Your Luxurious & Hosted Family Holiday to Kenya

Guests can enjoy morning, afternoon and all day game drives through renowned and teeming conservation areas; Kalama Conservancy and Samburu National Reserve, two fantastic habitats for African wildlife. Saruni also highly recommends night game drives in Kalama Conservancy, when nocturnal species can be encountered. This is a unique activity not permitted in the National Reserve.

Guests enjoy breakfast along the Ewaso Nyiro River and starlit dinners in a dry river bed under the vast African skies (weather permitting). Saruni loves to take guests to their secret spots for a bush dinner or for a picnic lunch that allows guests to be with elephants, waterbuck, lion, impala and the Samburu Five that stop to take water. Note – bush dinners are usually part of a group, unless the lodge can accommodate otherwise.

Saruni Samburu offers guests a unique experience for Kenya: access to an elephant-proof, open ground level hide based at a waterhole, where from both novice and professional photographers can photograph wildlife from ground level. Designed with the needs of photographers in mind, buried partially underground, located a few steps from a waterhole: the perfect spot for 'stealing' amazing images of what occurs at the well-frequented waterhole. It can have up to 8 guests inside, it has maps and books available, and bean bags for photographers. The waterhole at Saruni Samburu offers a unique opportunity to spot from very close up the elephants that come and drink its water, the fantastic birds species and the 'Samburu Five'; reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx, gerenuk, Somali ostrich and Grevy’s zebra. Being in the middle of an arid area, the hide also provides excellent opportunities to photograph from ground level and from very close up the predators of Samburu, especially lion and leopard.

Walking safaris are individually tailored to guests' interests and are set in a breath-taking landscape. Walking with the Samburu warriors out in the African bush is a fantastic experience and guests learn from their authentic local knowledge of the plants, animals and landscape, about their traditions and about their lives. Having discovered Samburu rock art in several caves nearby the lodge, Saruni includes a visit to these extraordinary archaeological sites during the bush walks.

Saruni runs the Samburu Wellbeing Space in the most serene and relaxing environment, guests enjoy massage and wellness treatments under the supervision of highly trained staff. The techniques combine sophisticated methods developed at Centro Benessere Stresa with ancient Samburu wisdom and knowledge. The Spa therapists use the Olmurmuru seedas (Albizia Harvey) to reduce muscular discomfort and pure gel from Usunguru (Aloe Kedongesis) for sun burnt areas. Among the treatments available, guests can choose between the lymphatic drainage massage, decongestive or nourishing or purifying facials, manicare, pedicare and the popular sport massage. All with an open view of Kalama Wildlife Conservancy, where elephant, kudu and giraffe roam freely.

Should it get too hot up on the hot rock - and sometimes it does - guests have the option of relaxing and taking a refreshing dip in not just one but two infinity pools! The upper infinity pool is located high on an impressive panoramic view point near to villas 5 & 6. The spectacular lower infinity pool is situated close to Kudu House (main communal area) on a rocky formation.

If guests are passionate about birds, Samburu is the perfect place to visit; not only are the species abundant but the birds can be easily spotted and photographed. Saruni's guides are birdwatchers by instinct and training and share a love for birds. Saruni's guides always carry field guides in the game drive vehicles.

The sundowner is a well-deserved drink at the end of a long day on safari to ‘salute’ the African sun as it is setting. Saruni guide's drive guests to an unforgettable panoramic viewpoint and serve guests' favourite drink along with a selection of scrumptious ‘bitings’; small snacks to whet appetites ahead of the delicious dinner which awaits.

The Warriors Academy is a special interactive safari experience with a strong educational flavour, designed especially for families with children or small groups. It is a fun learning experience, that allows families to explore not only the wildlife, but also the authentic lifestyle of one of the most well-known and culturally fascinating tribes left in Africa; the Samburu. Under the tutelage of their ‘Moran’, or warriors, participants get to know, enjoy and understand these unique people and see the Kenyan wilderness from a different perspective. Combined with regular safari activities, and tailored to guests' interests and timeframe, the Warriors Academy can last between 1-3 days, and needs to be booked in advance.

Saruni safaris are not only focused on wildlife but also on culture and people. Some call it ‘cultural tourism’. Saruni calls it ‘meet the neighbours’. Guests visit genuine Samburu villages - the lodge's neighbours and friends, and are privileged to share moments of their life. They are the ancient custodians of this land and Saruni feel it is an integral part of the overall experience for guests to see how they live, how they protect the environment and in what way they differ from other African tribes. Be prepared for the Samburu to ask questions too as they will be curious about life outside of their way of life! Consider it an exchange of ideas and information.

*Please note, this visit incurs an additional charge of US$20 per person that goes to the community directly.

Located in Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy in Samburu County of Northern Kenya, Reteti Elephant Sanctuary is the first community owned and managed elephant sanctuary in Africa. The Reteti Elephant Sanctuary is situated in the remote Mathews Range, among Kenya’s second largest elephant population. Similar to the world-famous Sheldrick Sanctuary in Nairobi, it takes in orphaned and abandoned elephant calves with the aim to release them back into the wild herds adjoining the Sanctuary. This excursion needs to be arranged in advance with reservations at the time of booking, or lodge management, and is payable extra.

Saruni Samburu is the perfect place if guests want to be part of an unusual but very genuine Samburu wedding ceremony. The experience can be enjoyed either by newlyweds who want to re-affirm their vows in the middle of a very spiritual land or by those who plan to actually get married in Kenya. The ceremony takes place in a Samburu village, with the participation of the elders, the women and the warriors, or on the top of a mountain overlooking the endless landscape.

