Samburu National Reserve lies in the north of Kenya, where the flat greenness of the rest of the country starts giving way to arid scrubland, kopjes and huge rocky outcrops, all centred on the meandering Ewaso Ngiro River. Far from being dull, this extraordinary landscape supports animals uniquely adapted to the drier, rockier conditions.
Samburu National Reserve is named after the Samburu people, nomadic pastoralists whose traditional finery is among the most beautiful and delicate in the world. The Samburu still live in manyattas (villages) that can be moved to follow fresh grazing for their donkeys, goats and cattle. Camels were introduced at some point when trading Arabians arrived, and, of course, these desert creatures thrive in this semi-desert environment. This is one of the few places in Africa where you can undertake a camel trek: set off to find wildlife, led by your capable and knowledgeable Samburu guides.
The reserve is a haven for elephants and predators like lions, leopards and wild dogs. The Samburu birdlife is abundant, with over 450 recorded species like vulturine guineafowl, lesser kestrel and the Taita falcon.
For animal and safari lovers, one of the biggest and most exciting reasons to visit Samburu is the quasi-endemic species that have adapted to the more arid and hillier conditions. While Amboseli has its impressive herds of elephants and the Masai Mara boasts millions of wildebeest during the Migration, Samburu has the Special 5 (cousins to the world-famous Big 5)
