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I have done a Samburu post in the past which is why i have taken longer than usual contemplating on whether to do this or not. This was my fourth time in Samburu and i bet i’ll visit again. I usually do it for the Elephants. The thrill of spotting an animal in its natural habitat, especially one of the “Big Five” is quite unrivalled and honestly, never gets old for me no matter how many times I have been on safari before and more also when it narrows to my long nosed friends.

Samburu offers an authentic wilderness experience on the remote Kenyan Northern Frontier. It just has it all, from scenery to wildlife. It’s wild and epitomizes the hilly landscape so typical of the Frontier. The purity and vastness  of this African landscape combined with the untouched local culture make a safari to Samburu memorable.  The traditions and semi- nomadic heritage of the local Samburu people are an integral part of the experience.

You’ll find Elephant bedroom camp in Samburu National reserve. It’s a small intimate luxury camp set on the banks of river Ewaso Nyiro comprising of 14 spacious tents tastefully furnished in a rustic African style but still offering every comfort expected of a luxury safari camp. All facing the river, the tents are set on raised wooden deck each with a small plunge pool. Each tent has either one king-size double bed or twin queen-size beds as well as a sofa, coffee table and a dressing table. It’s private and has seating area outside and next to the plunge pool ideal for relaxing, game viewing and bird watching.

The lounge and dining area is decorated in a lively safari style. There is the soft intimate lighting that seems to assure one that this is just the place to relax in between what you’ll find to be very exciting game drives,some that will fill your Samburu trip with memoirs of a lifetime. The camps regular visitors are non other than my long nosed friends. Wildlife spotting opportunities in the camp are great. Watching from the comfort of the camp the comings and goings of the elephants was everything, more joy than my heart could contain.

This elegant oasis in the arid lands of samburu is the perfect choice for those interested in a glimpse of Kenyan history, as well as an authentic wildlife experience combined with the comfort of a luxury tented camp. The overall chic ambience at Elephant bedroom is unparalleled and is an ideal honeymoon camp for keen naturalists.

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The lounge and dining area

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The space is quite beautiful

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And the meals delicious

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The camp has been so aptly named. It has made me feel like i should share a few facts about elephants.

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I captured this buddy when he joined us for lunch. Did you that the ears of an Elephant can reach up to 5 feet long. When flapped, they act as big fans, cooling the blood that runs close to the surface behind their ears. This’s one way of cooling their bodies when it gets too hot. 

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Just the place to cool after game drives

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This is basically what the room looks like. There is the plunge pool and the seating space outside the tent.

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This was my favorite experience. Interesting enough at night they’d shake down fruits off the trees right next to the tents. During the day they’d roam around grazing. We caught this one right outside our tent. Just as humans are right or left-handed, elephants are also right or left tusked. They are known to use one tusk more than the other. This favored appendage is sometimes referred to as the ‘master tusk’ and often appears more worn just like we found on this bull. They’ll however sometimes break their tusks in fights.

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And this is how the interiors of the tent looks like.

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Elephants are incapable of jumping, but these massive mammals can run at a maximum speed of 40 km per hour. When moving at their fastest, they still keep at least one foot on the ground at all times. I find this quite interesting. 

The game drives like i mentioned are quite rewarding. See who we came across.

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There’s an easy way to tell the African elephants apart from their Asian cousins, their ears. African elephants have large ears shaped like the continent of Africa while Asian elephants ears are smaller and shaped like India😉

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This happened too lol. I know i promised a video but for some reason its not attaching.

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This girl will never get enough of the jumbos. They have such an incredible memory. Matriarchs will remember the trails and watering holes and how to navigate the seasons, all knowledge handed down by their ancestors for generations, and knowledge so vital for their survival. This’s one of the causes of human wildlife conflict. They communicate with a range of vocalizations, from low-frequency rumbles which humans can’t hear, to higher pitched screams and trumpets. Other elephants can hear these vocalizations as much as six miles away. This allows them to keep in touch when apart and also enables them to recognize if an elephant is a friend. If not, they gather together for protection.

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The one opportunity you can’t miss while in Samburu, the sun downer

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Aperitifs were provided for us

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The glorious moment

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Elephants can recognize themselves in mirrors unlike most animals who will assume that the reflection is another animal, and look for it behind the mirror. Amazing, right? Elephants also have highly developed brains, not to mention the largest in the entire animal kingdom. Their brain is 3 or 4 times larger than that of humans. They have a sixth sense as well. They may be able to detect a thunderstorm from 280km away, and will head towards it, looking for water. How cool is that? They often pay homage to the bones of their dead, gently touching their skulls and tusks with their trunks and feet. When an Elephant walks past a place where a loved one once died, it will stop in its tracks. This silent pause often lasts several minutes. You’ll also find a young one lying next to its slain mum by poachers. It’s s heart breaking to watch😢 and lastly if you’re on safari and see an Elephant lift its trunk in your direction, it’s probably smelling you. Elephants have terrible eyesight, but a very keen sense of smell.

 

Thank you for stopping by

 

Ray