After several years, I’ve finally decided to repost a travel journal on the forum. We returned a few weeks ago from an incredible trip to Kenya, and it’s reignited my desire to share our emotions in the face of these animals.
Kenya wasn’t originally a priority for us in terms of safari—we had the impression it was too touristy. So, we started with other destinations: Namibia, Tanzania, Botswana, and South Africa. But as I did more research, especially on the forum (thanks in part to Sylvie’s many trips), I eventually convinced myself that Kenya could be magnificent, as long as we chose our itinerary carefully and avoided peak seasons.
We ended up going in January, from the 17th to the 31st. We worked with a travel agency (TP) that crafted a custom itinerary for us: Samburu-Ol Pejeta-Naivasha-Maji Moto-Maasai Mara-Diani. They partnered with a local French-speaking agency, and everything was perfectly organized. Our trip exceeded all our expectations, and none of it would’ve been as amazing without our guide, Alfred. He accompanied us for 10 days and was a fantastic travel companion—professional, respectful of the animals, and always in good spirits. We formed a great bond with him in such a short time.
- **January 17th** After meeting up with Juliette and Charlotte in Rennes the night before, we left at 4 AM for Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport. The thick fog made the drive pretty rough, but we arrived safely around 7:45 AM. A Blue Valet driver was waiting to take our car. Check-in went smoothly, and we waited patiently for our 10:40 AM flight. Unfortunately, despite boarding on time, a passenger was missing, and we had to find a replacement last minute. Then, another passenger who had checked in and dropped off their luggage wasn’t on the plane, so they had to unload their bags. After a long period of uncertainty and spotty communication from the crew, we finally took off over an hour late.
We arrived in Nairobi in the late afternoon, 45 minutes behind schedule. The administrative formalities were endless—it took nearly 1.5 hours from landing to leaving the airport with our luggage. When we stepped out, Alfred, our guide, was waiting with a big smile and drove us to the Eka Hotel, not far from the airport. Exhausted from the long journey, we fell asleep quickly.
- **January 18th** Alfred met us at 7 AM for a long drive to Samburu Reserve. We had a peaceful night, unlike the girls, who barely slept because their neighbors were talking loudly all night. Things even escalated when Charlotte started shouting insults to get them to quiet down, but it didn’t work.
It was Sunday, so traffic around Nairobi and along the route was light. Aside from a quick "technical stop," we drove straight through and arrived in Samburu after just under 6 hours. Because of the lower altitude (around 1,000m on average), it was hot—over 30°C in mid-January.
As soon as we entered the reserve, we spotted some impalas and quickly came across one of the region’s endemic species: the reticulated giraffe, which is absolutely stunning.
While heading to our camp for lunch, Alfred crossed paths with another vehicle and learned that a leopard was nearby. We started searching, and a few minutes later, Anny spotted a shape in a tree—it was our leopard!
There were actually two of them—a mother and her adolescent. The young one was perched high in the tree, in the shade. We got to observe them for a good half-hour in excellent conditions, with just one other vehicle nearby.
Alfred also noticed that the mother had hidden prey (a gerenuk gazelle) in the vegetation, away from prying eyes.
It was time to head to our camp, the Ashnil Samburu Camp, located in the Buffalo Springs area, by the river, in an idyllic setting surrounded by the region’s typical vegetation.
The welcome was fantastic—we immediately felt at home, and that feeling lasted throughout our 3-day stay in the reserve. It was 2 PM, but no one rushed us to the table. Our waitress, Sheila, who took care of us the whole time, was as lovely as the rest of the team. Barely seated, we were invited to watch an elephant passing right by the camp, in front of the restaurant. This trip was off to a great start!
After lunch, we relaxed by the pool. Monkeys, especially vervets, were everywhere, and a camp employee was assigned to keep an eye on them and shoo them away if needed (especially the baboons).
A little before 4 PM, we met up with Alfred for our first game drive. Just outside the camp, a few elephants were in the valley near the river.
We’d see them in the same area almost every day. We also spotted some gazelles.
We get to witness incredible scenes for 2 hours: climbing up and down the tree,
constant changes of position,
and then a surprise—a third leopard, a young one, appears in the vegetation.
But the highlight of the show is when the mother leopard starts pulling her prey out from where she’d hidden it. We see her looking up at the top of the tree, a sign she’s about to haul it back up.
Then the unbelievable happens: while the weather is calm and sunny, suddenly a whirlwind of dust kicks up—and of course, that’s the exact moment the leopard chooses to climb with its prey. It even has to try twice.
Of course, the photos didn’t turn out great (especially since we were shooting against the light), but it gave the scene an incredible atmosphere with a sort of blurry black-and-white effect that really stuck with us.
After these unforgettable moments with the three leopards, we head back to camp, completely enchanted. On the way back, we catch a quick glimpse of a hyena but can’t get a photo.
As every evening, we enjoy a little aperitif before dinner. One of the staff members (who wears two hats—he’s also in charge of keeping an eye on the monkeys in camp) livens up dinner by singing pop classics on his guitar. The meal, like always, is truly excellent, with quite a few dishes influenced by Indian cuisine.
