Samburu National Reserve is a game reserve in Kenya and one of the less known Kenya wildlife destinations teeming with plenty of wildlife, the reserve is situated along the Ewaso Nyiro River in Samburu County in the northern region of Kenya. Samburu reserve is adjust to Buffalo Springs national reserve which is situated on the other side of the river, from Nairobi the capital city of Kenya and a thriving tourism centre the reserve is in a distance of 350 kilometers.

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The reserve covers an area of 165 square kilometers and it is crossed by the Ewaso Ng’iro River flowing through the middle of the reserve’s doum groves and thick riverine forests, Ewaso Ng’iro River is the main water sources to the reserve and it usually crowded by animals which come to the river to drink water. 

Samburu national reserve is famously known as one of the areas in Kenya where conservationists George Adamson and his wife Joy Adamson raised the Lioness Elsa, the reserve was made more famous as it featured in the best-selling book and award winning movie “Born Free”. Samburu national reserve is also famous for being a home of Kamunyak a lioness which adopted orphaned Oryx calves.

Established in 1985, Samburu national reserve is rich with both wildlife and bird life habiting in the reserve. There is abundance of both large and small game species in the reserve and these include gerenuk, Grevy’s zebra, Oryx, reticulated giraffe,  lion, cheetah,  African leopard, elephant, Cape buffalo, hippopotamus, olive baboon, Nile crocodiles, warthogs, black rhinoceros, Grant’s gazelle, Kirk’s dik-dik, impala, waterbuck and many more. 

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Unique Wildlife – The Samburu “Special Five”

Samburu is famous for its rare, northern-adapted animals, known as the “Samburu Special Five”:

1. Grevy’s zebra is larger and has thinner stripes than common zebras.

2. Reticulated giraffe – Beautifully patterned with geometric markings.

3. Beisa oryx – A striking antelope with long, straight horns.

4. Somali ostrich – A unique blue-necked ostrich.

5. Gerenuk – A long-necked antelope that stands on its hind legs to eat leaves.