FACTS
This is a malarial area
The reserve covers an area of (1,510 km²)
There is no night driving and vehicles must be back at the lodge
by 6pm.Several lodges are located outside the park's boundaries,
but as there are few fences you may not be aware of this.
This is a Reserve rather than a National Park and it belongs
to the Masai people
Samburu National Reserve. When you see a camel train walking
single file along a dry riverbed, you realise you are in a pretty
parched area. The three National Reserves of Samburu, Buffalo
Springs and Shaba are at the beginning of the dry north where
camels become common place.
However, it is not a completely parched area as it is watered
by the Uaso Nyiro River or 'River of Brown Water' in Samburu.
This is an essential and sometimes erratic water source for
all the inhabitants, including a considerable amount of wildlife
in the reserves and Samburu cattle and goats. Out of the north
Kenyan tribes of Samburu, Rendille, Turkana and Borana, the
Samburu dominate this area. To the uninformed eye they could
be confused with the Maasai - for they are closely related and
wear similar bright clothing and jewellery and have the same
cultural beliefs. They continue their nomadic pastoralist lifestyle
as they have done for hundreds of years.
The scrub desert, desiccated savannah and small hills of this
region create overriding colours of muted greens, dusty creams,
sand yellow, earthen ochre and every shade of brown. Perfect
camouflage colours for the many animals that inhabit these parks
ANIMALS
& BIRDS
The
reserves are relatively small and animals are easy to find,
with a number of weird and wonderful species endemic to this
area. Notably the gerenuk - also known as the 'giraffe necked
antelope' because of its ridiculously stretched neck adapted
for browsing high into the bushes. Another local inhabitant
is the Grevy's zebra, which resembles an ass with wide stripes
that don't quite go all the way under the belly. Reticulated
giraffes are different from their southern cousins in their
perfectly arranged pattern. A very common dwarf antelope in
these parts is the tiny dik dik, who is devoted to its mate
for its entire lifetime.
Many other
species exist in these reserves and large crocs and hippos inhabit
the river. Leopard, lion, cheetah and hyena are found here and
an unusual treat is that leopards are commonly seen in daylight.
Birds are numerous and 365 species have been recorded in Buffalo
Springs reserve.
SEASONS
Temperatures
reach 104°F (40°C) in the day with a low of 68°F
(20°C) at night
Rainy Season: It may rain anytime during the hot months of April
to June, then again in November and December. November is usually
the wettest month.
Dry Season: January through to March are very hot and dry, and
again from July to October. July is normally the driest month.
SAMBURU-SHABA-BUFFALO SPRINGS SPECIALITIES
•
Gerenuk 'giraffe necked' antelope
• Reticulated giraffe
• Grevy's zebra
• Riverside lodges
• Leopards in daylight
• Samburu people
FACTS
The
altitude of this area is between 2,500-4,000 feet (762-1,219
metres)
This is a malarial area.
