Elephant Watch Camp

 

Elephant Watch Camp is perched on the sand banks of the Uaso Nyiro River, beneath big kigelia and acacia trees.  The area around the camp is home to some of the largest bull elephants in Samburu, often spotted resting under an acacia tree or picking pods beside the tents. The trees are filled with a multitude of birds and monkeys. At dawn, a gentle chorus echoes overhead announcing the new day in the wild. The eco-sensitive camp has been constructed for comfort and coolness, accommodating a maximum of twelve guests in wide and breezy desert tents, with bright swathes of cotton fanning in the breeze, huge cushioned sofas, woven local mats and special beds and furniture made from fallen trees and spacious ensuite showers and toilets. There is no running water or electricity. You may find that you soon become another “Kenya addict” longing for nights softly lit by kerosene lanterns and hot bucket showers presided over by a chorus of birds awaiting your return from early morning game drives.

There is a large main mess tent with low tables, cushioned furniture, plenty of carpets and rugs, beautiful lights and intimate corners. Menus are a fusion of bush gourmet, fresh from the farm, with tropical fruit and drinks and a selection of good wine. At night, flame torches and lanterns light up the camp along the river. Baboons call out as leopards stalk, while lions and elephants are always nearby. There is also a separate library and siesta beds.

Emphasis is on using local guides who have up-to-date and in-depth knowledge about the elephants and their environment. An experienced English-speaking Samburu guide,  selected and trained by Oria Douglas-Hamilton (your host), leads the safari. Each day opens with a new adventure. You may go on early morning or evening bush walks along well-traveled elephant paths or collect medicinal plants and honey accompanied by Samburu warriors. You may witness great river crossings of camels and cattle, fire making or Samburu ceremonies.  At Elephant Camp it is impossible to predict what magic will occur!

Daytime visits to the Save the Elephants research center are also available. Founded by renowned conservationist and elephant researcher Iain Douglas-Hamilton who made a pioneering study of elephant behavior in the late '60s in Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania, and has worked on elephant status Africa-wide since, STE focuses on research, grassroots, education and protection of these endangered giants.  Eloquently put, “It is our mission to secure a future for elephants and to sustain the beauty and ecological integrity of the places where they live; to promote man’s delight in their intelligence and the diversity of their world, and to develop a tolerant relationship between the two species.” Research on long distance movement by radio-tracking elephants helps to understand why elephants choose to do the things they do. Elephants are motivated by three basic factors – finding food and water, social interaction with other elephants, and avoiding danger. The most detailed information on movement is found by radio-tracking, relying on Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. These high-tech collars measure exact position, activity level and outside air temperature every three hours. Vital corridors in their range have been identified that need protection. Further afield in Congo, Mali, South Africa and Tanzania, STE is collaborating with scientists to develop an international database on elephant movement.  STE realizes that the best potential ambassadors for elephants are those who live among them, the people with whom the elephants share their land and their future. STE works to develop a conservation ethic by building on local knowledge of wildlife, involving local people in research and conservation to stimulate learning and foster positive attitudes.