Experience the Ultimate 3-Day Safari at Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Here’s what you can get up to on a 3 day safari on Ol Pejeta when you stay with The Safari Cottages
Discover the magic of a 3-day safari at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, one of Kenya’s premier wildlife sanctuaries nestled between the foothills of Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Mountain Range. This exclusive safari offers an unforgettable adventure into the heart of Laikipia, where you can witness Africa’s iconic wildlife up close, including the Big Five, endangered species like Jackson’s hartebeest and reticulated giraffe and southern black rhino as well as meeting the critically endangered northern white rhino - the last two left in the world reside on Ol Pejeta.
A day on safari can look different for different people and their interests, and it can play out very differently depending on where in the continent you are. So, what can you expect from a day on safari in Ol Pejeta, with The Safari Cottages? Let’s get stuck in!
First off, there’s so much to do and to see here that we recommend a minimum 3 night stay; that’s two full days with the afternoon of your arrival and the morning of your departure adding up to three days. And here’s how we’d suggest you spend your time so you get the most out of your Kenya safari holiday with us.
You’ll have amazing views of Mt Kenya from all around Ol Pejeta
SUGGESTED ITINERARY FOR YOUR 3 DAY SAFARI IN OL PEJETA
DAY ONE
Your safari begins with a scenic drive or a flight from Nairobi to Ol Pejeta, a private conservancy renowned for its conservation efforts and diverse wildlife. As soon as you enter the gates you are on your first game drive, spotting elephants, lions, rhinos, and rare chimpanzees in their natural habitat. The conservancy’s commitment to wildlife protection ensures a rich and authentic safari experience. If you depart from Nairobi in the morning you’ll likely arrive at The Safari Cottages in time for lunch. When you arrive you’ll be met by our team and management will give you a short briefing explaining a little more about the property layout, safety and what you can get up to during your stay.
It’s pretty hot in the middle of the day so you'll have lunch on your verandah, served up by your chef and waiter, before relaxing and unpacking after your travels. We suggest heading out on your first game drive today around 4.30PM and your team can prepare a cup of tea and a snack for you before you go incase you’re feeling peckish. After a game drive and a sundowner (a drink and snacks enjoyed whilst watching the sun set) you can return to camp to an open fire and enjoy dinner on your verandah or under the stars before tucking in for a good night’s sleep.
Returning from your game drive to a roaring fire
DAY TWO
Today is your prime wildlife day! You’ll spend the day exploring Ol Pejeta’s vast landscapes on morning and afternoon game drives. Highlights include visiting the chimpanzee sanctuary and the rhino conservancy, where you can learn about ongoing efforts to protect these endangered species. Evening drives offer a chance to see nocturnal wildlife and enjoy stunning sunsets over the savannah
Lions hunting on a morning game drive
You’ll be gently woken around 6:00 AM with your preferred tea or coffee before heading out just before sunrise — one of the best times for predator activity. You’ll head off just before sunrise at 6.30AM in search of lions, leopards, cheetah, elephant, black and white rhino, giraffe and so much more! The conservancy abounds with an incredible density and variety of game so be sure you’ve packed an extra memory card for your camera - you’re going to need it. As the sun rises and you start to warm up you’ll tuck into a picnic breakfast and a cup of freshly brewed Kenyan coffee or tea.
You’ll meander back through the bush as your game drive continues and the heat of the day really starts to set in, then arrive at your safari cottage to a colourful lunch, a cool drink and a chance to rest.
Tucking in to leisurely lunch on the riverside deck
Spring rolls for starters
Midday at The Safari Cottages is a time to rest and recalibrate; animals are usually asleep in the shade of the trees at this time of day so we follow their lead and take the opportunity to relax too. If you’re not a napper then that’s okay too, here are some lovely ways to enjoy midday on the property…
Guided walk and birdwatching around the property: our guide will take you on a walk around the property pointing out birds, plants and tress of note. Elephants and giraffe often linger about the back of camp in the heat of the day so you might spot them on your walk too.
Yoga on the verandah: each safari cottage is provided with yoga mats to help you stretch out and feel great on your safari
Garden tours: our thriving garden is the source of a lot of our salads and fresh herbs and the chefs are very proud of their green fingers
Cooking lessons with your private chef: learn how to make some of our favourite Kenyan staples
Reading or simply soaking in the views: your verandah has lovely views across the river and plains and you never know what you might spot!
