2 Best Hotels in Samburu National Reserve, Kenya

It's not just where Sasaab is located but how it's situated that makes it a wonderful place to stay in the Samburu region. In Westgate Community Conservancy, west of Samburu National Reserve, this wonderful camp spreads across a hillside high above the Ewaso Nyiro River; there are spectacular views from every vantage. You can go on a morning bird walk, take an afternoon hike over kopjes (small hills) to a spectacular sundowner, or ride a camel through a dry riverbed. There's also the opportunity to go walking and fly-camping in the further reaches of the conservancy. Sasaab balances opulence, characterized by oversize tents and fine Moroccan architecture, with environmental consciousness, exhibited by solar-powered electricity and community outreach. They actively support local villages and collaborate with Ewaso Lions, a lion conservation-study program. Every tent is a palatial, split-level affair with four-poster beds, personal plunge pools, and grand sitting rooms that quite possibly have the longest couches you've ever seen.

North of Samburu National Reserve, this small and remote tented camp lies below the peaks of the Mathews Mountains in the 850,000-acre Namunyak Wildlife Conservation Trust—a community conservancy that has been created between landowners and the local Samburu people. The six spacious tents have pole-supported thatch roofs with flush toilets and open-air showers; hot water is 24-hours thanks to solar power. The main sitting room and dining area sits on stilts in front of the waterhole and natural rock pool—yes, you swim here overlooking the waterhole and you are quite safe—with stunning views of the Mathews Mountains. Game is plentiful with resident lions and leopards, and there's an excellent chance of seeing wild dogs, elephants, and reticulated giraffes. Look out for the attractive black-and-white colobus monkeys when you go for a guided hike in the forest. Go donkey-trekking in the mountains, take a camel safari with an overnight stop at a fly camp, or stop by Reteti Elephant Sanctuary. You can get acquainted with the Samburu people on bush walks and visits to nearby villages to get exposure to the traditional lifestyle of northern Kenya’s semi-desert region.