One of the famous Safari destinations in East Africa, Samburu National Reserve is located in Northern Kenya and is a premier game reserve situated on the banks of the Ewaso Ng’iro river. This vast expanse of remote pristine wilderness measures 165 square kilometers in area and borders the Ewaso Ng’iro River to the south, which separates it from the Buffalo Springs National Reserve. Samburu Reserve is a unique wildlife conservation haven famous for an abundance of rare species of animals such as the Grevy Zebra, Somali Ostrich, Reticulated Giraffe, Gerenuk and the Beisa Oryx. The reserve is also home to a population of close to 900 Elephants. Large predators such as the Lion, Leopard and Cheetah are an important attraction (Kamunyak the famous Lioness that adapted a baby Oryx is a resident in the reserve). Samburu is infact one of the better locations in Kenya to spot Leopard. Wild dog sightings are also a common attraction to this unique protected area and Birdlife is abundant with over 450 recorded species.
Samburu as a wildlife eco system now also comprises a number of conservancies and group ranches bordering the main reserve such as the Kalama Conservancy, West Gate Community Conservancy and Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy. Samburu Reserve is considered among the best wildlife reserves not just in Kenya but also in Africa and this website, samburureserve.com, offers useful and practical information to guide tourists in planning their visit or for booking a Safari in Samburu most suited to their preferences. Travelers would normally have numerous questions while planning their visit, ranging from what would be the best time to visit, where to stay and what best experiences to book while here. You may contact us and we will be happy to provide relevant information to your questions through this platform.
In case you require any guidance or recommendations about a visit to Samburu National Reserve, please do get in touch with us via email and we promise to respond immediately.
Location
Samburu National Reserve is situated at the southeastern corner of Samburu District in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. It is bordered to the south by Ewaso Nyiro River, which separates it from the Buffalo Springs National Reserve.
The reserve covers an area of 165 Km² and is located around 345Km from Nairobi.
Climatic Conditions
The Reserve lies within ecological zone V- which is classified as arid and semi- arid with moisture index of 42 to 57, which indicate that evapo-transpiration is greater than available moisture. The days are extremely hot while the nights are cool. The annual mean temperatures range between 18ºC and 30ºC, while the mean annual rainfall is 354mm with peaks in November and April. The dry season starts in late May, and goes up to early October during when large concentration of wildlife is found in the reserve due to availability of lush vegetation along the Ewaso Nyiro River, the main source of water to the Reserve and the nearby communities.
Top Activities Done in Samburu National Reserve Kenya
Exploring the best of Samburu national reserve with the best Tour operators gives the guests a wide range of experience through different Safari activities at the reserve hence making your African trip more remarkable. We offer our guests a wide range of best selected safari activities that are done both inside and outside the reserve. These top activities can be explored by car, foot or Horse and they can be done either during the day time or night. These Activities include the following;
Game viewing
Samburu national reserve is a home to a variety of wildlife species and noticed for offering excellent game viewing safaris, a Kenya game viewing safari in Samburu national reserve is a very satisfying safari experience offered as morning, afternoon and night game drives. On the game viewing experience you will have a wonderful time spotting abundance of animals such as gerenuk, Grevy’s zebra, Oryx, reticulated giraffe, lions, African leopard, elephant, cape buffalo, hippos, gazelles, impalas, waterbuck, warthogs, impalas and many more.
During the dry season, the banks of Ewaso Ng’iro River are the best site to visit while on a Kenya game viewing safari as you will enjoy watching many animals as they drink water and large numbers of Nile crocodile.
Bird watching
Samburu national reserve is an excellent Kenya birding safari destination boosting over 350 bird species, bird watching in Samburu national reserve is a delightful Kenya safari activity offering excellent views of a wide range of bird such as Acacia tit, Bare-eyed thrush, African palm swift, Ashy cisticola, Black-bellied sunbird, Black-capped social weaver, Brown-tailed rock chat, Chestnut-headed sparrow lark, Chestnut weaver, Donaldson-Smith’s sparrow-weaver, Fischer’s starling, Golden pipit, Golden-breasted starling, Greater kestrel, Grey wren-warbler, Hunter’s sunbird, Lanner falcon, Mariqua sunbird, Northern brownbul, Palm-nut vulture, Pink-breasted lark, Pygmy batis, Red-bellied parrot, Red-necked falcon, Red-winged lark, Reichenow’s seedeater, Rosy-patched bush-shrike, Secretary bird, Singing bush lark, Somali bee-eater, Somali ostrich, Spotted palm-thrush, Von der Decken’s hornbill, Vulturine guineafowl, White-headed mousebird, Yellow-vented eremomela among others.
Camelback safaris
Camelback safaris in Samburu national park are one amazing unique traditional way of touring the wilderness, camelback riding gives an opportunity to enjoy the open environment in the park filled with beautiful scenery and numerous animals. While on camelback riding tourist are able to get up close to the animals.
Bush breakfast
Samburu national reserve offers an extraordinary breakfast in the bush of the park while enjoying food tourists get a chance to experience how it feels to be in the wilderness while getting sights of wildlife moving freely in the park.
Mount biking
Mountain biking is another thrilling activity in Samburu national park which involves using bikes to tour the wilderness. In this semi-arid plain in the park while enjoying the intoxicating views of the vegetation, animals, birds and the river streaming through the forest.
Among the birds to lookout in Samburu national reserve include migratory bird species which are present in the park in the period of November to April.
Cultural safaris
Samburu national reserve has more to offer the game viewing and birding safaris, the reserve is recognized to offer some of the most fascinating Kenya cultural safaris in the amazing Samburu community adjacent to the reserve. The Samburu people are nomadic pastoralists with fascinating culture, norms and traditions which have resisted the tide of technology and modernity, the Maasai people adorned their bodies with colorful shukas, beautiful beads which is a huge sight to witness. While in the Samburu community you will also enjoy cultural dances, songs and drama, interact with the elders, visit local markets and schools.
Walking safaris
Samburu national reserve is made up of a picturesque landscape with fantastic natural serenity thus offering excellent Kenya walking safaris, walking safaris in Samburu national reserve are done of numerous trails running through the savannah grasslands dominating the landscape of the reserve and along the Ewaso Ng’iro river which runs through the middle of the reserve before emptying into Lorian Swamp. On the experience you get to enjoy watching numerous animals including Nile crocodiles, elephants, lions, Grevy’s zebras, gerenuk, leopards, rhinos, buffaloes, hyenas, hippos among others while grazing, drinking and swimming in the waters of the river.
Getting to Samburu National Reserve
Samburu national reserve is situated in the Southeastern corner of Samburu district and lies in a distance of 345 kilometers from Nairobi, this amazing reserve is an easily accessed Kenya safari destination using road and air means of transport.
By road
Most safaris to Samburu national reserve start from Nairobi a Kenya safari capital, using road transport both private and public means of transport are used and it is a drive of about 6 hours to the reserve . The route passes through various villages and escarpment to be able to reach Samburu National Reserve. The other alternative route to the Reserve can be going through Embu, Chuka and Meru, while elevating through the east side of Mt. Kenya and this takes at an hour longer as the road is winding.
By air
Domestic chartered flights to Samburu national reserve from Wilson airport in Nairobi to one of the 3 airstrips serving the reserve, these include Buffalo Springs airstrip, Kalama airstrip and Samburu Oryx airstrip. Flights to Samburu national reserve are offered by Safari Link and Air Kenya.