BASECAMP SAMBURU

Bio:

A new safari camp for 2025 and the latest from the safari operator Saruni Basecamp, this intimate camp of just five safari tents offers a taste of comfortable adventure, wildlife and culture. It is one of the most exciting new options from which to explore the Samburu region and a stay here would work perfectly after the non-stop wildlife action of the Masai Mara. 

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Saruni Basecamp is a leading force in safari operations in Kenya, running 13 camps and lodges across the Masai Mara and Samburu regions. The previously separate companies of Saruni (founded in 2003) and Basecamp (founded in 1998) joined forces in 2021 and as a whole they employ over 300 staff, the majority of them from the local communities where the camps are based. Rooted in conservation, Saruni Basecamp plays a pivotal role in managing four conservancies to the benefit of wildlife as well as the local Masai and Samburu communities who own the land. 

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​The Kalama Conservancy is a vast conservation area of 49,000 hectares and contains just two camps - Basecamp Samburu and its sister property Saruni Samburu. To put this into context the Sabi Sands, often hailed as one of South Africa's most exclusive reserves is just over 62,000 hectares with over 40 safari lodges and camps. 

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The low-key camp has been built to blend into the natural environment and kept small with just five safari tents - including one two-roomed family tent. The tents are raised slightly on decks with canvas sides that can be rolled up to make the most of surroundings, including views of the sacred Mt. Ololokwe. 

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While wildlife densities are lower in this arid region of Kenya and it is has so much more to offer than just game drives, there is still some great wildlife to discover, including the 'Samburu 5'. The 'Samburu 5' consists of the generuk, Somali ostrich, beisa oryx, Grevy’s zebra, and reticulated giraffe. You may encounter these on game drives both at day and night or nature walks. The Samburu region with its strong cultural identity offers as much of a cultural immersion as anywhere else in Kenya and visiting a conservancy such as this with a positive link between tourism and the community allows for a natural interaction and experience of the Samburu culture. ​

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To add a further level of immersion to your experience how about a night under the stars in one of the two starbeds? An increasingly popular request among our travellers, even if this is a little out of your comfort zone we thoroughly recommend giving it a try - plus one of these star beds has its own hot tub!