Kent's Kenya trip update #2

After a visit to Joy's Camp in Shaba, we drove two hours to nearby Samburu National Reserve. I have been to this great park a number of times and it never fails to disappoint. Hit hard by a flash flood in March, (check our March blog archives for that story), the park and most of its camps and lodges have recovered nicely. One of the main bridges is still being repaired making tranfers a bit longer than usual.

Samburu is in the homeland of the Samburu people of north central Kenya. Dressing colorfully like their Masai cousins to the south, they are great hosts and guides. On our first game drive we spotted lions, a small leopard, elephants, gerenuk, Grevy's zebra, Somali ostrich and much more.

Our lodging, Saruni Safari Lodge is located about 45 minutes outside the park on a 220,000 acre Samburu community ranch called Kalama. Sitting atop a granite hilltop, it offers incredible views of the surrounding bushland, and on a clear day, the Matthews range and Mt Kenya.

Saruni is undoubtedly the most luxurious lodge in the area. With just four chalets that accommadate up to 12 guests in total, it is both elegant and comfortable. The rooms are huge and each sports a bathtub, outdoor shower, deck and sitting room. Should you visit, bring your appetite because the food is fantastic. At lunch, I took a second helping of the delicious caneloni not realizing it was just the first course (Saruni is Italian owned). Next, there was a tasty lettuce and avocado salad, snow peas and tomatoes, plus a fantastic warm chicken, carrot and potato salad with peanut sauce. There was sorbet for dessert with choice of tea, coffee or espresso!

From Saruni game drives, night drives, nature walks, and village visits are all avaible. The guiding is good and the hosting excellent. Overall, it's a great place, though not ideal for those with mobility issues as the paths are long and steep with lots of steps and sharp drop-offs.

To plan a visit to Joy's in Shaba, check out our Unforgettable Kenya Safari. We have a special of $500 off per person on Unforgettable Kenya for most 2011 departure dates! To visit Saruni Safari Lodge and take advantage of all its fantastic offerings, call us so that we can plan a customized safari for you.

Photos courtesy Saruni Safari Lodge and Kent Redding