Camel Safaris
A camel safari offers a deep and spiritual connection with the landscape, the elegant desert animal leading you on an adventure across wild and remote plains. Most commonly experienced in northern Kenya, this is a chance to evoke the true meaning of the Swahili word safari, which translates into English as journey.
The history.
Think about an African camel adventure and the mind immediately jumps to the Sahara Desert, perhaps the sand dunes of Morocco. However, some of northern Kenya's semi-nomadic people have always kept camels and you can immediately sense the intimate relationship between tribesmen and their animals. For thousands of years, tribes like the Samburu have used camels to transport their camps across wild untouched landscapes. We love how a camel safari remains true to this tradition and creates your own journey through the wilderness.
What does this type of safari entail?
The most immersive options are multi-day camel and walking safaris, with the camels carrying the camp and local trackers leading you across some of East Africa's most untouched landscapes. Much like the journeys of old, you follow the animal tracks and set up camp in the heart of a wild terrain, opening all your senses to the extraordinary beauty of the landscape.
Rather than merely spotting wildlife you connect with nature by riding these beautiful animals. Avoiding the big cats, the tribesmen help to create charming memories as you encounter a whole array of antelopes and herbivores. Even large animals like elephant, buffalo and giraffe may be seen.
Where to go.
Destinations with a sense of space are where a camel safari is best and we've had some wonderful experiences in the Laikipia conservancies, as well as the area around Samburu National Reserve. Shorter morning or afternoon camel safaris are possible and usually have you in the saddle, riding across the dry riverbeds of northern Kenya and escaping the constraints of a vehicle. There are also a couple of places in Tanzania where a camel safari is possible but these great animals aren't naturally found in Southern Africa, so they're not used to exploring the deserts of Namibia or Botswana.
These safaris take you where cars can't go and we think you will love the calm that this brings. It's a special experience; hearing each echoed call, breathing in the rustic smells of the red earth, and following the prints across the dust.