Up close with the wild

In the cool of the day after the game drive and relaxing on the upper verandah of the luxury tent at Severin Safari Camp in Tsavo, a family of dwarf mongoose silently scurry across the wild grasses and over the patio, unaware of being watched. Every few feet, one stops and chirps, waiting for the rest to follow.

These little creatures, cute as anything, take pride as Africa’s smallest carnivores – hunting insects, reptiles and the occasional bird. It’s probably their last hunt for the day as they hurry to the safety of a termite mound to sleep the night away.

As the last one disappears into the savannah, herds of zebra and impala chomp on the grasses and shrubs and then the white sheen of the rising moon appears in the horizon.

The impala – a herd of beautiful females – settle on the flat grass and we begin dinner in the glow of the moon with the many hills of the Tsavo silhouetted in moonshine.

Thin slivers of marinated pork and beef roast on the hot-stone – unusual and enjoyable cuisine. The sizzling strips off the heat to the plate are perfect on a chilly night – and with sauces to add on, the meat melts in the mouth. “Eating in nature is an experience we want you to enjoy,” says Juergen Pietz, a trained pastry chef and restaurant master at Severin’s tented camp. Every dish is made to perfection because as the man says, “I live and eat here, so I have to make sure the food is really good.”

FLUTTERING BIRDS

The meal progresses on to freshly brewed coffee and ice cream topped with caramelised sugar while a herd of eland emerges from the darkness into the glow of the light. “The camp is not fenced,” explains Pietz. It allows for the wildlife to wander at leisure while guests enjoy their meal watching the natural world.

Later on, the screen of my luxury tent zipped securely, I’m in bed lulled by the fresh night breeze and the many sounds of the crickets. There’s a stampede outside. Peering through the net reveals nothing in the dark night. Minutes pass by. Then a hyena begins to howl and laugh. It has made a kill – an impala foal. Hyenas are notorious for being scavengers, but they are actually efficient hunters. While it cracks the bones of its meal, it’s the next sound that’s really loud – a lion roaring. It sounds close enough, so I decide to stay in bed rather than try to look for it from the verandah of the tent – I don’t fancy turning myself into a meal.

The morning is filled with fluttering birds. At breakfast with the many hills of Tsavo in the background again, the young of a goshawk scrambles around in the acacia.  “The camp is built using mostly natural materials because we don’t want to leave many footsteps,” continues Pietz as we stroll to the spa, Kenbali.

The day warms up and I’m back at my private suite, lounging on the upper deck, when a speck in the sky catches my eye. The speck is followed by others. As they fly closer, it turns out to be a kettle of vultures taking advantage of the hot air to rise.

Watching their drift, they turn out to be white-backed vultures and following their flight path, it seems they are making their way to the remains of the lion’s kill from the previous night.

With breakfast done, we head to Rhodesia Bridge – a relic of WW1 – past the Roaring Rocks, in search of the elephants. But the 12,000 elephants of Tsavo, including the 10 collared ones, are wandering around somewhere else.

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Stay at severin 

Severin Safari Camp is in Tsavo West, 50 kilometres from Mtito Andei. If you like understated luxury, it’s the place for you. There’s free wi-fi too. A few metres from the camp are the Kitani Bandas – each with one bedroom and a fully equipped kitchen for self-catering. They are the first to be built in the park and are still in mint condition. www.severin-hotels.com