Next Stop - Samburu
- Paula
- 1 hour ago
- 7 min read
June 10 - 12
Samburu one of the regions I visited in 2001 and its red sand desert and rugged terrain are very similar to central Australia.
On the morning of June 10th, we headed out on our last game drive in Ol’ Pejeta with our bags loaded in the Land Cruiser. After another fabulous breakfast picnic, our driver Abdi drove us across the 90,000-acre Conservancy to the North gates and after a stop at the equator, handed us off to our next guide. Since his name is also Dennis, there was a jovial debate about who was going to be the Big D and Little D.
This was the only transfer between parks that involved a road trip. The drive to Samburu took about three hours and provided a fascinating insight into the diversity of life in Kenya. There were quite modern homes with AC units on the roof and luxury cars in the drive and abodes that could be easily be explained as tin shacks and mud huts. There are miles and miles of modern high tech green houses at produce fresh flowers that are exported daily to wholesale markets across the world but also flocks of goats being tended by young barefooted boys. The drive was a reminder of the dichotomy that exists in so much of the world.
While in the Samburu region we stayed at the Elephant Bedroom Camp located in the Samburu National Reserve. Our reservation was for two standard tents, at check-in we were notified that Dennis would be in a standard tent, but Dave and I had been updated to the deluxe tent. It was the least tent-like tent you could imagine!
After a late lunch at the camp dining tent on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River, we settled into the tent and enjoyed a glorious soak in our plunge pool. While lounging on the deck afterward, I looked over at Dennis’ tent and saw an elephant looking in his window. I quickly called him and asked what he was doing; “having a staring contest with an elephant”, was his response.
We later learned that the pachyderm in question is named Obama. Yes, he was named in honor of the former U.S. president of the same name. He is one of the locals and spends so much time in the camp that he has a GPS collar and a human escort anytime he's in the camp.
Elephant Bedroom Camp is not fenced…at all. This provides guests with ample opportunities to have close encounters with a wide variety of wildlife. In order to keep guests and animals safe, there are A LOT of guards/guides wandering the camp at all times. Guests are advised to never walk unescorted after dark. On evening after dinner, we were being escorted back to our tent and noticed a whole lot of guards with spot lights crashing through the brush and much animated radio chatter. We were instructed to hurry and stay close. They had lost track of of a herd elephants. Apparently losing track of elephants that has no aversion to human in the dark causes stress in the human that are expected to track him 24/7.
That evening we headed out on a game drive and I was finally able to tick leopard off my safari big 5 list. I waited 25 years to see a leopard and had no way of knowing that we were to have so many more leopard sightings on this trip.
The next morning, less than a mile from camp, we encountered a female leopard on the prowl. She was majestic!
We also spotted a Nile crocodile lounging on the riverbank.
As usual, there were plenty of elephants to watch. We were lucky to have a guide with an encyclopedic knowledge of biology and wildlife. He shared the nugget that elephants have a dominate tusk, much like humans have a dominate hand. Excessive use of one tusk is why one is much more worn and often misshapen.
After the morning drive, we enjoyed lovely breakfast and headed off to the spa tent for a much needed massage. (Several hours a day spent riding around in a Toyota Land Cruiser is not hard on the back!) As I was leaving the spa, I was met by a guard and informed that an elephant was blocking the path, so we were taking an alternative route. My flip flops were not the ideal shoes for an elephant avoidance hike through the bush. Once I got back to the tent, I asked Dave to pop down to the front desk/tent and pick up a hair dryer, while I was in the shower. He came back minutes later and informed me that Obama was still on the path and that one of the elephant herders would deliver my hair dryer. I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried….
After lunch, Dennis came over to our tent for a while and when he tried to return, he was sent back to us because….you guessed it. Obama was standing between our tents.
I've waited for a lot of things in my life but an elephant wasn't on the list until that day.
On the next game drive we got to see several reticulated giraffes.
A few years ago, Kenya experienced a severe drought and over 80% of the baby elephants born that year perished. Everyone is thrilled by the number of babies born this year. This baby is only two weeks old.
Elephant gestation period lasts 18-22 months, making it the longest pregnancy of any land mammal.
Here are few fun elephant facts:
Elephant gestation period lasts 18-22 months, making it the longest pregnancy of any land mammal.
Female elephants typically give birth to 3-5 calves throughout their lifetime, with intervals of 4-5 years between births.
Newborn elephants weigh around 90-120 kilograms and stand approximately 90 centimeters tall at birth.
The next day was our departure from Samburu. The hot and extremely dusty conditions of the region led us to opt out of the early morning game and have a bit of a lazy morning before our flights to Amboseli. We missed a game drive, but our morning served up a WHOLE bunch of wildlife…
I woke up early and decided to go sit outside on the deck, write in my journal and soak up the gentle African morning. I got to the door of the tent and discovered an entire troop of baboons on the deck, some were lounging on the patio furniture, some perched on the railing and several splashing in the last few inches of water in our nearly empty plunge pool. I instead opted for a comfy spot on the couch to contemplate the primate mayhem taking place on the deck. I wrongly assumed that the bloody monkeys had drained our pool. The baboons eventually left and after more time passed, I deemed it safe to use the outdoor shower connected to our tent.
We made our way to breakfast and just as our omelets were served, the staff hustled up to all the tables and instructed guests to immediately leave our tables and go up onto the raised deck. This guy came cruising down the path.
The giant bull that wondered into the dining area wasn’t Obama, but he certainly acted like he owned the place. He didn’t mess with the tables, but he decided to inspect the kitchen and the admin office. He took the time to check the gutters for fallen palm nuts. We had about a 15 wait on the deck before he moseyed out of camp. My eggs were cold which is usually a hard pass for me, but I decided an elephant delay was reason enough to eat a cold omelet.
Here are a few of the other fun wildlife sightings in Samburu:
The airstrip in Samburu was rather posh by African airstrip standards. The toilets flushed and there was a shaded waiting area.
While we were waiting, I did some vehicle inspection. Safari vehicles are designed for utility first and foremost. Tires are chosen for utility not comfort or easy of driving.
Next Stop Amboseli.
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