Northern Kenya
A rugged, semi-arid wilderness along the Ewaso Nyiro river, home to species found nowhere else in Kenya and to some of the country's most dramatic scenery.
Samburu National Reserve lies in Kenya's arid north, a landscape of ochre hills, doum palms and dry riverbeds that feels entirely different from the green plains of the Mara. It is the Kenya of the imagination, vast, hot and beautifully empty.
What sets Samburu apart is its wildlife. The reserve is home to the Samburu Special Five: Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx, gerenuk and Somali ostrich, none of which occur in the southern parks. Elephant, lion, leopard and cheetah are all present in good numbers, and the Ewaso Nyiro river concentrates game along its banks during the dry months.
Samburu is also the heartland of the Samburu people, close relatives of the Maasai, whose villages and singing wells can be visited with respect and genuine cultural exchange. Our guides are all local to the region.
Because it sits north of the main safari circuit, Samburu remains notably quieter than the Mara even in peak season. It combines beautifully with Laikipia for a northern Kenya itinerary, or with the Mara for a first-time visit.
Itineraries
Route
Samburu › Big Five Safaris › Walking & Bush Safaris
Samburu
9 days
Nine days in Kenya's wild north, the Samburu Special Five, rhino tracking on foot and walking safaris in private conservancies where you will rarely see another vehicle.
From
£4,890pp
