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This unique camp of four 'bandas' (stone cottages) is located in the large and remote Sera Conservancy, in the wild, undiscovered northern frontier of Kenya. Located just over 1.5 hours' drive from our Saruni Samburu lodge in nearby Kalama Conservancy, it is unique not only for the unforgettable, raw beauty of its habitat, but because it serves as the gateway to an extraordinary place: a rhino sanctuary where black and white rhinos have been successfully re-introduced and are guarded by the community.
Banda One is our larger of the original Kauro bandas, that can sleep 2 adults with extra beds added for children (1 x double and the possibility to add up to 2 additional singles), with a shared, covered outside bathroom and toilet. The room is open plan in style with no room dividers so need to be comfortable with sharing the space. A beautiful private sandy terrace has chairs and tables overlooking the ‘lugga’, the dry river bed.
Banda Two is the smaller of the original Kauro bandas, that can sleep 2 people (1 x double bed). The bathroom and flushable toilet is en-suite within the banda, and has a natural stone shower. A beautiful private sandy terrace has chairs and tables overlooking the ‘lugga’, the dry river bed. A nearby tree bed provides additional relaxation space.
Banda Three is a family double consisting of 2 bedrooms - 1 x queen double and 2 x twin singles (can also accommodate a 3rd single if required on a case by case basis). Each bedroom has its own en-suite bathroom with flushing toilet and natural stone shower. A shared lounge provides a cool retreat from the spacious, large verandah which also has outside seating & tables and has the best view of the waterhole visited daily by elephants, monkeys, impala, sandgrouse, guinea fowl, kudu – and much, much more. It was built from local stone and has a traditional thatched roof.
Banda 3 - the Family Banda consists of 2 bedrooms - 1 x queen double and 2 x twin singles (can also accommodate a 3rd single if required on a case by case basis). Each bedroom has its own en-suite bathroom with flushing toilet and natural stone shower. A shared lounge provides a cool retreat from the spacious, large verandah which also has outside seating & tables and has the best view of the waterhole. It was built from local stone and has a traditional thatched roof
Each Banda can sleep 2 people with an en-suite bathroom that has a flushable toilet and a natural stone shower. A beautiful private sandy terrace has chairs and tables overlooking the ‘lugga’, the dry river bed.
Property Facilities
Bar, Battery Charging Facilities, Communal Dining, Eco Friendly, Internet Access (Complimentary), Pool, Restaurant, Secure Parking, Vegetarian
Room Facilities
Balcony / Deck, Detached Private Bathroom, Dressing Gowns, Electrical Outlets, Fan, Laundry Service (Available), Laundry Service (Complimentary), Lounge Area, Mosquito Nets, Outside Shower, Pure Cotton Linen, Shower, Verandah
Available Services
24-hour Security, Airport Shuttle (Complimentary), Credit Card Facilities, Laundry Service (Complimentary), Meal on Request, Private Vehicle (Available)
Activities on Site
Big 5, Bird Watching, Game Drives, Game Viewing, Game Walks, Gourmet Picnic, Night Drives, Safaris, Walks (Guided)
Activities Nearby
Animal Encounters, Big 5, Bird Watching, Child Friendly Activities, Cultural Tours, Game Drives, Game Viewing, Game Walks, Helicopter Scenic Flights, Rhino Tracking, Rock Climbing, Safaris, Scenic Flights, Walks (Guided)
Saruni is delighted to be able to offer guests a scintillating, ‘thrill-of-a-lifetime’ experience: a walking safari tracking black rhino on foot, accompanied by an expert Saruni guide and a highly-trained Sera Community Conservancy ranger, guiding you in safety on foot to the whereabouts of the 16 rhinos throughout the 54,000 hectares-large sanctuary. The vast rhino sanctuary has been fenced in what is one of the most advanced conservation projects in Kenya. Our guides game drive guests to a tracking distance away from the nearest rhino, leaving the vehicle and continuing on foot (very lightly to not give away any presence) to metres from the grazing rhino. The tension is palpable as guests come across the rhino in such close proximity for the first time; heart beating, pulse racing, curiosity and excitement mounting – it doesn’t get more thrilling than this!
Guests can enjoy morning, afternoon and all day game drives through Sera Community conservancy; a fantastic habitat for African wildlife - especially the Samburu Special Five - baisa Oryx, reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, gerenuk and Grevy's zebra.
Guests enjoy breakfasts, lunches and starlit dinners in a dry river bed under the vast African skies. 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.
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.
Just metres away from the comfort of your verandah at Saruni Rhino, there is a waterhole that attracts wildlife throughout the day and evening, when it is lit with a spotlight. Herds of elephants gather daily to enjoy the water, right in front of your eyes. Record sightings in one day has been over 60 elephants!
Saruni Rhino has at its centre a beautiful curved swimming pool situated along the dry river bed - the perfect place for unwinding after a long morning rhino tracking. Facing the camp's waterhole you can swim whilst watching the daily visits of the resident elephant herds that come into drink.
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.
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. Similarly to the world-famous Sheldrick Orphanage 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 lodge management and is payable extra.
Spectacular bird-watching, with the unique 'show' of tens of thousands of sand grouse that swoop to take the water, the flapping of their wings en masse creating one of the most sensory delights possible. Every day, these rare Lichtenstein sand grouse descend in swarms upon the few sources of water providing fantastic photographic opportunities.
Sera Community is also home to The Fifty Wells, ‘Kisima Hamsini’, a series of (50!) springs where local pastoralists take their livestock to water, digging up water from the wells to fill up holders and troughs. The Singing Wells are also a driving distance away and can be visited with some notice – a rare treat to see the local community singing proprietary songs recognisable only by their own cattle, to encourage them to come to the wells to drink.
Swara House
"Tell me what you eat, I'll tell you who you are", famously said gastronome Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. At Saruni we believe in the importance of good, healthy and tasty meals. Our cuisine has a strong Italian flavor but we also love to experiment with the great ingredients that are found in Kenya, especially fish and vegetables. We easily accommodate vegetarians, vegans, gluten-free (you name it) and guests who have special requests. Food can be tailored to suit children’s requirements and earlier meal times can be arranged where necessary. Some options include but are not limited to the usual ‘treats’: pizza, plain pasta or pasta with tomato sauce, chicken or burgers with chips etc.
