Camel Camping!

In mid-February, Kalpana, Steph, Victor and I headed up to Nanyuki for a very unique camping experience. Nanyuki River Camel Camp is located just opposite from the big British Air Force base north of Mt. Kenya.  On the way we stopped to take the obligatory photo at the equator, and got sucked into a little "scientific demonstration" about how water spins different ways down a drain on different sides of the equator.

Sammy (our driver, Kalpana, Victor, Steph, and I)

Yeah...super scientific.

The camp is owned and operated by a couple, Chris and Nasra Field. Chris is a British ecologist, who has studied wildlife and nomadic groups in Kenya for almost 40 years. He's one fascinating guy. In the 1980s, Chris was working for an NGO that was working to increase nomadic groups' self-reliance when finding food. In order to better understand their needs and experiences, it was decided that he should live among the nomadic groups he was studying. He set out with the camel herders, originally planning to use western style tents. However, it quickly became apparent that these tents couldn't stand up to the nomadic lifestyle or the harsh setting of Northern Kenya, characterised by strong winds, dry land, and dust that seems to get everywhere.

The researchers adopted the traditional nomadic homes of the groups they were working with. Travelling all over Northern Kenya and Somalia, a line of researchers spent more than 12 years integrated into the nomadic groups, studying their life and interaction with nature and animals. It was during this time that Chris Field started amassing his own herd of camels, which has numbered up to 200 in recent years. They are still a fixture of the camel camp.

Nomadic homes are made of a series of criss-crossed, arc-shaped beams, that are covered with mats of woven reeds and branches. Fairly low to the ground, you have to crouch to go through short doorways covered with a "door" of hanging ropes with rocks on the end, which apparently are enough to keep the wild animals out. The beds were simple cots built from branches, with a mat on top made of reeds.

She's pretty short...so it gives you some idea of the size of these huts.

Peeking out the doorway.

Inside the hut, looking up at the roof.

And out the front door. 

Considering how small they looked from outside, they were rather roomy on the inside.

Soon after arriving, we set out to meet the camels. Steph, Victor, and Kalpana all wanted to ride camels, but I'm not a huge fan of animal riding, let alone atypically built animals, so I just wanted to go along and take photos. The land north of Mt. Kenya is much drier than down here or in The Rift, with lots of scrub brush and cacti. It was really cool to see the camels get saddled up, and to walk with Chris and chat with him while the others were riding around.

Watching the road out of the camp.

All these stickers on a Land Rover? KC all the way.

Leaving the camel camp.

All of the camel saddles were secured o the roof. 

And they have arrived!

What an absurd animal.

Getting the frame of the saddle ready.

Just chillin'

Some camels were especially drooly.

A blanket goes down first, to protect the camel's skin.

Then a pad is put on top.

Look at that smug fellow in the back.

Ahahahaha I love that face.

On top of the pad they put the frame of the saddle.

Grinin' like a camel.

Strike a pose.

They have LARGE furry faces. That they sometimes stick in your face, haha.

Camel face!

Cheeeeeeeese!

Chris Field and his camel friend cheezing for the camera.

Somali camels have droopier bottom lips.

On top of the wooden frame, another pad is tied down for you to sit on.

Camels have super long eyelashes to protect their eyes from blowing sand.

Look at that fuzzy schnozz and upper lip!

They keep two types of camels, Somali (as seen with the droopy lip in this pic) and Turkana.

Looking pretty pleased with himself.

Camel butt and crazy legs.

Suuuuuuuuper attractive.

Victor, Kalpana, me, and Steph posing with our new friend before the all aboard.

Victor taking the leap.

And Kalpana climbing on up.

Holding on to a camel as it stands is an exercise in balance.

But worth the effort!

Steph getting settled.

Up we go!

Ready for adventure.

Victor's camel was a little ornery.

Everyone saddled up and ready to go.

Into the distance!

Off amongst the brush.

Camel fives!

Quite a crew.

I was really glad that the rain held out. It looked like it was going to pour.

Looking at some wildlife from a top a camel.

Getting down may have been even more stressful than getting up, haha.

