In the Wild, on a Camelback Safari

I have been on about four camelback game rides so far and I still remember my first one. I was idling out on the parking lot of a tented camp in Samburu where I was staying when I saw two men dressed in traditional regalia leading out two dust-brown camels that were towering my frame.

I hopped on my camel which was kneeling down and the only slightly daunting part was when it stood up with its hind legs first and I thought I might topple over. Going downhill as the camel slipped several times on the loose rocks was also a little nerve-racking.

The best way to get up close and personal with big game is to get on camelback or a horseback and this was my time to ride on the six feet tall animals.

It was around 6.20am, the sun was just rising over the horizon and as we walked across the park at a comfortable pace, I was neck to neck with trees that had seemed so tall from the ground and had the birds flown any closer, we might have been able to trade morning greetings. Juko, one of the guides for the camel rides was whistling an infectious traditional tune and I joined in.

“Watta,” he started, a cheeky grin spreading across his face, “has any man brought camels to your father’s house? Because you know if a man gave two or three of these to your father, he would be a very rich man in the community!”

“Well, how much is a camel?” I asked in bemusement, already doing the math.

“Sh80,000. You look educated enough. I think you could fetch about three,” he responded cheerily. “I guess I better sign up for a Master's degree then!” I retorted.

Camels which were largely used to carry the elderly, sick, pregnant or young children as well as goods have long been integral to the nomadic lifestyle of pastoralists in the north.

If you pop into a butchery or store in Nanyuki that deals in a camel by-products, the milk is more expensive than a cow’s, as is their meat and goods made from their skin.

We had barely been riding for 20 minutes when we came across a tower of giraffes who looked at us indifferently before going back to their browsing.

We went as close as 100 metres, and had we been in a safari Jeep, they would have certainly run off. We also came across zebras that looked at us curiously without moving away. Much like with horse riding, such is the appeal of a camel back safari, you feel like you are one with nature rather than just being an intrusive spectator.

As the sun continued its trajectory up the sky, it was starting to get hotter. The terrain was rough and dry and the hard leather saddle didn’t make things any easier. In fact, if you are a man, a camelback ride might not be that comfortable. I wondered out loud if the animal could go any faster, to which Juko informed me that camels can run at speeds of up to 65km/h, which I figured would not be fun. About an hour later, our trip mercifully came to an end and we dismounted with sore thighs before settling down to tuck into a lavish bush breakfast while overlooking the plains.

Several camps and lodges in Kenya such as Sabuk, Sasaab, Mbweha Camp, Sosian, Loisaba, Tassia, Lewa House and Ol Malo offer camelback game rides which can range from a brief morning trek to a full-day safari or an overnight fly camping trip. Much like horses riding up hills, such properties offer an entire thought-out camel excursions to clients.

On my third ride, for instance, we set off early in the morning for a one-hour ride where we spotted some wildlife before coming up to Lake Nakuru just as the sun was rising in the distance, and the flamingos had covered the water surface in their blush pink hues. It was magical, and the ride culminated in yet another lavish breakfast spread.