Northern Kenya
Samburu
Arid beauty along the Ewaso Nyiro. Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, gerenuk and Beisa oryx.
The special five
Why we keep sending people here
Samburu is a different Kenya: doum palms, dry river beds, and animals you will not see in the Mara. Elephants come to the Ewaso Nyiro in the heat of the day. The Special Five are the point of the journey, and a good guide will not rush you past a gerenuk standing on its hind legs.
Best time: June – October.
Getting there
A full day north via Nanyuki, or a scheduled flight into the reserve airstrips.
Where you sleep
Riverine camps with shade, fans, and the river as the evening theatre.
Who it suits
Repeat safari guests and anyone bored of the same southern plains.
Do not miss
Highlights
— Samburu Special Five
— River crossings
— Samburu community visits
— Huge night skies
In the binoculars
Wildlife you can reasonably expect
Reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, Gerenuk, Oryx, Elephant, Leopard. “Expect” is not “guarantee”. We would rather you arrive curious than disappointed by a promise.
Journeys that come here
Safaris with Samburu on the route
Each of these opens into a full day-by-day, with what is included and what is not.
3 days / 2 nights · Wildlife
3-Day Samburu Wilderness
Northern Kenya’s rare species and riverine camps along the Ewaso Nyiro.
From USD 430 · about KES 55,470 per person
Open the itinerary
7 days / 6 nights · Birding
Birdwatching Tour — Nature Focus
Rift lakes, Amboseli swamps and northern dry-country birds, paced for a checklist.
From USD 1,890 · about KES 243,810 per person
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7 days / 6 nights · Wildlife
7-Day Kenya Classic
Amboseli, Samburu and the Mara — three landscapes, one week, road and air mixed properly.
From USD 2,450 · about KES 316,050 per person
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