New friends.

A bond that cannot be broken.

Daydreaming with her bud.

Rolling around in a dust bath that clearly said "thank god that human is off me."

Camel skull we found while walking around. 

A little post-ride snack.

Those teeth are CRAZY. 

They just take a big bite out of these cacti like its nothing.

After we returned to the camp, it was almost time for dinner. After spending some time relaxing and reading, we were told that dinner was served. Every little detail at the camp is thought out, including the lovely carved plates and spoons that had little camel motifs. Not only do you ride camels and live like camel herders, you also eat camels and drink camel milk. It is a LITTLE macabre...but it turns out camel is freaking delicious. We had camel for dinner, camel milk tea after dinner, and camel for breakfast.

Speaking of slightly macabre...camel skeletons decorating one of the buildings.

Hand carved wooden camel plates and spoons (except for the charred camel closest to the camera, haha).

The food was really delish.

Overview of dinner. Rice, cabbage salad, stewed veg, and stewed camel meat.

It looked like beef, but was more tender and flavourful. Seriously delicious.

Camel carving on my plate.

A little camel milk tea after dinner.

That night, we had a lovely campfire and hung out with Chris and the Samburu guides who live at the camp. We had brought makings for s'mores, so we gave the guides their first taste of that campfire magic, played some thought games, and generally just talked and relaxed until the fire burned low.

Kalpana and Victor, one of Chris's friends from childhood.

Roomie camel bonding!

Looks like a post card. Love it.

Spreading s'mores.

How perfectly delightful.

And perfectly delicious.

Our guides, sharing some time around the fire with us.

Stories and riddles.

Working out a riddle by lantern-light.

We went to bed fairly early because we knew we had to get up at sunrise to go milk the adult camels, and bottle feed an orphaned baby. The baby camel was so soft and fuzzy. You fed them with a wine bottle, which just added to the ridiculousness of the weekend. They have very soft, curly hair, and come up pretty much face to face with you. I wanted to stick her in my suitcase. Milking a camel is not as easy as it my seem. To do it the traditional way, you have to stand on one leg, balancing the bucket on your other leg, while milking. Don't have that kind of balance, haha.

So tall, even the babies.

Om nom nom on some morning powdered supplement.

The herd of ladies and babies.

Baby camel breakfast.

Arty camels.

Gah so twee!

Glug glug glug.

Steph was kind of a baby camel hog.

She was rather thirsty and excited to eat.

And Victor was excited to feed her.

Adorbs.

Look at that fuzzy face.

Never would have guessed baby camels were so cuddly.

So...you're saying I CAN'T bring a camel home?

Sea of camels, each with their own colour and character.

One of the Somali herders milking.

These guys were professionals...

These girls were not.

Thank you, camel, for shitting when I was so close to your butt.

A little too excited, haha.

Oh...hulllo.

What a strange animal.

Steph taking over milking duties.

Wasn't too bad at it, either.

She even got the balancing part down!

Blondie.

Squeeeeeze.

This herder had the cutest relationship with this teeny little baby.

Hanging out with mom.

Waiting to be milked. The "milk vein" going down their side really bulges when it is time for milking.

Camel toe(s)!

After the camels got their breakfast, it was time for us to go back and eat ours. Unfortunately for them, we ate more of their delicious brethren for breakfast. Breakfast consisted of tea, mandazi (fried dough) and muqmad, which is a preserved camel meat. Thin strips of camel meat are sun dried, and diced into tiny pieces. It is then fried in ghee and cardamom. It is SO GOOD. Stuff a bit of it into a mandazi and you have a little camel jerky hot pocket. Best breakfast.

Muqmad model.

Breakfast chat with Chris Field.

Camel Pockets! (TM)

Mmmmm.

After breakfast the others went on a nature hike with Chris, and I pulled up a chair next to the fire and relaxed with my kindle. Then we had lunch down by the river and headed back to Nairobi. It was a great weekend, and a totally unique experience, that I would highly recommend!

Relaxing around the fire.

Delicious dinner.

Saying goodbye to our wonderful guide (and the less wonderful camel skeleton).