Samburu, Buffalo Springs, and Shaba National Reserve

Samburu National Reserve & Buffalo Springs: Important Safari Tips + Top Animals to Look For

Samburu National Reserve and Buffalo Springs are two absolutely spectacular safari destinations in Africa. 

Located in Northern Kenya along the banks of the Ewaso Ngiro River, these two reserves are home to a magnificent elephant population (over 900!), Africa’s elusive wild dogs and to all three of Kenya’s sought-after Big Cats (lions, leopards and cheetahs.) It is also home to a unique mix of rare and endangered wildlife like the Somali Ostrich, Grevy’s Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, Beisa Oryx and more. This is some of Kenya’s most treasured wilderness land and one of the most famous safari destinations in East Africa.

WHERE IS SAMBURU & BUFFALO SPRINGS?

Information for Your Trip:

Samburu National Reserve and Buffalo Springs are located in Northern Kenya, about 320km (200 miles) north of Nairobi. This is a full-day drive. (Google Maps says 6 hours, but with stops it will probably take most of the day.)

If you are traveling from Nairobi, you will come to Buffalo Springs first. Buffalo Springs National Reserve lies on the south side of the Ewaso Ngiro River and covers 131 square kilometers (or over 32,000 acres) of land.

Whereas, Samburu lies on the north side of the Ewaso Ngiro River. And here, it covers an area of 165 square kilometers (or over 40,000 acres.) 

Out of the two reserves, Samburu National Reserve is considered the more famous safari destination. And while Samburu does have a more interesting and varied landscape than Buffalo Springs, in reality the only reason that there are two different reserve names is that the reserve land here falls into two different counties. 

During our visit, we found that the name Samburu tended to be generically used when talking about both of these reserves, and even our camp, Ashnil Samburu Camp, was actually located in Buffalo Springs. 

Luckily, both Samburu and Buffalo Springs can easily be seen together on safari during the dry season, so there is no need to have to choose one over the other. They are both fantastic safari destinations!

WHEN IS THE DRY SEASON AT SAMBURU?

• June-October & December-March

• The dry season is considered the best time to see wildlife here.

• Our family visited during July.

SAMBURU NATIONAL RESERVE & BUFFALO SPRINGS MORNING SAFARI

Safari Tip: Even if you are not a morning person, try to take at least one safari drive where you can catch a sunrise. It’s so worth it!

In this early morning light we also began finding our first animals. And they were practically glowing! 

Safari Tip: Early Morning Light makes for Wonderful Pictures, especially if you can get them backlit like the ostrich above. (Yet, in low light, like before the sun has officially come up, animal photography can be quite difficult for most cameras.)

The Endangered Reticulated Giraffe. 

The reticulated giraffe species is very easy to distinguish from other giraffe species due to its stunning, distinct patterning. There’s no splotchy patches of color on this giraffe. 

It’s also one of the most commonly seen species of giraffe in zoos across the United States.

Lastly, this giraffe can only be found in parts of northern and eastern Kenya, Somalia and southern Ethiopia. According to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, there’s only about 16,000 left in the wild

Safari Tip: Reticulated giraffes do not live in Kenya’s popular southern parks like Amboseli or the Masai Mara, so if you are looking to see one, Samburu National Reserve should be high up on your safari destinations list.

The Endangered Grevy’s Zebra

We also quickly found the endangered Grevy’s Zebra! 

The Grevy’s Zebra is the largest of all zebras and it is easy to recognize due to it’s large ears and narrower stripes.

Now this was one animal that previously I had no clue of how endangered it was. And it turns out that it is one of Africa’s most endangered large mammals!

It is estimated by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (last assessed 2016) that there are only 1,956 mature Grevy’s Zebra left in the world, with almost all of them in located in central, northern Kenya!

Yet, another reason as to why Samburu National Reserve and Buffalo Springs are so special and considered top safari destinations.

The Endangered Beisa Oryx (or East African Oryx)

Isn’t this animal gorgeous! And those horns, they’re fantastic!

Fun Fact: Beisa Oryx horns can be over 3 feet long!

The Beisa Oryx is another creature according to the ICUN Red List (last assessed 2018), there are only about 8-9,000 mature individuals of the Besai Oryx left in the wild and the area of Samburu is one of the few places you can find one!

Safari Tip: The Besai Oryx primarily lives in Northern/ Eastern Kenya, parts of Ethiopia and South Sudan, so Samburu National Reserve is a fantastic place to see one.

Warthogs

Along with seeing three endangered animals within the first hour of our safari,

you'll also saw a fantastic warthog head-butting dominance scuffle.

These warthogs are fascinating to watch. But once the scuffle ended, they quickly trotted off into the bush with their little tails held high in the air. (The way a warthog runs, with their tails sticking straight up, is really funny to watch.)

The Endangered African Savannah Elephant

you'll find Samburu’s magnificent elephants!

Seeing the African Savannah Elephant is a true bucket-list safari sight. And they are huge! The African Elephant is the World’s Largest Land Animal and can weigh up to 6.6 tons. They are intelligent, sociable and familial animals as well.

