If you are looking to be soothed with serenity, spoilt with luxury and dazzled by striking scenery and wildlife, the Ol Pejeta conservancy is the place to invade. The Ol Pejeta is situated in Nanyuki, Laikipia District in Kenya nestled in the shadow of the majestic Mt Kenya. An easy three hour 250 kilometres ride form Nairobi the Kenyan capital will get you there. Accommodation in the Ol Pejeta is provided in the form of the Ol Pejeta house, the Buffalo house and if you fancy some outdoor camping, there is the sweet waters tented camp.



The Ol Pejeta has an intriguing history. Now owned by the Serena Group of Hotels, Ol Pejeta was previously owned by one Adnan Khashoggi. Khashoggi was an extravagant tycoon who its alleged influenced many geo-political events in the 1960`s including arms deals and was the uncle of the Dodi Al Fayed, princess Diana's lover. It is rumoured he inspired the Novel The Pirate by Harrold Robbins.

The Ol Pejeta ranch is on the leeward side of Mt Kenya and is as a result warm during the day and quite chilly during the night. The Ol Pejeta Serena sweet waters tented camp is the surprise package of the Ol pejeta conservancy. It is situated next to the Ol Pejeta House and it lies right on the Equator. It is comprised of about 35 canvas tents on raised platforms snuggled by a remarkable waterhole cherished by warthogs and giraffes that come to quench their thirst. The tents don't compromise on comfort but still retain the wilderness feel. After a ravishing meal from the five-star kitchen, the night game drive of the sweet waters is a MUST DO! Get nocturnal and make sure you use the blankets given to you once you start the game drive. It gets quite chilly at night?.remember? The game drive is usually accompanied by a spotter. Its amazing how these spotters can identify an animal simply by the light reflected by assorted pairs of night eyes. I reckon it may be the colour/shape of the night eyes or the height from the ground. The animals that may be viewed include zebras, impala, hyena, antelopes, lions and other big five animals.

The Ol Pejeta house which was Khashoggi`s play ground is a three bed roomed house elegantly furnished and located on flourishing green gardens. There is the back yard veranda set on the back ground of undulating plains and the majestic Mt Kenya. If you ever wanted a beautiful setting for a wedding or a difficult lady to accept a marriage proposal the Ol Pejeta gardens will do the trick. The Ol Pejeta house boasts of massive 12? by 12? lavish beds complete with canopies where you can snore and roll away the African nights if you have no company. (Did I mention weddings?)

There are two stunning swimming pools where one may splash away during the day but not evenings when it's chilly. Masseurs are available at ones request and camel rides are also offered during the day. At lunch time a mouth-watering buffet is served outdoors by the waterhole after which one may decide to raid the well stocked bar that is near the dining area. The sunsets at Ol Pejeta are scenic and the resident Naturalist then does a slide show on wildlife accompanied by some soothing acoustic music.

Another pleasant surprise at the Ol Pejeta is the Chimpanzee sanctuary. The chimps were all rescued from poachers and bush meat dealers. Donations are accepted towards this sanctuary and furthermore the chimps are also up for adoption to any wildlife lovers. El Morani the rhino is also present and can be visited. The Buffalo house is smaller than the Ol Pejeta house but still tastefully furnished. The Ol Pejeta guest compound has no electric fence and once in a while one may rub shoulders with a buffalo or other wild game.

If you fancy a holiday to revitalise yourself, an adventurous holiday or simply to relish some secret delights, Ol Pejeta is the place to be. Exclusive yet available and furthermore one can make a donation to the conservancy to banish all that responsible tourism guilt.