A 5 day Ol Pejeta safari starts with the rhino and chimps of the Laikipia plateau, moves to the lake at Nakuru and ends in the Masai Mara.
- FromUSD 1,540per person sharing, budget camp, 6 people, low season
- Duration5 days, 4 nights
- StartsNairobi
- Best forRhino and conservation lovers who also want a Mara finish
- StylePrivate 4×4, your own driver guide
Rated 5.0 on Google from 46 reviews. Price confirmed in writing before you pay.
You travel in your own pop up roof 4×4 with a driver guide. Ol Pejeta lets you drive at night and walk with rangers at some lodges. Nakuru gives you rhino and birds. The Mara gives you the big cats.
This page shows the day by day plan, what each tier gets you, the fees in the price and when to go. Send your dates on WhatsApp and we reply with a written quote.
Highlights
- Ol Pejeta Conservancy, home of the last two northern white rhinos
- Chimpanzee sanctuary and lion tracking in one conservancy
- Lake Nakuru for white and black rhino and birdlife
- Two nights in the Masai Mara with a full game day
- Choose a budget camp, mid range camp or luxury lodge
- Conservancy, park and reserve fees counted in the price
Day by day plan
- Day 1
Nairobi to Ol Pejeta
You leave Nairobi at about 7 am and drive north through Thika and Nyeri to Ol Pejeta, about three and a half hours. You can stop at the Equator line near Nanyuki for a photo. After lunch you take a game drive among rhino, lion, elephant and Grevy’s zebra. Your 5 day Ol Pejeta safari starts with Mount Kenya on the skyline.
- Day 2
Ol Pejeta to Lake Nakuru
You start early with a visit to the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary and the rhino enclosure, where the last two northern white rhinos live under guard. After lunch you drive about three and a half hours to Lake Nakuru through Nyahururu. You enter the park for a late game drive and look for white rhino, buffalo and Rothschild giraffe.
- Day 3
Lake Nakuru to the Masai Mara
After a short morning drive you leave for the Mara. The route runs through Narok and ends on a rough track to the gate. Plan for five to six hours with a lunch stop. You reach camp in the afternoon and head out on a first game drive as the light turns gold.
- Day 4
Full day in the Masai Mara
You leave at first light for the best hours of the day. Your guide works the plains and the Mara River, where hippos and crocodiles wait. You take a packed lunch in the bush or rest at camp. The afternoon drive runs until sunset. A balloon ride at dawn is an optional extra.
- Day 5
Mara to Nairobi
After a final early game drive and breakfast you check out and drive to Nairobi. The trip takes five to six hours with a lunch stop at Narok or Mai Mahiu. You reach the city in the late afternoon. Your guide drops you at your hotel or the airport.
5 Day Ol Pejeta Safari, guide price per person sharing, USD, low season
| Tier | 2 people | 4 people | 6 people |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget camp | USD 1,960 | USD 1,660 | USD 1,540 |
| Mid range camp | USD 2,420 | USD 2,090 | USD 1,920 |
| Luxury lodge | USD 3,000 | USD 2,640 | USD 2,400 |
- Guide price per person sharing, confirmed in writing on WhatsApp before any payment
- Low season (Jan to Jun) shown, with Ol Pejeta about USD 100, Nakuru USD 90 and Mara USD 100 per day
- Jul to Dec adds about USD 150 to 300 per person for the higher Mara fee and lodge rates
- Christmas and New Year dates carry a surcharge, confirm at booking
Get my exact price on WhatsApp
Reserve this trip
Pick your dates and group. See the total. Hold it with a deposit.
Pay by Mpesa, bank transfer or card once we confirm in writing. Free changes until you confirm.
Included
- Private pop up roof 4×4 Land Cruiser with a driver guide
- 4 nights accommodation on full board in your chosen tier
- Ol Pejeta, Nakuru and Mara fees for your days inside
- Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary visit
- All game drives and bottled water in the vehicle
- Nairobi hotel or airport pickup and drop off
Not included
- International flights and your Kenya ETA
- Tips for your driver guide and lodge staff
- Alcohol and drinks outside meals
- Travel insurance
- Optional balloon ride, night drives and rhino walks
What a 5 day Ol Pejeta safari Really Gets You
Ol Pejeta is a conservancy, so the rules are looser than a national park. You can drive off the track with a ranger at some lodges, drive at night and join walks. A 5 day Ol Pejeta safari gives you that freedom before the busier Mara.
