Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages — Hotel in Laikipia County

The reviews and photos don’t lie—this place is the whole package. This was my first safari and every expectation was exceeded thanks to Andy, Sonja, and their first-class team. My two priorities were staying on a conservancy (vs. a crowded national park) and finding a property that offered a private game drive jeep (I wasn’t interested in sharing with other guests like most properties require). I contacted a dozen properties and all charge an additional $300-$400 per day for a private jeep, so imagine my shock when I learned Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages offers private jeeps at no additional charge!||FLIGHTS: We used Safarilink from/to Nairobi. The single prop plane got the job done and only took 30 minutes to the Nanyuki airstrip. (I originally booked Kamok to avoid driving through town, but it was closed.) I appreciated the airline taking the initiative to communicate the flight change to Andy so he could coordinate the pickup change with Robert, our driver/guide.||DRIVER/GUIDE: We will forever thank our lucky stars that Robert was our guide. He worked as a rhino monitoring ranger on the conservancy for 7 years, so he knows the area and animals like the back of his hand. He knows where to find everything and has a lot of knowledge about the conservancy and animals. He also has eyes of an eagle—he can spot the smallest bird in a tree or a buffalo on the horizon miles away without binoculars! He is fantastic at his job and we reaped the benefits with amazing photos, interesting information/stories, and a safari experience of a lifetime.||COTTAGE: We had cottage #1, which is along the property perimeter fence, so guess what we saw right next to us? Elephants! Unbelievable. The cottage is beautifully decorated and has all the comforts of home, like a drinking water dispenser and carafes, a bar, hot showers, living/sitting room furniture, a fireplace, and a comfortable bed. The bathroom is stocked with shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body lotion, mosquito repellent, laundry soap, cotton balls, and Q-Tips (be sure to take your own sunscreen because you’ll need it). The back porch is large with a table and chairs for meals and sitting furniture for relaxing and bird watching. There are two observation decks for meals, wildlife viewing, and bird watching. There other lodging properties within the conservancy, but Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages is remotely located in the far southwest corner so it felt like a nonstop safari with the breathtaking scenery, wildlife, and tranquility.||SERVICE: The level of service is first class. Our chef, John, prepared three delicious meals every day, including picnic breakfasts for eating in the bush during our game drives. We are not used to fancy three-course meals, but everything John prepared was delicious. He juggled two meal preferences like a pro since I’m a vegetarian and my boyfriend is a meat eater. We did not go hungry, that’s for sure! When we requested grilled cheese sandwiches and French fries, John came through. Our steward, Jimmy, provided the same outstanding service. He attended to our every need by coordinating and serving our meals, delivering hot chocolate every morning before our game drives, unzipping the cottage canvas every morning and zipping it closed every night. He even served two lunches on the observation deck so we could enjoy the scenery and animals, which graze nearby and sometimes come very close. While we never saw anyone from housekeeping work their magic, they kept our cottage clean, washed our clothes, and left hot water bottles in the bed every night. (I was skeptical they would keep us warm but they actually did, and closing the bedroom door helped to retain heat.).||EXCURSIONS: Robert incorporated a few free excursions into our game drives, which we enjoyed. We visited the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Baraka the blind black rhino at the Morani Information Center, and the rhino cemetery that memorizes poached rhinos. Since the area sits on the equator, we also enjoyed a Coriolis effect demonstration by a local and also a sundowner on the equator. There are paid excursions available, like K9 tracking, Mt. Kenya hiking, and overnight camping, so ask your guide for information.||We enjoyed meeting Andy (and Marmalade the cat!) and learning how the cottages came to be. He and Sonja have an amazing thing going and we can’t thank them enough for the unforgettable vacation—it truly was the trip...

Everything about our cottage was an absolute dream! The location was incredible with close proximity to the conservancy. This meant we were within the conservancy and could start our game drives immediately with our fabulous and knowledgeable guide James. James strived to show us everything from the animals to the fauna and he was so considerate of my husband's photography, often pointing out great shots for him. The service was outstanding with fresh and flavourful meals provided by all three amazing chefs and our very own extremely attentive butler also named James. Our cottage consisted of a living room with a bar, an indoor dining area, a separate bedroom with an extremely comfortable king sized bed and a spacious ensuite, an outdoor patio with a lovely settee as well as other chairs and another dining table where we enjoyed romantically lit thoughtfully prepared meals. While the ambience of our dining was beautiful, nothing beat the sundowner drinks and appetizers while watching the African savanna sunsets. Our cottage's private veranda overlooked our very own fire pit which Jayjey lit for us every night so we could enjoy a pre-dinner drink as well as star gaze with the knowledgeable Jayjey. In addition, further down from our cottage, we could safely walk to our very own lookout covered patio where we partaked in lovely lunches while safely watching giraffes and elephants roaming before us. One night , we prearranged to camp beneath the stars. The owners and their team set up a tent for us with a guide watching out for us all night long (thank you dear Peter!). Our chef as well as his team came along with us and provided the most delicious meal that night (I can still taste the peanut soup). To get to the camp, we walked with Ranger Patrick and our guide Robert and had many laughs along the way. Our host Andy greeted us at the camp and we had great campfire conversations with him while watching a black rhino with her baby in the distance (what absolute luck!). In fact, we were so impressed with both owners, Andy and his lovely wife Sonja. They are truly special and we appreciated how they treated their team with care and respect. There was absolute and total pride of ownership with every detail taken care of. Thank you Andy, Sonja and the amazing team at Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages for a lifetime...

Words will always fall short in expressing the profound gratitude I feel for my stay at the Safari Cottages within Kenya’s breathtaking Ol Pejeta Conservancy. This was not simply lodging—it was a transformative experience for both body and soul.

From the moment we arrived, traveling in comfort aboard a sleek Mercedes bus, the tone was set for something extraordinary. Nestled in the heart of the conservancy, the Safari Cottages greeted us with an understated elegance and quiet luxury that blended seamlessly into the surrounding wilderness.

The accommodations were truly five-star—beautifully appointed, serene, and deeply restorative. But it was the small details that made all the difference. Every morning at 5:30 a.m., the incredible staff gently knocked on our doors, delivering hot, rich Kenyan coffee directly to our rooms. They opened the curtains and windows, inviting in the rising sun and the sounds of nature. That peaceful, golden light spilling over the landscape became a kind of spiritual alarm clock, marking the start of another unforgettable day.

Each safari outing felt like entering a new chapter in a living storybook. Our guides—Mike, Robert, and James—were exceptional in every way. They were not just knowledgeable but deeply passionate about the land and its wildlife. Thanks to them, we witnessed prides of lions, towering giraffes, mighty elephants, and rhinos that seemed to emerge from the very soul of Africa itself. Their care, patience, and warmth made each moment feel deeply personal and sacred.

The Safari Cottages were more than a place to rest—they were a sanctuary. A place where the pace of life slowed down, where beauty surrounded and nourished you, and where your spirit could truly exhale. The food was exquisite, the hospitality beyond anything I could have imagined, and the natural beauty? Utterly humbling.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime journey. And while I know I’ll never be able to fully articulate what this trip did for my soul, I will forever carry it with me. Thank you, Safari Cottages, for creating a space that offered not just comfort and care, but true peace. I am...