Elephant Watch Camp in Samburu
National Park, Kenya was founded by two elephant animal activists,
Kenyan-born (Italian / French heritage) Oria Douglas-Hamilton and her
Scottish-born husband Ian. The couple have been instrumental in
stopping much of the poaching of these beloved creatures over the last
two decades— Ian established the Save the Elephants
organization and they’ve co-authored two books about: Among
the Elephants and Battle for the Elephants. So,
it’s not surprise that everyone who works at their camp is pretty
much an elephant expert—in fact, the rapport between the staff and
the gentle giants is so strong that they are all able to refer to many
of the elephants by a given name. All of this makes Elephant Watch
camp the only place to stay in the park if you want to get up
close and personal with these pachyderms safely.
Accommodations at Elephant Watch CampThe place truly embraces a low impact, ecological philosophy. The camp— made from canvas, reclaimed wood and clay— can be broken down in a day, if necessary. The furniture is built from branches and logs that were knocked down by the elephants or left from flash floods, and the Italo-Afro bush gourmet fare is all made from ingredients grown on their organic farm. Though the philosophy might be lo-fi, the service is decidedly deluxe. You’ll have your own personal butler who will brew your coffee in the mornings and mix your gin-and-tonics at sunset.
Photo: David Bebber
