I've stayed at both but both were several years ago. Sweetwaters is a much larger camp located on Ol Pejeta conservancy (there are a few other camps on Ol Pejeta such as Porini or Kicheche). El Karama is a much smaller camp on the private El Karama ranch owned by the Grant family. Both are in Laikipia so you'll see similar species. However there are rhino on Ol Pejeta which are not present on El Karama. Both offer night drives although the night drives on El Karama are more afternoon drives that continue into the night. Walks and horse riding can be done on El Karama. I believe you can go on walks on Ol Pejeta. There's a chimp sanctuary that you can visit on Ol Pejeta (these are orphaned chimps from Central/West Africa, not native to Kenya). I enjoyed both locations (once on Ol Pejeta and twice at El Karama) but if I were to go back to Ol Pejeta I'd probably choose one of the smaller camps there or stay at the self catering Pelican House.

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I stayed at El Karama last month - wonderful. Superb game, including an aardvark, lions, lots of ellies. You can walk with a very well-informed, armed guide, or do day or night drives - whatever you want. They no longer do riding. There are virtually no other tourists in sight. The camp is homely-luxury, with excellent food.

Sweetwaters (part of the Serena group) is too large and too close to Nanyuki for me - didn't appreciate the all-night horticulture lights on the other side of the waterhole – though I do think the setup in general at Ol Pejeta is brilliant conceived, mixing herding with managed wildlife. I'd skip the chimp "sanctuary" completely - not a good experience. This is a chimp welfare home, where post-captive individuals see out their days. But females are sterilized on arrival, so it has no role in helping to promote the species or improve the chimp gene pool.

Richard

Good to hear El Karama is still wonderful, Richard. Do you know why they no longer do riding? Is Laria still there?

An alternative to Sweetwater's on the Ol Pejeta private conservancy, would be Ol Pejeta Bush Camp. It's small (6/tents), offering both day and night game drives and walking. Management is very attentive to guest wishes and will schedule your activities accordingly.

Sweetwaters is about to open a new area of upgraded tents, called the Morani Wing---might be worth checking out.

Was at Kicheche Laikipia on Ol Pejeta the other week. This is a fantastic camp with terrific hosts and excellent, excellent guides (Mohammed was our guide). I'd go back in a heartbeat. We didn't visit the chimp sanctuary.