Samburu National Reserve

Samburu National Reserve, in Kenya’s arid north roughly six hours by road from Nairobi, sits along the Ewaso Ng’iro River in a landscape strikingly different from the classic green savannah of the Mara or the swamps of Amboseli. Covering approximately 165 square kilometres, the reserve is named for the Samburu people, close cultural relatives of the Maasai, who continue to graze livestock across the surrounding region.

The Samburu Special Five

Because Samburu’s dry, semi-arid ecosystem differs so much from Kenya’s southern parks, it hosts a set of species rarely or never seen elsewhere in the country, known locally as the “Samburu Special Five”: the reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, Somali ostrich, gerenuk and beisa oryx, each adapted specifically to the region’s arid conditions.

The Ewaso Ng’iro River

The river running through the reserve is the region’s lifeline, drawing wildlife from the surrounding dry bush to its banks and supporting riverine forest that stands in sharp contrast to the surrounding scrubland. Elephant herds, often numbering in the dozens, are a common sight along the riverbanks, particularly during the drier months.

Predators of Samburu

The reserve holds healthy populations of lion and leopard, along with one of Kenya’s more visible cheetah populations given the open terrain, and the endangered African wild dog is an occasional but genuinely exciting sighting for visitors.

Samburu Culture

Visits to a local Samburu village offer insight into a pastoralist culture with strong similarities to, and distinct differences from, the better-known Maasai further south, including distinctive beadwork, age-set traditions and cattle-based livelihoods still practised much as they have been for generations.

Where to Stay

Luxury Options

Elephant Bedroom Camp and Saruni Samburu both offer highly regarded riverside and hillside settings within or bordering the reserve.

Mid-range and Budget Options

Samburu Game Lodge and a range of tented camps along the Ewaso Ng’iro offer more accessible options while remaining close to the reserve’s core game-viewing areas.

Best Time to Visit

Samburu rewards visits throughout the year given its permanent river, though the dry seasons draw the largest wildlife concentrations to the riverbanks as surrounding water sources disappear.