If you prefer to stay in one place, our 2 day Ol Pejeta safari and Ol Pejeta day trip cover Ol Pejeta alone. For the Mara alone, see our 4 day Maasai Mara safari.
How Much Is a 5 day Ol Pejeta safari?
Our guide prices start at USD 1,540 per person for six people sharing budget camps in low season. Two people in mid range camps pay about USD 2,150 each. Two people in luxury lodges pay about USD 3,000 each.
The price covers your vehicle, guide, four nights on full board and the park fees. Ol Pejeta costs about USD 100 or more a day, Nakuru USD 90 and the Mara USD 100 a day in low season. Confirm exact fees at booking.
See our Kenya national park entry fees guide for the fee table and the Kenya safari packages and prices page to compare trips.
Ol Pejeta: Rhino, Chimps and Lions
Ol Pejeta covers about 90,000 acres and holds the largest black rhino population in East Africa. It also protects the last two northern white rhinos, both females, under 24 hour armed guard.
The Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary shelters orphaned chimps and the conservancy tracks its lions daily. Lodges offer night drives, walks and cheetah tracking by request.
Lake Nakuru: Rhino and Birds
Lake Nakuru National Park is small and rich in wildlife. It is one of the best places in Kenya to see white and black rhino. Buffalo, waterbuck, Rothschild giraffe and baboons are everywhere.
Flamingo numbers change from year to year. Pelicans, storks and fish eagles stay. Read our Lake Nakuru day trip for a one day view, or the 4 day Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru safari for a Mara and Nakuru plan.
Best Time for a 5 day Ol Pejeta safari
Jul to Oct brings the Great Migration to the Mara, with river crossings in the best weeks. It also brings the highest fees and the most vehicles. Jan to Mar is hot, dry and quiet. Nov and Dec are green and full of young animals.
Apr and May are wet, cheap and empty. Ol Pejeta is cool and can be misty in the morning. Our best time to visit the Maasai Mara gives a month by month view and the Great Migration calendar shows the crossing months.
Camp Tiers: Budget, Mid Range and Luxury
On a 5 day Ol Pejeta safari, you sleep in three places, so tiers matter. A budget stay uses simple camps and small lodges with clean rooms and hot water. A mid range stay gives you private bathrooms, lounges and views. A luxury stay gives you large suites, pools and bars.
Our guide to lodges, tented camps and camping compares lodges, tented camps and camping in plain words.
- Budget: simple rooms or tents, full meals, shared facilities in some
- Mid range: private bathrooms, a lounge and often a plains view
- Luxury: large suites, a pool, a bar and the best service
What You Can Expect to See
At Ol Pejeta you see rhino, lion, elephant, giraffe, buffalo and Grevy’s zebra. At Nakuru you see rhino, buffalo and many birds. In the Mara you look for lion, cheetah, leopard and hippo.
On a 5 day Ol Pejeta safari, you can tick off the Big Five on a good run. Our guide to the Big Five in Kenya and our Kenya safari animals guide show where to look.
Conservation You Can See
A 5 day Ol Pejeta safari lets you see conservation at work. Ol Pejeta runs on a not for profit model and your fees pay for anti poaching teams, rhino monitoring and community programmes. Rangers explain the work as you drive.
The chimp sanctuary rescues animals from poaching and the pet trade. The conservancy also runs a cattle ranch alongside wildlife, which shows how land can serve both.
Ask your guide about the rhino protection unit. Many guests find that talk as memorable as the animals.
Who This Trip Suits
The 5 day Ol Pejeta safari suits rhino lovers, photographers and curious families. It also suits first time visitors who want more than one park. It is less suited to travellers who only want the migration, since the Mara part is short.
If you want a longer Mara stay, ask for a six or seven day version. It adds a Mara night for a modest step up in price.
Road Time and Pace
The roads between parks are long. Ol Pejeta to Nakuru takes about three and a half hours and Nakuru to the Mara takes five to six. You spend about 18 hours in the vehicle in total.
If you prefer less driving, see our Maasai Mara fly in safari for a fly in route, or the 5 day Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha safari for a lake based plan.
Health, Packing and Comfort
Ol Pejeta and Nakuru are cooler at dawn, so bring a warm layer. The Mara is a malaria area, so speak to your doctor about tablets and pack repellent.
Our Kenya safari packing checklist and our Kenya vaccinations and malaria guide cover the details.
