Nanyuki, Ol Pejeta & Mount Kenya

The Laikipia Plateau on the equator, with Ol Pejeta's northern white rhinos and chimpanzee sanctuary, Mount Kenya trailheads and private conservancies.

Nanyuki is a small equatorial town in Laikipia County, central Kenya, set on a plateau at about 1,950 m on the northwestern foothills of Mount Kenya, about 200 km from Nairobi (a 3–4-hour drive; there are also light-aircraft flights). The town is known for its equator sign, a British Army training base and handy supplies, and serves as a base for safaris and climbs in the area. A 30-minute drive west is Ol Pejeta Conservancy, where you can see the Big Five, black rhinos, the world's last two northern white rhinos and the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary; to the southwest are Solio Ranch, with an exceptionally high density of rhinos, and Aberdare National Park in its cloud forest; about 60 km northeast are upmarket private conservancies such as Lewa and Borana; and to the east, the Sirimon Gate of Mount Kenya National Park is the main starting point for climbing Point Lenana. Seasons: Jan–Mar and Jun–Oct are dry, with wildlife concentrated and roads easier to drive; the best climbing months are Jan–Feb and Aug–Sep; the long rains of Mar–May and short rains in November make roads muddy. Plan on 3–5 days: 1–2 days on safari at Ol Pejeta and a day for the equator and the Mount Kenya Safari Club, with a climb needing another 3–5 days. Most private conservancies can only be visited if you stay at a camp inside them, so book months ahead in high season; conservancy and national park fees change frequently, so check the official websites.

Top sights

• Ol Pejeta Conservancy – The largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa, home to the Big Five and to the last two northern white rhinos in the world. It is a top…
• Northern White Rhino Enclosure – The last two northern white rhinos on Earth, Najin and Fatu, live here, and visitors can see them up close under the guidance of rangers.
• Mount Kenya National Park – A UNESCO World Heritage Site and Africa's second-highest peak, with clearly layered vegetation zones ranging from bamboo forest and heath t…
• Lewa Wildlife Conservancy – A private conservancy and part of the Mount Kenya World Heritage extension, famous for its black and white rhinos and the world's largest p…
• Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary – The only place in Kenya where you can see chimpanzees, a sanctuary for rescued chimps from illegal trade, established with support from the…
• Nanyuki Equator Crossing – An equator marker sign beside the A2 road south of Nanyuki, where you can watch a water-swirl demonstration of the Coriolis effect and take…
• Point Lenana Trek – The third-highest peak of Mount Kenya at 4,985 metres, reachable without technical climbing. The Sirimon–Chogoria route is a classic option.
• Lake Michaelson – A deep green lake in a glacial valley on the eastern slopes of Mount Kenya, ringed by the sheer 'Temple' cliffs and widely considered the m…
• Borana Conservancy – A private ranch conservancy adjoining Lewa, with rolling hills and views of Mount Kenya, offering horseback and walking safaris.
• Mount Kenya Safari Club & Animal Orphanage – A legendary resort founded by Hollywood star William Holden. Its neighboring animal orphanage lets visitors get up close to pygmy hippos an…
• Solio Game Reserve – Kenya's first private rhino sanctuary, with very high rhino density, where almost every game drive offers close views of black and white rh…
• Aberdare National Park – A national park of misty highland forests and moorland, known for its waterfalls, treetop-style wildlife lodges and rare mountain bongos.
• Karuru Falls – Kenya's tallest waterfall, dropping about 273 meters in three tiers from the Aberdare moorland straight into a forested gorge.
• Thomson's Falls – A waterfall of about 74 meters on the edge of the town of Nyahururu, named after Scottish explorer Joseph Thomson, with a path down to the…
• Trout Tree Restaurant – A treehouse restaurant built in a huge fig tree, with the owner's trout ponds below and black-and-white colobus monkeys often moving throug…

Where to eat

• Trout Tree Restaurant – A treehouse restaurant built around a giant fig tree on the banks of the Burguret River, specializing in fresh rainbow…
• Barney's Nanyuki – A bistro located inside Nanyuki Airfield, where you can watch light aircraft take off and land from the terrace—ideal f…
• Morani's Restaurant – An independent restaurant inside Ol Pejeta Conservancy, close to the rhino sanctuary, serving conservancy-raised beef b…

Itineraries

• Self-Drive from Samburu to Maasai Mara – Head south from the semi-arid northern reserves through Laikipia and the Rift Valley, ending in the Maasai Mara.
• Mount Kenya: Sirimon to Chogoria Traverse – Traverse Mount Kenya from the northwest slope to the eastern slope, summiting Point Lenana at 4,985 meters.