Samburu National
Park lies 325
kilometres north of Nairobi
in the hot and arid fringes of the arid northern region
of Kenya. The Reserve is within the lands of the colourful
Samburu people, close relatives of the Maasai, and boasts
a number of wildlife species rarely found elsewhere.
These include the Grevy zebra,
the reticulated giraffe and the Beisa oryx all species found
only north of the equator. The long-necked gerenuk is a
graceful antelope, which spends much of its time in a bi-pedal
stance seeking succulence among the withered scrub, which
dots this harsh terrain. Other animals commonly seen are
elephants, lions, cheetahs, gerenuks, buffalos, grants gazelles,
dik diks and waterbucks. There are over 350 varieties of
birds. These include the famous Somali Ostriches (distinguished
by their unique purple/blue legs during mating season),
kingfishers, humming birds, eagles, guinea fowls and vultures.
Scenically and faunally dramatic,
for most of the year Samburu National Reserve is under the
unsympathetic equatorial sun. But relief comes from the
wide swathe of the Ewaso Ngiro River which flows for some hundreds
of kilometres to the west on the foothills of the Aberdare
ranges
and which vanishes beyond Samburu in the recesses of the
Lorian swamp. The river is at its best in the Reserve, broad
and sluggish with a large population of crocodile seen on
sandbanks at almost every bend.
In the lower reaches, where
permanent pools have formed as a tributary joins the river,
are hippos. The river is fringed with giant acacias, figs
and doum palms all of which provide shade and sustenance
to the wildlife, which comes to water here. Elephant roam the
gaunt hills, which punctuate the scrubland and where occasional
clusters of the vividly coloured desert rose challenge the
arid surroundings. These elephant seek solace and contentment
in the shallow waters of the river and from time to time
a visitor finds herds bathing and drinking in a spectacle
of unconscious pleasure.
Park fees: US$ 80 per person per night.
Close
relatives of the Maasai people, the Samburu are a nomadic
people, numbering just over 100,000 who moved south from the
horn of Africa into the current day Kenya. The similarity
between the Samburu tribe and the Maasai is quite close and
is evident in their nomadic culture and dependency on
livestock for livelihoods. The Man difference is that the
Samburu are found on the northern part of Kenya whilst their
relatives, the Maasai, are found to the south of Kenya.
The Samburu are pastoralists with a close attachment to
their livestock, which they live off. Meat from sheep, goats
and milk from cattle are their principal foods, supplemented
by the blood of living cattle. The land they inhabited is
mainly semi - arid and offers few opportunities for
agriculture except around the hilly areas where maize,
sorghum and wheat is now actively grown.
Despite sharing the same language as the Massai community,
the Samburu are more tolerant of other groups and their
cultural rites are elaborate, carefully followed with social
ceremonies being loud and colourful.
Kenya