Samburu
red earth, doum palms and wildlife you won't find further south
About Samburu
Samburu National Reserve sits in Kenya's hot, semi-arid north, a land of red earth, thorn scrub and bare rocky hills. Through it runs the Ewaso Ng'iro River, lined with doum palms and tall acacias, and in the dry months it is the only reliable water for miles, so wildlife gathers on its banks. The Samburu people, cousins of the Maasai, graze their herds across the surrounding country in beaded collars and red ochre.
This is the home of the northern specials, dry-country animals you rarely see further south: reticulated giraffes with crisp, net-like markings, Grevy's zebras with narrow stripes and round ears, Beisa oryx, gerenuks that stand on their hind legs to browse, and blue-legged Somali ostriches. Elephants wade across the river in the midday heat, leopards hunt the riverine thickets, and lions and cheetahs patrol the plains. Visit a Samburu village to hear the songs and watch the jumping dances.
The dry seasons from late June to October and January to March bring the best viewing along the river. Samburu is about six hours by road from Nairobi via Nanyuki and Isiolo, or a short flight from Wilson Airport. Pair it with Ol Pejeta, Laikipia and Mount Kenya, then fly to the Maasai Mara to see two very different sides of Kenya.
