at ease and can honestly say relieved a lot of the nerves I may have had. We had a lovely private meal at our cabin one night and all the camp staff were amazing even more so at the camp group dinner where we were treated to a special celebration song and dance by the staff then as our always cherished walk back to our cabin with Peter!”
They were married in the UK in 2024 and our daughter Kat attended the wedding which was a day of incredible love and, as we might expect from these two, so much fun! Rachel and Pete were so moved by their visit to the Northern White Rhinos during their trip that, in place of wedding gifts, they asked for donations to Ol Pejeta’ Northern White Rhino Recovery Program and raised an incredible £220!
Asante sana Rachel and Pete for sharing your love with us and for your infectious joy and unwavering support of our wildlife. We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Rachel & Pete celebrating their engagement with their group
FINAL WORDS FROM RACHEL & PETE
“When I say going to The Safari Cottages feels like being at home I am not exaggerating, everyone in the team is so special and makes it feel like a home away from home (especially Andy and Sonja), a truly loving and welcoming place!” - Pete
“Not only did we feel supported and celebrated, we felt genuinely loved. The team pulled out all of the stops, and everyone seemed truly elated to be part of it. From the cheers and fizz on sundowners, to the hugs from the rest of the team when we got back AND the celebration singing around the dinner table, they couldn’t have made it more special if they tried.” - Rachel
Read more about the history of Ol Pejeta and how it transformed from a large, successful cattle ranch to a model for wildlife conservation and the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa.