Scenery

Samburu protects an area of semi-arid savannah extending from the lovely Ewaso Nyero River. The reserve is made up of riverine forest along the water and dry acacia scrub peppered with termite mounds. Koitogor Hill marks the middle of the reserve.

Wildlife

Samburu offers great wildlife viewing and four of the Big Five are present. Rhinos are absent, but big herds of elephant cross the reserve. Of the big cats, leopards are very rewarding with some habituated individuals giving high-quality sightings. Most interesting are the northern Kenya specials including beisa oryx, lesser kudu, reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra and the odd-looking gerenuk.

Wildlife Highlights

Several dry-country adapted mammals that don’t occur in most Kenyan parks can be found here. The reticulated giraffe has a more striking pattern than the common Masai giraffe. Beisa Oryx is particularly well adapted to arid conditions. The gerenuk, with its elongated neck, is able to stand on its hind legs to reach sparse leaves. Both the common Burchell’s zebra and the bigger Grevy’s zebra are found alongside each other.

Weather & Climate

When it comes to temperature, hot is the best way to describe Samburu. That said, the average temperature more than halves at night – rug up if you’re heading out on safari when the sun isn’t high in the sky. The Dry season (June to September) lives up to its name, with almost no rain. Similarly, the Wet season (October to May) gives the landscape a regular wash.

Best time for viewing

It doesn’t rain much in Samburu so it can be visited in any month, but the most productive time of year for watching wildlife is in the Dry season (June to October). The vegetation really thins out in the Dry season, and animals gather around the few remaining water sources. The wettest month is April, and rains at this time can make wildlife watching more challenging.