an image of a leopard taken by a private guide while hosting a wild eye photo safari in sabi sands in south africa

TWO WAY STREET

MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS

GUEST BLOG

Recently our long time guest, Tracy Miller, had the honour of writing a piece for Travel Africa - a wonderful magazine "Exploring the world's most exciting continent".

Tracy details her experience of having a chat around the camp fire of our Enkishui Wild Eye Mara Camp, with our legend of a camp manager - Dickson Sakaya. Dickson is an incredible humanbeing and many who have the pleasure of conversing with him often learn something fairly profound or enlightening.

We hope you enjoy Tracy's recount as much as we did!

EXPLORE ENKISHUI WILD EYE MARA CAMP

Bathed in the soft glow of lanterns, the campfire crackling in front of us, Dickson Sakaya tells me his story. It’s one that has seen him transform from cattle herder into the manager of Enkishui Wild Eye Mara Camp. His is not just a tale of personal endeavour, but a testament to the evolving relationship between indigenous cultures and tourism, the magic of human connection… and the terror of being chased by zombies.

“When I first met the owners of Wild Eye,” Dickson recalls, “I couldn’t speak English.” That was 13 years ago. Today, he converses fluently — all the more impressive because he didn’t go to school. He applied himself diligently, listening to English lessons on his phone.

This is just one of the profound changes he’s experienced through working in the safari industry.

Guests sitting around the Camp Fire at Wild Eye Enkishui mara Camp

Maasai staff at the entrance to Enkishui Wild Eye Mara Camp

With an expansive gesture to the river, Dickson says: “To me, this is also a safari, it is not my home. Wildebeest and zebra crossing the waters in their thousands, safari drives — they are not my normal life. I have seen and learned so much, not just about wildlife but about people. I’ve got to know people of all nationalities — everybody has taught me so much.”

Dickson emphasizes the importance of small, everyday interactions around the campfire: “In our culture, the fire represents the heart of the community, where elders share wisdom and stories.” As sparks drift up to join the stars, he continues: “This is where the stories start, the connections. It’s sharing ideas, the way we come to see the world differently.”

This emphasis on connection is a core part of his approach to hospitality. He takes pride in sharing his culture with guests. He also encourages them to ask questions — nothing is off the agenda. So, while guests come for the breathtaking wildlife and landscapes of the Mara, they often leave with something far more valuable: a deeper understanding of the Maasai way of life.

Conversely, Dickson has seen the world differently than the majority of his people. His job has given him the chance to travel, and his eyes light up as he recounts his trip to New York, where he saw snow blanketing Central Park.

“I show my family and neighbors photos of where I’ve been,” he says. “They asked me if the snow was ash from a fire, it was so white everywhere. I explained it was ice and that it was so cold my skin was burning. I could hardly move my mouth on the phone to them.”

His eyes twinkling, Dickson shudders at the recollection of his visit to Universal Studios in LA where he was chased by zombies. “I really didn’t like those at all. Very scary. So much so, I nearly vomited.”

Speaking of the ‘wow’ moments he’s enjoyed, he compares them to the awe that visitors feel when they first encounter the Mara. “Learning is a two-way street,” he says. “We experience things through each other, change our lives through each other.”