My daughters have a well-established history of bickering on long car journeys, and as we climb into the 4×4 for a full-day game drive, I have a quick flashback to an eight-hour drive to Scotland and wonder if this is a good idea. However, as we drive through the local village outside Olonana, the girls are delighted by the enthusiastic waves of young children heading to school. Shortly after, we spot a troop of baboons, followed by the now-familiar cast of zebras, elephants, gazelles, and giraffes. For hours, the only sounds from the girls are squeals of delight as they add to their lists of animals seen. Eventually, we cross the border into Tanzania, where we enjoy a picnic lunch of roasted vegetables (from the lodge’s organic garden), samosas, rice, sausages, and apples. My husband spots a lioness stalking about 100 metres away – lunch and a show, Kenya style. The zebras, sensing something is up, scatter, and the lioness has been rumbled, so we make our way back to Olonana. On our return, we pass a baby elephant, struggling to control its trunk, trotting along the path in an adorable attempt to catch up with Mum. Nature’s delightful unpredictability steals the show a final time.
Abercrombie & Kent (abercrombiekent.com; 03301 734 712) offers a 7-night tailor-made Kenya safari from £9,935pp. This includes one night at Hemingways Nairobi, three nights at Sanctuary Olonana, and three nights at Sanctuary Tambarare on an all-inclusive basis, as well as flights, transfers, and park fees. Price based on two people sharing.
