Description
Like its sister camp in the Maasai Mara, Saruni Samburu is a small and personal camp offering an intimate safari experience in an unspoilt environment. Set just a few kilometres north of the Samburu National Reserve, a celebrated elephant sanctuary, the safari camp is just off the beaten track while having easy access to excellent game viewing very close by.
There are several areas around the safari camp which can be used as hides or viewpoints over the waterholes which attract a variety of wildlife including elephant, giraffe, zebra and oryx. Some rarer variations of common species can also be found here, such as the Somalian ostrich and the vulturine guinea fowl.
The generous swimming pool has dramatic views over Samburu and an area has also been set aside for massages and treatments.
There are two one-bedroom cottages and two two-bedroom cottages, all with stunning views, en-suite bathrooms and outdoor showers looking over the reserve. The whole lodge has been cleverly built into the smooth rock and feels like an organic part of the landscape. Views stretch for miles, all the way to the Matthews Range in the distance.
The traditions and semi-nomadic heritage of the local Samburu people are an important part of the experience and guests are led by professional Samburu safari guides. As well as game drives, special experiences at Samburu include night drives, guided bush walks, rock climbing, bush dinners and star-gazing.
Accommodation
There are four houses (two of them are large family villas with two separate bedrooms each and two spectacular bahrooms). The camp sleeps a total of 12.
Childcare
The camp is not suited to very young children and for this reason only children over 8 are welcomed. Food can be tailored to suite children and earlier meal times can be arranged where necessary. Babysitting can be arranged for those that require it.
Facilities
Saruni Samburu has a huge cliff-top swimming pool with stunning views. The camp offers the lovely Samburu Wellbeing Space for guests to be pampered and re-jeuvenated. There is also a private airstrip.
Activities
From Saruni Samburu it's possible to do both day and night game drives with very experienced guides and trackers. The same guides will also enjoy teaching you to read the book of nature during one of the guided bush walks. Other activities include rock climbing, bush dinners and star-gazing.
Services
The guides and trackers at Saruni Samburu are all local and have a wealth of knowledge to share with you on your safari.
When to travel
Open all year round. The main tourist season is in January and February, when the weather is hottest and driest. At this time, the animals in the wildlife parks tend to congregate more around the watercourses, making them easier to spot.
Northern and eastern Kenya temperatures vary from highs of up to 40°C during the day to less than 20°C at night. Rainfall in this area is sparse and, when it does occur, is often in the form of violent storms. July is usually the driest month, and November the wettest.
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Best time to visit
Good time to visit
Average time to visit
Not applicable
Location and directions
Laikipia and Northern Kenya
Saruni Samburu perches on the top of the Kalama mountains with an all-round view of Northen Kenya all the way to snow-covered Mount Kenya. Built on the pristine land owned by the Kalama Wildlife Conservancy in 240,000 acres-large Gir Gir Group Ranch, it is only seven kilometers - and 20 minutes of exciting game drive - away from the Northern border of Samburu National Reserve, a celebrated elephant sanctuary.
How to get there
8.5 hour international flight. Saruni Samburu has its own private airstrip near the Kalama Wildlife Conservancy headquarters, but it is also easily served by schedule airlines that land at nearby Buffalo Springs airstrip.
