Lion Cubs, Camel Surprises, and Sunset Drinks in Loisaba

Loisaba-0923 — *The family of White Rhinos*

Another 5:30 AM alarm call, another day in paradise! We pulled ourselves out of bed to catch our next round of bush planes. Our route took us back to Nairobi, where we did a scenic trek through the terminal before boarding another tiny plane bound for Loisaba Conservancy. Our route took us back through Nairobi for a connection, where our travel crew officially gained a new VIP member: Paul’s wife, Sue! We originally met Paul, the mastermind behind TemboWild, during a safari on our Ultimate World Cruise, and by now he basically feels like family. We were beyond thrilled that his wife joined our wild crew—the more the merrier on a bush plane adventure and upcoming safaris!

leavingamboseli — *Our friends and drivers, all except two we know from our travels on the Ultimate world cruise. Including the two drivers.*

But Kenya wasn’t done giving us bonus gifts on the way out of Amboseli. On our way to the airstrip, we spotted a gorgeous mom lioness lounging under the trees with her two tiny cubs. Watching those adorable little fur balls casually hanging out was the ultimate farewell. We then had to say a tearful goodbye to our incredible guides and drivers—after everything we’d experienced together, it felt like saying goodbye to family!

Next stop: Elewana Loisaba Tented Camp.

If you think “tented camp” means roughing it, think again. Our tents were beyond glamorous, and the cliffside view was to die for—you could literally see for miles across the sprawling, untamed African landscape. Our daily schedule here remained wonderfully grueling: eat, game drive, eat and rest, game drive, sleep, repeat. (Except for those 5:30 AM alarms, but who’s counting?)

Welcome to Loisaba Conservancy

Perched on the Laikipia Plateau in northern Kenya, Loisaba spans a staggering 57,000 acres of pristine wilderness. It’s a vital wildlife corridor known for its sweeping valleys, dramatic escarpments, and incredible biodiversity. It’s home to massive elephant populations, rare northern species, lions, wild dogs, and even a booming population of both black and white rhinos!

*The cutest but I wouldnt dare get near those teeth (or his mom nearby!)*

And then came the plot twist of the trip: Camels!

We rounded a corner on one of our drives, and right there in the middle of the bush was a herd of Dromedary camels. I normally wouldnt get excited over camels but I was completely caught off guard—which makes no sense considering we’ve literally ridden camels in Morocco before! But here’s a fun little trivia nugget for you: Dromedary camels have just one hump (perfect for the African landscape), while Bactrian camels have two humps and are mostly found roaming the chilly Gobi Desert in Asia. You learn something new every day in the wild!

*The sunsets are called sundowners here. They were beautiful!*

Over the course of our two days in Loisaba, the wildlife sightings were nothing short of spectacular:

Reticulated Giraffes: With their striking, sharp-edged geometric patterns, they are arguably the supermodels of the giraffe world.
Lions with Mohawks: Yes, you read that right. We found lions rocking full rock-star manes (you have to see the photos!).
White Rhino Family: Easily the sweetest encounter. They just stood there calmly, watching us with curiosity while we gawked at them.
The Hoppers: Dik-diks and impalas bounding through the tall grass like spring-loaded deer.

And then came my absolute favorite moment: spotting a sleek, stealthy Cheetah on the hunt. I almost squealed with delight!

Fun Cheetah Fact: Loisaba is a fantastic country for cheetahs because of its open savannahs and high vantage points. These speed demons are the fastest land mammals on Earth, capable of hitting 0 to 60 mph in just three seconds! Unlike lions and leopards who hunt under the cover of dark, cheetahs are daytime hunters, relying on their explosive speed and signature black “tear marks” under their eyes (which act like built-in sunglasses to cut down the glare).

Reticulated Giraffe — *Retuculated giraffe* – look at how beautiful the shapes are.

We spent these two days hoping to catch a glimpse of the legendary Great Migration. While we haven’t hit the massive herds yet—it seems we’re caught in a bit of a lull between migration waves—the sheer abundance of resident wildlife has more than made up for it. Fingers crossed our next stop delivers the big stampede!

African Male Lion — *The infamous mohawk Lion!*

To wrap up our time in Loisaba, Paul and our guides drove us up to a high ridge at dusk. They lit a crackling campfire, poured us some drinks, and we sat back to watch the golden African sun melt into the horizon right in front of our jeeps. It was pure magic—almost like a little piece of heaven.