2 of 2

Write now Article Tools

Samburu

From Kenya's capital, Nairobi to the Samburu Game Lodge is about 150 miles as the crow flies. But, if you leave Nairobi in the middle of winter, and you'll arrive at Samburu in midsummer. However, that's not because the roads are so bad, or the little Nissan safari buses which most tour operators use being anything other than quick and efficient.

The reason for the seasonal shift is that on this journey crosses the Equator, at a place called Nanyuki, where the buses always stop. Ostensibly, it's just to let passengers stretch their legs and attend to essential comforts, but, as often happens where tourists frequent, there's quite a bazaar atmosphere, where quality African craftwork' (it says here) can be bought.

Usually, too there's someone there with a container of water, a funnel and a few match-sticks. For a fee, he will demonstrate the phenomenon where, if you pour water into a funnel, or let it out of the bath, or something, it swirls out clockwise to the south of the Equator, and anti-clockwise to the north.

But, having had your pit-stop and coffee, yi ou must leave Nanyuki behind, and head down into the Great Rift Valley and Samburu.

The Samburu Reserve takes its name from the Samburu people who live in the area. The Samburu are often to be seen in their traditional garb of wrap-around blankets and metal and bead bracelets and necklaces; sometimes the men wear red clay on their faces and in their hair. Most tours to the area include a visit to a Samburu manyatta (a fenced compound which acts as a sort of outdoor village hall/meeting place/club-house) to see a display of Samburu dance.

The reserve consists of several adjoining game parks on either side of the Ewaso Nyiro River. One of these is the Buffalo Springs Nature Reserve. There are springs, to be sure, but that never frequented them. But, what were those bovine-looking animals drinking from the springs?

The guides aren't allowed to use radios to talk to each other, and animals are not tagged in any way. But, if one guide sees something interesting, the others will arrive very soon!

You may see elephants, zebras, giraffes, ostriches, lions, cheetahs and many kinds of antelope and gazelle including the tiny dik-dik' and the amusing gerenuk or giraffe-gazelle'. And, of course, there were many buffalo! And, as a bonus, we had a rare glimpse of the usually haze-shielded and cloud covered Mount Kenya in the distance.

Seeing animals at their best usually calls for a pre-dawn start, with another drive around sunset. At these times, the animals are at their most active. So, when breakfast beckons, we returned to the Samburu Lodge. The cabins at the lodge are thatched, round huts of a design based on the African hut called a rondavel.

Like all good game lodges, there are two watering holes one within the compound, that is, the swimming pool, and one outside. Those lodges with an eye for business will ensure that the best view of this is from the bar! A bank about three feet high surrounds the compound, this, we are assured ensures that visitors don't have too close an encounter with the game especially the crocodile, which is usually seen basking by the water-hole.

One thing the bank won't keep out is the baboons. A barman said that it has been known for them to snatch food from the plates of diners in the restaurant. Then, we were summoned to dinner not by a gong, but a relentless thunder of African drums. A barman explained that the drums served an extra purpose. They scared the baboons away, and they wouldn't be back for several hours!

Learn more about this author, Keith K..
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Vacation guide to an African safari in Kenya?
We want to hear your view. Write now!