Herding livestock as a young boy, overly-close encounters with elephants left Bena terrified by their immense size and power. But this changed on a field trip with Save The Elephants, when Bena found himself nose-to-nose with a gentle matriarch.

Instead of the usual panic, he felt elated by her calm - the start of a journey leading eventually to a Master’s degree from the Durrell Institute of Conservation Ecology (DICE), UK. To this day, Bena's sense of wonder and connection to the living world is infectious, and is greatly loved by our guests.

Walking to school meant weaving around elephants and other wildlife for Dipo and her sister, Ntimisian. Initially fearful, curiosity slowly opened their eyes, drawing them both to Elephant Watch Camp.

Today, Dipo’s warmth, laughter, and limitless energy make her one of the most loved members of the team. Alongside her natural gift for caring for people, she has become an invaluable presence whenever someone needs first aid or support.

Named after the great Ewaso Ngiro river that is the lifeblood of Samburu, Ewaso famously dived into the raging waters of the river in spate to rescue two young herd boys stranded on a dead tree, and held onto them for hours until help arrived by helicopter.

Part of our crew for more than a decade, he leads our team of waiters with warmth, humour, and a lot of singing - ensuring guests are watered, well fed and kept safe from predators, just like his goats.

You'll often hear Leshakwet’s laugh before you see him. Joyful, curious and impossible to miss, he brings a voracious appetite for learning to each day.

Often dressed to the nines with weapons, beads and feathers, his style and charm is typical of a young Samburu warrior, effortlessly endorsing their reputation as the 'butterfly people'.

Mataano is an endurance runner whose fitness and stamina are legendary - an embodiment of the Olympic prowess of north Kenya's nomadic people.

Originally from Kiltaman Village in a neighbouring Conservancy, Maatano joined us five years ago and is ambitiously learning the ropes for each and every role in Camp and beyond.

One half of the Camp's “Glamazons”, along with her sister Dipo, Ntimisian is loved by all for her radiant smile, striking presence, warmth and immaculate attention to detail leading her team.

Growing up in Kalama Conservancy, she and Dipo would wait each morning for their neighbours before setting off together to school on foot - always wary of the pitfalls of navigating through elephant country. Now the Head Housekeeper at Camp, Ntimisian puts all her love and energy into making your stay as perfect as can be.

Twenty years ago, Nyoonyo was herding goats with Litus when both were attacked by an elephant. Thrown into the air and tusked in the gut, he was rushed to hospital by our team.

Operated on by an Italian mission doctor, who plucked out every grain of sand, he made a full recovery and became a warrior. Today, he's a core part of our team, and while the scars are still visibly etched on his skin, he feels that in the longterm elephants have been a great blessing.

Ringas is a beam of light in Camp, often joking that he holds the power to make anyone happy, because happiness begins with a full stomach, so all he has to do is cook something delicious.

Passionate about music and an impressively skilled footballer, Ringas brings rhythm, creativity and warmth to his work and every part of life at Camp.

Trained to cook by our founder, Oria, whose blend of Afrio-Italian recipes are renown, Rhoda brings great confidence, flair and creativity to the kitchen. As she churns out one splendid meal after another, she loves experimenting and is always curious about flavours from different cultures.

While she's adapted well to life in the wild, she is still very fearful of snakes. Even the smallest scare has her scrambling dramatically on to the nearest shelf.

Seraiyo joined Oria at the very start of her journey in Samburu as a rather wild young warrior with a ferocious reputation, often embroiled in wars over livestock with other nomadic tribes.

But as his role at Elephant Watch evolved, he settled in. Now, almost 30 years since we first met, he's the longest-serving member of the Elephant Watch family, and both a father-figure and mentor to all.

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Tipis arrived at Camp a few years ago in desperate need of work. His energy and dedication have since catapulted him up the ladder. As our chief mixologist, he loves getting super creative, disappearing into the bush to search for berries and wild ingredients for his latest blend. Some say he might even walk through a herd of elephants without noticing, just to find the perfect flavours.

Though soft-spoken, Toti's creativity speaks eloquently through his work in the kitchen. Curious, observant and always learning, he's become a whizz at baking with a special fondness for all kinds of bread, and has developed a real passion for making pastries and puddings. His evident joy in food creation is loved and appreciated by all.

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