Kenya Parks
By Anthony Ham
Anthony is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guide to Kenya.
Samburu offers great wildlife viewing, and good densities mean that most safari animals can be seen within a couple of days. There are several habituated leopards, and sightings are not unusual. Elephants are plentiful, and there is a variety of antelope, including both the greater and lesser kudu, with their impressive horns. Only rhino is absent from the Big Five.
Wildlife Highlights
Several dry-country adapted mammals that don't occur in most Kenyan parks can be found here. The Reticulated giraffe has a more striking pattern than the common Masai giraffe. Beisa Oryx is particularly well adapted to arid conditions. The gerenuk, with its elongated neck, is able to stand on its hind legs to reach sparse leaves. Both the common Burchell's zebra and the bigger Grevy's zebra are found next to each other.
Best Time for Wildlife Viewing
It doesn’t rain much in Samburu so it can be visited in any month, but the most productive time of year for watching wildlife is in the Dry season (June to October). The vegetation really thins out in the Dry season, and animals gather around the few remaining water sources. The wettest month is April, and rains at this time can make wildlife watching more challenging.
Wildlife Rating Per Major Park
- Amboseli NP 4.6/5 147 Wildlife Ratings
- Buffalo Springs NR 4.3/5 19 Wildlife Ratings
- Lake Nakuru NP 4.3/5 175 Wildlife Ratings
- Masai Mara NR 4.9/5 299 Wildlife Ratings
- Samburu NR 4.6/5 81 Wildlife Ratings
- Tsavo East NP 4.4/5 62 Wildlife Ratings
- Tsavo West NP 4.1/5 54 Wildlife Ratings
