Kalama Conservancy - Samburu
Saruni Samburu Lodge is a design lodge located on Kalama Conservancy next to Samburu National Reserve, in Kenya's wild north. Surrounded by a 95,000 hectares private reserve and perched on top of a spectacular viewpoint, its villas and its swimming pool overlook waterholes where the famous Samburu elephant, leopard, reticulated giraffe and Grevy zebra gather to drink. Built on the pristine land owned by the Kalama Wildlife Conservancy in 240,000 acres-large GirGir Group Ranch, it is only seven kilometers - and 20 minutes of exciting game drive - away from the Northern border of Samburu National Reserve, a celebrated elephant sanctuary. The lodge offers first-class safari experience in a totally un-spoilt environment, far from the beaten tracks but very close to the wildlife. Owned and operated by Saruni, the lodge has been facilitated by the Northern Rangeland Trust, an umbrella organization developed by Lewa Wildlife Conservancy to promote tourism and conservation in Northern Kenya.
Kenya hotels and accommodation Amongst the wide range of Kenya hotels, some make the ideal Kenya safari destination. Choose a safari lodge, safari hotel, bush camp, luxury lodge, safari camp, tented camp or bush lodge. National park accommodation usually takes the form of a traditional safari lodge or tented camp, but numerous other options exist on the park boundaries. Luxury lodges and luxury camp options are also offered in the private wildlife conservancies.
Location Saruni Samburu is located at the heart of the Kalama Community Wildlife Conservancy, about 7 km from the Northern border of the Samburu National Reserve (accessed through the Kalama Gate). It also borders Ngutuk Ongiron to the west, Namunyak Community Conservation Trust to the north and Sera Community Wildlife Conservation to the north east.
Kalama lies in an area of 95,000 hectares of GirGir Group Ranch in Samburuland, west of Archer's Post. With a population of only 2,000, the main livelihood in the area is livestock, mostly camels and goats. Centered around a core conservation area of 3,150 hectares, Kalama represents a crucial migratory corridor between northern and southern conservation areas of this spectacular region of Kenya. Large herds of elephants cross Kalama in their migratory routes between the different conservancies that are under the NRT umbrella. Kalama members have coexisted with the Samburu National Reserve for over 40 years, sharing revenues and wildlife.
Northern Kenya is one of Africa's last true wilderness areas. The absence of fences makes it one of the few places left that allows for the free movement of wildlife across a vast area. A red landscape dominated by acacia-grassland mosaic, with dramatic dry upland/montane forests rising from its plains, it is home to a wide diversity of species. Inhabited by pastoral tribes with rich traditional histories that are collectively striving both to protect its ecological integrity and their own livelihoods there is no better way for visitors to experience the real Africa
How to Get There • Samburu airstrip. - 1 hour drive from lodge. • Private airstrip, near the Kalama Wildlife Conservancy headquarters. • Twice daily scheduled Air Kenya flight to the Samburu departing Nairobi at 08h00 and 09h15 • Twice daily scheduled Safarilink flight to the Samburu departing Nairobi at 08h00 and 10h20. • Once daily scheduled Air Kenya flight from Meru at 08h50 • Private charter from anywhere.
The Background The Samburu ecosystem is o¬ne of the most exciting in East Africa and is made of several national reserves, private ranches and communally-owned group ranches that are more and more interconnected. Famous for its large population of elephants, Samburu stands out for the abundance of northern species that cannot be found in other areas of Kenya. The gerenuk, the reticulated giraffe, the Somali ostrich, the Grevy zebra, the Beira oryx, the lesser Kudu and greater kudu are some of Northern species that can be spotted o¬n safari here. Kalama Conservation area, the wildlife sanctuary bordering with Samburu National Reserve where we are located, as an abundance of other rare species, like the leopard, the striped hyena, the civet.
Trained by Lewa and NRT, the Kalama rangers have been protecting this area for several years and have been reporting a rapid increase in wildlife. The waterholes built by Saruni and by the Kalama community, with water coming from Buffalo Springs, are bringing to the area a precious element that is often missing form this arid part of Kenya. The constant availability of water will make the Saruni area an unavoidable stopping point for all the wildlife of this large and still pristine area, where there are no roads, no people, no buildings and no signs of human civilization.
Wildlife highlights: elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, jackal, buffalo, hippo, zebra, oryx, gerenuk, gazelle, gerenuk, hyrax and klipspringer. Birds: 395 recorded species.
Accommodation Saruni offers just four accommodation blocks: 2 cottages (1 en suite bedroom, dressing room and private seating/dining area). 2 family cottages(2 en suite bedrooms, 1 double and 1 twin, dressing rooms and private seating area)
Dining and bars Saruni prides itself on the quality of its cuisine. Meals are traditionally served in the spacious dining room, on the terrace or in the bush. Drinks can be taken at the bar, on the terrace or in the bush. Soft drinks, beer, house wines and non-luxury spirits are included in the room rates. Champagne, special wines and luxury spirits are additional.
Child-friendly Saruni welcomes children and family groups. All rooms can fit one extra bed, to accommodate children under the age of 16yrs only.
What to see and do We game drive inside Samburu National Reserve and Buffalo Springs National Reserve, but many acivities take place in Kalama, a well-kept secret of Kenya's North. The recent introducion of water means that Kalama is becoming an important actraction to all the Samburu wildlife. Our activities include night and morning game drive in Kalama Conservancy, visits to the caves where in the past the Samburu have painted and carved rock art during meat-eating feasts, professionally-led game walks, bush dinners and star gazing. The traditions and semi-nomadic heritage of the local Samburu people are an important part of the experience. Led by professional Samburu guides, our guests enjoy a new dimension of this rightfully popular region: the feeling of exclusivity, of having an incredibly large area totally to their own, and a high level of comfort and tailor-made service. As well as our game drives that include Samburu National Reserve, Buffalo Springs National Reserve and West Gate Conservancy, the traditions and semi-nomadic heritage of the local Samburu people are an important part of the experience. Led by professional Samburu guides, our guests enjoy a new dimension of this rightfully popular region: the feeling of exclusivity, of having an incredibly large area to themselves, and a high level of comfort and tailor-made service.
Activities • Day & Night Game Drives • Guided Bush Walks • Cultural Visits • Samburu Wellbeing Space (Massage and Spa Treatments) • ‘Warrior for a Week ' Programme • Bush Meals • Sundowners • Drawing Safaris, led by a Professional Artist (3 Drawing Safari itineraries available)
Other attractions Saruni offers a swimming pool overlooking several waterholes where the wildlife comes to drink. Saruni Samburu also features an area for massage and beauty treatments called Samburu Wellbeing Space. Saruni Samburu has its own private airstrip near the Kalama Wildlife Conservancy headquarters, but it is also easily served by schedule airlines that land at nearby Buffalo Springs airstrip.
Saruni Samburu Lodge - Kalama, Samburu • Exclusive Safari Lodge • Kenya Hotels, Lodges & Tented Camps To enquire about booking this Kenya safari hotel, please Contact Us!
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