These are available upon request and payable extra, with excursions to Mount Kenya, Turkana and everything in between.

As part of the guided bush walks, guests can also visit nearby mountain caves where, hundreds of years ago, the Samburu have drawn hunting scenes and animals in what the experts call ‘white rock art’. The caves evoke a past when the Samburu were mostly pastoralist warriors.

Standing proud on Saruni Samburu’s doorstep, Mount Ololokwe is the Samburu tribe’s sacred mountain. It is a pillar of cultural significance to the Samburu and an exciting trekking venture to many others. Setting off at dawn, Saruni's professional guides will accompany guests during this day’s excursion to the summit (with picturesque pit stops for breakfast and lunch) teaching guests along the way about the mountain, its cultural significance and all of its wonders.

*Please note, this trek is payable extra.

Interested in scorpions and all that lies beneath the sand, hidden away from sight? Guests can venture out on a ‘scorpion safari’ to understand the many different types of scorpion that call the earth surrounding Saruni Samburu their home. Walking shoes or boots advised!

The night skies above Saruni Samburu and the ‘hot rock’ upon which it sits are among some of the brightest and most beautiful in the world. Unpolluted and unobscured, every evening the night skies provide guests with an alternative ‘playground’.

Activities include day and night games drives, horseback riding, walks, optional fly camping, a seasonal water slide, village visits, the giraffe viewing platform, and of course the wonderful Reteti elephant orphanage, located only a few minutes from Reteti House (or a 45 minute drive from Sarara or Sarara Treehouses).

One of the most authentic cultural experiences to be had in the country is to visit the "Sarara singing wells." Especially in the dry season, the local Samburu herders visit "wells" that they have dug in the dry river bed, sometimes five men deep and each belonging to a specific family. They then sing to their livestock who recognize the song and know where and in what order to come to drink. In keeping with the whole community and conservation ethos of Sarara, these same wells are then utilised at night by local wildlife, including elephants and leopards.

The cornerstone of a safari experience at Serian is that each group has their own open-top safari vehicle, and their own dedicated guide and spotter. The freedom this grants you is key to getting the most out of your stay: go where the day takes you, without the limitations of fixed schedules, or fitting in with other peoples’ plans. Nothing but personal desire need dictate what you do.

Our vehicles are specially customised to be a climbing frame, and a photographer’s extra tool. They are comfortable, able to handle the terrain, and cover the distance…. And were designed for sun, rain, wind, and above all, the feeling of having as little as possible separating you from what’s out there.

Our guides and spotters are intimately familiar with these special places, so they know all its secrets and the ways the animals interact with it, from the subtle changes of the seasons, to the stages of an animals lifecycle, to the flora that sustains it all – they are the key that can unlock it all for you.

Although ‘Walker’ really is Alex’s surname, being born to such an identity turns out to have been a self-fulfilling prophecy. Spending his childhood days out on foot with his father’s trackers, then turning this into a full-time career as soon as he possibly could, Alex’s passion is walking, and it is without a doubt his preferred method of accessing the bush.

Walking safaris epitomise the golden chance to get away from the trails and beaten tracks, and immerse in the environment in a way that the noise and speed of vehicles don’t permit. Once you slow down, there’s a whole world that you never noticed before. The beauty of walking is that it engenders an appreciation of an ecosystem’s sheer perfection: every tiny element has its place, and plays its role.

Stripping away the layers between you and an untamed setting beckons forth your primal instincts: your hearing, sight and smell all sharpen in response – and your appreciation of what you perceive is heightened as a result.

At Serian, we walk in our own private conservation area – a strictly no-vehicle zone that only we have access to. Here, you are likely to have close encounters with elephant, buffalo, hippo as well as more rare species like Chandler’s Mountain Reedbuck, klipspringer and oribi.

We employ scouts whose job it is to patrol the area and look out for snares, and walking in their company yields an insight into the land from the point of view of someone who roams it every day and knows it intimately.

First off, a disclaimer: flycamping has nothing to do with flying. Rather, it takes its name from sleeping in the bush under nothing more than a flysheet, as was the camping tradition before the luxury-laden era of ‘glamping’ arrived.

The premise is that you spend the days walking, and the nights sleeping out in light weight tents, in a makeshift camp that moves each day – the end of each day’s walk brings you to your new site for the night.

Flycamping can easily be incorporated into your stay with us, with some nights spent in our main camp before and after – and in fact, we can’t recommend it enough. It can add a whole new dimension to your experience, and a taste of the wilderness that few others ever encounter.

For so many, the definition of a night drive has come to be a quick scan around with spotlights en route back to camp after sundowners. For us though, it’s an exploration of the enigmatic nightlife that we are oblivious to as we sit around the dinner table and proceed to bed. Nocturnal creatures emerge, the heavens are festooned with stars, and the landscape mutates into a whole other world by the light of the moon.

Take a flask of soup and a picnic dinner, and set out with a spotlight: if nothing else, the solitude and silence by starlight is reason enough in itself. Using red-filtered bulbs to avoid dazzling the animals, scan the plains for that pride of lion looking ready to hunt.

Once you’ve spotted them, switch to infrared floodlights, and watch the scene unfold through our infrared cameras. This is as close as you’ll get to invisibility, watching the wildlife without the fact of your presence affecting it.

An early morning departure from Serian will see you at your launchpad. Suspended in a basket beneath the balloon's canopy, you float over the plains and above the forest alongside the Mara River, checking out hippos, crocodile and elephant from high above.

The flight time is generally in the region of one hour and ends with a champagne breakfast in the open grassland within the reserve. An unbeatable start to the day!