This relaxed downtime is one of the biggest advantages of a private safari experience.
A tour of the garden with Chef Vicky
A guided bush walk with Peter
After an afternoon cup of tea you’ll head out again around 4.30PM to see what wonderful wildlife awaits you on the plains surrounding our little spot of heaven in the bush. The golden hour light makes this a favourite drive for photographers. After your sundowner you’ll head back “home” to a roaring fire under the stars and a drink before dinner. If you have a cloudless night consider asking the askaris to share their knowledge of the southern night skies — a memorable and often overlooked experience.
DAY THREE
A highlight unique to Ol Pejeta is the chance to visit Najin and Fatu, the world’s last two northern white rhinos and, this morning, you’ll head off after a light breakfast to meet them. Ol Pejeta’s passionate rhino caretakers will meet you and guide you to the spacious enclosure that Najin and Fatu, a mother and daughter due call their home. They will tell you all about how these gorgeous girls found their way to Kenya and the impressive project that Ol Pejeta and it’s partners have undertaken to bring Northern White rhinos back from the brink of extinction.
This heart-warming and educational conservation experience includes:
Guided visit to the northern white rhino enclosure with expert caretakers who will share Najin and Fatu’s story with you. They will also give you insight into the northern white rhino recovery project; a world-first IVF program
There is a small curio shop on site and an education centre, and if you’d like to make a donation to the Northern White Rhino program you can do that here too
Then, with a heart full, you’ll return back to your bush home for brunch and a chance to relax in the heat of the day or enjoy any of the on-property experiences that you may have missed out on the day before.
Najin with head caretaker Zachariah Mutai
Meeting the last two Northern White Rhinos in the world
This afternoon you’ll embark on your final evening game drive and sundowner, returning with a spotlight on a night drive in search of Kenya’s more secretive nocturnal species like leopard, aardvarks and white tailed mongoose. Enjoy dinner and a drink around the fire before tucking in for the night.
A big male cheetah posing for the shot on an afternoon game drive
DEPARTURE DAY
After breakfast today your guide will drive you to Nanyuki Airport to meet your flight to your next destination, or drop you off at the Ol Pejeta entrance gate to meet your road transfer back to Nairobi. Your three day safari with us will leave you full to bursting with enthusiasm for the wilderness, wildlife and people that call this corner of the world home and leave you inspired by the hard work and dedication of our conservation team. If you do choose to linger longer you can continue your safari on the conservancy or explore further afield with a day trip to the local town, Aberdares National Park or Ngare Ndare too.
Remember, you have a private guide and vehicle for the duration of your stay with us so this outline is just one idea. You can do as little or as much as you’d like.
ESTIMATED COSTS FOR THIS 3-DAY OL PEJETA SAFARI COTTAGES SAFARI
High Season 2026: (15 June - 31 Oct) - USD2,360 per person
Low Season 2026: (01 Nov - 15 Dec) - USD2,090 per person
High Season 2027: (01 Jan - 07 Jan & 15 June - 31 Oct) - USD2,470 per person
Low Season 2027: (7 Jan - 14 June & 01 Nov - 15 Dec) - USD2,185 per person
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 2026 rates and subject to change for 2027
Children under 12 are half prices 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
Want to linger a little longer? Lovely! Here’s our suggested itinerary for a 5-night stay, including prices.
BOOK YOUR SAFARI AT OL PEJETA SAFARI COTTAGES
Best Time to Visit Kenya for a Safari: A Month-by-Month Guide
When is the best time to visit Kenya for a safari? Our month-by-month guide covers wildlife, weather, costs and crowds for every season — written by people who live at Ol Pejeta Conservancy year-round.
You've decided Kenya is the destination. Now comes the question everyone asks: when's the best time to go?
The honest answer — and we say this as people who live here twelve months a year — is that Kenya is extraordinary in every season! The wildlife doesn't migrate away from Ol Pejeta. The landscape doesn't stop being spectacular when it rains. But different months absolutely do offer different experiences, and understanding what to expect from each one will help you choose the trip that's right for you.
This is our month-by-month guide to the best time to visit Kenya for a safari.
January to March: Dry, Hot and Excellent for Wildlife
January is a tale of two halves. The first two weeks carry over the festive season's higher prices and visitor numbers, but from mid-January the country quietens, rates drop to mid-season levels and the experience noticeably opens up. February and March are, in our view, some of the most underrated months on the Kenya safari calendar.
