Best Time to Visit Samburu National Reserve

Best Time to Visit Samburu National Reserve : Samburu national reserve is a year – round Kenya safari destination, however for excellent wildlife viewing is got in the dry months from June to October and December to March. What makes the dry seasons perfect for wildlife viewing is that they congregate along the Ewaso Nyi’iro River to drink water, feed on the vegetation and cool off in the water which makes it easy to spot them.

Though Samburu national reserve is best all year round, it is recommended to avoid visiting the reserve during the wet season in the months of November, April and May. In this period the grass vegetation grows so high and thick which makes animal spotting very challenging, however if you a birder the wet season is a perfect season for bird watching in Samburu national reserve. In the wet season, many migratory bird species arrive in Samburu northern region of Africa and Europe.

When planning a Kenya safari to Samburu national reserve, one of the important factors to consider is the reserve’s climate and seasons as they determine the changes in prices and the experience you will gain, it will also help you meet your safari expectations.

Weather in Samburu

 Samburu national reserve and the neighboring protected areas such as Buffalo Springs and Shaba game reserves have an arid and semi – arid climate which is characterized by hot, dry days and cold nights with moisture level between 42 and 57. This indicates that the evapotranspiration is more than the available moisture,

 Samburu’s day time temperatures range from 84 F (29 C) to 90 F (32 C) degrees and night temperatures are from 61 F (16 C) and 66 F (19 C) degrees depending on the month of your travels.

Samburu national reserve experiences long rains from April to May and the short rainy season running from Mid – October to Mid- December, however the rains are more concentrated in November.  Dry season is experienced from June to early October and July to March, the long dry season runs from late June to October and short dry season from  December to March.

 The dry season is considered to be the best time to visit Samburu national reserve for excellent African wildlife viewing, in this period the animals tend to be concentrated around the Ewaso Nyi’iro river – the only permanent water source in the area. The river is where you can find permanent water and pasture, in the dry season the vegetation cover is generally poor thus facilitating easy sightings of the animals.

Period	DECEMBER – MARCH	APRIL – MAY	JUNE – MID SEPTEMBER	MID SEPTEMBER – NOVEMBER
Weather conditions	Generally drier & warmer with clearer skies and lower rainfall	Pleasant temperatures with higher rainfall. Sunshine and clear skies are still experienced	Cloudier and cooler but drier Less rainfall with fewer clear skies	Possible short rains The skies tend to be clearer Possible sunny days

Weather patterns in Samburu national reserve are not as predicated as in the gone years, so expect possible variations.

Prices for a safari in Samburu

The cost of a safari in Samburu national reserve is determined by several factors such as the standard of accommodation of your choice, the duration of your safari, season and mode of transport.  Below are the factors that determine the final cost of a Samburu safari

1. Number of persons traveling

 The number of people on the safari determine the price of the Kenya safari, when traveling in a group it is more cheaper as everyone on this safari gets to share the cost when compared to when traveling as one or two persons.  The cost also depends on the age that are on the trip, children under the age of 12 pay a lower cost compared to what is paid by adults

2. The season you are travelling

The prices for Samburu safari tend to be hire during the peak season, this season tends to be during the wildebeest migration as more people visit Kenya more particularly Masai Mara national reserve. Because of the high numbers of tourists, rooms become more expensive and hard to secure a room.

Peak seasons in Kenya are July to October, if you are a budget traveler on a limited budget, it is best to avoid the peak season.

period	JAN – MARCH NOV- MID DEC	JULY – OCTOBER	APRIL – JUNE
SEASON	Mid to High Season	Peak Season	Low Season

Note:  July and August are the most expensive months to travel to Samburu national reserve, September to October are also equally expensive but due to the higher availability of the rooms the prices tend to be lower.  The cheapest months to visit Samburu are April to mid June excluding the Easter Period, Best Time to Visit Samburu National Reserve.

3. Mode of transportation

The mode of transport either flying or going by roads affects the price of your Samburu safari, the mode of transport depends on the preference of the traveler and this will affect the cost of visiting Samburu national reserve. Flying to Samburu national reserve is more expensive when compared traveling by road, there domestic flights from Wilson Airport in Nairobi to several airstrips. These flights are operated by Safari Link and Air Kenya.

By road transport, two types of vehicles are used when traveling and for safaris in Samburu that are 4X4 Toyota Land –Cruiser or safari Tour Van. Both these vehicles carry a maximum of 7 people, the 4X4 land cruiser are more expensive that tour vans but they are more comfortable.

4. Type of accommodation

The type of accommodation you choose to use during you Samburu safari determines the costs of your safari, in Samburu there are 3 types of accommodations ranging from budget, midrange and luxury safari lodges or camps.  

5. Number of days of the safari

The number of days for your safari determine the cost of your safari, the more days you stay, the more you pay for your safari.