Samburu National Park, Elephant Bedroom Camp, Kenya 2025

 

After arriving in Nairobi the day before we headed out early to our first camp- the Elephant Bedroom Camp in Samburu National Park. I knew this would be a rough day. I usually build in a couple days of low key activities in a house where we control food and activity after a long haul flight to help with jet lag. But given the location and nature of this trip, we set straight out after less than a day in this time zone 9 hours ahead of ours (eek!). The big kids felt this hard and were really struggling the first couple days. Ollie got pretty sick on the bush flight and the first order of business upon arrival to the airstrip was an outhouse clean up- clothes unsalvageable. Ollie was an incredible trooper with no complaints when he then had to get in the safari car to get to camp.

Plunge pool on our porch

We were advised during our camp talk that the elephants would come right up to our tent and want to drink from our deck plunge pool. Sure enough, day 1, we are hanging out in the plunge pool and here comes Obama, slowly making his way to us. His friend soon followed and we had TWO HUGE elephants within 20 feet of us while in our tent and on the deck. Absolutely amazing. We had to quickly jump out of the plunge pool to give them their space. How glorious to be able to not just see but also SMELL and HEAR the elephants as they scratched their backs on the trees next to our tent!

Another plunge attempt

No zoom needed

Leopard

Adam was kind enough to stay back with a recovering Ollie while Z, F and I did the evening game drive. We were in incredibly close proximity to a leopard. Incredible! Our driver knew just which direction to go to get us right next the the leopard. The animals here are completely unbothered by humans- they have had multiple generations of freedom from poaching so they don't have fear. In a place like Kenya this is great because we expect this conservation to continue. Bedan was a fantastic guide. So professional, so confident, but also totally flexible to the needs of our kids as they arose.

Day 2 Safari

Elephant Bedroom Camp, Samburu National Park

Secretary bird

The 5:30 AM game drive wake up call was very hard for the bigs esp for Ollie who had been up since midnight only to fall back asleep at 4 am. He has so much trouble with jet lag. They rallied and enjoyed an incredible sunrise sponsored by giraffes, as well as onyx, gerenuk, secretary bird, gazelles and an African porcupine as highlights!

One monkey

Then the big kids had morning quiet time while Fynnie slept and I watched the monkeys- all the monkeys- just 5 feet from our tent! So close I have few pics because I watched from inside the tent as they were on the walls the ceiling and the porch. Amazing just amazing.

Two monkeys

Lunch which is served outdoors in the animals territory was awesomely interrupted by an elephant on the move- we all had to leave our plates behind and head to the deck as Obama made his way through the camp. Just incredible

Lunch intermission

Baboons!

Then at the end of lunch I see a large furry looking primate across the river. Ran over to look closer- it was a riverbank baboon parade!! 200 baboons- males, females, kids, babies all running along, stopping to drink, stoping to groom each other. Babies riding on backs. It was amazing! They just kept coming! Fynn built a sand house with one of the camp staff who just clearly LOVED children. They had a little play session nearly every meal:)

Eating among the wildlife

The bigs were just dying of exhaustion at this point and unable to nap until the afternoon game drive where they both fell asleep but not before Z saw her zebras! Yea! And a jackal which was cool.

While the bigs and Adam rested Fynnie and I happily attended riverside sunset happy hour with the other camp guests and I chatted while Fynnie played with rocks in the dirt. It was glorious.

F nursing on the go

I’ll take this chance to once again pitch family adventure travel. For some reason I don’t understand, families wait “until kids are older” or “the right age”, whatever that is. The right time is now. The right age is now. Now is literally all we have. Pragmatically speaking, Fynnie was the easiest child on the first few days of this trip. He adjusted easily to jet lag, he was most go with the flow on food (his new favorite is papadum and Camembert) , he loved everything about the game drives and has had no trouble being quiet when needed. He’s not yet 3. Nursing helps - he sleeps and has comfort whenever needed. He did great!

At our camp

Safari Day 3

Elephant Bedroom Camp, Samburu National Park

Cheetah family

I knew the bigs needed sleep more than anything and Adam was kindly willing to stay back with them so Fynnie and I did our AM game drive with our guide, Bedan. We had AMAZING solo time with a family of cheetahs who were hunting. We later connected with them with our full family and saw them enjoy a dik dik (tiny antelope like creature) kill. Check out the red on the cheetah’s face.

We spent much of the day around our lovely tent, playing cards, coloring, reading, playing in the plunge pool, animal watching and the bigs had a spontaneous Kenyan bush math jam session - Z doing square roots and making math fact questions for Ollie

On the afternoon game drive Fynnie and Ollie napped a bit, Z enjoyed up close zebra and then all were awakened for the elephant, warthog, zebra, ostrich spectacle followed by ADAM spotting a lion who hunted the warthogs but just missed. OMG it was amazing to see!!!

I hear people say game drives are expensive naps for kids. And yeah all 3 kids have napped on a drive or 2 or 3. But I haven’t. I’ve gotten to see all the sights. And kids need naps no matter where they are (and food, and downtime etc etc). So why the hell not do it in Africa? Kids need to eat, sleep, have quiet play time, have run around time and have quality parent time always. Why not do these things in wonderful environments like on safari?? I know we all have limitations, and I am so so grateful that I can afford these amazing adventures. But frankly I know many people who also can but chose not to because it seems hard with kids. Hard is never a good reason not do something. Aren’t nearly all things worth doing, hard? What’s harder? A Saturday witching hour game drive (LIONS, ZEBRAS, ELEPHANTS) or witching hour at home with kids? Really, it’s just parenting but way way cooler.

Giraffe sunrise