We were greeted at the Governor's Camp by an entire entourage of staff. We saw baboons, cape buffalos, elephants, impalas, topi, warthogs and zebras - and that was just on the 10-minute ride into camp! As we settled in to our tents, we were greeted by two huge crocs and many more baboons (including one on top the girls' tent). That afternoon and for the next three days, the 300-person staff at Governor's Camp provided what we figure is about the most comfortable and fun experience in the middle of Kenya one can have.
Our typical day at Governor's Camp began at 5:45am with hot coffee and a greeting of "Jambo!" delivered to our tents from a camp staffer. The first safari of the day was from 6:30am until about 9:00am. During these early morning safaris, we would typically track down lions and other animals that would get sleepy and lethargic later in the day. One would think that July on the equator in Africa would be hot, but it was actually quite cool, breezy and beautiful as we headed out before sunrise. On all of our safaris, our guide Koech would suggest a game plan and we would set out in our Land Rover. Koech really understood the animals, and could usually tell us what they were going to do before they did it. We spent hours bouncing down dusty roads and cutting across grassland to go get a close up look at an interesting animal or kill that Koech would see from a mile or more away. There were so many great experiences while we were out on safari, some of which are noted on a separate page. What surprised us the most, perhaps, is the concentration of animals. Every direction you looked there was a different type of animal - often, prey was just a few yards from a predator.
Breakfast was served from 9:00-10:30 in camp, and included lots of fruit, pastries, eggs, bacon and lots of other food familiar to us foreigners. At 10:30am, we were back on on safari again. Lunch was offered from 12:30 to 2:00 and, like breakfast, was served buffet-style outside, next to the river.
Two o'clock, fresh off the second safari of the day, was a fine time for a nap. Is there a better place for a nap than Governor's Camp? Cool breezes, comfy beds, and a strangely soothing mix of animal and insect noised outside provided some very enjoyable naps. At 3:30 we would head out for the third and final safari of the day. Now the animals are active again as they settle in for the evening, and it is beautiful to see them as the sun is setting.
After three safaris, we would find ourselves in the evening at the bar with a Tusker lager or some sort of fruity jungle drink. Hippos would often wander up to within 20 feet of us, and bush babies would play in the trees over our heads. At 8:00pm, it was time for dinner - a sit-down affair in a special lantern-lit tent, complete with bats flying inside to eat the mosquitoes before they could eat us. Dinner and lunch often included some (what we assume to be) local dishes that were always interesting and usually pretty good.
After dinner, with no lights (only lanterns), no TV, and no-man-made entertainment, there was little to do except to marvel about the day and settle in to our tents for some very sound sleep. Two armed guards would escort us back to our tents at night and, once there, we had to stay put (there are no fences at Governor's Camp and you never know what is going to wander through). After even our first day in the bush, we all agreed that it was one of the fullest days we have ever had - and one of the best ever.
