Samburu National Reserve

Samburu National Reserve is one of the few reserves in Kenya and is located in Northern Kenya in Samburu County which is 347 Km from Nairobi, Kenya’s capital. The reserve is accessible by both air and road.

The reserve lies on the banks of Ewaso Ng’iro River which is the main source of water for animals living here. Samburu National Reserve was established in 1985. Northern Kenya is one of the dry regions in Kenya and the presence of the Ewaso Ng’iro river is what attracted animals to this area. Ewaso Ng’iro River has its source in Mount Kenya. Tourists visit the reserve not only for its vast wildlife but also to see the beautiful culture of the Samburu people who live around the reserve.

It is here that conservationists Joy and George Adamson raised Elsa the lion cub and later wrote a book of the same title. The book became one of the bestselling books and was later adopted into an award winning movie, Born Free.

One of the factors that make the reserve famous is the presence of a lioness; Kamunyak that adopts oryx calves.

Wildlife in Samburu National Reserve

The presence of the Ewaso Ng’iro River in the reserve has attracted a high number of animal species and bird species. There are about 50 animal species recorded in the reserve. These include Gravy Zebra, Pancake Tortoise, all the big five; Leopard, Elephant, Lion, Buffalo and Rhino, wild dog, gerenuk, Impalas, Waterbucks, Olive Baboons, cheetahs, Beisa oryxes and Reticulated giraffe among others.

There also about 450 recorded bird species in the reserve. Some of these species are Somali ostriches, Sunbirds, Marabou Storks, eagles, secretary birds, bee-eaters, Starlings, Vultures, red-billed hornbills and yellow-billed hornbills among many others.

The Ewaso Ng’iro River has also attracted aquatic animals like the Nile crocodiles and hippos among others.Vegetation at the reserve consists of mainly thorny scrubs like Acacia tortolise, down palms and Acacia elator. Others include riverine forests and grassland.
Activities in Samburu National Reserve
A visit to Samburu National reserve is in itself an exciting wilderness safari. We have listed below some of the activities you can enjoy on a safari to the reserve.

Game Viewing

With the high number of animal species in the reserve, game viewing becomes a fun activity. You are guaranteed to see most of the animals we have listed above since they are in huge numbers.

Bird Watching

You are advised to carry your binocular because you will come across flocks of birds. As mentioned earlier, the reserve has about 450 bird species which include both common and rare species.

Camping

The reserve has set grounds for camping. It’s referred to as wilderness camping.

Nature picnics/walks

Samburu National Reserve has beautiful vegetation which offers beautiful picnic sites.

A visit to the Samburu Cultural Villages

The Samburu people who live in Samburu County are some of the few communities in Kenya who still follow their strong cultural practices. They have a rich culture which visitors find quite fascinating. They are friendly and always ready to teach tourists a few things about their culture. Some of the fascinating things about them include their songs and dances, art, food and their huts.

To visit Samburu National Reserve, contact us for more details and advice.