Background

The abundant game includes species adapted to life in the northern drylands – Grevy’s zebra, gerenuk, reticulated giraffe, and beisa oryx with their magnificent sweep of horns. Blue-legged Somali ostrich strut the plains with bustling flocks of vulturine guineafowl, their capes of glossy hackles half covering their bright blue breasts. Birders will enjoy seeing many other birds on their game drives. The three Big Cats – lion, cheetah and leopard – also inhabit the area.

The most famous of these was the lioness Kamunyak (‘The Blessed One’) who adopted an oryx calf in 2002, chasing off any predators who came near. The calf did not survive and Kamunyak went on to adopt five more. Naturalists are still baffled by Kamunyak’s undeniably maternal behaviour.

The reserve is named for the people of this region, who were also drawn here by the Ewaso Ng’iro. The Samburu are semi-nomadic pastoralists, closely related to the Masai. They are proud of their own distinct traditions and culture.

Wilderness Highlights

Samburu National Reserve consists of a low lying, semi arid plain on the southern bank of the northern Ewaso Ngiro River. The reserve which lies 9km east of Buffalo Springs National Reserve was gazetted in 1974. The beautiful stark landscape is dominated by Samburu Hill in the south, at the foot of which is a rugged area with steep ravines.

The Ewaso Nyiro River is the lifeline of the area. Crocodile and hippo share the river with many small herds of elephant who bathe and frolic in the muddy brown waters during the heat of the day, before returning later to browse the lush vegetation of the riverine forest.