A sun-baked northern reserve along the Ewaso Ng'iro river, home to the rare "Samburu Special Five" you won't find further south. Wild, less-visited, deeply photogenic.
North of the equator, into the wild
Samburu sits in northern Kenya, a half-day's drive (or 1-hour flight) north of the Mt Kenya massif. The terrain is dramatically different from the green Mara, semi-arid scrubland, doum palms along the river, weathered hills, a sky that feels even bigger than the south.
The Ewaso Ng'iro river is the lifeline. Wildlife congregates along its banks year-round. Elephants and crocodiles share the water. Lions hunt the river crossings. Leopards lie in the doum palms.
The Samburu Special Five
Five species adapted to the arid north that you won't find in the Mara or Amboseli:
1. Reticulated giraffe, bigger, with sharply outlined diamond patches 2. Grevy's zebra, thinner stripes, larger ears, the world's rarest zebra 3. Beisa oryx, striking horns, fast over arid plains 4. Somali ostrich, bluish-grey neck (vs the southern ostrich's pink) 5. Gerenuk, long-necked antelope that browses standing on hind legs
You'll also find leopard, lion, cheetah, wild dog, large elephant herds, and culturally rich Samburu communities, cousins of the Maasai.
Park fees (2026)
USD 70 / adult / day (non-residents)
