What’s so special about Samburu/Buffalo Springs?
- Home to the rare, northern species of game – reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, long-necked gerenuk and Beisa oryx.
- Home of the ‘lioness and oryx’ legend
- Close proximity to the Shaba Game Reserve, where the US reality show series, ‘Survivor Africa’ was filmed in 2002
- One of the many parks where leopard can be spotted frequently
- Stark, bare landscapes, relieved by stately doulm palms, coming together in an uncompromisingly rugged beauty
- The wide banks of the Uaso Nyiro River, bringing relief and wildlife to the heat-scorched & barren Samburu lands.
- The graceful Samburu warriors, with their traditional lifestyle and haunting music.
- Easier game viewing as the size of the Reserve is relatively smaller, and it is easier to spot game in the scrub vegetation.
- The abundance of light & space opening up to endless vistas with glimpses of Mt. Kenya on a clear day.
| Altitude: | 850 – 1230 m above sea level |
| Area: | 165 sq km |
| Location: | Samburu District, Rift Valley Province |
| Distance from Nairobi: | 320 kms |
| Climate: | The Reserve lies in a hot & semi-arid area. Traditionally, the long rains fall between March & April, and the short rains between October to November. |
| Vegetation: | Acacia woodland, bush & scrubland and narrow riverine woodlands. |
| Wildlife: | Lion, leopard, elephant, cheetah, reticulated giraffe, oryx, gerenuk, vervet monkey, zebra, buffalo and crocodile. |
| Birdlife: | Over 380 species have been recorded |
| Roads: | Roads and tracks are usually navigable by 2WD vehicles with high clearance during the dry season, but 4WD is recommended during the rainy season. |
| Accessibility: | Accessible by road with 4WD vehicle from Nairobi (5 hours drive) and most game parks & reserves. Accessible by air from Nairobi (1 hour 15-mins flight) on schedule flights operated by two airlines, once daily, and from Meru (25- mins) on schedule flights operated by one airline once daily. |
- Game drives
- Game and bird walks
- Sundowners
- Bush breakfasts, lunches and dinners
- Night game drives
- Visit a Samburu homestead
- Spa treatments
- Hiking and rock climbing
- Swimming in some lodge/camp pools
- Luxury and/or eco friendly tented camps and lodges
Best time to visit
May – September is when temperatures will drop slightly, making it more comfortable for game viewing.