Samburu Intrepids is an actual lodge, more like a hotel than a tented camp. A welcome respite between camps, so it comes at a nice spot in the itinerary. Electricity in the rooms for parts of the day, running water, even a ceiling fan. Amazing how three days of tent camping makes these a treat. It's a lodge as if envisioned by Swiss Family Robinson at Disneyland. Each room is a canvas tent on stilts, under a thatched roof, but with hardwood floors. Furnishings are colonial British, with mosquito netting. The rooms overlook a fast moving river. Monkeys dart about, even in the open-air dining hall. I'm given very complicated instructions on closing the room's tent doors, using a carabiner to attach the zippers. The monkeys are clever and ever present: I went in to my tent briefly to get something, closed the zippers and Velcro but did not use the carabiner: and A MONKEY OPENED THE VELCRO AND THREE ZIPPERS IN A FLASH AND CAME IN! I shrieked and he darted out.
Clientele seems to be American & European, 60s-70s, well-heeled. Not really my crowd but I'm enjoying the creature comforts. They offer educational talks before dinner "with PowerPoint" and stargazing after dinner.
Other than that, they follow the same general cadence as the tented camps: wake up call early with a porter bringing a tray of coffee or tea, then immediately out for an early morning game drive. Back for breakfast. Afternoon game drive. Showers, then drinks and dinner.
