Samburu and Buffalo Springs

The reserve is not particularly well-known and is therefore not too crowded. A true wilderness - a huge plus in Kenya where so many reserves are often overflowing with tourists. Samburu is often grouped together with the Buffalo Springs and Shaba National Reserves as they lie so close together.

Samburu National Reserve is situated in northern Kenya and is an arid part of the country, but is supplemented of the Ewaso Nyiro river. This means plenty of water, trees and shade to attract wildlife like elephant, buffalo and giraffe from the surrounding savanna plains. The region is also home to hippo, crocodile, Grevvy zebra, gerenuk (antelope), Somali ostrich, Beisa oryx and the largest African antelope - the Eland. The mix of wood and grassland with riverine forest and swamp creates a home for a wide variety of birdife as well as mammals, with over 365 bird species recorded in Buffalo Springs.

The Samburu area is also famous for its cats. Its one of the most reliable areas in Kenya for spotting lion, cheetah and the elusive leopard.