Basecamp Samburu

a tented riverbank camp with hilltop starbeds

Basecamp Samburu is located in the Samburu area of northcentral Kenya.

Kalama Conservancy is a community-managed wildlife area covering roughly 400 square kilometres of arid hills, rocky outcrops and acacia woodland that forms an important corridor between Samburu and the Mathews Range with much lower visitor numbers than the neighbouring reserve.

The camp occupies a shady grove of acacia and doum palms on the riverbank, where elephant and reticulated giraffe are often seen browsing nearby.

At its heart is an open-sided lounge, bar and dining area set on raised wooden decking beneath a thatched roof, overlooking the river and a central fire-pit area used for evening drinks. A swimming pool lies slightly apart under the trees, and pathways lead from the main deck to the guest tents strung out along the river. The camp has a relaxed, low-impact style that blends well into its surroundings.

Rooms

Guest accommodation is in five tents along the riverbank, comprising one two bedroom family tent and four double tents. Each tent has an en suite bathroom and a private terrace with views of the surrounding landscape. 

In addition there are two hilltop starbeds set above the main camp. One is a deluxe platform with a jacuzzi and the other is a standard platform with private dining. Both have full bathrooms and elevated views across Kalama Conservancy. 

Family tent: x1

Double tents: x4

Starbeds: x2

Activities

Basecamp Samburu provides the following guided activities, not all of which are necessarily included in the room rate …

 • Vehicle safari in Kalama Conservancy and Samburu National Reserve

 • Walking safari

 • Cultural interaction

Guided walks take place in the conservancy and not inside the National Reserve. Cultural visits are arranged in cooperation with the local Samburu.

Samburu features in a relatively high proportion of trips to Kenya, being perhaps the second most popular area after the Maasai Mara.

The usual stay duration is 2-4 nights.

Seasonality

The best time of year to visit Samburu is generally considered to be the Jun-Oct dry season, but there are good reasons to visit during other months. In an area as naturally arid as this, the Jan-Mar green season can also be particularly interesting.

Getting there

The vast majority of guests staying at Sarara Wilderness Samburu do so in combination with other Sarara properties further north in the Mathew’s Range.

In this case, it is usually best to visit this camp first, flying in from Nairobi, spending 2-3 nights taking in the rich wildlife, before heading north overland to the wilder areas beyond.

After that combination, you might consider flying on down to the Maasai Mara for more safari, or out to the tropical coast.

unusual northern species including gerenuks and Grevy’s zebras