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KENYA
SAMBURU, BUFFALO SPRINGS & SHABA NATIONAL RESERVES
To request a private safari tour of Samburu in Kenya, click here >>> |
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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 commonplace.
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.
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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.
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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 |
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Follow
the links below to Kenya's premier wildlife regions and game
reserves
PRIVATE SAFARI LODGES WE RECOMMEND IN THE SAMBURU REGION |
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