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SAMBURU NATIONAL RESERVE.
Located:
Samburu National Reserve is located in the
Samburu district 325 Km North of Nairobi.
The park is under the Samburu County Council.
Getting there:
There are daily flights to Samburu with stopovers at Nanyuki.
Alternatively
one can easily drive to Samburu reserve.
Total area:
The Samburu Reserve has an area of
142 Km².
This being the arid north,
the lifeline of the reserve is the Ewaso Nyiro River, “River of
brown waters”.
Part of the attraction are the colourful Samburu, the cousins
of the Maasai who occupy this region.
The
Samburu nature reserve
is famous for its unique
species of wildlife endemic to this region like the long necked
Gerenuk (giraffe gazelle), Reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s Zebra, Beisa
Oryx and the blue necked Somali ostrich, all to be found to the
North of the Equator.
Besides the unique species,
elephants, lions, cheetahs, Grevy's zebras, buffalos, Oryx, grants
gazelles, dikdiks, cheetah, and
Hyena
are to be found in Samburu Reserve
Over 365 species of birds
have been recorded in Samburu Reserve,
including kingfishers,
humming birds and eagles, guinea fowls and vultures.
Oblivious of the inquisitive eyes huge crocodiles, with records of 6
metres bask along the river banks while schools of hippos inhabit
the pools.
Gates: Ngare
Mare and Buffalo Springs gates.
Accommodation:
Samburu National
Reserve has the largest number of accommodation facilities in the
area. They vary from luxury camps, budget lodges and public
campsites.
Activities: Nature walks, camping, game drives, cultural
dances, camel safaris, boat rides in Ewaso Ngiro river.
BUFFALO SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK/RESERVE
To the south of Samburu lies the Buffalo springs reserve.
The two are separated by the Ewaso Ngiro River, which
supports their life.
The two share the same ecosystem.
An unexplained phenomenon is the presence of the Common Zebra in
Buffalo springs and the absence of the species in the Samburu, just
across the river.
In addition to the animals found in Samburu, bird life is prolific.
Accommodation:
Buffalo Springs Lodge
Location: 341 Km from
Nairobi.
Area: 220 KM²
Getting there: Fly or drive to the park
Shaba National Reserve takes its name from a massive cone of
volcanic rock that dominates the region.
Shaba is also called the Born Free country. It is here that the famous conservationist Joy Adamson tamed
Elsa the lioness. In
addition to Born Free, other films that have been shot
here include
To Walk with the Lions.
The lifeline of the park is Ewaso Ngiro river, lined with doum palms
which forms its Northern boundary. In addition to Ewaso Ngiro, the
reserve has four springs, thus making it better watered that either
the buffalo Springs or Samburu.
Having more water than her
neighbours, Shaba has plenty of game and birdlife.
Accommodation:
Sarova Shaba Lodge.
Renowned of its beauty, the lodge has 85 rooms, restaurant, bar, gas
station and swimming pool.
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