A hyena cackles, a bush-baby screams and a tree hyrax accompanies it to the orchestra of the night insects and frogs.

“The nights in Africa can be louder than the days,” remarks Kim Pierce of Nairobi Tented Camp, the premier tented camp in the Nairobi National Park.

It is, indeed, a novelty to be spending the night in the park where until now, nobody could boast of a night in the park – save for the wild animals.

It takes us an hour from the Nyayo Stadium roundabout to reach the main gate of the national park. My niece and nephew, Maya and Galib want to stop at the Ivory Burn Site where on 18 July 1989, 12 tons of ivory then valued at Sh60 million was set ablaze to fight the illegal trade. A herd of beautiful impalas browse and leap by the monument in a playful moment.

Following the instructions to the park we drive to No. 25 and stop at the observation hill to see the city’s lights come on as darkness sweeps across the park.

The horizon pales as the sun sinks across the plains of the park with the knuckles of the Ngong hills in the background. A herd of giraffes browse peacefully and we turn left into the Kisembe valley. Hidden in the grove of an old forest is the tented camp, a veritable spot of luxury in park which has been open for only four months.

After check-in, we sit in the beautiful tent that serves as a lounge and opens to the woods. The men fill the bucket with steaming hot water and raise it with ropes to the tree top ready for a shower in the bush.

It’s actually a clever design and I nip into the ensuite tent to a steaming hot shower before the party to celebrate my nephew’s birthday.

The lion doesn’t let up and continues sending roars intermittently into the night. After a mouth-watering three-course meal including a freshly-baked chocolate birthday cake, we’re back to the camp-fire to chat till late into the night and snuggle into bed warmed by hot-water bottles.

Peter Kolir, the Turkana driver guide and Ibrahim Ali, the Borana who worked with the legendary George and Joy Adamson are ready for the morning game drive before breakfast.

In two hours, we see three white rhinos in the company of a herd of elands, and impalas at the Kingfisher campsite, four more white rhinos grazing on the plains further on; a juvenile augur buzzard hunting for insects; more giraffes, zebra, elands, gazelles, buffalo and impalas and finally on our way back to the camp, a full grown male lion by the side of the road with two females – he’s the guy who has been roaring all night mating with his female. We arrive very late for breakfast held up by all the morning action in the park.

We enjoy a leisurely brunch and then stroll around the forested grove of wizened olive trees and croton shrubs. On our way out, we stop by the tree to watch the African crowned eagle watches the plains–Africa’s most powerful bird of prey.

Nairobi Tented Camp

Carry your clothes to the park. It’s an eco-friendly camp – all grey water and trash is carried out of the park .Food is cooked in energy-saving stoves.

The camp is run on solar and with only eight tents, it’s designed to be small so as not to disturb the animals.

“We can pack up all the tents without leaving a trace behind,” remarks Kim.

No trees have been cut to set up camp. Prior booking is a must. A percentage goes towards wildlife projects.