Kenya’s Conservation in Action

Overview

The region surrounding Sarara Camp was recently devoid of most of its wildlife, having been scourged by poaching. Championing ecotourism, the Sarara Foundation stepped in to create community driven initiatives, which have helped lead to its ecological revival.

Indigenous people have a huge part to play in African conservation projects. The Namunyak Conservancy, where Sarara Camp falls within, is home to around 23,000 semi-nomadic Samburu pastoralists. The conservation of wildlife and natural habitats here are dependent on there being beneficial opportunities to the Samburu. The Sarara Foundation has developed a nomadic education system, created a mobile health clinic and implemented training schemes to empower individuals and promote more self-governance. The wildlife has benefitted greatly, thanks to the many locals that have been employed as rangers, or as elephant keepers at an elephant orphanage operating inside the conservancy. Elephant and endangered reticulated giraffe are two species that have hugely benefitted from this symbiotic relationship between community of people and wildlife.

Sarara Camp is an all-inclusive luxury safari camp, more akin to a lodge, albeit you’ll be sleeping under canvas. The tented rooms come with beautifully designed interiors, whilst there are plenty of wonderfully carved wooden fixtures such as the exquisite private verandas and communal decking space. A small swimming pool can provide welcome respite in the warmer hours of the day, and excellent meals are prepared and served in a communal setting, overlooking the waterhole where elephants and other ungulates – perhaps even a leopard if you’re lucky – come to have a drink.

Overview

Ol Pejeta Bush Camp is sited on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River, a narrow waterway that flows from the slopes of Mount Kenya, down to the dry plains further south. The camp is in Ol Pejeta Conservancy within central Kenya’s Laikipia region, and is most famous for being the final stand of the northern white rhino, with its last duo of the species having been transferred here, along with two others. This was with the aim improving the chances of successful breeding, however, with the last male, ‘Sudan’, having died in 2018, only one female, ‘Najin’, and her female offspring, ‘Fatu’ exist today.

Ol Pejeta is world renowned for its pioneering conservation projects. As well as being home to the last remaining northern white rhino, conservation projects are ongoing for the critically endangered black rhino (with over 165 individuals in the reserve), and the near threatened southern white rhino (around 50 individuals present here). Endangered Grevy’s zebra and Lelwel hartebeest (also listed as endangered by the IUCN) are two other ungulates that are closely monitored here.

Considered extinct in the wild, the two northern white rhino live in a predator-free ‘endangered species enclosure’, where they are under 24-hour protection from armed guards. Ol Pejeta Bush Camp offers the experience of getting up close to these two gentle giants, a moment you will surely never forget. It may feel a sombre moment, the thought of seeing the last remaining individuals of a species, but there is hope yet. Scientists have been working for years to develop the practice of transferring embryos (produced from in vitro fertilisation using previously collected northern white rhino egg cells and sperm) to southern white rhino surrogate mothers.

Tents are extremely comfortable and spacious, with luxurious bedding (for those cooler nights an extra blanket and a hot water bottle are provided to keep you cosy) and private decking areas that provide the perfect place for a moment of blissful solitude, away from your campmates. To enjoy the social aspect of camp, gather with your safari companions around the central campfire in the evening, to share a glass of wine or a beer, and reminisce your day of wildlife watching in the bush together. Wonderfully prepared lunch and dinners are served up in an enjoyable communal setting also.