Basecamp Samburu

If guests are passionate about birds, Samburu is the perfect place to visit; not only are the species abundant but the birds can be easily spotted and photographed. Saruni Basecamp guides are birdwatchers by instinct and training and share a love for birds. The guides always carry field guides in the game drive vehicles.

Guests enjoy breakfast along the Ewaso Nyiro River and starlit dinners under the vast African skies (weather permitting). We love to take guests to our secret spots for a bush dinner or for a picnic lunch that allows guests to be with elephants, waterbuck, lion, impala and the Samburu Five that stop to take water.

A Saruni Basecamp safari is not only focused on wildlife but also on culture and people. Some call it ‘cultural tourism’. Saruni Basecamp calls it ‘meet the neighbours’. Guests visit genuine Samburu villages - the camps neighbours and friends, and are privileged to share moments of their life. They are the ancient custodians of this land and Saruni feel it is an integral part of the overall experience for guests to see how they live, how they protect the environment and in what way they differ from other African tribes. Be prepared for the Samburu to ask questions too as they will be curious about life outside of their way of life! Consider it an exchange of ideas and information.

Game drives at Basecamp Samburu take you through two of northern Kenya's finest wildlife habitats; the Kalama Conservancy and Samburu National Reserve, running morning, afternoon, or all day depending on where the wildlife is taking you. As evening falls, the conservancy offers something the National Reserve cannot. Night game drives through Kalama bring you face to face with the nocturnal side of Samburu.

Walking safaris are individually tailored to guests' interests and are set in a breath-taking landscape. Walking with the Samburu warriors out in the African bush is a fantastic experience and guests learn from their authentic local knowledge of the plants, animals and landscape, about their traditions and about their lives.

Located in Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy in Samburu County of Northern Kenya, Reteti Elephant Sanctuary is the first community owned and managed elephant sanctuary in Africa. The Reteti Elephant Sanctuary is situated in the remote Mathews Range, among Kenya’s second largest elephant population. Similar to the world-famous Sheldrick Sanctuary in Nairobi, it takes in orphaned and abandoned elephant calves with the aim to release them back into the wild herds adjoining the Sanctuary. This excursion needs to be arranged in advance with reservations at the time of booking, or lodge management, and is payable extra.

Interested in scorpions and all that lies beneath the sand, hidden away from sight? Guests can venture out on a ‘scorpion safari’ to understand the many different types of scorpion that call the earth surrounding Basecamp Samburu their home. Walking shoes or boots advised!

Join one of our Samburu guides; torch in hand, constellation maps committed to memory for an evening beneath some of the darkest skies on the continent. In Kalama Conservancy, with almost no light pollution to interrupt the darkness, the stars do not simply appear. They overwhelm. Learn to find and name the constellations, track the movement of planets visible to the naked eye, and let a sky you have never properly seen before quietly reframe everything else about your stay.

The sundowner is a well-deserved drink at the end of a long day on safari to ‘salute’ the African sun as it is setting. Saruni Basecamp guide's drive guests to an unforgettable panoramic viewpoint and serve guests' favourite drink along with a selection of scrumptious ‘bitings’; small snacks to whet appetites ahead of the delicious dinner which awaits.

The Warriors Academy is a special interactive safari experience with a strong educational flavour, designed especially for families with children or small groups. It is a fun learning experience, that allows families to explore not only the wildlife, but also the authentic lifestyle of one of the most well-known and culturally fascinating tribes left in Africa; the Samburu. Under the tutelage of their ‘Moran’, or warriors, participants get to know, enjoy and understand these unique people and see the Kenyan wilderness from a different perspective. Combined with regular safari activities, and tailored to guests' interests and timeframe, the Warriors Academy can last between 1-3 days, and needs to be booked in advance.