General
Experience Kenya’s wild side with a 3 day Samburu road safari. This semi-arid desert region is home to the Ewaso Nyiro river, dense woodlands, countless animals, birds and the Samburu people.
Samburu is a Maasai word for the leather bag that they use when they carry milk and honey.
The Maasai and Samburu are both nomadic pastoralists and their diet consists mainly of meat, milk and honey.
A visit to a Samburu village will prove insightful, so make sure to include it in your itinerary.
Samburu’s remoteness made it inaccessible for years, so it still has a serene ambience and wild charm.
Samburu Game Reserve
Samburu Game reserve is situated on the banks of Ewaso Nyiro and plays host to the Big 5 as well as the Samburu 5.
The reserve consists mainly of open savannah, rock outcrops, doum palms, acacia and thorn trees.
Expect to see elephants, gerenuk antelopes, ostriches, Nile crocodiles, leopards, cheetahs, waterbucks, lions, impalas, baboons and vervet monkeys all flock to the river to quench their thirst and forage for food.
Over 350 bird species have been recorded in Samburu including marabous, kingfishers, guinea fowls, Somali ostriches and bateleurs.
Just a stone throw away is Buffalo Springs National Reserve featuring riverine forests, grasslands and woodlands.
The hot springs, rolling savannah and scrub characterize the Shaba National Reserve which can be found just across the river.
Samburu 5
Not only does Samburu Game Reserve host the renowned Big Five (lion, rhino, leopard, buffalo, elephant), it also accommodates what has come to be known as the Samburu 5.
These animals are only found north of the equator in Samburu, Kenya and Maasai Steppe in Tanzania.
- Reticulated giraffes: Reddish brown in colour, this giraffe has polygon patches drawn out in fine white lines.
- Long-necked gerenuks: This animal has an incredibly long neck and goes for days, even years without water.
- Grevy’s zebras: These zebras have a brown muzzle and white underbelly.
- Beisa oryx: The Beisa oryx has fringed ears and black marks on its face and upper legs.
- Somali ostriches: These ostriches have blue necks and legs.
Rate includes:
- 2 nights’ accommodation on full board basis
- Return road transport from Nairobi in a pop roof van
- Daily game drives in a pop roof tour van
- Services of a professional guide
- Bottled water during game drives
- Hotel taxes and levies
Rate excludes:
- Park entry fees
- Activities not mentioned above
- Tips and gratuities
- Travel insurance
Where to stay during your Samburu road safari
Take a pick from the following top-rated accommodations. Whether camp or lodge, you are guaranteed of ultimate comfort.
You will feel right at home in any of these in Kenya’s savage beauty that is Samburu.
- Samburu Sopa Lodge
- Sentrim Samburu
- Elephant Bedroom Camp
- Sarova Shaba Game Lodge
Samburu road safari itinerary
Day 1: Nairobi to Samburu Game Reserve
Your Samburu road safari will begin in Nairobi in the early morning where you will be picked up.
You will travel by road across the equator from the Southern to the Northern Hemisphere, and onward to the semi-arid region of the Samburu Game Reserve.
Your eyes will feast on the dramatic landscapes of the Samburu from dried riverbeds to red volcanic soil, rock outcrops, woodlands and the Ewaso Nyiro River.
Arrive at the camp in time for lunch, followed by an afternoon game viewing drive, and return back to the camp before sunset.
- Dinner and overnight at Ashnil Samburu Camp.
- Meals: All meals included. Drinks not included.
Day 2: Samburu Game Reserve
Day 2 will be dedicated to a full day game drive in the Samburu Game Reserve where you will search for the big five, the Samburu five and view the vast unspoiled scenery.
Expect sightings of dik-diks, gerenuks, East African lions, Tanzanian cheetahs, Cape buffalos and over 350 bird species.
A cultural visit to the pastoralist Samburu people can be arranged at an extra cost.
- Dinner and overnight at Ashnil Samburu Camp.
- Meals: All meals included. Drinks not included.
Day 3: Samburu Game Reserve to Nairobi
The final day of your Samburu road safari will begin with an early morning game drive before breakfast.
Alternatively, you may sleep in and wake up for breakfast, check out and drive back to Nairobi.
Once you arrive in Nairobi, you will be dropped off at agreed location ending your memorable safari with us.
- Meals: Breakfast only. Drinks not included.
End of tour
- Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
- You’ll be dropped off at the airport (or hotel).
Travel to Kenya’s dry paradise with a Samburu road safari from Vacay Holiday Deals. Book now.
Want to know more about Tanzania and other destinations? Explore.
Sun, white sandy beaches, forested hills, snow peaked mountains, wooded savannah and wild game give visitors a wide array of things to do in Kenya. Moreover, the Kenyan people are very warm and hospitable, something that the Portuguese, British, Arabs and other foreign visitors enjoyed for centuries. Those interested in Kenya’s history and archeology 
Samburu is an untamable tourist gem found on the spectacular Rift Valley in Kenya. Wild game, local warriors, and camels abide in this northern Kenya wilderness as vast grassy plains are interrupted by beautiful hills and dry river beds. Samburu people refer to themselves as Loikop which loosely translates to ‘owners of the land’. 
