Kampi Ya Simba

7am we were all packed and had our breakfast, ready to be picked up by Bush & Events Africa. Daniel, our driver was there just after 7am but  we still had to pick up Zoe, our guide and Martin, our cook. So by 8 am we were finally able to leave the city behind.

First stop was a hotel where we could have some breakfast..could..Oh my!! Where they slow or what?? After half an hour we had one cup and one tea..Eventually only the 2 guys had some breakfast, the rest of us, just some coffee or tea..Oh well, this is Africa, right?

At around 1pm  we were at the Kora gates where were joined by a KWS officer (Kenya Wildlife Service). We had our lunch in the car and after another 2h we finally reached our point of desitanation…Kampi y Simba!!!

THE place where Mr George Adamson rehabilitated lions like Boy and the now ever so famous Christian. Most of you will have seen the footage of Christian the Lion where he is reunited with his two carers from London?? Remember?

But before we entered his camp, which is still intact, we drove a little further where  we stopped by the grave sides of George, his brother Terence and his beloved lion Boy! Unbelievable, but the KWS officer said it was Christian!! DUH!!  I found it shocking that he didn’t even know. Also there was no name on the plaque, just lion. Terence’s was intact but Georges was partly broken.

Graves of Boy, the Lion ; Terence Adamson; George Adamson

 

 

The feeling I had while I was standing there really is indescribable There lay one of the greatest men on earth. More information about him can be found here

Silence

We drove back to the camp and there a guard met us. He showed us around, explained what was what (in not so good English). Walking the grounds, the tent, where George had worked with his lions was just wow. Hard to believe really.

The guard stays there for a month, day in day out, has a hut there, some amenities and that was it! After a month he goes back home and someone else takes over. He also said that the current owner, Tony Fitzjohn is thinking about re-doing the place. Replacing the authentic huts and the like with new modern ones..I don’t think that’s a good idea as the few people that do come will want to see how he lived and worked !! I wonder what will become of it all.

Here’s a link to a film I made out of our pictures

After seeing the grounds we were allowed to walk outside the fence and stood on the exact same rocks where Christian greeted Ace & John..

We are two very lucky woman!! Not many can say that they have done this. I find it a real honour anyway.  The one thing we both noticed, and our guides too, is that there are hardly any signs or makings saying where to go or what it is. Elsa’s grave is pretty much invincible

After that amazing visit we drove to our first camp! Yes, we camped out in a tent, no luxury lodge for us this time! We loved it!!! Dinner was prepared on a camp fire, we went to bed early with the sounds of nature around us! I must say it was bloody hot!! Of course in the middle of the night I woke up freezing cold..

We all woke up early and before

Breakfast in open air

breakfast was served we went to the Tana River to see if any hippos were making their way to it. No such luck. We did hear them though. The place where we saw the Tana was at the Adamson’s cable bridge. It doesn’t work anymore but in the old days they would use it to go from one side of the Tana to the other side. Both Patricia, Zoe (our guide) and I went up. Wonderful view.

On our way back to camp (really a few steps away) we spotted a few rock hyraxes.

Rock Hyraxes near Adamson's cable car

Lovely little creatures that look like friendly rats to me. We spotted many more during the day.

After our truck was packed we were on our way to the Adamson Bridge & Falls. What a beautiful spot that was!! You could hear the falls that looked more like rapids rather then falls though.

But still, amazing to see. We climbed rocks, slipped over the wet sand and I am bruised all over..LOVE it!

Climbing over the rocks to get some amazing pictures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After that short intermezzo we went to Pippa’s grave. Pippa was Joy’s cheetah that she rehabilitated just like she had done with Elsa. .

We also made a pit-stop at Elsa’s Kopje!! A beautiful lodge, on Elsa’s Kopje. One day we hope to stay there as well.

The lodge has many pictures of Joy & George with their animals.

After an other hour we reached a spot and we both thought we were lost ..turned out this was the place where we could see Elsa’s grave!! No sign what so ever. If you didn’t know it was there you would not find it. I find that very sad as there are so many people who would want to see where this icon of a lioness has her final resting place. Joy’s ashes were scattered here as well.

Elsa, the Lioness' grave

 

During our drives today we spotted a lot of wildlife but alas no hunting dogs and no more lions..:( Hopefully tomorrow.

4 thoughts on “Kampi Ya Simba”

  1. The lion buried beside George and Terence is Super Cub. It was Terence’s favorite lion. Boy and the lion that mauled Tony are buried down the lugga behind their graves and close to Christian Rock.
    Your trip sounds amazing and being in Kora must have been very special.

    1. Oh my!! I didn’t know that Ann! And the guide at Kampi didn’t know either as he said it was Boy as well..
      It was special indeed Ann. The entire Kenya trip was just wonderful and amazing but being there, well, that’s something that I can’t really explain. It will be with me forever!!
      I hope to update the blog with our last days very soon. Thanks for reading and please do correct me if I say other things that aren’t true 🙂
      Sylvie

  2. Kampi ya simba looks like an amazing place! George adamson was a great person and did so much to help lion’s. The Christian story is so neat. Living in Tucson AZ reminds me so much of Africa and can’t wait to visit kampi ya simba.

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