Samburu national reserve

Samburu national reserve

Samburu national reserve is a small reserve that is part of the homeland of the pastoral Samburu, who water their heads in the Ewaso Nyiro. The park covers around 165 square kilometers. It ranges in altitude from 800 to 1230m above sea level. This arid landscape, which includes northern Kenya’s largest river, Ewaso Nyiro, is the ancestral homeland of the Samburu people. The Samburu people were drawn to this region by the Ewaso Nyiro, which supply power for their herds and quenches the thirst of the plentiful wildlife that roam this reserve. To the south, the river runs through Samburu National Park, Shaba National Reserve, and Buffalo Springs National Reserve.

Samburu national Park

The popularity of the reserve is dated back when Joy Adamson and Gorge raised Elsa the lioness. Elsa the Lioness, made famous in the best-selling book and award-winning film Born Free, was raised in the Samburu National Reserve, one of two areas where conservationists George and Joy Adamson raised her. Within the park is the Elephant Watch Camp, whose director is Saba Douglas-Hamilton. Kamunyak, a lioness known for adopting oryx calves, lives in the Samburu National Reserve. This was more than a miracle to may tourists who came to the reserve to confirm the truth about Kamunyak lion. It was named by the local people meaning  “Blessed one”. 

The reserve is a home of the the rare Northern special animal species which are termed as the 5 specials of samburu. They include Grevy Zebra, Reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, Gerenuk, and Beisa Oryx)  The reserve hosts some other big game like Elephants, Lions, Leopards, Buffaloes, Cheetahs, Hippos, gazelles, olive baboon, impala, waterbuck and others. It hosts over 350 bird species. Some of the bird species include: 

 

Location of Samburu national reserve

Samburu National Reserve is situated at the southeastern corner of Samburu District in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. It is bordered to the south by Ewaso Nyiro River, which separates it from the Buffalo Springs National Reserve. Its located around 345km from the capital city Nairobi. The reserve can be reached by both road and air transport. The road is good and the drive takes 5 to 6 hours drive from Nairobi. For guests who may not like long drives there is an option of flight from Wilson airport in Nairobi. The scheduled flights operates daily from Wilson airport to Samburu airstrip. 

 

Activities done in Samburu Game Reserve 

We’ve discovered many fun ways to get out into the wilderness and really explore what it has to give over the years. Now we’d like to share the benefits of that experience with you. During your stay at Elephant Watch Camp, our guides will talk with you about what you want to do each day and adjust plans based on your mood and their suggestions. They communicate with conservation researchers and rangers all over Samburu National Reserve on a regular basis. This ensures that you are kept up to date with all of the exciting developments and are among the first to arrive on the scene.

 

Camelback Safaris

Samburu national reserve is one of the few protected areas where unique traditional way of exploring the wilderness. Using an animal for look for other animals is fantastic experience. Get close to the animals in their natural environment. 

 

Game drives

Since a vehicle offers the best platform to carry you straight into the center of the herds, this is the most popular activity for elephant watching. We have a small fleet of specially adapted four-wheel-drives that will provide you with the best and safest view. Our drivers and guides have been educated to treat animals with care so that they are not disturbed. This means that the elephants, big cats, Animals in Samburuand most large mammals in Samburu have grown so accustomed to our vehicles that they can act as though we aren’t even there, paying us the great compliment of simply ignoring us. This allows you to experience them in their most natural state, in complete safety and comfort.

 

Walking safaris

One of the highlights of Samburu is walking safaris. Around camp, there are plenty of short walks to take, such as looking for some of the tiny five – elephant shrews, buffalo weavers, ant lions, leopard tortoises, and rhino beetles – or going on a meandering bird walk with close to 400 species to name. We know where to look for hornbill nests along the riverbank or a pair of Verreaux eagle owls that live near camp, and nothing beats responding to the call of a honey-guide who leads you on a merry dance to find the nearest beehive.

 

Visit Save the Elephant center

Elephant Watch Camp is closely associated with Save the Elephants, the world’s most well-known conservation organization, Elephants in Samburuwhich was established by Iain Douglas-Hamilton as part of his groundbreaking research on the world’s largest land mammal. We strongly advise you to visit the organization’s visitors center, which is located a short distance downstream of camp. There, you can hear about the elephant collaring program as well as how radioactivity from the atomic bomb aids in the ageing of ivory.

 

Birding safaris

A meandering bird walk with over 400 different species of birds to name. We know where to look for hornbill nests along the riverbank or a pair of Verreaux eagle owls that live near camp, and nothing beats responding to the call of a honey-guide who leads you on a merry dance to find the nearest beehive. We will play about in the shallows when the river is low and show you where the crocodiles have slid into caves underneath the banks to estivate during the dry season.

 

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