Samburu national reserve

Samburu national reserve

Samburu national reserve is a game park in Kenya located in Samburu county of Kenya which lies in a distance of 350 kilometers from Nairobi the capital city of Kenya, samburu national park was established in 1985 and it stretches over an area of 165 square kilometers. This park lies on the banks of Ewaso Ng’iro River which flows through doum palm groves and thick forests and emptying into Lorian swamp, samburu national park also borders Buffalo Springs national Reserve

Samburu national park is a famous national park for being a home to Kamunyak a lioness which adopted Oryx calves, the park is also the two gazette areas in Kenya where conservationists George and Joy Adamson raised Elsa the lioness. Elsa the lioness became famous through a book by names of Born Free which became the best-selling book and its movie which ward a couple of awards.

Samburu national park is ecologically diverse national park hosting a variety of attractions thus being one of the popular national parks in Kenya, these attractions include

Vegetation and scenic landscape

Samburu national park is one of the scenic destinations in Kenya featuring scenic views and landscapes which are covered by various species of vegetation cover, the park’s landscape is dominated by a series of vegetation types such as acacia riverine forest, thorn trees and Savannah grasslands. While in the plains of samburu national park you get clear views of mountain Koitogor and mountain Ololokwe creating a beautiful scenic view, also the plains are crossed by which is a primary source of water in the park and an excellent spot for wildlife viewing as it is crowded by many animals which come to drink water.

Wildlife

Samburu national park is a home to a reasonable population of wildlife species including big species common in the northern plains of Kenya, small size mammals, mammals and primates. Wildlife species in the park comfortably thrive in the mixture of acacia, riverine forest, thorn trees an grassland dominated plains and around Ewaso Ng’iro River. These animals include lions, African elephants, cape buffaloes, leopards, cheetah, zebras (both Burchell’s zebra and Grevy’s zebra), Masai giraffe, beisa Oryx, greater and lesser kadu, gerenuk, impala, warthogs, Grant’s gazelle, waterbuck, Kirk’s dik-dik, olive baboons and many more.

In the past samburu national park was a home to the full list of the big five that is buffaloes, leopards, elephants, rhinos and lions, due to constant hunting rhinos went extinct but fortunately black rhinoceros were reintroduced in the park after 25 years of absence. Since 2005 samburu national park is considered part of a lion conservation unit in Kenya.

Bird life

Samburu national park is a haven for bird life, the park is one of the recognized important birding areas in Kenya and a home to over 350 bird species which live in various vegetation regions of the park such as Acacia, riverine, thorn trees and grassland vegetation and around river Ewaso Ng’iro. Birds in samburu national park include grey headed kingfisher, sunbirds, bee-eaters, Marabou stork, tawny eagle, verreaux’s eagle, bateleur, vulturine guinea fowl, yellow necked spur fowl, lilac-breasted roller, secretary bird, superb starling, northern red-billed hornbill, yellow-billed horn bill, palm nut vulture, Somali ostrich, Somali bee-eater, singing bush lark, spotted palm thrush, white headed mouse bird, yellow vented eremomela,red winged lark, pygmy batis, red billed parrot, northern brown bul, lanner falcon, hunter’s sunbird and many more.

 Safari activities offered in Samburu national park

Game viewing

Samburu national park is an excellent home of a wide range of wildlife species a reason to why game viewing is one of the fascinating safari activities offered in the park, this safari experience is offered in form of morning game drive, afternoon game drive and full day game drive. This experience is done in a 4X4 wheel safari car and as you drive through the short grasslands of the park to spot many animals from the widow of your car and these include African elephants, cape buffaloes, leopards, cheetah, zebras, Masai giraffe, beisa Oryx, greater and lesser kadu, gerenuk, impala, warthogs, Grant’s gazelle, waterbuck and many more. These animals are best spotted around Ewaso Ng’iro river as they crowd it to drink water most especially in the dry season which is the best time of game viewing, dry season is experienced in the period of June to October.

Bird watching

Bird watching is an excellent safari activity offered in samburu national park, the park is one of the top birding sites in Kenya and a home of over 350 species of birds which is a huge population. For bird enthusiastic Samburu national park is a paradise for bird lovers and on bird watching experience your mind will be blown away by sights of numerous colorful bird species such as grey headed kingfisher, sunbirds, bee-eaters, Marabou stork, tawny eagle, verreaux’s eagle, bateleur, vulturine guinea fowl, yellow necked spur fowl, lilac-breasted roller, secretary bird, superb starling, northern red-billed hornbill and many more

These birds are best spotted in the arid acacia savannah, scrub and along the banks of Ewaso Ng’iro River, bird watching safari experience in the park is best done in the period of November to April when migratory bird species are present in the park.

Nature walks

Samburu National Park is naturally endowed national park with a series of vegetation cover and many animals, nature walks in the park is done on trails running through the park by foot and under the leadership of a tour guide. On your walk you will get to enjoy the amazing and scenic views of the park, encounter animals such as African elephants, cape buffaloes, leopards, cheetah, zebras, Masai giraffe, beisa Oryx, greater and lesser kadu, gerenuk and birds like grey headed kingfisher, sunbirds, bee-eaters, Marabou stork, tawny eagle, verreaux’s eagle, bateleur and many more.

Cultural tours

Cultural tours in Samburu national park is an opportunity for a tourist to enjoy the cultural side of the park, this experience takes you on a visit in the samburu local community situated along the borders of the park. The samburu people are the former inhabitants of the park depending on cattle rearing as a way of life, these people are semi-nomadic and pose amazing cultural values, practice and traditions which are amazing to encounter. On your safari activity you will be entertained by local traditional songs and drama, take part in cattle rearing and interacting with the community elders.

Where to stay in Samburu national park

There is a couple accommodation facilities situated either inside or outside samburu national park offering accommodation to the tourists on a safari in the park, these facilities are categorized as luxury, midrange and budge facilities. Facilities offering a place where to stay include Samburu sopa lodge, elephant bedroom camp, Sasaab lodge, Sarini samburu lodge and many more

How to get to Samburu national park

Samburu national park is situated in a distance of 350 kilometers from Nairobi and it can be accessed by road and air means of transport, as a tourist you can enter the park using Ngare Mare and Buffalo springs gate.  by road you can use either public or private mean of transport depending on your choice as a tourist on routes from Nairobi leading to the park, by air means of transport there is domestic chartered flights offered Wilson airport to Samburu airport.