Geography
Three reserves, one river
Separately managed, sharing the same wildlife — and it matters which ones your camp is allowed to drive.
| Reserve | Where it sits | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Samburu National Reserve | North bank of the Ewaso Ng’iro | The classic. Doum palms, riverine forest, red rock, and most of the camps. |
| Buffalo Springs | South bank, directly opposite Samburu | More open country, clear springs, particularly good for Grevy’s zebra and oryx. |
| Shaba | East of the other two | Larger, wilder, volcanic. Far fewer visitors and a harder, more dramatic landscape. |
Why it matters
They are managed separately and each charges its own fee. A camp on the north bank drives Samburu by default; crossing to Buffalo Springs means a bridge and a second entry fee.
Most camps can do both. Some include it, some charge it, and a few do not go. Ask before you book — the difference is the size of your driveable area.
- Which reserves can we drive from this camp?
- Are the fees for all of them included in the rate?
- How long is the drive to the bridge?
- Does the camp go to Shaba at all?
The river
The Ewaso Ng’iro is the reason any of this exists. It runs off the Aberdares and Mount Kenya, and in dry country it is the only permanent water for a long way.
Everything concentrates on it. Elephants cross it, crocodiles live in it, leopards hunt the forest along it, and the doum palms that define the landscape grow because of it. In a dry year it can reduce to pools; in a wet one it floods.
Camps sit along it for the obvious reason, and a riverside tent in Samburu is one of the better places to spend the middle of a hot day.
Further north
Beyond the three reserves lie community conservancies — large, remote and run by the communities who own the land. They are quieter still, the guiding is often the most interesting in northern Kenya, and the conservancy fee is community income.
They are a longer way and suit travellers with more time and some safari experience. Ask us if that sounds like you.
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