What to expect: Dry, warm conditions across most of the country. The grass is beginning to thin after the short rains, which makes wildlife easier to spot. Plains game — zebra, wildebeest, gazelle — give birth in February and March ahead of the April rains, which in turn drives a noticeable uptick in predator activity. Lions, cheetahs and leopards are well-fed and highly visible. Temperatures at Ol Pejeta sit comfortably in the mid-twenties during the day, dropping pleasantly in the evenings.
Wildlife highlight: February and March are among the best months for big cat sightings at Ol Pejeta, The Masai Mara, Samburu region and Amboseli and surrounds. The open plains and active predators make for some of the most compelling game drive experiences of the year.
Crowds and cost: Low to mid-season. Good availability, lower rates than peak, and private conservancies especially feel very spacious.
Golden light: March on Ol Pejeta
April to May: The Green Season — and Why It's Worth Reconsidering
April and May have a reputation in Kenya that we'd suggest you consider with an open mind. Historically known as "the long rains," they're still widely treated as a red flag, but global weather patterns are shifting, and this rule doesn't hold as firmly as it did ten years ago.
What to expect: Rains do arrive in April most years, typically as powerful afternoon showers rather than all-day downpours. The conservancy turns a vivid, deep green almost overnight. The plains become lush and photogenic in a way the dry season simply can't match. Drier conditions largely return by mid-May, and by the end of May many properties have reopened for the season. The practical reality is that a lot of camps close in April and May for maintenance, and some more remote locations struggle with road access. At Ol Pejeta, our all-weather roads run regardless of rainfall — game drives go out every morning and afternoon, whatever the forecast. We are open all year.
Wildlife highlight: Green season wildlife photography is extraordinary. Dramatic cloud formations, diffuse light, vivid backdrops and animals in peak condition after abundant water and vegetation. Hyena pups are commonly sighted in April. Birdlife is at its most active and diverse.
Crowds and cost: The lowest rates of the year. Some of our guests choose April and May precisely because they have the stunning wilderness almost entirely to themselves. If that kind of solitude is what you're looking for, this is the window.
Hyena pups on Ol Pejeta
Kite surfing in Diani
June: Shoulder Season — the Best of Both Worlds
June is an incredibly rewarding month to travel to Kenya, and one of the most underbooked. Following the rains, the landscape is still lush and green but the skies are clearing and the grass is beginning to thin. At Ol Pejeta and around most of the country things are still pretty quiet, rates are still at or near low-season levels, and the dry season conditions that make wildlife viewing so reliable are already beginning to arrive.
What to expect: Comfortable temperatures, clearing skies and increasingly good game viewing as vegetation opens up. Predators are active. The Big Five are consistently present on Ol Pejeta year-round, and June offers them in ideal conditions — not yet the crowds of July and August, not the uncertainty of the rains.
Wildlife highlight: June is excellent for cheetah sightings. As the grass thins, these open-plains hunters become much easier to find and observe. Early June also sees the beginnings of the Great Migration's movement north toward Kenya from Tanzania's Serengeti. No major herd movement yet, but they are starting to trickle in.
A note on the coast: Beaches in northern Kenya — particularly around Watamu — can be affected by seaweed in early June. This is harmless but worth knowing if a beach extension is part of your plan.
Crowds and cost: Shoulder season. Excellent value and good availability before July's surge.
July to October: Peak Season — Kenya's Finest Safari Months
This is Kenya's most celebrated safari window, and the reputation is deserved. The dry season is in full effect, the grass is at its shortest, wildlife concentrates around permanent water sources and the sightings are at their most prolonged and reliable. July also marks the beginning of the Great Wildebeest Migration in the Masai Mara — one of the most spectacular wildlife events on earth — which draws significant numbers of visitors and photographers to Kenya's most famous reserve.
What to expect: Clear skies, warm days and cool nights. At Ol Pejeta, temperatures sit comfortably in the low-to-mid twenties during the day. The conservancy is at its most open, game drives are consistently productive, and the quality of the light — particularly in the late afternoon — is exceptional.
July and August represent peak season at most Kenya properties. Visitor numbers are at their highest and rates reflect that. September and October are, in our view, among the very best months to visit: the dry season conditions remain excellent, the intensity of high summer has eased, and the conservancy is noticeably quieter than it was in August.
