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Samburu National Reserve

  • Destinations
  • Kenya
  • Samburu National Reserve

Why Go?

Samburu National Reserve Safari

Set in Kenya’s less-visited arid northern savannahs, the Samburu Reserve offers a different but equally rewarding experience to the more famous Masai Mara.

A Samburu safari takes you into a diverse landscape of open grassland, palm groves and thick riverine forest. Wildlife here ranges from the familiar – elephants, buffalo and hippo – to animals you won’t see anywhere else in Kenya, showcased by the Samburu “Big 5”:  Grevy’s zebra; the long-necked gerenuk; reticulated giraffe; besia oryx; and Somali ostrich. Samburu is a good for predators too: all the big cats – lion, leopard and cheetah – are resident and it is one of the few places in Kenya where visitors may see African wild dog.

A Samburu safari offers other opportunities to interact with the environment and its people. You can explore by mountain bike and on foot – or even from the back of a camel. And with around 450 recorded bird species, the bird watching is excellent. Guided visits to local Samburu communities can be arranged and there are opportunities to sit back in the evening and be entertained by traditional song and dance.

Generally a fly-in destination, the Samburu Reserve makes a great addition to a larger safari itinerary in Kenya. There is a wide range of accommodation both in the reserve and on adjoining private concessions; some are family-friendly and offer kids programmes and larger chalets; other lodges are smaller and more discreet – perfect for honeymooners and romantic travellers. Several lodges are extremely luxurious, complete with wellness spas, swimming pools and internet access to ensure every comfort.

Talk to Safari Online about a Samburu safari and we’ll recommend the best tour and accommodation for your budget and interests. We have a range of safaris that combine Samburu with Kenya’s classic safari destinations such as the Masai Mara and Amboseli National Park. We can also tailor-make an itinerary for you, combining Samburu with your choice of safari destinations in Kenya and across East and Southern Africa.

Samburu National Reserve on the map

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Activities to Look Forward To

What To Do

1. Go On A Game Drive

Professional guides lead morning & afternoon game drives in open-sided vehicles – perfect for close up views & photography. Lodges located in private Samburu reserves offer full-day drives in the reserve; specialist guides – bird experts for example – are available at some lodges.

2. Find Samburu’s Big 5

There are lions, leopards, buffalo & elephants in Samburu but you can also tick off the reserve’s five iconic animals: Grevy’s zebra, the gerenuk, reticulated giraffe, besia oryx & Somali ostrich – arid savannah specialists best seen in Samburu Reserve.

3. Walk Samburu

Lodges in private concessions can offer guided nature walks as an extra activity, usually taking place in the late morning after your game drive and breakfast. Led by an experienced guide, these walks are especially recommended for birdwatchers & those keen to discover the smaller details of the landscape.

4. Meet the Samburu

Related to the Maasai, the cattle-owning Samburu people have lived in the area for many hundreds of years; you will have the chance to watch their traditional songs & dance as well as experience local life on a guided visit to a Samburu community.

5. Explore by Night

Lodges in private Samburu reserves offer spot-lit night drives in addition to morning & afternoon drives; it’s the best way to see Africa’s elusive nocturnal animals, ranging from giant owls & porcupines to bush babies & wild cats.

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Reviews

Professional, quick and top of the edge service!!!

From the very first contact we’re very happy about the respond time and quality of information from safari-online.com. Based on the received first tailor-made quote, which is a weblink with all the details about the flights, photos of the lodges etc. we knew that this is “our” partner for this trip. Our expectations were excelled!!!

Lukas (Germany)
An incredibly well organised tour with no hassles whatsoever.

Safari Online understood our needs and was able to present us with sensible options to choose from. It was evident that this tour operator has knowledgable and experienced agents who can arrange a seemless tour. We were provided with a professional online itinary which was comprehensive and easy to use, knew exactely what to expect, and encountered no stumble blocks along the way.

Gwen (AU)
It was a safari of a lifetime and exceeded all of our expectations!

Our mom grew up in Central and South Africa so we had visited the continent many times. My sister and I wanted to take our teens and husbands to Africa to experience the magic. We had a limited budget but big and specific expectations and by some miracle Walter was able to manage both.

Heather (USA)
Very helpful good suggestions for holiday ideas always available for questions good organising

Excellent service and they supplied good suggestions for our holiday they also organised all internal flights and arranged check in for us so we had no worries while on holiday. We have had a most memorable holiday staying at wonderful places thanks to Sabrina and Safari Online. Would recommend Safari Online to organise your holiday.

Lorraine (UK)
Professional, patient, efficient and responsive. Met all our travel needs and requirements spot on

Communication was excellent – I asked A LOT of questions and did a ton of research myself and Walter was extremely patient with me and very responsive. he was straight forward and extremely professional. Tour itself was excellent – an incredible experience and one never to be forgotten. Everything was spot on.

Neena
Safari Online made our fantastic family holiday dream come true!!

Safari Online have been nothing but professional and incredible from the time we made our first enquiry to the last day of our stunning holiday. Nothing was too much trouble for Walter. We are now starting to plan our next family Safari for 2019. Guess who we will be booking with??? Safari Online we hope you are ready!!!!!

Penni (AU)
Walter has always been an excellent communicator and has supported us fully

We have been to Africa for 24 of the last 27 years so know a bit about what is involved. Walter has arranged the details for the last couple of years, and has done a superb job. He is always quick to respond and comes up with answers immediately……..no evasive tactics, always head-on!

Roger (UK)
Safari Online were extremely efficient and absolutely charming to work with.

Our 28-day itinerary took us to South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana. A magnificent and unforgettable adventure. Everything ran smoothly and efficiently from the flights, transfers, rides, connections, etc. Absolutely wonderful! Can’t thank them enough!

Ann and Mario (Canada)
Best trip I have ever been on. Highly recommend.

Would highly recommend. Safari online asked questions when booking and were efficient and knew exactly what we were looking for in terms of accommodation and animals were wanted to see. Gave advice on a few little extras with no pressure, which we did and am very grateful which make trip even more exciting. Would definitely recommend booking with them.

Karina was absolutely instrumental to our safari success.

Our experience with Safari Online was excellent. After becoming very frustrated trying to search for a safari destination on our own, we turned to Karina for help and she was a lifesaver.  We had an amazing safari adventure at the lodge–the experience of a lifetime–and are so grateful for her help. We literally couldn’t have done it without her!

Chris (USA)