Experiencing the wild in the ‘Born Free’ country

By Maseme Machuka

After a five-hour drive from Nairobi, we arrived at the Sarova Shaba Game Lodge in Samburu.

This is the "born free" country, where the glories of nature are concentrated in this semi-desert oasis of Shaba National Reserve. We were quickly ushered into the lodge with a glass of fresh juice and sweet smelling cool face towels.

This is the same lodge that in 1998 hosted the cast and crew of the film, Born Free, a true life-story of George and Joy Adamson. I could feel the excitement run down my spine, just being at the same location. We were shown our rooms, all chalet style, tastefully furnished with private balconies opening to a view of the Ewaso Nyiro River.

After a shower, we were back to the Boma (a separate set in the wild scenic area) where we had dinner. I’m told this is the area set aside for VIPs and those on honeymoon. Although I was not in any of the categories above, I was determined to enjoy to the maximum.

A lioness at Shaba. The film Born Free shot at the reserve is about a lioness who was raised by the Adamsons

The lodge’s assistant manager Robert Ondara guided us through the 80 standard rooms and four executive suites. The presidential suite is situated between natural springs and lily pools and has a private jacuzzi.

There are other four executive suites each with a lounge that opens into a large bedroom with a view of the river on one side and manicured greens and forest on the other. The standard rooms have a close view of the river and the game park.

For the lovers of strong drinks, the Surpelei Restaurant is your unique stop. It serves buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner. Cuisine includes Pan-African, Pan-European and Pan-Asian. The afternoon came with a relaxation at a Sundowner’s site at the rocks beside the Ewaso Nyiro River. The rocks scenic with some exhibiting animal-like meanders.

Sundowner bonfire

Watching the sunset over a cocktail drink at the rocks, the breeze and ethereal feel leaves one gasping for more. It is the perfect way of soothing the evening.

The culmination of the Sundowner is the bar that is well set up on the rocks where Samburu Morans’ jig ushers guest to a dinner on the rocks. A bonfire is lit casting long shadows in the night as guests enjoy their dinner.

"This is done to give our guest the fun filled way of ending their day at the Sarova Shaba. We want to give them a package tailor-made and worth their money," added Ondara.

The Sundowner experience gives an exhilarating effect, like a balm that, soothes life’s worries away.

Later we left the hotel for the wild to see the game. Samburu is famous as the place where naturalists George and Joy Adamson raised orphaned lions and reintroduced them into the wild. Both Joy and George wrote several books about their experiences and it has also seen a lot of screenplays shot over the years. The most famous of which is Born Free based on the book of the same name. It tells the story of Elsa the lioness, who the Adamsons raised to adulthood and successfully reintroduced into the wild.

Shaba was one of Joy’s greatest African loves; it was in this tranquil wilderness where she released the first hand-raised lions.

The two hours game drive is no mean feat. We are, however, determined to at least see one of the Big Five. It turns out it is not going to be that easy, particularly to see the King of the Jungle.

We note a strange language of the wild used by the tour drivers in communicating to each other. They do not use the names of the big cats as we know them in English.

Wild curiosity

The lion is referred to as Kichwa, cheetah (Madoadoa) and the leopard as (madoadoa ya chini). All is not lost, however, we espy antelopes, gazelles, zebras, elephants, an assortment of birds. The gods of the jungle were with us; just before we turned back we caught sight of the king of the jungle.

Calm and controlled, the three lions watched our every move. Having satisfied our wild curiosity we made our way back to the lodge where Samburu dancers waited to bid us farewell.