KENYA - THE WILD NORTH
8-Day Private Conservation Safari: Ol Pejeta & Northern Kenya
This 8-day private conservation safari in Kenya is one of our favourite itineraries, and one of the most meaningful. It’s designed for people who care deeply about the impact of their travel on conservation and communities.
Combining a private Laikipia safari on Ol Pejeta Conservancy with a remote wilderness experience in northern Kenya on the outskirts of Samburu, this ethical safari takes you to two of Africa’s most celebrated conservation success stories. Expect incredible wildlife, dramatic landscapes and deeply inspiring encounters with the people who call this land home.
YOUR ITINERARY AT A GLANCE
1 NIGHT AT 254 OLE SERENI HOTEL, NAIROBI
3 NIGHTS AT THE SAFARI COTTAGES, OL PEJETA CONSERVANCY
3 NIGHTS AT SARARA LODGE, NORTHERN KENYA
YOUR SAFARI. THEIR FUTURE.
MEASURING YOUR IMPACT
These two locations and lodges have been hand selected by Kat & Laura after years of working closely with them and witnessing the fantastic conservation work they are doing first hand. Here’s how you are making a difference…
SUPPORTING CONSERVATION
15-18% of this trip is conservation fees which go directly toward sustaining wilderness areas and funding vital conservation work in Ol Pejeta Conservancy and Namunyak Conservancy including the Northern White Rhinos at Ol Pejeta and the elephants of Reteti Elephant Sanctuary.
SUPPORTING PEOPLE
These small, independent properties pay fair wages and only employ local people; your tourism dollars support their families so your visit is literally putting food on people’s tables.
OUR PLEDGE
We donate a minimum of 10% of the profit from every trip to the conservation projects you visit during your safari. In this case we’re providing additional funding to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy and The Sarara Foundation.
ITINERARY IN DETAIL
Day 1
Karibu Kenya!!! You will arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and be met by a driver who will drive you just 15 minutes to the 254 Ole Sereni Hotel. Your stay here is on a bed and breakfast basis and, though the Ole Sereni is a humble hotel, you won’t find a better breakfast spread in the whole country!!
Arrival day
Travel to Laikipia & Your First Game Drive on Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Day 2
After breakfast this morning you will meet your driver in the hotel lobby at 8AM and begin your drive up to Laikipia for your Ol Pejeta Conservancy safari.
**Top tip: ask for a takeaway and pack some extra chapatis and mahumri for the journey
The drive is around 4-5hrs and takes you out of the city, through farmland and forest before emerging onto the expansive Laikipia Plateau. There is a curio shop with a cafe and clean toilets around half way on your journey.
You will meet your private guide from The Safari Cottages at the entrance gate to Ol Pejeta Conservancy and enjoy your first game drive enroute to your bush home for next few days. After settling in and a delicious lunch you can rest in the camp and enjoy a drink around the campfire when the sun dips below the horizon, or head out for your first afternoon game drive!
Days 3 & 4
Private Safari on Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Laikipia
You have a private vehicle and dedicated guide so you can enjoy activities at your own pace here. But here’s a daily schedule we’d recommend:
6AM: your private Kenya safari begins! You’ll wake up and enjoy a cup of freshly brewed Kenyan coffee on your verandah, watching the sun rise and perhaps practising yoga (yoga mats are provided in the rooms).
7AM: depart for your morning game drive to see what animals and excitement await you on the plains today. You’ll have a picnic breakfast packed so your guide will find a safe place to stop when you feel peckish and you can enjoy your breakfast in the African bush.
*A visit to see the last two Northern White Rhinos in Kenya is included in this trip and we feel it’s an important part of understanding Ol Pejeta’s work, mission and spirit. You can choose which morning you’d like for this activity.
1PM: Return “home” and enjoy a relaxing lunch and some down time; have a nap, read your book, journal or practice yoga.
4.30PM: Head out for an afternoon game drive and a sundowner; a much loved safari tradition of stopping somewhere on the plains to watch the sunset whilst you enjoy a favourite drink and a snack. You’ll return home in the dark with a spotlight; keep your eyes peeled for leopards prowling through the shadows!
8PM: Dinner and stargazing by the fire before bed.
Into the Wilderness of Northern Kenya: Namunyak Conservancy
Day 5
After breakfast you’ll be driven to Ol Pejeta’s entrance gate at 9AM to meet your driver for the next leg of your northern Kenya safari. The journey to Namunyak Conservancy takes you through Nanyuki Town, mountain villages and farmland before you descend into the rift valley. The temperature picks up here, so carry plenty of water.
