{"id":6307,"date":"2026-01-06T02:48:29","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T02:48:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/6307\/"},"modified":"2026-01-06T02:48:29","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T02:48:29","slug":"five-ways-to-discover-samburu-kenyas-wild-north","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/6307\/","title":{"rendered":"Five ways to discover Samburu, Kenya’s wild north"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tucked away in Kenya\u2019s rugged north, Samburu National Reserve<\/a> offers a wilder, more distinct experience than some better-known safari spots in the country\u2019s south. Its remote, arid landscapes \u2014 combining sprawling savannahs dotted with acacia trees and doum palms, with rolling hills and rocky outcrops \u2014 provide an ideal setting for close encounters with an array of extraordinary creatures, as well as opportunities for meaningful exchanges with the people who call this land home. And when night falls, an inky sky emerges, drawing stargazers from around the world. Though Kenya\u2019s Maasai Mara is often synonymous with safari, Samburu feels more like a well-kept secret, its dramatic terrain and distinct ecosystems like nowhere else in Africa. Here are just five of the unforgettable experiences that make Samburu stand out.<\/p>\n

1. Spot the Samburu \u2018Special Five\u2019<\/p>\n

As well as the classic ‘Big Five’, the region\u2019s remarkable wildlife includes several rare species \u2014 known as the Samburu \u2018Special Five\u2019. Grevy\u2019s zebra is distinguished by its larger size, tighter stripes, big round ears and light brown muzzle, while Samburu’s reticulated giraffe is slightly shorter than its Maasai cousin, with striking polygon-shaped spots. The beisa oryx is notable for its long, straight horns and bold black facial markings; and the gerenuk is often referred to as a \u2018giraffe gazelle\u2019 for its ability to stand on its hind legs to feed from trees and higher bushes. Completing the set is the Somali ostrich, easily recognised by its blue-grey skin and legs.<\/p>\n

\"Beisa<\/p>\n

The Beisa oryx have adapted to survive long periods without direct access to water.<\/p>\n

Photograph by Gerald Corsi, Getty<\/p>\n

\"African<\/p>\n

Samburu is home to the African elephant, the world’s largest land mammal.<\/p>\n

Photograph by Gerald Corsi, Getty<\/p>\n

2. Get a new perspective on a bush walk<\/p>\n

A guided stroll through the Kalama Conservancy<\/a> allows visitors to immerse themselves in the wilderness, instead of observing it from inside a traditional safari vehicle. You\u2019ll learn about the native flora that make up Samburu\u2019s ecosystem \u2014 like the Sekotei, or \u2018toothbrush tree\u2019, with fibrous branches that locals chew on to clean their teeth \u2014 and hear how communities live in harmony with nature. The Samburu people are semi-nomadic, and minimise their impact on the land by changing location each season; they move both their villages and grazing cattle. This is a landscape where animals roam free but, to ensure safety, every walk is led by an experienced, certified guide and accompanied by an armed county ranger trained by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).<\/p>\n

3. Track rhinos on foot<\/p>\n

Take your walking safari to the next level and roam across a secluded rhino sanctuary set within the Sera Conservancy<\/a>. Spanning 26,000 acres of semi-arid shrubland, this is the only place in northern Kenya where visitors can track white rhinos on foot. Thanks to a community-led conservation model, every step brings you closer to the elusive species and supports the Samburu communities working to protect them. There\u2019s nothing quite like the thrill of standing in the shadow of a white rhino \u2014 the world\u2019s second-largest land mammal after the African elephant.<\/p>\n

\"Rhino<\/p>\n

Sera Conservancy is the only community-led rhino sanctuary in East Africa.<\/p>\n

Photograph by Saruni Basecamp<\/p>\n

4. Stargaze across two hemispheres<\/p>\n

Even if you\u2019re new to astrotourism, Samburu is the ideal place for a celestial safari \u2014 the region has one of the darkest night skies on Earth, classified as Bortle 1 on the dark-sky scale, with virtually non-existent light pollution. Evenings can be spent on a platform overlooking the Kalama Conservancy, scanning the sky for stars and planets as a local expert explains their cultural significance. The Milky Way, locally known as Ntapar, represents cattle \u2014 creatures of immense importance in Samburu society. As it\u2019s near the equator, Samburu is also one of the few places where constellations from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres can be seen at once. After stargazing, watch the moon move across the sky before you doze off on one of Basecamp Samburu\u2019s<\/a> elevated, open-air star beds. Those feeling more adventurous can also set out on a guided scorpion safari, strolling the grounds looking for the small nocturnal species that hide themselves among the rocks.<\/p>\n

\"Raised<\/p>\n

The Milky Way appears above Basecamp Samburu on a clear night. <\/p>\n

Photography by Rosita Dimitrova<\/p>\n

\"Samburu<\/p>\n

Stargazing is optimal during the dry seasons of June to October and December to March.<\/p>\n

Photograph by Rositsa Dimitrova<\/p>\n

5. Discover Samburu culture<\/p>\n

Immersive experiences in Samburu might include a local village visit; an opportunity to connect with the pastoral people Indigenous to this region of Kenya. Through interpreter-assisted conversation and a local-guided stroll, guests learn about their way of life: the significance of their brightly coloured shukas (cloth wraps) and beaded jewellery; their traditional diet of milk, blood and meat; and the techniques used to build their manyattas (fenced settlements), made of palm fronds, wooden sticks and cow dung. Those who visit in one of the dry seasons (usually June-October and December-March) can also witness the \u2018Singing Wells\u2019. During this centuries-old ritual, Samburu herders gather around watering holes to hand-dig wells and draw water to the surface of dry riverbeds, singing rhythmic songs as they work in unison.<\/p>\n

Plan your tripTo get to Samburu, fly direct from London to Nairobi\u2019s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, then take a 30-minute transfer to Wilson Airport for a bush plane to Kalama airstrip (journey time approximately one hour). From there, it\u2019s a short drive to either Basecamp Samburu, known for its canvas-tented rooms and open-air star beds, or Saruni Samburu, a boutique luxury lodge offering spacious family villas. Alternatively, it\u2019s two hours to Saruni Rhino \u2014 the only lodge within the Sera Conservancy that offers direct access to rhino tracking on foot. For more information, visit sarunibasecamp.com<\/a>\u00a0
This paid content article was created for Saruni Basecamp. It does not necessarily reflect the views of National Geographic, National Geographic Traveller (UK) or their editorial staffs.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\u00a0
To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here<\/a>. (Available in select countries only).\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Tucked away in Kenya\u2019s rugged north, Samburu National Reserve offers a wilder, more distinct experience than some better-known…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6308,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[4640,4642,80,4639,4641,4578,4638,4644,4645,4646,4643],"class_list":{"0":"post-6307","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-kenya","8":"tag-alternative-safari-kenya","9":"tag-bush-walk-kenya","10":"tag-kenya","11":"tag-kenya-safari","12":"tag-rhino-tracking-safari","13":"tag-samburu","14":"tag-samburu-kenya","15":"tag-samburu-people","16":"tag-saruni-basecamp","17":"tag-saruni-safari","18":"tag-stargazing-kenya"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6307","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6307"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6307\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6308"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6307"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6307"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6307"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}