Samburu National Reserve
Situated in Samburu County, Samburu National Reserve is one of Kenya’s smallest protected areas. It stretches along Ewaso Nyiro River, the country’s biggest northern river. Samburu covers about 165 square kilometers and is about 350 kilometers from Nairobi.
Moreover, Samburu is one of the two areas in which conservationists George and Joy Adamson raised Elsa the Lioness who was famous in the best-selling book and award-winning movie Born Free.
The reserve’s altitude ranges from 800 to 1230m above sea level. It consists of riverine forests and palm groves.
The arid and semi-arid ecosystems form the magnificent landscape of the Park. Samburu’s vast expanse of untouched wilderness is home to diverse Wildlife.
The list names Wild animals like Cape buffalo, Grant’s gazelle, larger predators like lion, leopard and cheetah, olive baboon, elephants and Warthogs.
Samburu is also known for the rare northern species like Gravy’s zebra, Somali ostrich, long necked gerenuk, dik-dik and beisa oryx. Wild dogs are also available. Besides that, Samburu provides lush habitats to over 450 species of birds.
How to get there
Samburu is widely accessed by air transport. Scheduled flights set off daily from Nairobi to Samburu’s airstrip. If not air, you can get there by road and the park is entered via the Ngare Mare and Buffalo Springs gates.