Wildlife highlight: The dry season is the best time of year to see the Big Five reliably and repeatedly. Elephants gather in large family groups around river systems. Rhinos — both black and southern white — are consistently visible on the open plains of Ol Pejeta. Lion prides are active and predictable. And guided bush walks are at their most rewarding, with shorter grass giving a clearer view of the landscape on foot.
Crowds and cost: Peak season rates across the board. Advance booking is strongly recommended for July and August in particular.
The famous Mara river crossings
November: Short Rains — Dramatic Light and Good Value
November marks the beginning of Kenya's short rains, which typically run through to mid-December. These are shorter and less intense than the long rains — usually concentrated in afternoon showers — and most properties remain fully open throughout.
What to expect: A greening landscape, dramatic skies and light that photographers reliably describe as extraordinary. Afternoon cloud formations build over the plains, and the combination of vivid green grass and dramatic weather makes for genuinely cinematic game drive conditions. Wildlife viewing remains strong throughout November — the resident species at Ol Pejeta are here year-round.
Tourist numbers begin to ease in November as the migration season in the Mara winds down, which means a quieter conservancy and rates that reflect it.
Wildlife highlight: November is excellent for birdwatching. Migratory species arrive in significant numbers from Europe and Asia, joining Ol Pejeta's resident population of over 300 species. If birdwatching is a priority, this is one of the best months.
Crowds and cost: Shoulder to low season. Good availability and value before the December surge.
December: Festive Season — Vibrant, Expensive, and Worth It
December splits neatly in two. Early December is much like November — the short rains are finishing, wildlife is thriving after the rains, and the conservancy is quieter than high season. From mid-December, the festive season begins in earnest. This is the busiest and most expensive time to visit Kenya, but it's also one of the most rewarding: the weather is largely clearing to sunny skies, wildlife is in excellent condition, and the energy of the season — particularly on the coast — is hard to match.
Wildlife highlight: December wildlife viewing is excellent, with the rains having brought the plains to life and predator activity running high. This is also when The Safari Cottages feels particularly special — fires lit in the evenings, Christmas on the verandah, stars over the conservancy.
Crowds and cost: High season rates from mid-December through early January. Book well in advance.
On safari with The Safari Cottages in Ol Pejeta
A Note on Rainfall and Changing Weather Patterns
One thing we'd ask you to take from this guide: Kenya's seasons are not as fixed as they once were. Global weather patterns are shifting, and the calendar rules that held firmly twenty years ago are now guidelines rather than guarantees. We have had dry Aprils and wet Julys. We've had years where the short rains didn't arrive until December.
Our honest advice: travel for the wildlife, not the weather. At Ol Pejeta, the animals are here every month of the year. The experience changes with the season, but it never disappoints.
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The dry season from July to October offers the most reliable wildlife viewing, with thinning grass, concentrating animals and clear skies. January to March is a quieter, more affordable alternative with excellent conditions. June is an outstanding shoulder-season choice. But here at Ol Pejeta every month is rewarding and we are open all year.
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April and May are the lowest-priced months at most Kenya properties, including The Safari Cottages. Though bear in mind that a lot of camps will be closed during this time so you may have less options. Rates drop significantly for those that remain open and wildlife areas are at their quietest. November and early December also offer good value with better weather than the long rains.
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The Great Wildebeest Migration reaches Kenya's Masai Mara from approximately July through October, with the dramatic river crossings typically peaking in August and September. The migration is specific to the Masai Mara region and is not visible from Ol Pejeta in Laikipia.
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Less so than the conventional wisdom suggests. Rains do arrive in April most years, but at Ol Pejeta our all-weather roads mean game drives run regardless of conditions. The green season offers extraordinary photography, much lower rates and a conservancy almost entirely to yourself. Many of our guests choose April specifically for the solitude.
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Kenya sits on the equator, which means temperatures are broadly consistent year-round — warm days and cool evenings. Laikipia's altitude (around 1,700 metres) means The Safari Cottages is cooler than the coast, with most morning game drives requiring a fleece. The main variables are rainfall: concentrated in April–May and November–December, and the dryness of the landscape, which affects vegetation and wildlife visibility.
Planning your route around Kenya? Our guide to choosing the best Kenya safari itinerary covers the logistics of combining Ol Pejeta with other destinations.
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