Upon arrival, guests are collected from the car park and brought via ranger to the lodge, where our team of smiley, happy faces await. Us rangers are the ones who collect the guests, so we’re the ones who get to see first hand how their mood changes from one of stress, city-thinking and work work work… to a happier place as we head through the lodge gates.

Welcome drinks are served and guests familiarise themselves with their surroundings, lounging around the reading room or sitting out on the deck watching the animals in the distance. While all this time, the mood continues to transform as they unwind and kick-off some of that everyday stress. And how could you not, when the sound of cars and alarm clocks and urban ‘noise’ is quickly replaced with a chorus of birds singing so loudly and so beautifully that you forget you even came from the city. That’s what I love about this place. That the smallest of birds can have the biggest impact.

While winter causes some bird species to migrate, the warmer winter we’ve had this year has spoilt us with a colourful variety of birds that sing and play and dance around the lodge. We’ve spotted fork tailed drongos, crested barbets, martial eagles, secretary birds, brown snake eagles, speckled mouse birds and glossy starlings, to name only a handful.
It’s the first thing you hear in the morning – we call it the Nambiti Hills alarm clock, and the last thing you hear at night – a soothing bedtime lullaby. And it puts an end to the perfect day.
Ranger: Kelwan

