What makes Samburu unique is its 'Special Five' — five species found nowhere else in Kenya's southern reserves: the reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, Somali ostrich, gerenuk, and beisa oryx. The reserve offers a more remote, less-crowded safari experience than the Masai Mara, with a rich cultural dimension from the Samburu people.
Samburu National Reserve lies in Kenya's arid northern frontier, a stark and beautiful landscape of red earth, rocky outcrops, and doum palms lining the Ewaso Ng'iro River.
Discover the wild heart of Samburu
Explore Kenya Safaris →Best Time to Visit
June to October (dry season) is best as wildlife concentrates around the river. The reserve is also excellent from January to March. Avoid the heavy rains of April-May when roads can become impassable.
What You'll See
Beyond the Special Five, Samburu is home to elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog (occasionally), and large crocodiles in the Ewaso Ng'iro. The reserve has a famous elephant population studied by the Save the Elephants foundation. Birdwatching is exceptional with over 350 species.
Getting There
Fly from Nairobi to Samburu airstrip (1 hour) or drive from Nairobi (5-6 hours via Nanyuki or Isiolo). Samburu combines well with Ol Pejeta Conservancy and Laikipia for a northern Kenya circuit.
Find Samburu
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Samburu, Kenya
Where to Go in Samburu
Samburu National Reserve
Home of the Special Five — Kenya's most distinctive landscape
The core 165-square-kilometre reserve along the northern bank of the Ewaso Ng'iro River is Samburu's wildlife heartland. The riverine forest and doum palms fringing the river attract dense concentrations of elephant, lion, leopard, and the famous Special Five. The reserve's striking red-earth landscape — dotted with termite mounds and punctuated by the jagged Koitogor Hill — is among Kenya's most visually distinctive. Game drives along the river are particularly productive at dawn and dusk when predators are most active.
Buffalo Springs National Reserve
Quieter than Samburu — natural spring oasis in semi-arid terrain
Separated from Samburu by the Ewaso Ng'iro River to the south, Buffalo Springs is often overlooked but equally rich in wildlife. The reserve takes its name from a natural spring that creates a clear, cool pool — a surreal oasis in the semi-arid landscape. Buffalo Springs tends to have fewer vehicles than Samburu, offering a quieter experience. The terrain is more open grassland, favoured by Grevy's zebra, oryx, and cheetah. It shares the same ecosystem and wildlife as Samburu, with animals crossing freely between the two reserves.
Kalama Conservancy
300,000 acres, 2 camps — wild dog territory on Samburu community land
A 300,000-acre community conservancy east of Samburu, Kalama is managed by the local Samburu community and represents conservation at its most authentic. With only two camps permitted in the entire conservancy, visitor density is negligible. Kalama's terrain is more rugged and wild than the main reserve, with dramatic lava fields, seasonal rivers, and dense commiphora bush. It is one of the best areas in Kenya for wild dog sightings and hosts large numbers of elephant, Grevy's zebra, and reticulated giraffe. Cultural visits to manyattas (Samburu homesteads) are a highlight.
Saruni Samburu & Matthews Range
Remote mountain forests with melanistic leopard — guided Samburu treks
The Matthews Range rises to over 2,600 metres northeast of Samburu, a forested mountain chain that most visitors to Kenya never see. This remote area, home to the Ndoto and Matthews forests, supports elephant, buffalo, wild dog, and the rare melanistic (black) leopard. The Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy, run by the local Samburu community, protects this area with a handful of remote lodges. Trekking through the cedar and olive forests, guided by Samburu warriors, is one of Kenya's most unique wilderness experiences.
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