Saruni Samburu

The villas are perched on the front of the rock face with whitewashed walls and terracotta roofs, seemingly blending into the surroundings. Floor to ceiling canvas nets can be rolled down during the night for guests to sleep protected from bugs and can be rolled up during the day for guests to marvel at the breathtaking view over the conservancy and surrounding rolling hills.

A large four poster double bed sits in the middle of the room with draped mosquito netting and crisp white bed linen. Authentic rugs and wall hangings add a touch of colour. All rooms come with an ensuite bathroom which is bright and open plan with polished floors and indoor and outdoor shower facilities.

The family villas are decorated in a similar style to the single villas, with whitewashed walls and terracotta roofs making the space feel bright, and floor to ceiling canvas curtains can be rolled up to allow for the movement of fresh African air throughout the room, immersing guests in the surrounding nature. Guests can relax on the veranda areas enjoying the exceptional views over the plains, or after a long day of activities can relax in the large, open lounge and dining area decorated cosily with soft lighting and authentic rugs.

These family villas have separate entrances and can be booked as a unit, for larger families and groups or booked separately. Each villa is complete with two en-suite bedrooms, a spacious shared dining and lounge area and several verandas. Guests can enjoy the stunning vista from the comfort of their own bed, safe from mosquitos by draped mosquito netting or on the comfortable sofa in the lounge area. Whitewashed walls mirror the light from outside, making the space bright and airy during the day and warmly sunlit in the evenings.

Kudu House, the main area of the camp, features whitewashed walls and polished floors with a partial terracotta roof and has a comfortable, homely lounge and a dining area. Communal dining is offered or private dining in guests’ rooms can be arranged. The food is Italian-inspired and always freshly made from local ingredients.

Immerse yourself in nature whilst enjoy freshly prepared food at a picnic, bush meal or sundowner. Breakfast can be served along the Ewaso Nyiro River where guests can sit down for a delicious breakfast whilst enjoying the sound of the gentle flowing water. Group bush dinners can also be arranged, allowing for a dining at sunset experience. After a long days activities guests can ‘salute’ the African sun with a traditional sundowner, and a deserved relaxing drink.

Guests have the opportunity to see the wildlife surrounding the area in a comfortable, open sided game drive vehicle. Guests can chose either morning, afternoon, nighttime or all-day drives, the beauty of the changing surroundings allowing for unique sightings each time. Guests can explore the Kalama Conservancy or the Samburu National Reserve, which both have a variety of habitats and African wildlife ready to be seen, including elephant, leopard and African wild dogs.

Saruni Samburu have their own elephant-proof, open sided hide which is based with a view over the waterhole. The hide is ground level so keen photographers can catch a picture of the elephants at eye level. Also frequenting the area are lion and leopard so guests will not leave the hide disappointed.

Guests can immerse themselves in the birdlife of the area with knowledgable guides and over 400 species of bird to be spotted, including kingfishers, sunbirds and bee-eaters. Binoculars are recommended and field guides are carried in the vehicles. When darkness falls look up to the skies and marvel at the millions of stars which can be seen in a sky unpolluted by city lights. With a passionate ‘astro-guide’ enjoy an evening of astronomy and stargazing in an area that has one of the best observing conditions in Kenya.

There is no better way to feel immersed in nature than to explore the areas surround the lodge on foot. Place yourself in the very heart of the African bush with a knowledgable Samburu warrior guide to lead the way and share their knowledge on the local plants, animals and landscapes as well as their lives and traditions. As part of these guided walks, guests can visit mountain caves near the lodge which include historic Samburu drawings of hunting scene and animals.

A walk after the sun sets is the best time for scorpion enthusiasts to get a glimpse of the scorpions lighted by an ultra-violet flashlight. For guests who enjoy hiking, the sacred mountain trek is a great way to exercise, learn about nature and experience one of the Samburu tribe’s sacred mountains.

Departing the lodge at dawn guests will be driven to the foot of Mount Ololokwe and then be accompanied up the mountain by one of the guides who can teach along the way about the cultural significance of the mountain.

Embrace and celebrate the earth in a mind-clearing, stress-reliving yoga session. Improve your balance, flexibility and strength on your veranda or on the natural platform on the pool terrace and take deep cleansing breaths of fresh African air. Guests can indulge in a manicure, pedicure, body and foot massage or a facial at the Samburu Wellbeing Space. The specially-trained team combines their knowledge  with ancient Samburu traditions so guests can relax and feel their tensions melt away.

