Samburu National Reserve

Samburu National Park, though popular, does not enjoy the fame – or receive the visitor numbers – of some of Kenya’s larger reserves, despite enjoying publicity in recent years from the bizarre story of a lioness that adopted an abandoned oryx calf. (Beware: this story does not have a happy ending.) Nonetheless, this is an excellent park, not only does this great Northern Frontier District wilderness manage to avoid the crowds and tour buses of the south but it is also extremely rich in wildlife (and some would say that it is even more spectacular as predator territory). Its dusty thorn bush and scenic mountain backdrop represent the last frontier before the barren lands of Kenya’s north and have quite a different character to the open plains of Masai Mara. Samburu’s life source is the Ewaso Ng’iro River, and the combination of near-permanent water and forest shade on the banks draws plentiful wildlife. The wildlife is also more for the connoisseur, we drove around for hours and we enjoyed every minute of our game drive, with unusual species such as oryx, gerenuk, and Grevy’s zebra, which is larger and more narrowly striped than its southern cousins. reticulated giraffe, rather than the more blotchy southern race. Somali ostrich, and stretch-necked gerenuk antelope, were found among the more standard big game. This can be an exciting alternative wish list to the more hackneyed Big 5 and if you get a chance to visit a traditional Samburu manyatta you will find that these tough desert pastoralists have a unique culture that is actually far removed from the traditions of their more integrated Maasai cousins. Lodges are clustered around the Ewaso Nyiro River, which is a magnet for the game during the dry season and harbors numerous large crocodiles. Our visit was to Sarova Shaba, and proved very productive, with good sightings of all the local specials. As much as the wildlife what I like about this park and its surrounds are the scenery and the cultural interest.