Nestled in the arid northern region of Kenya, Samburu National Reserve is a captivating gem for those seeking a unique safari experience. Far from the well-trodden paths of Kenya’s more famous parks like Maasai Mara or Amboseli, Samburu offers a rugged, untamed beauty and an extraordinary range of wildlife that sets it apart.
The Ewaso Ngiro River
Samburu National Reserve covers approximately 165 square kilometers and is situated along the banks of the Ewaso Ng’iro River. The river, a lifeline of the arid landscape, serves wildlife, domestic animals and humans alike.
It gets its name from the color of its waters. Brown water, is what Ewaso Nyiro means in the local language. The reserve’s landscape is a mesmerizing contrast of arid scrublands and lush riverine vegetation.
The river acts as a lifeline, supporting an ecosystem that thrives in this otherwise dry environment. The backdrop is dominated by the rugged, picturesque Samburu Hills and the distant, sometimes snow-capped, peaks of Mount Kenya, which create a dramatic and ever-changing panorama.
The origin of the Samburu
The Samburu name comes from the word Samburr, that is a kind of bag used by members of the tribe, although the Samburu refer to themselves as Loikop, or Lokop, that means land owners.
They speak the Samburu language, a Nilo-Saharan language similar to Maa, that is the language spoken by the Maasai. The Samburus are considered even more traditional and remote than their Maasai kin and have maintained the authenticity of their culture by sticking to their ancient traditions and defying modern trends.
Samburu’s special five
Samburu reserve is rich in wildlife. Its well-known for its special five which are, gravy zebra, Somali ostrich, reticulated giraffe, generuk [the long necked antelope]and the Biesa Oryx, which are not commonly found elsewhere.
Besides the special five Samburu host a wide range of elephant population, prides of lions, leopards, cheetahs, various antelope species, and a healthy population of African buffalo. These park offers a fantastic and adventurous moment to be captured by the eye of a bird.
Birding in Samburu
Samburu is also a home to an abundant birdlife with over 450 species recorded. The Samburu ecosystem of vegetation in this arid region supports a very wide range of smaller birds. You’re not likely to miss the big flocks of vividly plumaged helmeted and vulturine guinea fowl, while among the many birds of prey, pygmy falcon and martial eagle from opposite ends of the raptor spectrum are both easily seen, as are Kori, Heuglin’s and buff-crested bustards, and lots of weavers, shrikes, woodpeckers and flycatchers as well as the distinctive, blue-skinned Somali ostrich, which you’ll see stepping out across the plains.
The Samburu’s way of life and culture
The Samburu people are known for their strong connection to their livestock and moving frequently in search for grazing areas and water. The Samburus’ are considered even more traditional and remote than the maasai, and have maintained their culture by defying modern products and sticking to their ancient traditions.
The Samburu’s attire
Samburu dress in brightly colored traditional shukas, especially women, who adorn themselves in beautiful, multi-beaded necklaces, anklets and bracelets. The Samburu, who have been traditionally described as great warriors, have a strong military and cultural alliance with the Rendille population, who have adopted the Samburu language. With the Rendille tribe they also share the same passion for pieces of jewelry made of colourful beads; the Samburu make anklets, colorful bracelets and necklaces, that symbolize the wealth of the wearer but also identify the marital status, as each colour used has a specific meaning.
The Rhythm of life
Samburu love to sing and dance and do not use any musical instrument, only the sound of their voice; the men usually dance in a circle jumping feet together and upright, like the Masai dances, and the women also dance but separated from men. Dances usually accompany rituals or ceremonies; the main ritual in the Samburu society is male circumcision that marks the transition to adulthood, while the most important ceremony is undoubtedly the wedding.
The Samburu villages
The structure of the Samburu villages resembles to that of the Masai villages: there is a thorn fence for the cattle inside the village and one outside to protect the village itself; the circular huts are made of braided tree branches, mud and cow dung; unlike the Masai villages, the Samburu villages can be easily dismantled to be rebuilt elsewhere, that makes them perfectly adapted to the semi-nomadic life of this people. The Samburu move frequently in constant search of new pastures for the cattle on which their lives and survival depend; the cattle in particular play a central role in the life of this people.
Kamunyak the miracle lioness
Kamunyak the miracle lioness that adopted the baby Oryx was as a resident in the reserve. Kamunyak meaning “blessed one” was the name given to the famous lioness that adopted a baby Oryx. The bond of kamunyak and the baby Oryx brought a global attention to Samburu national reserve and its unique ecosystem.
Camel back safaris
One of the most refreshing and fun-filled experiences on a safari is exploring the wilderness on a camel back safari. Unlike the traditional game viewing experience, camel back safaris in Samburu allow visitors to get up close with plains games like zebras, ostriches and also giraffes. The Samburu tribesmen will be walking visitors around on some of the most remote areas in Samburu and scenically beautiful lands during your safaris.
Shaba National reserve
Shaba National Reaserve lies to the East of Samburu Nationa Park and the Park offers breath – taking and rich diversity of Wildlife. It is also smaller than Samburu Reserve and has more Riverline forest which contains Acacia elatior and doum palms, besides from the river the habit includes Umbrella thorn acacia Woodland, Bush land, alkaline grasslands and open áreas of lava rock which contains scattered patches of Grass and shrubs.
Shaba is basically known for the large lion prides which rest under thickest of toothbrush trees during the day and black-backed jackal, stripped hyena and spotted hyena rest during the night.
The reserve is home to rare endangered species that include the Reticulated giraffe, Somalia Ostrich, the rare Williams lark and endangered Grevy’s zebra.
Reteti elephant sanctuary
The Reteti Elephant Sanctuary is a unique project bringing communities together through a shared respect and concern for wildlife. It lies within a 975,000-acre swath of thorny scrubland in Namunyak Wildlife Conservation Trust – part of the ancestral homeland of the Samburu people. Namunyak is supported and advised by the Northern Rangelands Trust, a local organization that works with 33 community conservancies to boost security, sustainable development, and wildlife conservation.
Reteti elephant sanctuary is a Samburu owned community sanctuary in Kenya located in the Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy, that takes in young orphaned and abandoned elephants. The Reteti keepers are all recruited from within namunyak conservancy and are all women from the Samburu community.
Best time to visit Samburu
Samburu is an all year-round safari destination. Wildlife viewing can be best done during the dry seasons from June to October and December to March as it’s easier to sport animals since they tend to congregate along the Ewaso Nyiro river in search of food and water, while for birdwatching in Samburu can be done all year-round, since it’s less crowded and does not have extremely intense rainfall.