Safari to Samburu National Reserve is a short wildlife safari to get exposed to the northern Kenya frontier. Traverse the major regions of Kenya and view Mt Kenya from a distance. You have a chance to view the big five and the special five animals in Samburu National Reserve. They are Beisa Oryx, Grevy Zebras, Reticulated Giraffe, Gerenuk (Giraffe Antelope), and Somali Ostrich. Also, there are other big cats, like leopards and lions.
Oveview.
Samburu National Reserve is the most popular of the northern frontier fauna sanctuaries. The game park occupies an area of 165 km2. The driving distance from Nairobi is 350 km and 65km from Isiolo town to Archer’s post gate. The park lies on the northern bank of the Uaso Nyiro River; the river serves as the only source of water without which the game in the reserve could not survive in the arid country.
Samburu National Reserve was one of the two areas in which conservationists George Adamson and Joy Adamson raised Elsa the Lioness. It was made famous in the best-selling book and award-winning movie Free. The Samburu National Reserve is also home to Kamunyak, a lioness famous for adopting oryx calves. Samburu’s topography is composed of the river Uaso Nyiro, which flows from the Kenyan highlands. It flows to the Lorian swamp, scattered acacia, riverine forest, thorn trees, and grassland vegetation. The climate for Samburu is hot and dry with cool nights, with an average annual maximum temperature of 30°C (86°F) and a minimum annual temperature of 20°C (68°F). There is a wide variety of animal and bird life seen at Samburu National Reserve.
Several species are considered unique to the region, including its unique dry-country animal life. All three big cats, lion, cheetah, and leopard, can be found here, as well as elephants, buffalos, hippos, olive baboon, gerenuk, warthogs, Grant’s gazelle, Kirk’s dik-dik, impala, waterbuck, Grevy’s zebra, Beisa oryx, reticulated giraffe, and over 350 bird species.
The Maa
Samburu is also a Maasailand; the Maasai people, who by definition speak the Maa language, hence the name Maasai, have held on to their culture even in these times of modernization. A Maasai’s home is called a manyatta, where he lives with his wives and children. From childhood, boys are obligated to look after their father’s cows, while girls are obligated to do house chores, fetch water, and milk the cows. After every fifteen years, there is an initiation where boys are circumcised and they become young morans, and the existing morans graduate to junior elders. The Maasai enjoy eating meat and milk mixed with blood during rituals such as initiation and marriage. The use of herbs as medicine is still embedded in their day-to-day lives. The Maasai are an attraction in Kenya since they have managed to stick to their culture.
DAY 1: Nairobi – Samburu Game Reserve
Depart Nairobi and drive north past coffee plantations via Mt. Kenya to Samburu National Reserve. A picnic lunch and game drive en route. Thereafter, enjoy an afternoon game drive in the park. Dinner and overnight at the campsite
DAY 2: Full Day in Samburu Game Reserve
A full day of game viewing and exploring the three adjacent reserves. We cover Samburu National Reserve, Buffalo Springs Reserve, and Shaba National Reserve. Early morning game drives after breakfast, when most animals are active. This is just before the scorching sun forces most animals to look for shelter. Lunch will be served at the camp. When the sun turns to the west, we leave for an afternoon game drive. Despite being so far-flung, the reserve harbours several species rarely found anywhere else. Among these are Grevy’s zebra, the reticulated giraffe, and the Beisa oryx. The gerenuk, also known as the giraffe antelope or Somali ostrich, can be spotted. All of them are only found north of the equator. Meals are served at the camp, hence the overnight stay.
DAY 3: Samburu Game Reserve – Nairobi
Depart from the camp in the morning and drive north while viewing the game. Make a stopover at the equator with a chance to buy a souvenir or a cup of tea. Arrive back in Nairobi by late afternoon.
Options are, of course, many and varied, and in many cases, we can be flexible about the itinerary for accommodation facilities and the extension of the safari destinations.
