SAMBURU
NATIONAL PARK KENYA / SAMBURU NATIONAL RESERVE/ Samburu Game Park.
Location:
Samburu District, Riftvalley Province, Kenya, 350 Km from Nairobi.
The
Samburu National
Reserve is located on the banks of the Ewaso Ng'iro River. The
Ewaso Ng'iro River separates Samburu from Buffalo Springs Reserve.
In fact the two parks are best visited together. Despite its
remote location, Samburu is a very exclusive destination. Security
is no longer a big issue in Samburu. Frequent patrols by
rangers and scouts have reduced poaching and improved security.
You can visit Samburu anytime of the year.
Attractions, Activities, Things to do in
Samburu Game Park/
Samburu game reserve is not just
another of Kenya's National Park. It 's unique position
surrounded by numerous private and community ranches, makes it a
destination full of adventure, luxury and elegance beyond
imagination. Prince William has found a hide out in Lewa,
where he is less hassled. Believe it or not, it is Kenya's
Millionaires playground, popular with who is who of this world.
Besides the normal game drives in the reserve, private ranches offer
unrivalled comfort, and exclusivity. In this region one is
spoilt for activities. Activities include
-
Day and night game
drives
-
Visits to local
Maasai, Samburu, Turkana and Boran homesteads
-
Camel and horse riding
in the private ranches
-
Nature walks conducted
by local Maasai/ Samburu warriors
-
River rafting when
season permits in Ewaso Ng'iro river
-
Nature walks to the
Ngare Ndare and Makogondo forest conducted by the local guides
-
Aerial safaris in some
of the lodges.
-
Events like Lewa
safaricom Marathon, Maralal Camel Derby
-
Swimming either in the
lodges or numerous private houses.
-
Farm Tours
-
Game viewing on camel/
horse back in the ranches
-
Exploring Il lolokwe,
Mathews Range (Nyiro Ndoto Mountains) mountains
-
Camping in open skies,
bush meals and sundowners in the private/community ranches.
How long you stay in
Samburu depends on what you intend to do. You can spare three
nights with one night in private or community ranches and the rest
in the parks. We can suggest a programme depending on how long
you want to stay.
Ewaso Ng'iro River:
Rising from Mt. Kenya and
Aberdare , The Ewaso Ng'iro River is the lifeline of the three
Reserves of Buffalo Springs, Shaba and Samburu. The river
banks are colonized by grooves of Doum Palms and thick forest which
acts as areas of refuge for animals during long spells of drought.
The River disappears in Lorian Swamp at Habaswein in North Eastern
Province. The continued existence of the three reserves is
threatened by the continued destruction of Mt Kenya and Aberdare,
the river's catchments. Vast chunks of Mt Kenya forest have
been incised to pave way for agriculture hence tributaries like
Nanyuki, Sirimon and Timau have almost dried up.
Area:
Established in 1962, Samburu
Reserve occupies an area of 165km square. The origins of Samburu can
be traced to 1948 when it was park of the greater Marsabit National
Reserve. The greater Samburu Conservation area includes local
community group ranches like Il Gwesi, Motiok , and
private ranches like Lewa, Borana,El Karama, Mugie, Loisaba.
Climate:
The area experiences hot
and dry climate of the equatorial region with cool nights.
Temperatures ranges from 20-30 degrees Centigrade. Samburu
receives about 350mmof rainfall. The natural vegetation is
scrub glassy plains dominated by Acacia elator, Acacia
tortolise, Salvadora pesica.
The Giraffe Gazelle-Gerenuk |
The following features are
visible from Samburu National / Game Reserve.
Ewaso Ng'iro River, Nyiro Ndoto Mountains
(Mathews Range), Mt Kenya Ol lolokwe hill and Wamba
hills.
Samburu was the second home of lioness Elsa raised by Joy Adamason.
It is also the home of Kamunyak, a lioness famous for
adopting oryx calves.
Getting to
Samburu National Park,
You can fly from Nairobi
Wilson to Samburu or you drive. Air Kenya Aviation operate
flights to Samburu. Being around 350 Km from Nairobi, the
drive to Samburu takes about 5 hours using private means.
From Nairobi take road A2 via Ruiru, Thika, Makutano, Karatina,
Marua, Chaka, Naro Moru, Nanyuki, Isiolo, Archers Post. See
the map above. Enlarge the map for clear directions.
The local
communities
The conservation of
Samburu as a national reserve would not have been possible without
the contribution of the local communities. A majority of the
locals are Samburu (cousins of the Maasai). Others to be found in
this region are the Turkana and the Borana.
(
Unlike the national park, human activities like cattle herding, bee
keeping etc are allowed in a reserve. Reserves are run by the
local governments unlike parks which belong to the central
government)
The main attractions of
Samburu are the rich culture of the local communities, the beautiful
landscape and wildlife. This region is the meeting point of
the North and the South. It is in Samburu you will find the
Northern and Southern dwelling species mixed. A good example
are the grevy's Zebra which are found to the North of the equator
and the common Zebra. Others are the Maasai and the Somali
Ostrich.
Unique species (Samburu
Five) in this
region include the Gerenuk (giraffe gazelle), Beisa Oryx,
Reticulated giraffe, blue necked Somali ostrich, Grevy's Zebra.
These are found to the north of the equator.
All the big cats-Lions,
Cheetah and Leopard are found here. Other mammals include
elephant, Buffalo, Grant's Gazelle, Kirk's Dik-dik, Impala, Waterbuck,
warthogs,On the river banks are hippos and Nile Crocodiles
Rhinos: Rhinos are
not present due to intense poaching. However if interested in
seeing rhinos, we advice one to visit either Meru National Park, Lewa Downs, Sweet Waters which are within the proximity of the park.
The endangered
Grevy's Zebra: The original homeland of the Grvey's
included the plains and scrublands Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and
Eritrea. However to continued warfare in some of these
countries, overgrazing and agriculture, today this has reduced
significantly leaving small pockets of population( about) 2700
exists in the world. To more precise, it is like the only
remaining population is documented in Samburu region.
Birdlife: Over 350
species of birds have been recorded in Samburu. These include Somali Ostrich,
Kingfisher, Sunbird, Bee-eater, Marabou Stork, Tawny Eagle, Bateleur, Vultures.
Game birds include the Helmeted and Vulturine Guinea fowls.
Samburu National
Reserve Gates
Remember you must enter the reserve
through the official gates: These are
Samburu National Park
Accommodation
Accommodation in Samburu
is both inside the park and outside in the private ranches.
For those who like exclusivity, they can explore the park from
luxurious private houses or community lodges like Lewa, Il Ngwesi,
El Karama etc.
Safari Lodges in
Samburu National Park
There are several safari
lodges for accommodation in Samburu National Reserve.
-
Samburu Serena Lodge
-
Samburu Sentrim Lodge
-
Samburu Intrepids
-
Samburu Lodge
-
Samburu Sopa Lodge-
-
Saruni Safari Lodge
Luxury Tented Camps in
Samburu /Camping in Samburu
The tented camps in
Samburu are mostly luxury.
-
Larsen's Tented camp
-
Elephant Watch
-
Kitich Tented Camp.
-
Sasaab Tented Camp
Budget Camp
sites |
