Of course the true spirit of Shompole is the safari experience that awaits beyond camp. It is an incredible place to see the animals in their own habitat - at the edge of a 138-thousand acre conservation area teeming with game.
The “BIG FIVE” African animals that are on everyones wish list are the LION, ELEPHANT, BUFFALO, LEOPARD and RHINO - and I always add CHEETAH to that list because I am fascinated by their unsurpassed speed, always on the lookout for their sleek frame and spotted fur.
In the NGUTUMAN ESCARPMENT there are no elephants, but you can potentially see all the other big mammals like zebra, giraffe and buffalo as well as dik-dik and impala and the ever-present, hilarious warthogs.
Early morning drives start at about 6:00 am as that is the most magical time when the sun is rising and the animals begin their day. After breakfast and a leisurely day around your private pool, you depart again at 4pm for the afternoon game drive.
A safari Land Rover make you feel like an intrepid explorer: they are customised with canvas sunshades, elevated seats and low side panels. There are cushioned bench seats, an open storage area where you can store your camera and binoculars, and blankets to make the ride a little softer.
We were not on the main GREAT MIGRATION corridor. This we would experience a few days later in the MASAI MARA and SERENGETI, but still we saw incredible game here. There were lots of animals like hyenas and wild dogs, and this was the first time ever on safari that we saw lions on every game drive over a remarkable 3 days.
One beautiful, early morning we hit the jackpot! We had just set off, silhouetted against a blazing ball of amazing African sun, when we came across a large pride of lions: 3 mothers, and 8 cubs and a majestic alpha male keeping a slight distance away.
One of the lionesses came out to hunt. We shadowed her for an hour and a half watching her chase a couple of antelope and zebra, but because she was hunting by herself was it was very difficult, other animals had spotted her and sent out danger calls. The tension kept us on edge until she moved close to a waterhole and positioned herself, crouching low on the ground.
The lioness studied a herd of wildebeest and immediately pounced on one that was standing slightly alone. She spent the next 30 minutes suffocating the animal by wrapping her mouth over its snout –she then dragged the wildebeest to a nearby bush, and then settled herself down for a well deserved rest.
We had never seen a kill on safari before – and they are rare, so we have captured it all on film for you (See our VIDEO). On our return to this same spot later that day, we watched her feed her cubs. AWESOME !!!
We felt very privileged to have been able to see this pride of lions and the ritual of a kill as rare as they are.
Because the Shompole Conservancy is on tribal land and the camp is a group venture created with the involvement and cooperation of the famously colourful MASAI people, a visit here is also a wonderful opportunity for a raw, indigenous experience.
The local Masai people are integrally involved in the property: many of the men are guards and some of the Masai work in the kitchen and dining room or even housekeeping. The women in the nearby villages are incredibly engaging, happy people who adore children and we just loved spending time with them.
The midday downtime between game drives was a perfect opportunity to see more of the Masai in their own environment - and take Sheira and Zoe on a raw, truly indigenous shopping experience. Our wonderful guide, Sammy arranged for us to visit the neighbouring village to buy some jewellery that the local women make.
We drove along a dirt road for 20 minutes and as soon as we stopped at the village. Local Masai started appearing from their homes and huts. It was a great opportunity for them to sell their wares.
The people looked amazingly decorative: mothers were wrapped in beautiful bold graphic sarong prints draped over one shoulder with big beaded ten-strand necklaces - which they were literally unclasping on the spot to sell! The children with their open, excited faces and warm uninhibited friendliness was so heart warming…it was impossible not to want to buy from all of them!
Sheira bought US$200 worth of jewellery, even though she did have trouble deciding who to buy from! The children were delighted by Zoe, who was mutually fascinated, but we needed to catch our breath, so we headed back to the Land Rover. On our way back to Shompole, we saw two young sisters, who were about 8 and 10, herding goats in the bush. They were spellbinding in their traditional Masai dresses and beads, and were so happy for us to take photos of them with Zoe (US$20 also helped).
