Elephant Watch Safaris

Built from recycled timber and set on the Ewaso Nyiro river, this camp is both eco-friendly and romantic, with a dedication to education and wildlife conservation.

• Having sundowners in the evening by the light of hurricane lanterns
• The proximity to the river, with its abundant wildlife
• The combination of wilderness luxury and educational outreach
• The sense of remoteness, which can be missing from more tourist-crammed parts of the country

Founded by one of the co-authors of the ground-breaking book, Among the Elephants, this camp in northern Kenya represents the culmination of a lifelong love for wildlife and a passion to protect it. Iain Douglas-Hamilton, the renowned zoologist, wrote Among the Elephants with his wife Oria and now runs Save the Elephants, but it was Oria who determined to bring travelers in close contact with pachyderms.

The camp, located in the Samburu Reserve, takes only ten guests, who sleep in dreamy desert tents and often eat under trees, which are occupied by curious monkeys. Elephants are the focus of the camp, and sixty-six known family units spend time in the Samburu. Tribesmen lead walks along elephant paths and point out matriarchs and babies by name. The evening can be spent on a huge sofa, watching elephant documentaries starring the Douglas-Hamiltons (Iain and their daughter Saba have worked on BBC and National Geographic films.) However, lion, leopard, zebra, giraffe and other species inhabit the Samburu, which can be explored on game drives, escorted hikes or rafting trips when the river is high.

It’s an ideal experience for adventurous families and adults who want a special safari experience with a real educational component.