Sarara Camp

Namunyak, Matthews Range, Kenya

Sarara is a leading community-run lodge set in the Matthews Range of Northern Kenya. Accommodation is in five double tents, each with flush-loos and open air showers. A natural rock swimming pool overlooks a waterhole frequently visited by animals.

Sarara is a dry season refuge for several hundred elephant. Lion and leopard are resident and there are two separate groups of the endangered African Wild Dog. Other wildlife species interest include kudu, black and white colobus monkeys, Grevy’s zebra, striped hyena and gerenuk.

The conservation work carried out by the Namunyak Trust to date has been hugely successful. As a result of the severe ivory poaching crisis of the mid 1970’s and early ‘80’s, there were no recorded elephants remaining in the Mathews range by 1985. Today, several thousand elephant are recorded as living and breeding peacefully in the southern Mathews range area, together with a variety of other wildlife species.

One of the highlights of the Namunyak area must be a visit to the famous ‘Sarara Singing Wells’. Samburu warriors bring their cattle to these watering holes on a daily basis during the dry season. Some of the wells are up to 10 metres deep. The warriors strip off, descend to form a human chain and chant traditional Samburu songs as they pass water up by hand for the cattle. This mind-blowing ritual goes on for several hours a day.

• Sarara Camp accommodation Five safari tents
• Location of Sarara Camp Namunyak, Matthews Range
• Getting to Sarara Camp 11hr international flight, 2hr international flight, 30min charter flight.
• Children at Sarara Camp Children welcome but no facilities
• Free activities Game activities, bush dinners, walks
• Paid activities Fly Camping