Clearly the animals and indigenous people here have found a way to co-exist. Humans live in harmony with the land here; some of the local men showed me how to brush your teeth in the bush, Masai style. They peel the outside layer of a particular branch they snap off a tree, suck out the juice then polish their teeth with the fibre - and I have never seen whiter smiles!
I made a wonderful connection with one of the Masai warriors who ran with me (see THE MORNING RUN), by the name of Ngwaru. It was a real bonding experience running together, and he invited us to visit his home and meet his family. Sammy arranged for Sheira and myself to be dressed in traditional Masai clothing and jewellery, to truly get a sense of the color and wonder of these people in their own landscape.
Ngwaru was waiting with his family at the entrance of his home, to welcome us. He lives there with his mother, father, brother and three wives and his brothers 3 wives - and countless children running around.
The Masai have a long tradition as cattle and goat herders. They are beautiful looking people, so flamboyantly dressed in prints with patterns, borders and graphics, massive disc necklaces, arm cuffs and wrist cuffs: the overall effect is very exotic and ancient.
I was escorted by Ngwaru to visit his mothers mud home. I was so privileged to see inside the family MANYATTA - a hut made from hardened cow dung, mud and grass. Up to five people can sleep in a tiny area and the interior is completely raw.
His mother pointed to where they keep their unusual larder. One of the reasons that the Masai people are so slender is their minimal diet of goats milk, porridge or a glass of the blood from the animal that they have slaughtered. They only kill and eat meat on an important, ceremonial occasion, such as a wedding or birth.
The WARRIOR CLASS of Masai male - the MORAN - can only return to their village when they have earnt the right to marry from an elder, so starting a family is prestigious. It was extraordinary to step into my host’s real life for just a short while.
Sheira and Zoe just loved interacting with the women and children. They don’t speak a word of English, so there was that wonderful primal contact with lots of smiles, touching, nodding and laughter. The children were bubbling over with natural enthusiasm and giggled when I showed them digital photos of themselves.
Sheira was encouraged by the women to try to milk a goat. that, city slicker that she is, she could just not pull off! However, the 5- yr olds could squeeze out litres! She laughed with mystification and embarrassment - it was a great moment.
This was an amazing experience and worlds away from many of the cultural encounters we have had around the world. It was truly a snapshot in time. When you are in Masai territory, I recommend taking the opportunity to meet these fascinating people as more than just dramatic visual symbols of this land, but custodians of a way of life that has miraculously held true…
Sheira and I are usually on the go 24/7, seeing far too many things, so to collapse on a massage bed when we travel is a luxury.This trip we hade ample time…and a safari camp is an ideal place to appreciate deep tissue relaxation and peace. Sheira booked herself and Zoe a massage in our villa. A lovely Kenyan massseuse set her table up in our villa, with the breeze blowing and the animals letting out their mingled cries in the distance.
PRICE US$100
Our gracious guide, Sammy really wanted to help me make this fantasy finally become real. He arranged for me to join the camp’s two guards, Mrefu and Ngwaru out on the road.
There was a real sense of occasion about this for me; I even had my family following close by in a jeep to watch and film! Somehow my normal sports gear just seemed too pedestrian next to these magnificent, tribal warriors, so I joined in and dressed up Masai-style, winding jewellery around my neck and wearing the colourful, loose robe of the bush.
I was a little nervous about running out in the wilderness, full of predators, hello! With the Land Rover trailing us, the three of us set off from main camp. As our feet kicked up the dust and I breathed in the hot air, my fear of predators evaporated.
There were so many layers to this run... We paced our way through villages, where startled kids laughed and clapped as we ran by; we passed by dead carcasses that littered the ground after the drought. A good 50 minutes into the run we even came across a real Masai hunter out with his bow and arrow tracking through the bush.
The men tried to teach me how to shoot a bow but this skill is quite hard to master! The sun was going down and this was one race I was never going to win! It was time to head back to our camp.
It was also incredible returning to camp. The staff came out to welcome us back, clapping and raising my arms in the air. I was so proud that I made it through the bush with my Masai friends. See my VIDEO (RUNNING WITH THE MASAI) to know that this was a real life highlight!
I’ve mentioned before that Sheira and I rarely eat breakfast together because ..
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