Saruni Samburu

Stunning location & property run by the local Samburu communities. Well maintained. Hilly property which can making getting around tougher for some people. Great masseuse & management. Joseph, our guide was great. Food selection was limited at meals, but accommodated special dietary needs. We were here in September & it was about 35 Celsius, 95 Fahrenheit. There are two fans per gorgeous villa. This was the coolest time of the year there, so keep that in mind. It can remain very hot without cross breezes depending upon your villa location. Nicole, the wonderful property manager was extremely accommodating & changed out one of our villas for another one that was a bit better placed on the property to catch a breeze & also gave the villa 5 fans to help make the heat in the villa bearable. Floors in the villas are beautifully faux finished but are quite slippery so watch your step.

We are a bit late with our review as we stayed in August but don’t let that diminish our appreciation! Saruni Samburu was the most amazing experience. You could say we originally came for the animals and they were beyond unbelievable and amazing. However the people of Kenya and Saruni Samburu are the real Joy! We had an amazing guide, Jommy, and amazing care from Saitoti, Benson, Irene and ALL at the most beautiful location with spacious and wonderful lodging. We had a wonderful experience staying in the family villa with such a relaxing layout for our family. This was our first of three stays at Saruni basecamps in Kenya. You must go here at some point! Saruni basecamps planned our entire trip and did an amazing job! We can’t say thank you enough for all we experienced and all we learned. We will return. #Godsworld|(A side note— we had a child with a medical issue in Nairobi before we departed to Samburu and we were SO well cared for by the Saruni Basecamps team in Nairobi. We were so grateful and confident in their handling of everything!)

This was our 4th visit to Saruni Samburu which should speak volumes for how much we enjoy this very special place. This time we were accompanied by friends from the UK who were new to safari and therefore we wanted to show them the best in terms of location, quality, game viewing, staff and affordability. We were not disappointed. Nicole and her marvellous team are total professionals in every way and when you combine that focus on customer care with the characteristic Kenyan kindness and enthusiasm you have the perfect hosts. Our particular thanks to Simon our guide who is among the very best guides we have found in Africa and to our beloved butler Saitoti who delayed his leave period to be there for us. Such very special people. On the game viewing we thought it was even better than previous visits and we were privileged to see all the big predators, herds of very healthy elephant and an abundance of the Samburu special 5. The camp remains among our favourites with its rustic charm complimented by all the necessities for comfortable living and of course the 'best view in Africa'. Thank you also to Edward the head chef (of 25 years!), it is a mystery how he delivers such consistently high quality food so far down the supply chain. Finally may I request that Basecamp staff consider an uplift in investment at Saruni Samburu to address some of the bigger maintenance challenges (for example repainting the pools and upgrading the fixtures, fittings and decoration in the older suites). I'm sure there is a plan to support Nicole and her team and I think the investment would pay dividends in the long term. The bottom line: it is the staff who make this place so special. Our 5th visit is already being planned!

The experience at Saruni Samburu is unique. Perched high in the hills of the Kalama, the accommodations and service were top-notch. Our Safari guide Joseph was professional beyond compare. He always knew how to find and identify all of the animals of the savannah, and his ability to spot animals, even at rest, several hundred yards away was astounding. Our butler Stefano was gracious and attended to all of our needs. He always greeted us with a cool face towel and a cold drink after returning from a Safari outing, and served us our terrific meals prepared by a very skilled chef. The entire staff of the camp was wonderful. The accommodations were spacious and comfortable and exactly what I had hoped for while on a safari.

We had the best time at Saruni Samburu for our honeymoon. The staff was so attentive to detail and our food preferences. I never had to ask to modify a meal because they already took care of it. The food here is very good and we left every meal satisfied! We loved spotting animals in the distance with our waiter Stefano during meals. And Jommy was an incredible guide and even tracked 2 lions one morning. We also loved the bush dinner and getting to learn more about the Samburu tribe. The two pools were amazing too, we loved lounging there in the afternoon. I highly recommend anyone doing a safari to consider a stay at Saruni Samburu! We miss it already!

The location of the Saruni property on a large rock gives it stunning views overlooking the Samburu Conservancy . The villas are special and all face onto this view with well designed sturdy open canvas and mesh fronts across bed , bath and living areas that close securely at night keeping out unwanted visiting bugs. Rooms are spacious comfortable and very clean and furniture and beds very comfortable and styled to match the location . Bath and an outdoor shower have plenty of hot water heated by abundant sun powered energy . |Two decent sized pools are available and have shade although could maybe do with one or two more sunbeds. Butler service |Staff are very engaged and well trained . Our main contact in the property was with Starlo who knew lots about the area and was happy to share it. He seemed constantly available and was both friendly and very efficient . He delivered all our food and drinks and anything else we needed very promptly and was a great representative for the Saruni overall , genuinely caring that we had a good time . All the resort staff are keen to help and customer centric but not overly intrusive. Our guide Emmanuel was a skilled driver and spotter , determined to give us the best experience and get us safely into positions to get close wildlife experiences . In particular he knew how to position ourselves near the river bank for an elephant herd better than other vans and also persisted and eventually spotted an elusive leopard in the right location |Saruni does have around a 45 drive to get to the more abundant National reserve , which turns the full morning game drives into around a 5-6 hour trip as the wildlife in the immediate conservancy seems more limited . This also includes a rewarding bush breakfast though . Shorter drives are possible but obviously see less . |Food is good and has tasty choices of a limited set menu , with an Italian influence , the bush dinner is a great and well managed experience |The property could be a bit more innovative with cocktails and more generous with its complimentary drinks , sparkling water is extra for example ( possibly an eco measure )|Overall this is a very good property with great staff to fit into a Kenyan itinerary , particularly if elephant and giraffe are high on the agenda

Wow, what can i say, an amazing place with amazing staff. From the moment we arrived and were greeted with ice cold drinks and cold flannells the service never stopped! Special mention for florence our waiter who never stopped fussing over us and always made sure our glasses were full, the chef who provided amazing food and was so accomadating when we wanted some changed, nothing too much trouble! Our guides martin and beko who spent 3 days with us and we never missed any animals and there knowledge was second to none, our housekeeper who made sure our room was always immaculate, all the other waiters and staff were so helpful and last but not least benson who took us stargazing and made one of our nights even more memorable! A truly stunning place and gutted we had to leave, until we meet again. Bibi and David x

This lodge is fantastic!|We had a wonderful room with sensational views!|Our guide Joseph was an encyclopedia of wildlife Knowledge |Our Butler Lizzy was totally attentive and very charming; a lovely young lady!!!!!!