Grevy’s zebras, stunning with their tighter stripes than other zebra varieties;
and the Beisa oryx, a bit less colorful than the one we saw in Namibia.
We also came across a small group of elephants, magnificent in the early morning light.
Alfred told us that lions had been spotted nearby, and we quickly set off to find them. We didn’t have to wait long—several vehicles were already there. It was a family with one male,
and one female with several cubs,
who were playfully enjoying themselves, making for some incredible scenes.
The male and female were clearly in their "honeymoon phase"—they treated us to a quick mating session, though the vegetation mostly hid the view.
After spending some time watching the lions, we continued on our way.
Grant’s gazelles
and once again, reticulated giraffes, which are truly magnificent, and we never get tired of seeing them in the stunning landscapes of Buffalo Springs.
Later in the morning, as we head back to camp, we spot a vehicle stopped near a tree. We discover one of the young leopards, which moves fairly quickly
and climbs down from the tree,
creating another breathtaking scene. It disappears into the vegetation in no time.
After a busy morning, we return to camp around 11:30 AM, just in time for Charlotte and then Juliette to get a massage from the camp’s dedicated masseuse. The midday break, especially by the pool, is much appreciated after all that time spent in the vehicle. We take the opportunity to photograph and film the many vervet families wandering near the tents, who treat us to hilarious grimaces.
After spending some time photographing the vervets, we also set up our camera trap against a tree. When we return to France, it’ll show us that besides the monkeys (vervets and baboons), there are animals only visible at night, like a porcupine that passed right by our tent.
The afternoon meet-up is again set for 4 PM with Alfred for the afternoon game drive. Once more, the elephants are near the camp, and this time, we can observe them very closely, including a tiny one.
We return to the spot where we saw the lions this morning. Just a few dozen meters away, vehicles are stopped, and we spot the couple from this morning, still enjoying their honeymoon, hidden in the bushes. Between two quick romps, they stay lying down and are barely visible from the track, so we decide to move on.
The wildlife isn’t as abundant as in other reserves, but the interesting scenes keep coming—with kob antelopes,
zebras,
and giraffes.
Alfred searches for leopards along the river, but his hunt turns up empty.
As the sun nears the horizon, we come across a huge group of about forty giraffes. We’d never seen such a large herd on any of our previous trips. The lighting isn’t great for photos, but the scene is stunning.
Finally, on the way back, we spot some of the lions we saw this morning (just the young ones, since the parents are still busy frolicking). They’re not very active,
and little by little, the vehicles leave the area, especially as night is about to fall. As we start heading back to camp, one of the lions moves and stands up, heading toward another. We backtrack and get to witness a sweet moment between the two lions.
In the evening at camp, we start getting to know our bartender, Murubi, better. Behind his somewhat reserved demeanor, he’s really friendly and has a great sense of humor. No songs at dinner tonight, but the food is still excellent.
Pretty quickly, we come across another vehicle stopped near a tree. We figure it must be a leopard, and sure enough, one of the two young leopards is in the tree with perfect exposure and lighting for photos. Even better, it moves around on the branch, giving us the chance to snap some shots.
Aside from this great start, the morning’s sightings are generally fewer, except for a few gazelles
and oryxes,
and our attempts to find a cheetah turn out to be unsuccessful.
Mid-morning, we stop by the reserve’s hot springs for breakfast. It was about time for Juliette, who’s been having serious digestive issues with Malarone, even though we take it with meals and probiotics.
We continue on our way back to camp. It’s already 11 AM, and we think our morning safari is over, but Alfred’s motivation and tenacity surprise us—he announces there are elephants nearby, once again close to the river. This place is truly magical and teeming with wildlife, including ostriches,
oryxes, giraffes, a group of baboons heading toward the camp
and finally, the famous elephants. Two male elephants engage in an impressive fight before one of them gives up.
It’s almost noon when we arrive at the camp, and Anny makes it just in time for her massage, which she booked the day before after hearing the girls rave about the masseuse’s skills. Meanwhile, we hang out by the pool, which has gone back to its normal color—yesterday it was a pretty uninviting green for a swim. Just before our afternoon safari, we spot a gorgeous lizard near our tents, and it’s happy to pose for photos.
As I rush to grab my camera, I forget to close the tent door in my hurry. Suddenly, I hear Juliette scream—a vervet monkey took the opportunity to sneak inside, but it bolts right back out, probably scared off by Anny, who was still in the tent.
At 4 PM, we head out for another game drive, the last one at Buffalo Springs. Alfred tells us there’s a surprise planned for the end of the day, with a sundowner in the wild.
Right after we leave, we return to the area where we saw the elephants earlier in the morning. A new group, this time with little ones, is about to cross the river toward us, and we have the whole scene to ourselves for what feels like ages.
At the end of the day, Alfred takes us to the top of a hill overlooking the entire reserve—a perfect spot for an aperitif and watching the sunset.
We absolutely love these moments of sharing, far from everything. The Siri Ya Kenya agency surprised us with a little gift bag containing souvenirs and a bottle of sparkling wine to enjoy with our aperitif. Even after being jostled all afternoon, the bottle opened without a hitch and without spraying everyone.
