Saruni Samburu Camp – Samburu Hotels
Saruni Samburu 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. The vastness and the purity of this African landscape, combined with the untouched local culture, will make your wildlife safari a different experience.
Perched on the top of the Kalama mountains with an all-round view of Northen Kenya all the way to snow-covered Mount Kenya, Saruni Samburu is a design lodge that is introducing a fresh concept to a well-known safari destination. Built on the pristine land owned by the Kalama Wildlife Conservancy in 240,000 acres-large Gir Gir 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 in the Masai Mara, Saruni Samburu has been facilitated by the Northern Rangeland Trust www.nrt-kenya.org/home.html (Nrt), an umbrella organization developed by Lewa Wildlife Conservancy to promote tourism and conservation in Northern Kenya.
There are four houses (two of them are large family villas with two separate bedrooms each and two spectacular bathrooms), a large swimming pool with dramatic view over Samburuland, a waterhole that attract elephant, reticulated giraffe, zebra, oryx and all the species that make Kalama so special.
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.
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.
In collaboration with Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees (Stresa, Italy) and its world-famous spa – Centro Benessere Stresa, Saruni runs the Maasai Wellbeing Space. It is a unique feature in Samburu: in the most serene and relaxing environment, our guests enjoy massage and wellness treatments under the supervision of highly trained staff.
The new techniques combine sophisticated methods developed at Centro Benessere Stresa with ancient Samburu wisdom and knowledge. For instance, we use the Olmurmuru seedas (Albizia Harvey) to reduce muscular discomfort and pure gel from Usunguru (Aloe Kedongesis) for sun burnt areas.
One treatment, our complimentary “back and neck” massage, is included for free in the regular safari package. Among the treatments available, you can choose between the lymphatic drainage massage, decongestive or nourishing or purifying facials, manicare, pedicare and the popular sport massage. All with an open view of Kalama Wildlife Conservancy, where elephant, kudu and giraffe roam freely.
