Samburu
Arid red-earth country along the Ewaso Nyiro river, home to species you will not see further south.
Suggested stay
2 to 3 nights
Best months
June to October and December to March
Getting there
Light aircraft from Nairobi, or a long drive via Nanyuki.
Samburu feels like a different country to the Mara. Doum palms, dry riverbeds, and the northern specials: reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, gerenuk, beisa oryx and Somali ostrich.
Leopard sightings along the river can be excellent, and elephant come down to drink in the afternoons. Vehicle numbers are far lower than the Mara.
It is also the best place on a Kenya route for genuine cultural contact, if that interests you and is arranged respectfully.
Good to know
- Hot by midday — camps build in a long siesta.
- Fly in rather than drive unless you want the road day itself.
- Combines well with Ol Pejeta, which is close by.
Plan it properly
Build Samburu into a full journey.
Commission a service and I will confirm whether this is the right park for your month, what pairs best with it, and where the nights belong.