Can I see the northern white rhinos at Ol Pejeta

Yes, a guided visit to the northern white rhino enclosure is included in this safari. You will see Najin and Fatu, the last two northern white rhinos on Earth, in the company of an armed ranger and a conservation expert.

What is the difference between black and white rhino

Despite their names both species are actually grey. Black rhinos are smaller, more aggressive, and have a hooked lip for browsing on leaves and twigs. White rhinos are larger with a wide square lip for grazing on grass. Both species are found on this safari.

Is Lake Nakuru still famous for flamingos

Yes, Lake Nakuru remains one of Kenya's most reliable flamingo destinations, with large congregations of lesser flamingo visible most of the year. Water levels fluctuate seasonally but flamingos are consistently present along the alkaline shoreline.

How many rhinos are at Ol Pejeta

Ol Pejeta is home to the largest population of black rhinos in East Africa, with approximately 130 individuals. It also protects the world's last two northern white rhinos. The conservancy's comprehensive anti-poaching programme has made it one of the safest rhino sanctuaries in Africa.

Is this safari suitable for conservation-focused travellers

Absolutely. Part of every booking with Ol Pejeta goes directly toward rhino protection and community conservation programmes. This safari is ideal for travellers who want their visit to actively contribute to wildlife conservation.

5 Day Rhino Conservation Safari Ol Pejeta Nakuru Mara Kenya

Overview

Itinerary

Cost

FAQs

Map

Review

Overview

Itinerary

Cost

FAQs

Map

Review

Overview

A rhino conservation safari through Kenya’s most important rhino sanctuaries is a journey that combines extraordinary wildlife encounters with a profound and moving understanding of the conservation crisis facing Africa’s most threatened large mammals. This five-day circuit begins at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, home to the world’s last two northern white rhinos and East Africa’s largest black rhino population, then moves to Lake Nakuru National Park, one of Kenya’s most important rhino sanctuaries with a healthy population of both species in a fully protected fenced ecosystem, before concluding in the Maasai Mara for Big Five game drives and the possibility of encountering black rhinos in their natural savannah habitat. This rhino conservation safari appeals to travellers who want their wildlife experience to mean something beyond personal enjoyment, connecting them to the rangers, researchers, and conservationists working daily to protect species on the brink of extinction. At Ol Pejeta, the opportunity to stand within metres of Najin and Fatu, the last two northern white rhinos on Earth, is an encounter that changes perspective permanently. Protected around the clock by armed rangers, these gentle animals have become global symbols of the consequences of poaching and habitat loss, and their story is one that every visitor to Ol Pejeta carries with them long after the safari ends. Lake Nakuru’s dense rhino population offers a different experience, with both black and white rhinos regularly encountered on morning game drives through the park’s acacia forest and grassland habitats. The Maasai Mara’s vast ecosystem completes this conservation story by showcasing the wildlife diversity that a healthy, well-managed landscape can support, from the Big Five on the open plains to the extraordinary birdlife of the Mara River corridor. This five-day rhino-focused journey offers both conservation inspiration and outstanding general wildlife viewing throughout.

Trip Highlights

Visit the world's last two northern white rhinos at Ol Pejeta Conservancy
East Africa's largest black rhino population at Ol Pejeta
Rhino sightings in Lake Nakuru's fully fenced national park sanctuary
Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary visit at Ol Pejeta
Big Five game drives in the iconic Maasai Mara National Reserve
Conservation talks from expert Ol Pejeta rangers and researchers
Spectacular flamingo gatherings at Lake Nakuru's alkaline shores
Optional night game drive at Ol Pejeta for nocturnal species

Day 01 :

Nairobi to Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Depart Nairobi after breakfast for the three-hour drive north to Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia County, passing through Nyeri and the productive agricultural highlands surrounding Mount Kenya. Enter the conservancy through its main gate and transfer to your lodge for a welcome lunch overlooking the highland savannah. The afternoon reveals the depth of Ol Pejeta’s conservation work with a guided visit to the northern white rhino enclosure, where you stand in the presence of Najin and Fatu, the last two individuals of their subspecies on the planet, attended by dedicated rangers. Continue to the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary, home to orphaned chimpanzees rescued from across Africa, before an evening game drive reveals Ol Pejeta’s remarkable wildlife, including black rhinos in the highland grassland, lions, cheetah, and the large herds of buffalo and elephant that distinguish this conservancy from any other in Kenya.

8 hours

Lunch + Dinner

Day 02 :

Ol Pejeta to Lake Nakuru National Park

After an early morning game drive through Ol Pejeta focused on tracking black rhinos and the conservancy’s resident lion pride, check out and drive two hours south and west to Lake Nakuru National Park. The road descends from the Laikipia highlands through Nyahururu before reaching the Rift Valley floor and the shores of Lake Nakuru. Check into your lodge for lunch before entering the park for an afternoon game drive. Lake Nakuru’s fully fenced sanctuary status protects one of Kenya’s highest concentrations of both black and white rhino, and your guide navigates the forested tracks most frequented by these animals. The lake itself blazes pink with lesser flamingos gathering in their thousands along the alkaline shoreline, while yellow-barked fever trees frame the lake in golden light. Leopards are reliably seen in the dense woodland around the southern lake shore, making Nakuru a satisfying Big Five destination in its own right.

10 hours

Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner

Day 03 :

Lake Nakuru to Maasai Mara National Reserve

Spend a final morning in Lake Nakuru on an early game drive to catch the flamingo and rhino activity at their most active before the midday heat. Check out after the drive and begin the three-hour drive west to the Maasai Mara via Narok and the escarpment descent. Arriving at the Mara by early afternoon, check into your lodge and enjoy lunch before setting out on an afternoon game drive through the heart of the reserve. The transition from Nakuru’s forest and lake habitats to the Mara’s vast open savannah is dramatic and exhilarating, and your guide wastes no time in navigating toward the lion territories and elephant corridors. The afternoon drive introduces you to the Mara’s extraordinary wildlife density before a sundowner overlooking the plains and dinner under the stars.

9 hours

Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner

Day 04 :

Full Day Maasai Mara Game Drive

A full day dedicated to the Maasai Mara National Reserve on morning and afternoon private game drives. The early drive sweeps through the misty grasslands at dawn when predators are most active, offering outstanding opportunities for lion, leopard, and cheetah encounters in the cool morning air. Your guide targets the Mara River corridor for hippo and crocodile viewing and, during migration season, the most dramatic wildlife crossings in Africa. A picnic lunch is served in the field before the afternoon drive explores the reserve’s less-visited zones, maximizing your chances of quiet, exclusive wildlife encounters. The day ends with sundowner drinks at a panoramic Mara viewpoint and a final celebratory dinner in the African bush.

12 hours

Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner

Day 05 :

Maasai Mara to Nairobi

Enjoy a final relaxed breakfast at the Mara lodge on your last morning, departing without a morning game drive as per the Maasai Mara tradition. Begin the five-hour drive back to Nairobi, reflecting on a safari journey that took you from the world’s last northern white rhinos to thriving rhino sanctuaries and ultimately to one of Africa’s great wildlife arenas. Your rhino conservation safari arrives in Nairobi by early afternoon, complete with a deeper understanding of Kenya’s conservation challenges and the extraordinary efforts of the people working to protect Africa’s most threatened species.

6 hours

Breakfast