Buffalo Springs National Reserve

Buffalo Springs National Reserve is situated south of the Ewaso Nyiro River and covers an area of 131 km². It was established in 1948 as part of the Samburu – Isiolo Game Reserve, but became a separate reserve in 1985, when the present boundaries were set up. Buffalo Springs is named after an oasis of clear fresh-water springs and pools found in the western corner of the reserve, which attract a multitude of wildlife, particularly during the dry season when the river briefly stops flowing.

The Buffalo Springs National Reserve offers visitors a surprisingly different safari experience. Here you will find the whole gambit of wildlife in one of the most tranquil and untouched settings you are likely to find anywhere in East Africa. The landscape is composed of starkly beautiful semi-desert and manages to support a wide variety of animals and birds including some that can only be found this far north.

Activities in Buffalo springs

• Game Drives-Game Drives are definitely the best way to see a large variety of wildlife. In most game reserves the best time to go on a game drive is either early morning or late afternoon, but in Buffalo Springs a drive through the riverine forest area should yield good sightings of wildlife including the 5 rather special animals that are found in the park and are not found in the other southern parks and reserves that is Grevy’s Zebra, Beisa Oryx, Reticulated Giraffe, Somali Ostrich, Gerenuk. In addition to these “Special Five”, most of the Big Five, with the exception of Rhino, are present in the reserve. Get ready to spot the following;Lion,Leopard Hyena Monkeys and Baboons,Eland,Greater and Lesser Kudu,Impala,Warthogs,Dik-diks,Buffalo,Hippos – large pods reside in the river and Crocodiles – likewise.  
• Escorted Nature Walks-Game walks, escorted by an armed Samburu guide, are probably the best way to see all the smaller creatures that you would probably miss on a game drive. Your guide will point out the various plants that can be used for traditional, teach you how to interpret tracks and droppings and point out all the hiding spots of the shyer animals.
• Bird Watching-There is a large variety of bird species with over 240 species of Bird recorded including Secretary Bird – plentiful!StorksSand Grouse, Red-billed and Von der Decken’s Hornbills, Pygmy Falcons, Martial Eagles and Verreaux’s Eagle to be spotted in Buffalo Springs National Reserve. The vast majority of birds will be seen in the riverine forested areas near the river banks, or in the vicinity of the fresh water springs and pools that lend their name to the reserve. Large flocks of Helmeted Guinea Fowl descend on the sandy river banks at sunset to quench their thirst.
• Cultural Visits-The Samburu tribesmen are very happy to share their culture and traditions with visitors. Visit one of the nearby villages to completely immerse yourself in their ancient culture and find out what life is like as a pastoralist in northern Kenya!
• Visits to the Singing Wells- a visit to the famous Singing Wells in Samburu will let you witness a daily event that is unique to this area of the country. Every morning the local pastoralists bring their family herds of goats and cattle to the “singing wells”. Because this is an arid land and water is extremely scarce, the young herdsmen have to draw water from deep wells for their domestic animals to drink. As the young herdsmen descend into the wells, some of which can be up to 10m deep, they sing traditional songs in unison, as they pass the collected water to the surface for their livestock.

Where to stay at buffalo springs national reserve

There are several options for accommodation inside Buffalo Springs Reserve; two of the popular choices: Samburu Simba Lodge and Ashnil Samburu Camp