Samburu National Reserve — The Northern Specials Safari Guide

Samburu National Reserve — The Northern Specials

Samburu National Reserve sits in the semi-arid lowlands of northern Kenya, about 350 kilometres north of Nairobi, in a landscape of dry scrubland and doum palm along the Ewaso Nyiro River. It is significantly different from the savannah parks of southern Kenya — the vegetation is sparser, the colours more ochre and buff, and the wildlife adapted to drier conditions. The reason most serious wildlife travellers make the effort to come north is five species that are found here and nowhere else in Kenya, collectively known as the Samburu Specials or the Northern Five.

The Samburu Specials

The reticulated giraffe is the most striking of the five — its coat pattern is dramatically different from the Masai giraffe of the south, with large, clearly defined geometric patches separated by white lines, producing an almost stained-glass effect. The Grevy’s zebra is larger and more heavily built than the plains zebra, with narrower stripes and a distinctive white belly. The gerenuk is an antelope with an extraordinarily elongated neck that it uses to browse at heights no other antelope can reach, standing on its hind legs against trees and shrubs in a posture that looks implausible until you see it. The Beisa oryx is a large, powerfully built antelope with long straight horns. The Somali ostrich, found only in northern Kenya, has blue-grey neck skin during breeding season rather than the pink of the common ostrich found further south.

Samburu’s Other Wildlife

Beyond the specials, Samburu has lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, buffalo, hippo, and crocodile along the Ewaso Nyiro River. The river is the heart of the reserve — most wildlife concentrates along its banks during the heat of the day, making it excellent for watching elephants and hippos at close range from a vehicle or, at some camps, from a riverbank viewing area. Leopards are frequently seen in the riverine forest, particularly in the early morning, and are reliably spotted here more often than in most Kenyan parks.

Combining Samburu With Other Parks

Samburu is most commonly combined with the Masai Mara and sometimes Amboseli on a Kenya circuit. The north-south contrast — from the dry, specialist northern reserve to the classic savannah of the south — makes for a diverse and satisfying trip. Samburu is typically accessed by scheduled or charter flight from Nairobi, which takes about forty-five minutes. Ask us about building a Kenya itinerary that includes the north.