Samburu Game Reserve is situated in the hot and arid fringes of Kenya’s vast Northern Frontier District and covers an area of 104 square km on the northern bank of Ewaso Nyiro River. The area is home to the Samburu tribe, pastoral relatives of the Masai. The landscape is rugged and dramatic – against a backdrop of volcanic mountains, gaunt hills and withered scrub tree punctuate the sparse and dry terrain with clusters of the incredibly hardy desert rose providing the occasional flash of vivid color.

The Ewaso Nyiro River, lifeline of the area, runs along the southern boundary dividing Samburu from Buffalo Springs Reserve. Crocodile and Hippo share the river with the many small herds of elephant which bathe and frolic in the muddy brown waters during the heat of the day before returning later to graze on the lush vegetation of the riverine forest. Buffalo, Lion, Leopard, Cheetah and plains game may also be seen but a special feature of this reserve are the various species of game unique to these northern parks – Beisa Oryx, the Long Necked Gerenuk, Grevy’s Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe and the Blue Shanked Somali Ostrich.