Activities
Game Drives: The Joy’s Camp guides are based at the lodge in Shaba National Reserve, they have the whole park to themselves and know their backyard intimately. All the guides are Bronze or Silver level Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association certified.
Joy’s Camp has open gamedrive vehicles. The current fleet are new, specially fitted, 4×4 Toyota Landcruisers. The vehicles are unrivaled with feature enhancements specifically designed for comfort and photography – open sided with 3 rows of seats, photographic equipment stands, and charging sockets. Guests will share gamedrives unless “exclusive use of vehicle” has been prebooked at an extra charge.
This is elephant and leopard country – rocky hills, huge acacias, and lush springs, the perfect habitat. Shaba is also home to the rare northern species; gerenuk (giraffe antelope), herds of Beisa oryx, Grevy zebra, reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, brown and striped hyena – and a wonderful place to see klipspringer!
Guided Walks: Take the time to leave the car behind and enjoy the small things – tracks, dung beetles and micro-ecosystems. One of the most popular walks is along the river gorge, dramatic views, and if you are lucky catch a glimpse of shy crocodiles.
Another favorite is walking along the Chaffa stream, starting at the spring – spectacular flowers, birds. Other special places to roam around out of the car is at “Penny’s Drop”, a waterfall dropping from a spring into the great Ewaso Nyiro river.
Painting: The colors, vistas and landscape in Shaba cry out to be painted! The camp has easels, paints, charcoal pencils, paper… all you need to settle in and create. Once you have caught the painting bug, the shop has mini painting safari packs for you to take onto your next stop.
Joy Adamson was also an accomplished artist, documenting the plants and peoples of Kenya for posterity. Another reason why she chose to live at this spectacular site!
Bush Breakfast and Sundowners: Take a moment to sit back, enjoy the spectacular views, the smells, the colors, and the gentle breeze. Bush breakfasts are a chance to enjoy a full breakfast, al fresco, in the middle of the plains, or by the river, surrounded by wildlife.
“Sundowners” are a safari tradition – after a day of safari; stop, watch the spectacular sunset; traditionally with a gin and tonic in hand!
Spa Treatments: Joy's Camp offers massages, manicures and pedicures.
Cultural Visits: Joy’s Camp works with closely with the Nakuprat Gotu community, and there are ways that you can get involved.
The Borana, Samburu and Turkana people that inhabit this area are truly nomadic, so sometimes there are villages conveniently close to camp, and sometimes they are too far to visit! Of Kenya’s colorful peoples they are probably some of the most traditional, herding sheep, cattle, goats and camels, and passing on their stories and customs through song.
Most of the staff in camp are from the Borana community, with striking very hansom features and brightly colored clothes.
