Kenya Camping Safari

Arrival in Nairobi

Arrive at any time into Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO). The day is unstructured, leaving time to find your hotel and settle in. Most accommodations are concentrated in districts like Westlands or Kilimani, a straightforward taxi ride from the airport. The rest of the day is for acclimatizing before the overland portion of the trip begins.

Overland to Samburu

The first leg is a long one: a 7-8 hour, 365km drive north from Nairobi into Samburu country. The route pushes through the farmlands of the Kikuyu people with views of Mt Kenya, Africa’s second-highest peak, before the landscape dries out. Just outside the reserve, there’s an opportunity to visit a Samburu village, a community of semi-nomadic pastoralists with distinct customs and dress.

After the village visit, the drive continues to the campsite. The goal is to arrive in time for an afternoon wildlife drive inside Samburu National Reserve. This is a first chance to track the area's large elephant herds and resident big cats as the light starts to fade.

The Samburu Special Five

A full day is dedicated to exploring Samburu National Reserve on morning and afternoon safari drives. This region is known for a unique cohort of animals not found in the southern parks, often called the 'Samburu Special Five'. The drives focus on finding these species: the beisa oryx, the Somali ostrich, the Grevy's zebra, the long-necked gerenuk, and the reticulated giraffe.

The gerenuk, a graceful antelope, is particularly interesting to watch, as it stands on its hind legs to browse from tall bushes. The day is spent tracking these animals across the arid scrubland, returning to camp in the evening.