Samburu National Reserve

Known for its dry landscape and its number of unique and rare species, Samburu National Reserve is a great option for those looking for a safari destination slightly more off-the-beaten-track. The reserve is located in central Kenya, north of the Masai Mara National Reserve, and can be accessed via road or small aircraft planes. The park is named after the local Samburu people, who live in this area. The Samburu are semi-nomadic pastoralists who herd livestock like cattle and goats. They are cousins of the Maasai people and share similar traditions, although their language and dialect are different.

The local Samburu people are very important to the preservation and history of the reserve. Local villages surround the park’s boundaries, so constant educational projects are in place to ensure there is little human/ wildlife conflict, especially with the Samburu cattle herders. During your stay in Samburu, we encourage you to do a community visit, which will often give you an insight into the way these people live in, quite often, harsh conditions.

Although you can visit Samburu National Reserve year-round, the game viewing is particularly heightened in the long, dry season between June and October. This is when the bush is at its driest, and many of the animals congregate around the Ewaso Ng’iro River – a river that borders the park and is the lifeblood of this arid terrain. On a game drive in Samburu National Reserve,  you can expect to see elephants, buffalo, hippo, crocodile, giraffe, and a host of antelope among others.

The Samburu National Reserve is particularly known for its rare species that are endemic here. These include the ‘Samburu Five’ which includes the grevy’s zebra, the reticulated giraffe, the gerenuk, the Somali ostrich, and the East African oryx These species thrive in Samburu’s arid terrain, and you will hopefully be able to tick them all off your list during your time here.