Camping under the stars: A new experience by the water with crowned cranes – Sweetwaters Tented Camp in Africa

By MOOK Scenic Spots Travel Life Network, Chen Guanxin | Compiled and Reported | Source: Mook Editorial Department

Travelers who have journeyed across the land may have stayed in countless luxurious accommodations, but have you ever experienced a tent-style hotel located in the wilderness, with thatched roofs and set up anywhere? In Africa, these tented camps are a form of accommodation developed for safari adventures. Large canvas tents are erected on stone bases, covered with outer canopies to shield from sun and rain, and equipped with full bathroom and bedroom facilities. They can be found in national parks such as Maasai Mara and Tsavo, and are a must-see when visiting Kenya.

Sweetwaters Tented Camp is about 100 kilometers from Nairobi, approximately a two-and-a-half-hour drive, and is located within a private wildlife reserve, mostly consisting of savannah and riverside forest areas. Established in the 1970s, the camp has 30 tents, including 22 double tents and 8 triple tents, all with fixed thatched roofs. They face the wild area across a ditch and an electric fence. Unzip the central zipper at the front of the tent, tie the rolled-up curtain to both sides, and step into the rectangular space enclosed by canvas. There are four windows on both sides that can be unzipped to let sunlight stream through the mesh screens. At the front, there’s a wardrobe and a small desk, followed by two single beds with bedside tables. The bathroom facilities, separated by a canvas curtain at the back, include a flush toilet, washbasin, and shower, all with reliable hot water and electricity supply.

In arid Africa, water is the best bait for attracting animals. The tents and restaurant at Sweetwaters all face a watering hole. Sometimes, you can just sit on the small balcony in front of your tent and watch water birds like African crowned cranes and Egyptian ducks lingering by the water. The most exciting moment is when you’re dining and spot a giraffe slowly approaching to drink right in front of you. There are two main highlights for wildlife viewing here: one is staying by the waterhole and waiting for animals to come, with night lighting enabling you to observe nocturnal species; the other is visiting the chimpanzee sanctuary and the black rhino orphanage for close encounters with rare animals.

The chimpanzee sanctuary was established in 1993. When civil war broke out in Burundi, the Jane Goodall Institute relocated 19 rescued chimpanzees here between 1995 and 1996. These chimpanzees each have tragic pasts — one was even confined in a narrow water cage for a long time, leaving it distrustful of humans and unable to survive in the wild, thus being cared for at Sweetwaters. As for this unbelievably gentle black rhino, its situation is similar. Raised by humans since childhood, it has lost its instinct to survive in the wild. Sweetwaters currently assigns six staff members specifically to care for it. This is the only black rhino orphanage in Kenya and even all of Africa.