Special Moments on Safari: Animals at Camp

You see some truly incredible things on safari, and since almost every person at Thomson Safaris has been on safari, we have a lot of stories to tell!

Close encounters with the wildlife are truly unforgettable. Our guests love when safari animals wander near camp, and we’re no different! Here are some special moments from the team.

Angela: The Great Migration on My Doorstep

The best day of my life was on the drive from the central Serengeti Nyumba camp to the southern Serengeti Nyumba camp. I saw my first cheetah sitting in a bush just 6 feet away. Just a few yards from the cheetah was a hyena wading in the water, and on the other side, a lion! Later, my group found a mama cheetah with three cubs and three male lions napping.

But the big surprise was waiting for us at camp. We pulled in and BAM! There were hundreds of wildebeest and zebra right IN CAMP! It was like the Great Migration decided to meet us right on our doorstep!

Kendra: A Giraffe Stops by for a Snack

On the first day in the Eastern Serengeti Nature Refuge, after we had just gotten settled into camp and before the main activities began, I was standing outside on my verandah looking at wildebeest, giraffes, and zebras in with binoculars.

One of the giraffes seemed to lock eyes with me and just started walking closer. Before I knew it, I had a giraffe snacking on a bush just a few feet away from my tent. It would take a bite, stop, look over at me, then continue eating. I just stood in awe. I couldn’t believe I got such a treat on my very first day!

Erin: An Elephant Herd Wanders Through Camp

On day four of my safari, I woke up in the northern Serengeti to find a herd of elephants in camp. It was magical to look out the front of my tent to see them right there. They were so close. These were likely the same ones that walked by my tent for a midnight snack the night before.

Ina: A Tranquil Moment with a Zebra

Waking up with the sun at the central Serengeti Nyumba camp. It’s early in the trip, so life’s stresses are only just starting to fade from my mind.

I’m outside my tent, the sun is rising over the plains, the tall grass is waving gently in the light morning breeze, the dawn chorus of birds is just getting started, my eyes are closed, and I can feel the sunlight on my face.  I stretch my arms over my head and feel completely in tune with my surroundings.  There is a strange vibration in the ground… and a dull thumping sound.  A single zebra is galloping by through the grasses not 15 feet away. And it’s a moment of peace and harmony and calm that I’ll never forget!