Saruni Sambur - Truly a world away
Final edition of the News of the World - Sunday July 10th 201
The jeep had been following the course of the Ewaso Ng'iro river for barely ten minutes, it's waters reduced to no more than a slow-moving slop of coffee-brown mud by a two year lack of rain. Joseph, the youngest of my two Samburu guides touched his partner Sumoro lightly on the arm and the vehicle stopped. With the slightest of movements Joseph pointed high into the lush canopy of a sausage tree, "leopard" he whispered.
In five years of safaris in Kenya I had never once been lucky enough to spot an elusive leopard in the wild. I had heard them cough in the distance at night and seen their tracks in the red sand but that was as close as I got; until now.
My two guides, dressed in the bright red robes of Samburu warriors, stared into the thick greenery of the tree and whispered in their own language. But where was the leopard? In the tree's thick branches the light played in spots of yellow, gold and brown, but no leopard. Sumoro turned to me, "on the long branch, he is resting," he said. I followed his pointed finger along the length of the branch, still seeing nothing more than specks of coloured light, until they moved almost invisibly.
The leopard hung draped across the branch, smaller than I had imagined, but still bearing the power and regal presence of a predator at home in the wild. He licked his lips with a long red tongue then stretched his jaws wide into a yawn, exposing a set of dagger-like teeth. My excitement must have been apparent, Joseph and Sumuro smiled flashing their own white teeth. I wanted to say something but all I could manage was a stupid, "how did you spot him Joseph?" Joseph just shrugged his shoulders as if to say "how could I miss him?" This was his country, his home and he knew it like I know every corner and turn of my own home town.
Throughout the drive back to my lodge, the exclusive Saruni Samburu Lodge located high on a spectacular viewpoint above the 95,000 hectare Kalama conservancy, my face was creased into a ridiculous smile. Sumuro and Joseph pointed to gerenuk – long necked antelope who stand on hind legs feeding from the tastiest leaves the sparse bush has to offer – Grevy's zebra, Beisa oryx with their sweeping, sharply pointed horns and distinctive black and white markings, reticulated giraffe, blue legged Somali ostrich and small herds of rust-red elephants as they crunched their way through the brittle undergrowth. Dik Dik, tiny antelope not much bigger than a house cat, skittered beneath bushes away from the approaching vehicle and flocks of helmeted and vulturine Guinea fowl ran for cover calling loudly. The Kalama conservancy, despite the severe drought, was bursting with wildlife. But for me, my mind was overcome by the sight of that one leopard and the immense knowledge of my guides.
The tastefully designed and elegant villas of the Saruni Samburu Lodge hunch low on the summit of a gently rounded hilltop, barely causing a blemish on the magnificent countryside of Samburuland. Far south, across the valley floor, the jagged peaks of Mount Kenya make a breathtaking morning view from the open plan terrace of the luxuriously appointed villas. To the west Ol Ololongwe, the flat-topped mountain so sacred to the Samburu people, stands draped in a table-cloth of white cloud drawing the eye like a magical Merlin's castle.
At Saruni unlike many other Kenyan lodges, the morning views and the clear Kenyan air are undisturbed by hordes of guests vying to be first up to view the abundant wildlife. In the lodges – four artfully decorated villas – the numbers are limited to a maximum of twelve guests, giving each guest the feeling of being a very welcome visitor in wealthy relative's private hideaway.
Whether relaxing in the spa or sitting by the pool, sipping cocktails and watching the movements of the herds of elephant drinking from the water-hole below, or dining al-fresco from an ever-changing and imaginative menu, the guest to Saruni can be forgiven for thinking that this is how life is meant to be lived. Every delicious meal, which are taken in the company of the lodge's other guests at a communal table and served by unfaltering, gracious waiters dressed in tribal costume, is a delight. Talk amongst the guests invariably tends to focus on the beauty of Samburuland and the abundance of wildlife to be viewed and photographed.
Chala Smith, the lodges welcoming manager, is hugely proud of her home country and shares this pride with both passion and compassion. For her and her professional team at Saruni Samburu no desire is too much and every effort is made to accommodate even the most discerning tastes.
For me, my wish was simple. I had always wanted to experience the pleasures of a morning walking safari, away from the noise of vehicle engines and the lines of jeeps and vans which cross Kenya's other parks. The wish was easily granted and in the company of Samuru, Joseph and an armed ranger from the Kenyan Wildlife Service (KWS) we set out on foot as the Sun had barely risen above the mountains.
The first port-of-call was a visit to a sacred cave used by the Samburu for their traditional rites-of-passage over many centuries. The cave was small, no more than an overhang on the rocky hillside, but was adorned with paintings of animals, people and other magical symbols long forgotten in the mists of time. On the floor lay fire sticks and tinder-dry elephant dung, ready to warm and welcome any visitor with the same hospitality as is shown in the nearby lodge.
Out on the arid plains Samuru and Joseph pointed to barely visible marks in the sand. "Leopard," they said, "he is being followed by a striped hyena". To my untrained eye the tracks were no more than scratches in the dry earth. They also pointed to large, round, scuff marks where elephants had crossed the trail, the heart shaped tracks of a greater kudu, the tiny cat-like paw prints of a caracal and many other of the reserve's inhabitants. Their knowledge of their land was immense and it was became clear to me that the land was as much a part of them as they were of the land.
Later that evening after sunset, and just when I thought the Saruni Samburu had shown me everything it had to offer, another surprise lay in wait. I was driven through the darkened bush – hares, dik dik and other nocturnal creatures darting through the jeeps headlights – towards a pin-prick of light in the distance. The speck of light grew in size until finally I alighted at a clearing where a blazing bonfire sent sparks high into the night sky to join the million stars already sparkling there. Beneath a flat-topped acacia tree a table was set for dinner surrounded by a circle of flickering candles. The setting was spectacular, the company animated and once again the Saruni food and attention to detail a miracle.
After dinner as I and the other guests sat around the fire swapping games and stories the sound of singing could be heard in the distance. The singing grew louder and louder until finally a large group of Samburu warriors and young Samburu girls, dressed in traditional dress, entered the clearing singing and dancing, enacting a scene from my imagination. As I watched the graceful leaping dances of the young warriors, their hair braided and reddened by ochre, and listened to songs that had been sung for centuries on these very plains I was moved emotionally. I had imagined a scene such as this since boyhood and now that I was in its midst I had no words and still have no words to convey its effect.
Yes the Saruni Samburu is a little more expensive than many of the other Kenyan destinations, and yes it is remote but how often in life do we get the chance to experience real magic in a place that is truly a world away.
BOOKINGS
Direct bookings for Saruni Samburu can be made through
Riccardo Orizio
Email: riccardo@sarunicamp.com
Tel: +254 734 764616 / +254 710 842000 or any of the company websites: www.sarunicamp.com - www.sarunisamburu.com - www.saruniwild.com
Bookings may also be made through the company's reputable
agents Cheli and Peacock: Tel: +254 (0)20 600 4053/54 - +254 (0)733 490 234.
Email: safaris@chelipeacock.co.ke or on their website www.chelipeacock.com
The author travelled with British Airways
www.britishairways.com