1 day Safari | $350
8:00am Leave Maralal town, walking into the surrounding Karisia hills.
10:00am Stop at overlook of Maralal town.
12:00pm Lunch at Tamiyoyi village. A typical mid day meal of Ugali, beans, and sukumawiki!
2:00pm Stop at Ngari village, where you may get to milk a goat or cow, and will be invited into a Samburu home.
4:00pm Return to Maralal town.
7 day Safari | $3500
Our 7 day safaris are similar in nature to the 1 day, although the days are not as structured. The 1 day safaris will give you a planned insight into Samburu life, whereas on the 7 day safaris those moments happen as they may.
Our Samburu safaris start from Maralal in Northern Kenya and venture into the surrounding Kirisia hills to see the Samburu people. These safaris can be any length of time you want, but typically we do a 1 day Safari as an introduction into the area, or a full 7 day safari, the purpose being to visit and get to know the local Samburu people. The foilage is lush and green. At times we are walking through long, deep valleys of thigh high grass, and at other times going through dense forest where machetes are the order of the day. These safaris are relatively easy, the weather and the terrain aren't extreme, and so the physical demand isn't high. You will meet, talk with, and perhaps even stay in the home of some of the villagers, getting to know them and their way of life along the way. It is an incredible glimpse into a way of life that has been around for millennium, and may prompt you to move onto the next step, a safari to Lake Turkana.
We typically use camels to carry our gear and supplies on these safaris, and have a nicer camp setup than the Turkana Safaris, as we have the ability to carry more gear. The standard safaris are about 7 days, and we spend 2 nights in each of 3 locations, all chosen as they offer something unique to the area. We ventrue out during the days and either take lunch with us or circle back to camp for a hot lunch, and then the afternoon in the bush. Our camel handlers are Samburu warriors, who will be dressed in their tradiontal garb, doing what they do everyday in the bush, just doing it for us.
We see a varitey of animals here: zebra, baboon, hyena, a variety of gazelle and antelope, sometimes buffalo, and occasionally, at the right time of year, elephant. That is one of the main reasons for these safaris, to see elephant in the bush. Sometimes we see them, sometimes we don't. One safari, we were always a day behind them, finding spoor and scat constatntly, with the locals all saying "kesho", yesterday. But, sometimes the chase is as much excitement as the catch, and it is always exciting to be in the bush, regardless of what we find.
As we walk through the bush we see signs of both animals and the people who live in these hills. It is an incredible glimpse into a way of life that is vanishing from this planet. The western world is slowly encroaching on the tribal way of life, and more and more younger people are being drawn into the more modrern ways of life, and leaving the tribal customs behind. Come see this while you can, it may not exist in 20 years time. We get fresh milk and eggs from the locals every chance we get, meet the chief of the local clan each time we move camp, and come upon people unexpectedly in the bush herding their animals.
Evenings are relaxed and comfortable, with wine and dinner served at sundown. After a days walk in the bush, comfortable chairs, chilled wine and a tasty meal lead into the equatorial evening, where we all gather around the fire which will burn all night long to keep pesky critters away. We sit around the fire with our Samburu guides and warriors, some of whom speak English, and take in the bush as it prepares for night. Our guides will keep the fire going all night and make sure those pesky critters keep away, leaving us to sleep the night away in the comfort of our rugged safari tents.
This, by the way, makes for an amazing honeymoon safari. We have a huge 10 person, 2 room tent that we set up with rugs, cots and mattresses that allows for plenty of privacy, making for a unique honeymoon expereince. Just ask Hemminway, few things as romantic as the African bush!
All our safaris are custom tailored, so contact us for more information.