Top 5 Places to See Rhino in Kenya & Tanzania
White rhino in Ol Pejeta Conservancy, one of the leading rhino conservation and population restoration sanctuaries in East Africa.
As one of Africa’s legendary Big Five, the rhino is a major drawcard for safari-goers. Estimates suggest the total population of white and black rhino in Africa today stands at just around 21,000 individuals. Spotting these critically endangered animals in the wild is a highly sought-after experience, but rhino aren’t always easy to come by.
The Rhino’s Struggle: Why are Rhino Endangered?
Where are rhino located and why are there so few of them in the wild? Rhino once roamed the African continent in vast numbers, probably several hundred thousand strong. However, the Victorian era saw a rise in the popularity of big game hunting, with European settlers decimating African wildlife in staggering numbers. Conservationists, many of whom were also game hunters, noticed the decline in wildlife, prompting the formation of protected wildlife reserves. Rhino numbers steadily increased into the mid-20th Century.
The 1960s brought new problems for rhino as the demand for their horn exploded, and population numbers dropped from an estimated 70,000 to just 10,000 over 20 years. Today, rhino are almost constantly monitored and often live under armed guard, as intense conservation efforts are underway to prevent poaching and increase their numbers.
Where are rhino found today? Both Kenya and Tanzania offer some unique and diverse rhino-sighting opportunities. Here are some of the best places to see rhino in East Africa.
Where can you find rhinos in Kenya:
1. Ol Pejeta Conservancy: Laikipia County, Central Kenya
Home to our Ol Pejeta Bush Camp, this region is a beacon of sustainability and a safe place for East Africa’s largest black rhino population. The conservancy prides itself on safeguarding the critically endangered rhino, alongside other vulnerable species like the African wild dog, cheetah, lion, Grevy’s zebra and Jackson’s hartebeest.
The world’s last two remaining northern white rhino reside within Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
Housing over 165 highly endangered black rhino and 44 southern white rhino, Ol Pejeta Conservancy offers plenty of opportunities to see rhino in their natural habitat. The conservancy also provides sanctuary for Najin and Fatu, the two last remaining northern white rhino on the planet. Neither of these rhino can reproduce due to their age. In August 2019, a pioneering egg-harvesting procedure was carried out at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, fuelling hope for the survival of the species. Although already classified as “functionally extinct”, the future of the northern white rhino now depends on the development of in vitro fertilisation techniques.
The 360km² conservancy offers a wide range of habitats across grasslands, bushlands and riverine forests. Such diversity of habitat has created an incredibly rich diversity of wildlife, second only to Kenya’s famous Masai Mara. In addition to traditional game-viewing and the opportunity to see the Big Five, visitors to Ol Pejeta Conservancy are spoiled with a variety of additional interactive conservation-driven activities.
Best time to visit: June to October, December to March.
Accommodation: Ol Pejeta Bush Camp
There are a variety of accommodation options within the Lewa Conservancy, offering a range of luxury and adventure. In addition to game drives and walking safaris, there are numerous activities available offering valuable insight into the various elements of the conservancy. These include anti-poaching, visiting local schools, and exploring Kenya’s elephant underpass.
Both Ol Pejeta and Lewa conservancies have used conservation and low-impact tourism as a platform to protect and grow vulnerable wildlife species.
Best time to visit: June to October, December to March.
Accommodation: Lewa House
3. Nairobi National Park, Nairobi
Located on the southwestern outskirts of the city, Nairobi National Park is home to more than 50 black rhino, as well as a healthy population of white rhino. The park’s success in protecting and successfully breeding rhino has earned it the name Kifaru Ark (kifaru meaning “rhino” in Swahili), not to be confused with Rhino Ark.
Despite being one of Africa’s smallest parks, Nairobi National Park boasts a good variety of wildlife that can sometimes be viewed with a backdrop of the city’s skyscrapers or planes coming in for a landing, creating an interesting juxtaposition of African scenery. The high density of rhino within a relatively small space makes for near-guaranteed sightings. With a wide variety of accommodation options readily available in and around the city, this national park offers an easy day trip at the beginning or end of a safari itinerary.
Where can you find rhino in Tanzania:
4. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Northern Tanzania
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers some of the most remarkable wildlife viewing experiences on the African continent. The region’s name is derived from the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest unbroken and unfilled caldera, which offers a truly unique safari experience with game drives across the crater floor while the walls of the caldera rise on all sides.
The area is home to over 25,000 large animals and various bird species. While the rhino population within the crater is relatively small, they are frequently sighted, hiding among the fever trees, albeit sometimes from a distance.
The small population of black rhino in the Ngorongoro Crater can sometimes be spotted hiding amongst the acacia trees.
In addition to the Ngorongoro Crater, the conservation area holds the Olmoti and Empakaai craters, both offering spectacular walking opportunities through a variety of vegetation with excellent bird life. The Highlands is deliberately positioned away from the Ngorongoro Crater, close enough for game drives, but with strategic access to the wider landscape the conservation area offers. With no other safari lodges in the surrounding area, the level of exclusivity is unsurpassed as your nearest neighbors are traditional Maasai, herding their cattle and going about their daily lives.
Best time to visit: June to October, January to May.
Accommodation: The Highlands
5. Serengeti National Park, Northern Tanzania
Picture 15,000km² of vast rolling plains stretching as far as the eye can see. The Serengeti National Park offers the quintessential African experience, featuring grasslands, granite kopjes, rivers and woodlands.
In the south-central Serengeti, in an area called Moru Kopjes, is the Serengeti Rhino Project. The area is well-patrolled by rangers and offers a sanctuary for the majority of rhino that call the Serengeti home, although some black rhino are occasionally spotted in the northern Serengeti by lucky guests from Sayari Camp. The project was launched in 1995, after a 1993 census determined that there were only three black rhino remaining in the park – down from an estimated 700 just 20 years earlier. Since the project began, additional rhino have been introduced to boost genetic diversity, and new calves have been born. Today, the population has recovered and represents one of the largest black rhino populations in East Africa.
Dunia Camp, located within the Moru Kopjes area, is perfectly positioned to enjoy the local diversity of wildlife. Apart from offering easy access to the Serengeti’s prime rhino viewing environment, the camp is also within easy reach of the wildlife-rich Seronera Valley and intercepts the Great Migration as the herds slowly make their way northwards from the Southern Plains. During the calving season, the short grass plains are accessible on a full-day game drive, with a picnic lunch to be enjoyed in the shade of an acacia tree.
Best time to visit: Wildlife viewing in the Serengeti is spectacular all year round, with excellent cat densities and a variety of large mammals. With a bit of luck, the Serengeti can deliver a classic Big Five experience.
Tanzania and Kenya Rhino Sightings
While East Africa may not have rhino populations on the same scale as South Africa, there are plenty of opportunities to see these majestic animals in Kenya and Tanzania if you know where to look.
Book your East African safari with Asilia today and prepare for unforgettable rhino-sighting experiences.