- Best time to visit: June to October and December to March, when animals gather along the Ewaso Nyiro River
- Getting there: About 5 to 6 hours by road from Nairobi, or a scheduled flight of roughly an hour
Samburu National Reserve lies in Kenya’s arid north, on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River. The landscape of red earth, acacia and doum palms feels very different from the southern parks, and it is home to species you will not easily find elsewhere on a standard Kenya route.
The Samburu “Special Five”
Samburu is known for five northern species: the reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, Somali ostrich, gerenuk and beisa oryx. The river also attracts large elephant herds, crocodiles, leopard and lion.
Why visit Samburu
- Fewer vehicles than the busiest southern reserves
- Walks and cultural visits with the Samburu people
- Excellent birding along the river
- A natural pairing with Meru and the Masai Mara on a fly-in itinerary
Getting to Samburu
Road transfers from Nairobi take 5 to 6 hours. Many guests prefer a scheduled flight to an airstrip near the reserve, which saves a day.
Safaris that include Samburu
Request a quote to add Samburu to your Kenya itinerary.
Map
Samburu National Reserve, Kenya
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