Sarara camp

Sarara camp  is  tented lodge located in Samburu county on the slopes of  the southern tip of the Mathew’s Range in Northern Kenya. It is one of the fantastic safari place which offers the opportunity to explore the Montane forest habitat which is above the camp and the arid bush landscape of Samburu land that stretches away to the east . It has the best breath-taking scenery and the views from the lodges is fantastic. The camp  is in a good position to enjoy the vast landscapes of the Northern Kenya region. The rooms of Sarara  camp are tented , comfortable and offer good relaxing time either reading a book on your veranda or enjoying the sounds of the wild ,the bustling of wind and the chirping of birds around the canopy. The camp also has a rock swimming pool which can be enjoyed while watching animals at the nearby water hole .

Some of the animals to be viewed here include gerenuk, Lesser kudu ,elephants ,leopards, lions, zebras ,Giraffes, Hyena, Hartebeest, Thomson’s gazelle, warthogs, Rhinos among other animals . Samburu National Park is one of the wildlife rich National park in  Kenya.

There are plenty of other activities to be enjoyed in the Sambu National Park wilderness such as birding ,nature walking and learning and interacting with the Samburu people. The camp is well maintained to keep its high standards and quality service, the staff are friendly and offer a warm welcome and a personalised service.

Sarara camp rooms are tented and they are spread across the hillside ,they are six tented rooms with impressive views of the Samburu plains and the Mathew’s Range in the North. They have upper and lower rooms ,with the upper rooms having more elevated view of the landscapes, the lower rooms offer close view of the water hole near the camp. The rooms are tented spacious and comfortable, inside the tent  a sink and a toilet. A few paces away there is a plumbed bathroom.

Sarara cam is not a luxury camp but it’s stay is comfortable ,clean and conducive . There is a large room named Sarara House which is made up of two bedrooms this is ideal for more adventurous visitors wishing  to have more privacy.

At the central point of the camp there is a mess with open plan lounge and a dining area ,it is here where meals are served. Some times the day’s meals can be served under a tree or just out on a nearby terrace. Sarara camp has a special designed swimming pool cut out on a rock and with vast views and it is the best place to chill out in the water and seeing the wild animals coming to the water hole for water and to escape the heat of the day.

Sarara camp is located inside Namunyak wildlife conservation Trust which covers an estimated area of 850,000 acres. It is on the south-east corner of the Mathew’s Range and it is home to the semi-nomadic pastoralists, the Samburu people.  A community within a wildlife area and they have learnt to co-exist between the wildlife and their cattle which they greatly value.

The conservation Trust was established in 1995 to specifically promote wildlife conservation and help the local community  to benefit from the proceeds of tourism in return for protecting wildlife living in their land. Since the establishment of Namunyak Wildlife Trust, its efforts have been hugely successful and today several thousands of elephants are found on the southern Mathews area, with other diverse wildlife species such as African wild dog, Greater and lesser Kudu, reticulated giraffe ,Zebra, Dik-Dik, impalas and other animals.

Mathews Ranges offer different sets of habitats ,there is the Montane forest environment which is above the camp  and can be explored on foot. Down and below the camp there is arid plains shrubs which are common in the normal northern Kenya wilderness experience stretching away into the far horizon. It can either be explored on foot or by vehicle. Most of the game animals are seen on the plains with its unrestricted movements with some being viewed in the hills too. The birding is also spectacular in and around the Sarara camp.

There is also the Mathews lush which is a forested mountain range which stands in a contrasting surrounding of a desert environment. It is located 200 km North of Isiolo town ,it is within the Easter  boundary of Namunyak conservancy, this important environment has been greatly protected from human encroachment. It is the source of several rivers and springs which provide an important source of water to the wildlife and the local Samburu people especially during the dry season.

Several wildlife can also be found here such as Elephants, Buffaloes, Leopards among others which can be found on the thick forested parts . The creation of the Namunyak Wildlife conservation, there were few elephants in the region but since its establishment in 1995 ,the largest land animal in the world have increased into hundreds if not thousands due to its conservation and the ability to get water throughout the year. Bird watching is amongst some of the best in Kenya .

The major activity in Sarara camp is the Game drives , there are a relaxed afternoon drives and later followed an evening relaxation while having sunset drinks and later the more productive night game drives . The night game drives are good for leopards viewing.

Sarara camp too offer nature walks ,they organise nature walks of all durations possible . Close to Sarara camp ,there are walks to the local waterfall which is possible after the rains. Most nature walks at the camp are accompanied by the local Samburu guides who are very informed and will teach you everything about the land and the wildlife.

One of the highlights of the Namunyak area is the visit to the famous singing Wells. It is here where the Samburu people bring their cattle to these watering holes daily on the dry season which is usually from July to October and January to March.  Some of the Wells are up to 10 metres deep. It is here where the Samburu warriors form descend the well to form a human chain ,chant the Samburu songs as they pass water up for the cattle. It is done several hours a day and the local community have allowed Sarara camp guest to witness this ritual but they don’t allow photograph. A visit too to the local Samburu villages

There are horse riding trails up on the rolls and also across the plains. You can also take a day trip to Mount Ololokwe which is the sacred mountain among the Samburu people. It is possible to reach by vehicle or by an helicopter at an extra cost.

You can also visit the Ruteti Elephant sanctuary which was established to manage and protect the Elephant population for the wider region.

Sarara cam is open from mid December to mid October. While the visit to the singing Wells is best during the dry season, July to early October  is usually the best.