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The Samburu Game Reserve lies 200 miles north of
Nairobi in the hot and arid lowlands of the vast northern region
of Kenya, just a few kms north of the equator, adjoining
with Buffalo Springs and Shaba National Reserve.
The Reserve was set up in the late 1960's, around the richest stretch
of the Ewaso Ngiro River. During dry season plentiful
wildlife come to the river, to drink on the shaded river banks,
during wet season you can see the less peripatetic species.
These animals include: the reticulated
giraffe, Grevy's zebra, the Beisa oryx with its lovely long straight
horns, all found only north of the equator, blue legged Somali ostrich,
waterbuck, Grant's gazelles, dik dik, duiker, olive baboons, lions,
spotted and striped hyenas and leopards. The long-necked gerenuk
is a graceful antelope that spends much of its time in a bipedal
stance seeking relaxation in the sparse scrub that grows in this
harsh terrain. In the river many crocodiles feed on the abundant
wildlife.
The Samburu region encompasses
not only the Samburu but also the Shaba National Reserves
and Buffalo Springs and includes the adjoining grasslands
and thorn scrub of Loisaba, Laikipia and Lewa Downs extending to
the foothills of Mount Kenya. With the magnificent Ewaso
Ngiro River running through the region and with its characteristic
African landscape of acacia forests, doub palms and distant
hills, the Samburu region is more than just well worth a visit.
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