Samburu offers great wildlife viewing and four of the Big Five are present. Rhinos are absent, but big herds of elephant cross the reserve. Of the big cats, leopards are very rewarding with some habituated individuals giving high-quality sightings. Most interesting are the northern Kenya specials including beisa oryx, lesser kudu, reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra and the gerenuk.

The reserve is made up of riverine forest along the water and dry acacia scrub peppered with termite mounds. Koitogor Hill marks the middle of the reserve.

When it comes to temperature, Samburu is very hot. The Dry season (June to September) lives up to its name, with almost no rain. Similarly, the Wet season (October to May) gives the landscape a regular wash.

Dust hangs in the air in the Dry season (June to September), giving the landscape a hazy look. But this is definitely the best time to check out the local wildlife due to decent road conditions and little vegetation to obscure your view. An exception is the birdlife, which is at its most vibrant and spectacular in the wetter months.

Shaba in Samburu-takes its name from an outcrop of rock, lies across the main road from the entrance of Samburu National Reserve. It was here that the artist and author, Joy Adamson (best known for the story of Elsa, the lioness, portrayed in the series ‘Born Free’ and ‘Living Free’) was brutally murdered while rehabilitating cheetah(which featured in the book(’Pippa the Cheetah’).

The CBS TV Series Survivor 2 was also based in Shaba.