Lying on the edge of northern Kenya's arid savannahs, the Samburu National Reserve is a destination that will appeal as much to the safari first-timer as it will to the veteran.

In the middle of the reserve, the Ewaso Ng'iro flows through doum palm groves and thick riverine forests and provides water without which the game in the reserve could not survive in the arid country.

Samburu's game viewing is famously first-class and there are adventure activities and fascinating cultural interactions too.

The Samburu National Reserve was one of the two areas in which conservationists George Adamson and Joy Adamson raised Elsa the Lioness made famous in the best selling book and award winning movie Born Free.

The Samburu people are herders of Camels and Goats, and are often seen on the reserve boundaries bringing their animals to water. Closely related to the Maasai and speaking the same language it seems that when the Maasai migrated to the area from Sudan, some headed east and became the Samburu. Often strikingly tall and slender, swathed in brilliant red cloth 'Shukas', hung about with beads and metal jewellery, the young men (Moran) favor long, plaited, ochre-daubed hairstyles and have a formidable reputation for glamour, prowess and ferocity.

Attractions

Situated alongside the Ewaso Nyiro River, there is plenty to attract wildlife from the surrounding savannah plains. The reserve is rich in wildlife with an abundance of rare northern specialist species such as the Grevy’s zebra, Somali ostrich, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk and the beisa oryx.

The reserve is also home to elephants and large predators such as the lion, leopard and cheetah. Kamunyak the miracle lioness that adopted the baby oryx was as a resident in the reserve. Wild dog sightings are also a common attraction to this unique protected area. Birdlife is abundant with over 450 species recorded.

Best time to visit

All year round.

Getting to Samburu National Reserve

The reserve can be accessed to by road from Nairobi through Isiolo on all weather bitumen while Isiolo Archers Post is gravelled. The road section distance from Isiolo to Archer’s gate is 34.3 km. Air: The reserve has an airstrip that is the Oryx Samburu Airstrip.