Samburu National Reserve
Kenya's wild north
About 350 km north of Nairobi lies the Samburu Nature Reserve, 165 sq km in size and rising from 850 m altitude in the west to 1250 m in the east. Dry bushland, open grassland, rolling bush-covered hills and the chocolate river Ewaso Nyiro with its narrow gallery forest characterize the landscape.
Annual rainfall is less than 400 mm in this hot, sparsely populated northern Kenya. This dry ecosystem lies in front of the mighty Ol Olokwe Mountain and is home to special animal species.
Straw-yellow grass, red earth, huge old trees and palm trees, classic African river landscape, azure sky and the all-powerful sun bring you very close to the characteristic Africa!
If you're lucky, you can even spot a pack of African wild dogs, which are extremely endangered!
Samburu, Shaba and the Buffalo Springs Nature Reserve form an ecological unit and almost border one another.
All the beauty of Kenya is at your feet here!
Size
165 km²
Altitude
850 – 1,250 m
Rainfall
under 400 mm/year
The Samburu Special Five
Particular attractions in this protected area are Grevy's zebras, reticulated giraffes and giraffe gazelles. But oryx antelopes and the smallest antelope species, Dikdik, also populate this dry habitat.
Large herds of elephants roam the area in search of vital water.
At dusk, magnificent leopards appear in the gallery forest in search of prey. Buffaloes quench their thirst on the riverbank, carefully watching for the giant crocodiles lurking. Lions and black-backed jackals wait in the shade of the trees for the hunters' hour when the heat of the day subsides.
When to travel?
The dry seasons from June to October and December to March offer the best game viewing: animals gather along the Ewaso Nyiro River, the only reliable water source in this hot region.
Days are hot while nights stay mild. During the rainy seasons (April/May and November) the river can swell and some tracks become hard to pass.
