Saruni Samburu

The camp’s cliffside setting is the main draw, and there’s nothing else like it. The views in daylight are amazing, and the night sky was one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen. I’d absolutely recommend spending at least one night here when visiting Samburu for those views. I stayed in 2A, a huge room with a separate living room and a big balcony. The indoor and outdoor showers had great pressure. The balcony sat in full sun most of the day with no shade, though, and the bedroom was several degrees warmer than outside in the evening. The two fans helped. The WiFi worked very well in the room, but there was no signal in the other areas of this spacious camp. Wild and Eagle view are small enough to walk quickly for WiFi, and both have signal. I missed Kampala, but Emmanuel was an excellent driver and very good at finding game. The service was fantastic, and Rose, our waitress, was flawless. The food was good overall, although some meals were much better than others. The meatball pasta was excellent, better than the one I had at Eagle View. I didn’t get to enjoy the two amazing pools as much as I wanted because I needed phone signal and WiFi to work. The biggest downside was the sheer number of bugs I saw. Still, you’re in the middle of nowhere, so it’s to be expected. And the stars! Once your eyes adjust, you can see thousands.

Our honeymoon villa was one of our favorite rooms ever, and the candle lit dinner under the pride rock was the highlight of our three-night stay. Perched on a hillside, Saruni Samburu has some of the most breathtaking views we’ve seen. We loved it and would recommend it to anyone. The safari felt surreal. In two days, we saw the Samburu Special 5, all the big cats, and so much more. Simon, our Samburu warrior guide, was world-class, passionate, knowledgeable, and incredible at spotting wildlife. Every drive felt like a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Rantes went above and beyond to look after us throughout the stay, and Chef Nixon’s food was fantastic. This was the perfect honeymoon spot and one of my favorite places I’ve ever been. We’ll be talking about it for the rest of our lives and can’t wait to return. Five stars aren’t enough!

My husband and I began our 12-day safari in October 2024 at Saruni Samburu, and we absolutely loved it. Sumoro was our personal guide for all three days and the best guide we had on the whole trip. We even visited his village. The conservancy was fascinating compared with the other places we went afterward, and he tracked animals through the park. We got closer to the animals here than anywhere else, with elephant ears literally brushing the vehicle as they walked past. The staff worked hard to give every guest a great experience, from offering us lots of safari options to having our server prepare a cappuccino to go for our sunrise drives. I also had the best massage of my life here, and went back for a second because the first was so good. Don’t hesitate to book.

Steve took such good care of us, and our guide, Emmanuel, was fantastic. We saw two incredible cheetah hunts and the Samburu Special 5 thanks to him. The lodge itself is beautiful, with great food that has an Italian slant and exceptionally fresh fruit and vegetables. We stayed at Saruni Samburu during our two-week Kenya safari and beach honeymoon. The cliffside location gives you stunning views over the Samburu landscape. One of the best parts was eating outside in the bush at a bush dinner and getting to experience some Samburu tribe culture. Highly recommend, and we can’t wait to return.