Safari activities
Safari activities in Samburu
Game drives are only the beginning. Walking safaris, night drives, camel treks and cultural visits are all within reach.
Game drives
The core activity, run at first light and again from around 4pm when animals are most active. Full-day drives with a packed lunch let you explore Buffalo Springs and Shaba as well. Off-road driving is not permitted inside the national park.
Walking safaris
Not allowed inside the park, but excellent in the neighbouring community conservancies of Kalama, Westgate and Namunyak. Walks are led by armed Samburu guides and focus on tracks, plants and birds rather than big game.
Night drives
Also a conservancy activity. Spotlit drives reveal genet, civet, white-tailed mongoose, aardwolf, striped hyena and hunting leopard.
Samburu cultural visits
Visits to a manyatta, arranged with the community and paid for directly, give an honest window into semi-nomadic pastoralist life. The singing wells — where warriors sing while hauling water for cattle — are unforgettable when timed correctly.
Camel-back safaris
Offered by camps on the western side of the ecosystem. A quiet, slow way to cover ground, ideal for families and for reaching fly camps.
Photographic safaris
Several camps have low-level hides, bean bags and photographer-friendly vehicles with removable roofs and open sides. See our photography guide for gear and timing advice.
Bush dining and sundowners
Bush breakfasts in the riverbed, sundowners on a rocky outcrop and private candlelit dinners are standard at most mid-range and luxury properties.
Fly camping and star beds
A night out under mosquito-net canopies on a platform or in a mobile fly camp, offered by a handful of conservancy properties.
Conservation experiences
Visits to Save the Elephants research camp, Reteti Elephant Sanctuary (a community-run orphanage to the north) and anti-poaching ranger units can be arranged with notice.
Which activities can I do where?
Inside Samburu National Park you can do game drives, guided walks with a park ranger at designated points, cultural visits and bush dining. Night drives, off-road driving and free walking safaris are only available in the surrounding community conservancies such as Kalama and Westgate.
If walking and night drives matter to you, choose a conservancy property such as Saruni Samburu or Sasaab. If you want to be as close as possible to the river and the park's best game viewing, choose a camp inside the boundary. Many travellers combine both across a longer stay.
Build your ideal Samburu itinerary
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