Engagement with the local communities is an important aspect at Saruni Samburu lodge. Coined as ‘Meet the Neighbours’ by the lodge, guests can visit Samburu villages and share in moments of their lives and traditions. Guests can see how they live and how they protect the environment, and ask questions – as well as answering a few back. The Warriors Academy is an interactive safari experience offered by Saruni Samburu, designed specifically for families which allows for an exploration of the wildlife and the lifestyle of the fascinating Samburu tribe.

Guests can visit the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in the neighbouring conservancy. Guests can access the sanctuary by a two hour scenic drive, then once arrived can have a briefing by one of the keepers before a tour of the kitchens. Witness the magnificent elephants playtime of feeding time in one of the first community run organisations in Kenya.

For a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, take to the skies and see the Kalama Conservancy and neighbouring Samburu National Reserve from a unique birds-eye perspective. Uninterrupted views of every angle incorporate diverse landscapes such as winding rivers, vast areas of arid land and dotted trees.

Saruni Samburu understands the need to engage with and support the local communities in the areas they operate. A close connection with these communities are one of the most important parts of their conservation policies. 85% of the staff at Saruni Samburu are employed from the local community and are trained through the lodge and encouraged to rise through the ranks. The income generated from conservation fees are used by the community to support the health and education of its members.

Empowering local communities is one of Saruni’s main aims and Samburu lodge works with the local women to sell traditional handmade Samburu artefacts to guests, and Nicole Nanetoi is the fist Samburu and female lodge assistant manager. In 2019, Saruni was able to distribute more than $400,000 to the community and Saruni Samburu is considered to be one of the “most successful examples of community-based and conservation-based modern tourism.”

Saruni Samburu also works with the local primary school and have been able to provide the school with a new water tank and sponsor a student for further studies.

Saruni is one of the founding members of the Mara North Conservancy which is a non-for-profit company, running since 2009, which is a partnership between 11 camps and over 800 landowners from the Maasai communities. With the land they operate on leased to individual Maasai landowners, it marks the first time “that they have received substantial and direct income from wildlife.” The MNC and the Maasai community are working together to implement low-volume and low-impact tourism, holistic management practices and controlled land grazing.

Saruni Samburu is part of the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT), which is a community-run NGO set up in 2004. The main aim of the NRT is to “develop resilient community conservancies, which transform people’s lives, secure peace and conserve natural resources.”

The 35 conservancies that are a part of NRT work across a total of 4.5 million hectares of land in Kenya. The support received helps to empower local communities and encourages them to create locally-led structures of governance and created sustainable businesses. So far, “the community conservancies are starting to have a significant impact on building peace, improving lives and managing the rangelands.”

The Saruni Rhino Lodge is the first lodge in East Africa to offer black rhino on-foot tracking. Being the only lodge in the 350,000 hectare conservancy of Sera, it is the first lodge “dedicated to the conservation of the critically endangered black rhino.” The lodge gives guests the opportunity to engage with the conservation efforts and rhino tracking, helping guests understand the importance of conservation and the benefits it can have before conserving.

5 male and 5 female rhinos were introduced into the Sera Rhino Sanctuary in 2015 and since then 6 calves have been born. Rhino’s aren’t the only animal present in the camp as the waterhole often sees elephants from the local Reteti Elephant Sanctuary which is a community-based and community-managed elephant sanctuary.

Saruni is dedicated to protecting the local wildlife. Guests are given seedballs which they can throw onto sparse areas they pass on game drives. The seed will germinate and help to increase the biodiversity of the area when the indigenous trees and shrubs start to grow. Another Econ-project is the reduction of plastic use. All guests get a reusable aluminium water bottle when they arrive, which helps to cut down on the usage of single-use plastic water bottles. Saruni lodges also have beehives they look after, helping to protect the bees who are vital pollinators and benefit the biodiversity of the area.

The footprint of Saruni Samburu is kept as small as possible by various environmental practices and systems. Harnessing the energy of the mostly uninterrupted sunlight, the camp is run by solar powered systems. The camp also collects and stores rains water, uses biodegradable cleaning products, disposes of toxic water in a environmentally friendly way, and regularly recycles glass and plastic to protect the environment and the vegetation.