Safari Diary

Here you can read about two different safari experiences with us: a complete one week safari, and among lions, a unique safari experience where you will join MWCT lion monitoring program. Read on Trip Advisor about what other guests have experienced while staying at Campi ya Kanzi.

These are two stories from guests, which we find have captured our true essence.

ON SAFARI - A DAY AT CYK

There are no words to adequately describe the feeling of watching the morning's first rays of sun reach out to embrace the green oasis of the Chyulu Hills. I can see them from the deck of my tent as I sip my morning tea and nibble on ginger cookies. There is a freshness to the morning here that gives one the feeling that nothing else in the world really matters - at least not today. Today is a day to breathe in the inspiration and the wonder that is Africa. Today is a day to learn the ways of the Maasai. Today I will share my day with the animals of the great plains. Today is all that matters.

After a delicious breakfast in the company of new friends, I set off with Matasha, my Maasai guide, by Landrover in the direction of the Chyulu Hills. We see zebras, hartebeasts, and giraffes among many others during our transit. The giraffes appear to be running in slow motion, yet they cover a great deal of ground with grace. I watch the clouds skim the top of the hills as we approach - the green treetops swaying in the morning breeze. We park and begin our climb into the cloud forest. Along the way, Matasha shows me how to make a tooth brush out of the branch of a native bush. The cloud forest is such a striking contrast to the African plains several thousand feet below. Plenty of water and shades of green - it seems we have entered the Amazon jungle. Strangler trees stretch towards the sky as sun rays struggle through the thick canopy to reach the moist earth. We emerge from the forest at the top of the hill to the reward of an amazing panoramic view of the plains and valleys below. Surrounded by silence and serenity, all that can be heard is the wind as it moves through the trees and the tall grass on the hillside. No cars, no cellphones, no people...it is another world...a wonderful world.

We make our way down and return to the camp for lunch. Delicious Italian delicacies in the middle of Africa - very special. After some time to relax and freshen up, we are off for an afternoon game drive. One of the magical things about Campi Ya Kanzi is the ability to do both game drives as well as walking safaris. Today we drove to the Maasai village, viewing game along the way. Thompson's gazelles dance in our path as we make our way to the village. A pair of warthogs shuffles by as we stop to view lion tracks crossing the road.

In the village, we are welcomed like old friends and treated to a song by the children. I feel like an honored guest as one family invites us to tour their bomba. We buy some local handicrafts and then pay visits to the school and the medical clinic - both made possible by the Maasai WIlderness Conservation Trust. We leave the village, and as the sun begins to dip below the horizon, we stop at a rocky outlook to enjoy a tremendous view and a glass of Italian wine.

Back at CYK, after a hot shower, we gather at Tembo House for dinner. The house is aglow with the soft light of kerosene lanterns. A roaring fire in the hearth and a campfire outside on the veranda - could there be a more romantic, more inspiring setting? We hear tales of Luca's courtship of Antonella as we enjoy course after course of Italian delicacies, and all present decide that she is, indeed, a saint (and Luca is lucky to have her!). Some after dinner tea and coffee accompanied by quiet conversation, then it is off to bed to fall asleep to the sounds of the African night. A peaceful sleep. A magical place. Can I do it all again tomorrow...please?

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Incredible. Amazing. Enchanting. Campi Ya Kanzis brochure calls this Real Africa. I would offer that what it really is, is Authentic Africa- the Africa you dream about when you close your eyes 10,000 miles away and visualize it. A wise philosopher once said that man is not searching for meaning; he is searching for experience. I wholeheartedly agree. Today, so many are willing to accept the prefabricated notion of an experience, neatly packaged and conveniently delivered. No risk, no real reward - marginally better than photoshopping yourself into pictures of far away places and landmarks. Campi Ya Kanzi is one of those increasingly rare places that still provides the type of authentic experience our souls crave, which seeks to satisfy the compulsion to see what lays out beyond the horizon.

This is not the drive-through-zoo of the national parks. Here it is not, lets go see the lions. Its lets go see if we can *find* the lions. Real Maasai trackers with you, often on foot outside of the car, searching the ground for animal tracks to follow. There is a genuine sense of adventure. You simply do not know what you are going to find when you leave the comfort of the camp. The thrill of the hunt that will appeal to the true adventure seeker, the romantic and the poet. This is not for everyone- and at 16 guest maximum capacity, it is not supposed to be. If you seek an authentic experience in exotic lands in the tradition of bygone days...when the journey tested you and the experience validated you and your connection to all things...and in the process you learned more about yourself...this is a place for you.