- Neutral clothes, closed shoes and a warm layer
- Binoculars and a camera with a spare card
- A hat, sunscreen and a refillable bottle
- A power bank, since vehicle charging is slow
Book Your 5 day Ol Pejeta safari
Send your dates, group size and budget for your 5 day Ol Pejeta safari on WhatsApp at +254 720 731957. We reply with a written quote and a camp shortlist, usually within a few hours.
Book Jul to Oct trips three to six months ahead. Low season trips often work with two or three weeks notice. Browse the full list of our safari packages for other lengths.
How to book your 5 day ol Pejeta safari
Booking your 5 day ol Pejeta safari with us takes about five minutes of your time. The rest is our job. Here is exactly what happens, step by step, so there are no surprises along the way.
- Send your dates. Message us on WhatsApp with your travel dates, how many people are coming and the ages of any children. Tell us if you have a budget in mind. We plan with it, not around it.
- Get a written quote. We reply with a clear price per person, what it includes and what it does not. No hidden park fees and no vague extras. If a cheaper camp or a shorter route makes more sense, we say so.
- Tweak it until it fits. Change a camp, add a night or swap a park. Ask as many questions as you like. Changes cost nothing until you confirm.
- Confirm with a deposit. A deposit holds your vehicle, guide and rooms. You get a written confirmation with every detail and the date the balance is due.
- Travel day. Your driver guide meets you at your hotel or the airport with a name board. You have their number and ours for the whole trip.
What every trip with us includes
Every 5 day ol Pejeta safari plan we put together comes with the basics done properly. You ride in a safari vehicle with a pop up roof, with a professional driver guide who knows the parks. Water is in the cooler box and park fees are sorted in advance so you do not stand in a queue at the gate.
We also stay reachable. If something changes on the road, a flat tyre, a closed route or a sudden storm, we sort it and keep you posted on WhatsApp.
Paying safely
We share payment details in writing only and every payment gets a receipt. The payment options and the balance date sit on your written quote, so nothing is left to memory or a phone call.
Why book with a Nairobi team
We live here. We drive these roads all year, we know which camps are honest about their photos and we know when a park is too busy to enjoy. That local knowledge is what turns a good 5 day ol Pejeta safari into a great one. Our Google rating sits at 5.0 from 46 reviews and we plan to keep it that way.
Ready when you are. Send us a message and we will put a plan together for you shortly.
Questions people ask
Is a 5 day Ol Pejeta safari good for first timers?
Yes and it adds a lot of variety. A 5 day Ol Pejeta safari gives you rhino, chimps and big cats in five days. First timers who want only the Mara can choose a shorter trip, but this plan gives a gentler start and more wildlife species.
How much does a 5 day Ol Pejeta safari cost?
Our guide price starts at USD 1,540 per person for six people in budget camps in low season. Mid range runs about USD 1,820 to 2,150 and luxury about USD 2,400 to 3,000. Park fees are included. Peak season adds about USD 150 to 300.
Can I see the northern white rhino?
Yes, at Ol Pejeta. Only two females remain, Najin and Fatu and they live under 24 hour armed guard. Visits are by arrangement and the rangers set the rules. Black and white rhino roam the conservancy as well and sightings are common.
Are night drives included on a 5 day Ol Pejeta safari?
They are available at many Ol Pejeta lodges, usually as an optional extra. Night drives are not allowed in the main Mara reserve. Tell us at booking if you want one and we choose a lodge that offers it.
When is the best time for a 5 day Ol Pejeta safari?
Jul to Oct for the Great Migration, Jan to Mar for quiet reserves and big cats and Nov to Dec for green landscapes. Apr and May are wet and cheaper. Fees double in the Mara from July, so budget travellers often pick Jan to Jun.
Can I add a balloon ride?
Yes, on Day 4. A hot air balloon ride costs about USD 450 to 550 per person and includes a bush breakfast. Seats sell out in peak months, so tell us early. See our Maasai Mara hot air balloon safari page for what to expect.
Is a 5 day Ol Pejeta safari good for families?
Yes. Children enjoy the chimps and the rhino and Ol Pejeta has family friendly lodges. Mara fees for ages 9 to 17 are about half and ages 8 and under are free. See our Kenya family safaris for ideas.
Official information: Magical Kenya, the official Kenya tourism site.
Ready when you are. Send your dates and group size. We reply with a clear price and a plan you can change.
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