We spend some time savoring the moment, chatting with Alfred about various topics.
It’s a bit disappointing, but we didn’t expect much either.
After the visit, we head to our camp, Sweetwaters Serena Camp. Along the way, we spot buffaloes,
cobes,
zebras,
bubals
and our first hyena.
The landscape doesn’t quite compare to Samburu, but for a start, it’s still pretty great!
The camp tents are really spacious
and overlook a watering hole where different animals come to drink.
At lunch, our server notices Charlotte’s tattoo of four elephants on her arm and jokes with her about it. The vibe here is just as friendly, and that feeling sticks with us throughout the whole trip.
Apart from those rhinos, the reserve is actually quite rich, and we spot zebras one after another,
antelopes,
buffaloes, and a few birds: a Kori bustard
and a magnificent crane at the end of the day.
After watching a stunning sunset,
we head back to camp once night has fallen. A few hyenas are lurking around. In the evening, the outside temperature here is quite chilly (probably just over 10 degrees), since the park reaches nearly 1,900 meters in altitude.
The camp staff even comes by a little before dinner to put hot water bottles in our beds—something we really appreciate at bedtime. During dinner, we meet a French woman who’s a regular in Kenya and is traveling with a former Kenyan guide. She shows us photos of a lioness on a branch with her cubs, spotted that morning in the reserve. What luck!
The lake is teeming with birds, and we get to spot several different species: herons,
cormorants,
kingfishers.
The highlight is feeding the fish eagles—we try to snap photos of them mid-flight with their prey. It’s no easy feat with a bulky zoom lens, but we eventually manage a few decent shots.
Next, we head to Crescent Island, the filming location for part of *Out of Africa*, where we can walk freely among wild animals.
giraffes,
gazelles,
and gnus (these are the first ones we’ve seen on the trip).
At the end of the island, we find a large group of pelicans—always so photogenic.
It’s time to head back and take the boat again.
On the way back, we end up helping two fishermen who are fishing partly submerged near dead trees. Surrounded by hippos, they can’t make it back to dry land.
It’s an extremely dangerous activity (but unfortunately necessary), and accidents are very common due to the hippos’ aggressiveness and the fact that most of these young men don’t know how to swim. Just a few days before we arrived, several fishermen died in the area.
Once we’re back on dry land and in the car, we come across a hippo that’s also decided to come out of the water...
At dinner, unlike lunch, we’re practically alone. All the tables are marked as reserved, but in reality, they’re all empty, and it feels really strange to be almost the only tourists in the hotel. In theory, there was supposed to be a "surprise" for Charlotte’s birthday, but by the end of the meal, nothing happens, and we head back to the room a little disappointed.
Not a great surprise: plastic water bottles are banned, so we have to buy a large water bottle since we didn’t bring the reusable ones we’ve been using since the start of the trip. The beginning of the hike is pretty easy for just over a kilometer. The real challenge starts after that—first with some pretty high steps that aren’t easy for the little ones, then the slope gets steeper and steeper, especially since the altitude is making our hearts work harder. Still, the trail is wide enough, and we don’t run into any major issues reaching the edge of the volcano, which tops out at just over 2,500m.
Alfred suggests going all the way to the summit, which means even more hiking. We agree and start following the edge of the volcano.
At first, it looks close, but it’s actually endless, and the last steep section gets the better of Anny, who decides to turn back while we keep going—her energy is starting to fade. We finally reach the summit at 2,780m, thrilled to have made it even if it’s not exactly a huge achievement.
On the way back,
Alfred starts showing signs of struggle—his feet are really hurting, probably because his shoes aren’t up for the job. We meet up with Anny at the 2,500m mark and immediately start descending toward our starting point. Alfred’s condition doesn’t improve, and he’s in more and more pain, to the point where he can’t keep up with Anny and me (Juliette and Charlotte had already gone ahead). Our legs are starting to feel like lead, and we don’t wait for him (not very nice of us!), our only thought being to sit down and drink some water. After just over 4 hours, we finally make it back, wrapping up this amazing hike that was a great break in an otherwise not-so-active trip.
We head back to our hotel and spend the rest of the day by the pool, having given up on going to Hell’s Gate, where we’d maybe thought about renting bikes. Like at dinner the night before, we’re the only ones enjoying the pool.
how they hunt... He’s really fascinating, and his English is easy to understand. We visit a small village (actually just a few huts)
and step inside one of the huts—it’s cramped and shows just how tough living conditions are.
We continue our walk through the breathtaking landscapes around us
and end up at the bottom of the hill, near the main village, where there are hot springs where women and children come to collect water.
The kids aren’t too keen on having their photos taken but crack up when we show them the pictures afterward.
followed by traditional dances and songs—really impressive.
Even though it’s a tourist camp, none of this feels overdone—it’s all very natural. Nothing like other experiences, like with the Nimbas in Namibia, where we didn’t feel at ease. Just before dinner, as night fell, the Maasai from the camp lit a fire the traditional way, without matches. Not easy, since a few raindrops (the first of the trip) started falling.
One of the Maasai told stories, and it continued with another performance of dances and songs.
Another amazing day comes to an end.
