Summary
Born Free, As Free as the wind blows…..
Those were the words going through my head when we stopped at the Elsamere Home in Kenya. If you are old enough to remember (which I am not) Born Free was a popular movie in the 60’s based on the lives of Joy and George Adamson.
A couple who raised an orphaned lion cub named Elsa rehabilitated it and released it back into the wild. The song and score won an academy award, and the movie spawned a TV series in the seventies.
Born Free in Real Life
I remember my mom always singing Born Free around the house. I never knew any more of the words than the words I wrote above, but the story always stuck with me.
Now, here I am as an adult staying in the cottage that belonged to Joy Adamson herself.
About Joy Adamson
I never saw the movie and don’t know if they depicted the complexities behind the renowned figure on screen, but Joy Adamson was not well loved in Kenya.
She was often perceived as difficult and mean-spirited, and it is believed that she was murdered by one of her long-suffering staff members.
As I read about her story displayed on the walls of the complex, it is said that she once poured hot soup over a staff member because it was not warm enough. Joy wasn’t well liked by the community, and apparently, her husband George wasn’t much better.
Conservation and the Elsamere
However, nothing can diminish the groundbreaking work they did to initiate the movement for animal rehabilitation and release back into the wild. They raised Elsa the lion like their own family member. Elsa eventually returned to the wild and reportedly lived a fulfilling life raising cubs of her own.
Staying at the Elsamere House, Kenya
The Elsamere Home is a fascinating place to stay on Lake Naivasha, Kenya. It offers a secluded, tranquil, and rustic experience. This complex is nestled within the untamed regions of Africa, presenting a very real risk of encountering hippos if you venture outside unaccompanied.
Aside from the cottages and the main house, there isn’t another establishment in sight.
As we settled into our bungalow to unwind before dinner, we were strongly advised never to leave our accommodation without first notifying the main house to request an armed guard for our safety.
When the time came for dinner, our guard awaited outside our door and then escorted us to our table.
Upon inquiring if hippos truly come close to the house, he showed us hippo tracks on the lawn. “Oh Yes, they will eat you,” he replied. The tracks curiously led right up to our porch!
Having a sleepwalking problem would be quite concerning while staying at the Elsamere home.
Born Free Lives On
Joy Adamson may not have been well-liked, and much of what is read is speculative, but one thing is certain—the Elsa Conservation Centre continues to perform remarkable work.
What the Adamsons may have lacked in interpersonal skills, they compensated for with their profound love for wildlife. Their efforts were pivotal in starting the conservation movement in Africa, significantly altering perspectives on animals.
Their legacy endures through the Elsa Conservation trust. Their entire estate was entrusted to this organization, which has donated millions of dollars to wildlife education and conservation initiatives over the last forty years. They have been instrumental in creating numerous parks and reserves in Kenya and have established a field study center right at the Elsamere centre where we stayed.
Joy was also a talented artist, and much of her work is showcased on the walls of the main house. One can only imagine the abundance of wildlife in the area during their time in Kenya.
A museum is located in the house, and artifacts are displayed outside, including the jeep in which George Adamson was fatally shot while attempting to assist a tourist captured by Somali bandits.
I believe I would have enjoyed a longer stay at the Elsamere. You can hire guides and boats for bird watching here, making it an ideal location for slow travelers to spend several days exploring—cautiously avoiding the shores of the lake to steer clear of hungry hippos.
To learn more about the Elsamere and the conservation trust, visit their website.