Yet sadly, the African Savannah Elephant’s population is still decreasing globally and they continue to remain in the Endangered Status according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (last assessed 2020.) 

But fortunately, their population in Samburu has been increasing in recent years thanks to some pretty amazing conservation efforts.

With this in mind, you'll also see several very young (and completely adorable) baby elephants during our time in Samburu and Buffalo Springs.

Tourist activities to do in Shaba National Reserve:

Shaba National Reserve is a protected area located in Isiolo County in northern Kenya to the east of the Samburu and Buffalo Springs national reserves. Together, the three reserves form a large protected area. The Shaba reserve has dramatic scenery including river-side forests, scattered woodlands, and dry grasslands dominated by the Shaba Hill volcano. The plentiful wildlife relies on waterholes and marshes scattered throughout the reserve. Shaba is home to the endangered Grevy’s zebras and the rare William’s lark. Shaba was the setting for the book and film Born Free of the film Out of Africa and for the reality show Survivor Africa.

Shaba National Reserve was gazetted in 1974. It is administered by the Isiolo County Council.  It is just east of Samburu and 70 kilometers to the north of Mount Kenya.  The Ewaso Ngiro River runs for 34 km along the northern boundary of the reserve

This reserve is also famous for its diverse wildlife, which can often be seen near water holes or wandering across the landscape. Some of the wildlife spotted here include Masai giraffes, Grant’s zebras, klipspringer, hyrax, Aardvarks, warthogs, bat-eater foxed, elands, impalas, beisa oryx, greater and lesser kudu, lions, striped hyena and spotted hyena, Somali ostrich, elephants, and leopards among others as well as bird species.  However, there area many activities visitors can enjoy or participate in while on a safari in Shaba National Reserve and we are going to discuss some of the most popular activities such as;

Game drives

Shaba National Reserve offers three great options for game viewing: morning, afternoon, and full-day drives. The morning game drive is the most popular because it’s when animals are most active and easier to spot while they search for food. Plus, you get to enjoy the stunning African sunrise, making it a fantastic opportunity for photography.

On a full-day game drive, visitors can really dive into the adventure, taking in the beautiful scenery and learning about the animals and their behaviors. Afternoon game drives can be a bit trickier since animals often seek shade to escape the heat, which makes them harder to see. During your game drive tours, you will have the chance to spot different wildlife species that roam in the reserve’s landscape such as beisa Oryx, gravy’s Zebra, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, leopard, cheetah, lions among others

Birding

Birdwatching in Shaba National Reserve is a fantastic way to enjoy your time there. You can see many different kinds of birds, making it a fun activity for nature lovers. Some of the birds you might spot during your birding tours include vulturine guinea fowl, marabou storks, sand grouse, doves, black-capped social weaver, black-faced sand grouse, D’Arnaud’s barbet, black-capped social weaver, black-bellied sunbird, golden pipit, golden – breasted starling, greater kestrel, palm-nut vulture, pink-breasted lark, pygmy batis, red-bellied parrot and red-necked falcon among

Cultural visits

The reserve is home to the Samburu people, who have a rich and fascinating culture that visitors can experience firsthand. During your visit, you’ll have the opportunity to interact with the Samburu, learning about their unique traditions and daily life. One of the highlights of a visit is the chance to participate in traditional activities, such as making handmade jewelry or learning about cattle herding, which is an important part of their way of life.

The Samburu are known for their skill in tending to their herds, and you can often see them leading camels to drink at the river. This river not only supports the local communities but also provides a vital water source for a wide variety of wildlife that inhabits the reserve. Engaging with the Samburu people gives tourists a deeper appreciation of their culture and the natural environment around them.

Guided nature walks

Taking a walking safari in the reserve is a great way to explore the park’s beautiful scenery and uncover its hidden gems. You’ll get to see vibrant flowers tucked away in the bushes, notice various reptiles and frogs, and even spot bird nests. Important plants and knowledgeable guides can help you discover many ecosystems that you might overlook when driving through the park. The best time to Visit Shaba National Reserve

Accommodation facilities in Shaba National Reserve

Shaba National Reserve has comfortable lodge ranging from Luxury to budget accommodations such as Joy’s Camp, Sarova Shaba Game Lodge, Lions Cave Camp Samburu, Sun and Sand Beach Resort, Women hotel, Silver bells hotel, Sinteti hotel, Grande Hotel, Camel’s gate lodge and cafe mentioned but few.

How to get to Shaba National Reserve

You’ll probably land in Kenya at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO), which is about 15 kilometers (or 9 miles) southeast of Nairobi, the capital city.

If you’re planning to visit Shaba National Reserve, it’s located 355 kilometers (about 220 miles) north of Nairobi. The drive to get there usually takes between 6 to 8 hours. While you’re exploring that area, you might also want to check out nearby spots like the Laikipia Conservancies and Meru National Park, which are great to visit together.

Contact our trusted tour operators for more information about Tourist activities to do in Shaba National Reserve and Book with our tours and travel company