Ashnil Samburu Camp, Kenya

Written by Arijana Tkalčec

While in Kenya, going to a safari is a must and what better place to do that then to base yourselves in one of the camps in some national reserve? We chose Samburu National Reserve that is around 350 kilometers away from the capital, Nairobi. Samburu National Reserve has many camps and we decided to stay in Ashnil Samburu Camp. It has 30 luxury tents that are placed on the banks of the Ewaso Nyrio River. Unfortunately, when we visited in May a river was dry. You can choose between deluxe twin, double or triple room. All rooms have a nice terrace with the river view. There are monkeys all around the camp so you should be careful and don't leave any food in your room as they will find a way to get in and make a mess. Take this rule seriously. Our friend didn't, she left a bag of chips inside and monkeys went in and made a huge mess. It was like a tornado inside.

Outside view of our tent

The camp has a good restaurant that serves a variety of menus comprising of Oriental, traditional and international cuisines. It also offers a swimming pool surrounded by sun lounges, the garden and the lounge where you can chill and have a drink. To give you a peaceful and relaxing stay, the wifi is available only in the lounge. That means no distractions in any other part of the camp.

Room view

To make the most out of your stay you can do activities such as game drives, nature walks, cultural visit to the Samburu village and sundowners.

Game drives

Game drives are a must. You can basically spend the whole day at game drives. We did one in the morning and then the afternoon until the sunset. And then the other day we did one from sunrise until late afternoon. It all depends on your agreement with drivers. But they last for a couple of hours so there is enough time to see many animals.

Sundowner

For sundowner, they take you to the middle of the reserve to enjoy dinner while watching the sunset on the river coast.

The personnel is kind and they will help you with anything. They usually come from tribes and you can ask them anything about their life there, they will gladly talk about it and share everything with you. We learned so much from them. Our driver was a fun guy and he tried hard to find a lion for us, but we just weren't lucky this time.

The prices of the rooms vary depending on the season and activities you want to do, so make sure to check their site for the most accurate information. Just keep in mind that at the entrance to nature reserve you also have to pay a park entrance fee of $70 per person. I recommend coming from December through March and July through October when the wildlife viewing is at its prime.