You’ll arrive at Sarara Lodge in Namunyak, a community led Samburu conservancy in the heart of northern Kenya, in time for lunch and an afternoon game drive. Sarara is a social lodge and you’ll share activities and meals with other guests; it’s a wonderful place to meet fellow safari-lovers and conservationists from around the world.
Settle in then join an afternoon game drive today, pausing at sun set for a glass of wine in this quiet, magical part of Kenya.
Days 6 & 7
Fall in love with Kenya’s most exclusive and colourful wilderness area
Soak up the incredible wilderness of Namunyak — a remote corner of northern Kenya that very few travellers ever get to experience. This is true Samburu safari territory: the Samburu people call Namunyak home and live in extraordinary harmony with the wildlife around them. Their knowledge of the land and animals is unparalleled; be prepared to learn a great deal and to feel genuinely inspired.
Each morning you can join a game drive, visit a local Samburu village or take a guided bush walk. After lunch and a refreshing dip in the pool, head out again in the afternoon and finish the day with a sundowner and stories shared around the fire.
Your trip includes a morning visit to Reteti Elephant Sanctuary — Africa’s first community-owned elephant sanctuary, run entirely by the Samburu people. Reteti has saved hundreds of elephant lives and the community project it supports is genuinely life-changing.
Day 8
You’re a long way from home so be prepared for a travel day! You will be driven to Samburu Kalama Airstrip after breakfast to meet your late morning flight to Nairobi Wilson Airport. You’ll land around lunchtime and be transferred to Jomo Kenyatta Airport for your international flight home.
We hope you leave Kenya as transformed and inspired by this remarkable land as we are every time we return.
Home. With a full heart.
COSTS (PER ADULT SHARING)
LOW SEASON - APPROX $7,020 · High season - APPROX $8,510 · Includes accommodation, all meals, ACTIVITIES MENTIONED, local flightsThese are estimate prices based on travel in 2026 and the final price may vary. Contact us to check availability for you and send you an accurate price for you travels dates. Children U12 are estimated at half price and U3 are free.
INCLUSIONS
Accommodation in a Cosy Room + breakfast at Ole Sereni Hotel (we always request park view rooms for our guests but these can never be guaranteed)
Accommodation, meals and drinks (tea, coffee and a selection of wines, beers and liquor) at The Safari Cottages and Sarara Lodge
Private vehicle and guide at The Safari Cottages (activities included: game drives (night and day), picnics, sundowners, optional visit to the Chimpanzee Sanctuary + a visit to The Northern White Rhinos)
Shared activities at Sarara (activities include: game drives (night and day), bush walks, village visits, one horse ride per person per stay (for experienced riders only – optional) and a visit to the Reteti Elephant Orphanage)
All local flights and road transfers as mentioned on this itinerary.
EXCLUSIONS
Activities, transfers or local flights not mentioned in this itinerary
International flights or visas
Any additional accommodation, transfers or activities requested or required beyond what is outlined
Travel insurance (required)
You’ll need a 30% deposit to secure your booking, and the final payment will be due 3 months prior to the start of your trip.
How It Works
-
Browse our trip itineraries until you find one you like. (All these itineraries and lodges have been personally vetted by us so you know your time and money is being spent not only on the best experiences but also on ethical, conservation-focused providers.)
-
Drop us a line when you find a trip that resonates, and let us know your available travel dates, the number of people in your group and any other info you’d like to share. We’ll do our best to get back to you within 24hrs and then we’ll get to work on making your trip happen! We email the camps for availability over your dates and their up-to-date pricing.
Top tip: turn your 8 day Kenya safari into something longer - just let us know you’d like to extend when you enquire.
-
We’ll send you dates and an accurate price for trip based on seasonal price fluctuations, the number of people in your party and any minor logistical changes that need to be made. You have a week to review it and come back to us with questions or changes you’d like to make whilst we hold your booking free of charge.
-
You’ll send us a 30% deposit which we’ll use to secure all your bookings as per your itinerary. Then you can get to work on booking your international flights and sorting out your travel documents (visas, health certificates etc).
Your final payment is due 3 months prior to the start of your trip. We will send you a reminder and schedule a pre-travel call with you.
-
Now all that's left to do is pack your bags and you adventure begins!!! We’ll provide you with a list of on-the-ground emergency contact numbers so you feel supported and have a pre-travel call with you to make sure you have all you need before you fly.
