Thrilling wildlife encounters right in camp

Paolo Parazzi

If you’re here for the wildlife, a African safari at a mobile camp is the way to go.

Our private camps offer front row seats for some of the best wildlife encounters on earth: tented havens tucked away in Kenya’s best conservation areas, without another soul in sight. This total immersion in bush life is ideal for keen photographers, wildlife enthusiasts, and the more intrepid among you that really like to get off the beaten track.

But fear not, it’s far from quiet in camp and you can expect daily visits from some of Africa’s most magnificent (and often rare nocturnal) wildlife, after all we have pitched up in their backyard! And things can get wild…

Here are our most memorable wildlife encounters while in camp with guests. Expect the unexpected with Africa Born.

While we prepare for sleep, the bush comes alive with nocturnal creatures.

The death-defying buffalo

Africa Born Guide and Safari Specialist Andrew and his guests watched astounded as a pride of lion attempted to take down a buffalo just by our mobile camp in the Masai Mara. Miraculously it escaped - much to the delight of guests - however that same buffalo then cropped up in Guide Ollie’s nearby mobile camp, only to fall victim to that same pride. It certainly made for a memorable evening around the campfire for Ollie’s guests!

Witness the thrill of the hunt as a lion pride takes down a buffalo. © Sam Stogdale

No laughing matter for this hyena

Paolo remembers a pretty dramatic kill in camp. Three huge male lions took on some hyenas in our camp, and a running battle unfolded! The noise was incredible and lasted for hours. The Maasai warriors who keep watch over camp spent most of the time trying to prevent the fight from spilling into the mess tent. In the end, the lions won, killing one of the hyenas right in camp.

A hungry hyena finds a way to scavenge a meal. © Paolo Parazzi

The elephant in the room (well, camp)

We often have elephants passing in front of camp - these silent, graceful giants pad in and around our tents without fuss or fanfare and it’s always an honour to be in their company. Sam remembers one such occasion in which a beautiful breeding herd of eles passed through our mobile camp in Funan Campsite in Shaba National Reserve, stopping for fresh water and the shade of the tortilis trees: the females standing and the youngsters sleeping at their feet while we enjoyed our lunch in the mess tent. To be able to share nature with these enormous creatures is always special and leaves you in awe of their strong family bond.

From the comfort of camp, guests often have front-row seats to wildlife. © Mark Boyd

Monkey business

On numerous evenings, guests in our Amboseli mobile camp have heard the alarm calls of nearby baboons, leapt into the vehicles and raced off to check out the commotion - usually a passing predator. In private conservancies like ours in Amboseli we have the freedom to drive at night, which means we can get to the heart of the action when it comes to rare nocturnal wildlife

Under the cover of darkness, a leopard in a tree watches for its next meal. © Sam Stogdale

Safari soundtrack

Camp life is set to the sounds of the bush: from early morning birdsong to the nightime cacophony of rumbling lion roars, sawing leopard calls, pig-like hippo snorts and the iconic sound of African cicadas. But sometimes - as both Paolo and Sam can confirm - our resident wildlife find their way right into camp grazing right alongside our sleepy heads. It’s a surreal experience knowing a 800kg buffalo is enjoying supper a couple of feet away.

With weights reaching up to 900 kg, taking down a buffalo is no easy task. © Rodger Bowren

But - fear not - we have incredible askaris (night guards) that always walk guests to and from their tents and are awake throughout the night keeping everyone safe.