Samburu

Highlights

• The Special Five — species you will not tick off in the Mara or Amboseli
• Big cats along the Ewaso Ng'iro, with leopard sightings unusually reliable in the riverine forest
• Doum palms and red earth, a landscape that photographs quite unlike the southern parks
• Samburu cultural visits, where the community connection to the conservancies is direct and current
• Neighbouring conservancies with strong community-owned conservation records

Getting around

• Light aircraft from Nairobi is the straightforward option; the road takes most of a day.
• A 4x4 is essential — riverbed crossings and rocky tracks throughout.
• Often combined with Mount Kenya or the Laikipia conservancies to the south.

Good to know

• Three to four nights, particularly if you have come up by road.
• It is hot. Plan around early mornings and late afternoons and rest through the middle of the day.
• The dry months concentrate animals on the river, which makes viewing considerably easier.
• Bring more sun protection than you think — there is little shade and the light is fierce.

Flash flooding in the Ewaso Ng'iro can be sudden and is taken seriously locally — follow camp guidance about riverbeds. Camps are generally unfenced; accept the escort after dark.