Samburu

Samburu comprises three national reserves (Samburu, Buffalo Springs, and Shaba) and associated conservancies operating under the Northern Rangelands Trust. Together, they form a large protected area in northern Kenya known as Ewaso.

The total combined area of almost 12,000 km2 (1,200,000 hectares) consists of a mosaic of uses, including wildlife tourism and livestock farming by the local people. Since 65% of Kenya’s wildlife is found outside formal national parks and reserves, these conservancies are vital to conserving the country’s wildlife.

The picturesque Ewaso Nyiro River is central to the Samburu area. It flows through doum palm groves and thick riverine forests, and without its waters, wildlife would not survive in this arid region.

The area is known for hosting the Samburu Special Five - gerenuk, Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, beisa oryx and Somali ostrich.

Samburu is also home to one of Kenya’s largest elephant populations and several well-known research projects on carnivores, lions, and elephants. Four of the Big Five can be found (buffalo, elephant, lion and leopard) - no rhinos are present.