5 Unique Activities You Can Only Experience At Ol Pejeta Conservancy

By Anwynn Louw – Digital Marketing Assistant

Ol Pejeta Conservancy offers one-of-a-kind experiences which truly highlight what makes this beautiful region of Kenya so special. If you’re planning on spending time atOl Pejeta Bush Campin the future; here are our 5 favourite unique and captivating activities that can only be experienced at Ol Pejeta Conservancy.

1. Canine Anti-Poaching Unit Visit

Ol Pejeta’s anti-poaching dog unit is open to visitors. After an insightful tour about the training these animals undergo to become anti-poaching patrollers, you can play a game of human-canine hide and seek, trying to dodge the canines and finding a spot to hide within the Morani Information Centre. This is a fun way to interact with the dogs, you get a bit of exercise and the hounds do too! The visits to the unit are restricted to six people per group. This activity is not suitable for children under the age of 12 years old.

The dogs are each trained in a particular speciality – from detaining potential suspects, and searching for ammunition, down to tracking the scent of a poacher.

2. Lion Tracking

This is a fun and unique opportunity for you to contribute towards lion conservation within the conservancy. You will spend time with the conservancy’s researchers to track and learn more about the lions living there. You canparticipate in helping them to gather important research information needed to monitor the lions. When identifying lions, features such as ear tears, whisker spots, and nose spots can be used. It is an excellent way to learn about lions while also getting to spend time with them while out in the bush.

3. Riding With Rhinos In The Endangered Species Enclosure

Enjoy a morning or late afternoon horse ride within the Endangered Species Enclosure. Predator-free, this area offers you a wonderful opportunity to encounter a myriad of plains game. However, the highlight of this activity is meeting the last remaining northern white rhinos.These rhinos, Najin and Fatu, are the daughters of Sudan, who became world-famous after being the last remaining male northern white rhino before he died in March 2018.

During December 2009, Sudan, Najin, Fatu and Suni (another male northern white rhino) were flown from a zoo in the Czech Republic to Ol Pejeta Conservancy believing that the climate and grasslands of the Laikipia Region of Kenya would provide better breeding conditions in the hopes of rescuing the species from the brink of extinction. At this stage, these four northern white rhinos were the last of seven alive, and all previous breeding attempts in the zoo had failed.

Three years after the rhinos arrived at Ol Pejeta, Suni was seen mating with Najin, unfortunately, after 16 months there were no baby rhinos. Shortly after, a southern white male was introduced to Najin and Fatu, hoping for an offspring, but again the efforts were proved fruitless. In late 2014, Suni died of natural causes, leaving Sudan as the last remaining northern white rhino.

At this stage, the future of this subspecies depends on the development of in vitro fertilisation techniques and stem cell technology; complicated and costly procedures that have never before been attempted in rhinos.

4. Junior Ranger Programme

If you’re travelling with children between the age of four and twelve and wondering how you will keep them entertained while on safari, read on. Now your little ones can become a ranger for the day by purchasing a Junior Ranger Pack.These packs include a book filled with fun activities, as well as colouring crayons and stickers. As they venture through the conservancy, the children have to work through all the activities, completing the questions in the booklet as they go. When they reach the end of their adventure, the tourism team atMorani Information Center will be waiting to ask them to repeat the official ranger oath, before presenting them with a certificate, ranger hat, and a pin to confirm their status as honorary rangers.

5.Running with Rangers

If you are a fitness enthusiast and you love the outdoors, there is no better way to start your day than with a run with the conservancy’s rangers. Join them as they take on a 5 – 7km run which follows gentle terrain across the plains. During your run there is also a chance you may encounter wildlife such as rhinos and elephants.

Should you get a little bit tired you are welcome to stop and rest while the rangers do their push-ups, or hitch a ride with the vehicle that follows behind the pack. All you need to bring along is water, a hat, and loads of enthusiasm! After your run, you are welcome to join the rangers for a fresh cup of coffee and learn more about the special work they do to keep the wildlife safe.

Group numbers are restricted to six people and physical fitness is a requirement for this activity.

Enjoy a refreshing morning run with Ol Pejeta Conservancy’s rangers

But Wait, There’s More – Adventure for Rhinos

A 12-day, multi-sport exclusive adventure made just for the conservation of rhinos! Are you an eco-conscious traveller looking to make a difference while on holiday? Then this is for you. Explore Kenya’s conservancies on a mountain bike, explore the bush on foot while participating in rhino tracking. Enjoy game drives and climb Mount Kenya, the highest mountain in Kenya.

This event is coming to you in February 2020 and your participation will contribute to the Rhino Revival Fund, For more information click here.

Ol Pejeta guarantees a wonderfully varied safari experience in this unique corner of Kenya and the chance to make a true difference to the future of conservation.