Samburu – Empakaai Cultural Safari

Elephants in Samburu National Reserve

What a powerful reality check.

On every holiday you have a moment when it really starts in your head.

I’ve been trying my best for a couple of years now to learn from some friends with an admirable ability to mentally check out and start their holiday sometime around lunchtime on the last day at work.

I still have a long learning curve to conquer.

My December holiday started on Day 3 of the Mount Kenya, Samburu and Maasai trip with Empakaai Cultural Safari, when I saw these elephants in Samburu National Reserve.

And when their slow pace, their peace and their fascinating beauty just knocked me down.

The most scenic stage was already prepared for them by the mother nature: green trees and flowers after some December rains, a soft just-before-sunset light, soft and hazy hill lines at a distance.

Views in Samburu National Reserve are of fascinating beauty.

Then we saw these males.

Then the matriarch and other females with young showed up, slowly and quietly moving into our view.

They must had taken their mud bath not so long before we saw them.

Having never seen elephants of this colour previously, I was watching in a complete state of surprise.

The purple-red-brown soil of Samburu National Reserve was covering their skins like the most delightful fake tan.

The way they look at you, as if they know something that you have forgotten.

What really got through to me at that moment is that the nature must have created us just like that as well.

Created to hurry only when you must save your or your baby’s life from an enemy.

Move with the sun.

Just eat, sleep and move along with your natural needs.

Stick together.

On every holiday you have a moment when it really starts.

I mean when something switches off in your head and you find yourself in a different dimension, you change your feeling of time.

These elephants found that switch in my head and turned it on.

My tiredness and hurry evaporated, as if these elephants had a remote control from a hustle center in my brain.

Their slow pace, their peaceful silent movement just changed it all for me.

I was fully present in Africa, there and then, with my body and with my mind.

Our Mount Kenya, Samburu & Maasai trip visits Samburu National Reserve. You can come and create your own unforgettable experience in this scenic place.

Just contact us at info@empakaaiculturalsafari.com.

We are happy to answer all your questions, discuss your preferences and help you to book your trip to Africa with us.

Meet the wild residents of Samburu National Reserve, Kenya

We visited the fascinating Samburu National Reserve in December 2014, during our Mount Kenya, Samburu and Maasai trip (see Journeys for the full itinerary).

The trip includes two game drives in the Samburu National Reserve: in the evening of Day 2 and in the morning of Day 3. So having left Mount Kenya behind, we arrived to the land of Samburu in the afternoon and proceeded straight away to the Samburu National Reserve to do an evening game drive.

No vehicles are allowed inside the gate after 6.30pm, but no worries, this timing is actually perfect. We were able to enjoy a fantastic sunset inside and return to the gate right on time.

This trip took place during the second week of December, when there were almost no other visitors in the Samburu National Reserve. So we were the only ones enjoying very close sights of its amazing wild residents.

A morning game drive which started just a few hours later, after a night at the community camp, felt as if we returned to a different place to meet old friends.

We were incredibly lucky to see the same elephant family in the evening when we just arrived, and in the morning the next day. Meet their youngest kids:

A small herd of impala were grazing nearby, females gracious and beautiful while males were noticeably feisty and eager to start a fight. This gorgeous creature stood aside as if he was waiting to be photographed (which we did with pleasure!).

The river of Ewaso Nyiro carries its waters through the territory of Samburu National Reserve, with dense bush and high grass on its banks. While young giraffe were enjoying some fresh green leaves close to the river, this impressive crocodile did not even think about hiding and was catching rays of morning sun right in the middle of the river bed.

We invite you to get your own experience of the Samburu National Reserve and other amazing places in Kenya. Visit our Journeys pages for more information and contact us at info@empakaaiculturalsafari.com

We will be happy to answer all your questions and help you to book your trip to Africa.

Trip departure on 13 December 2014 – join us!

Join the trip starting 13 December 2014!

On Saturday 13th December 2014, we are departing from Nairobi at 9am to start our Mount Kenya, Samburu and Maasai trip.

We are inviting travellers to join us on this small group safari, run by the Empakaai Cultural Safari crew.

This awesome view of Lake Nakuru is like a magic forest, with trees standing in the blue water and tender pink flamingoes under the trees. Fantastic!

Have you ever dreamed of standing at the foothills of the magnificent Mount Kenya?

Feeling one with nature while admiring one the Great Rift Valley Lakes, dotted by tender pink flamingos?

Getting a dose of excitement watching a wild rhino at a close distance (or a rhino family)?

Hitting the road early in the morning, watching sunrise, sunset and a magic sky of Africa every day (at least for 8 days)?

Go with us on this intensive and exciting journey (see the full trip description here). We will return to Nairobi on Sunday 21st December 2014.

The price of this trip is USD 1800, to be paid in cash in Nairobi prior to trip departure.
The trip price includes: All accommodation, all park fees, meals as indicated below, transport and fuel, all excursions.
Accommodation: budget hotels / lodges.
Camping in tents is possible, this needs to be agreed with us in advance, so that we can provide a tent for you. Please contact us for a revised price.
Max travellers on the trip: 6
Transportation: own safari vehicle
Crew: trip leader, driver, cook
Meals: 6 out of 8 trip days are Full Board based (breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared by the cook). 2 out of 8 trip days will be Half Pension based (breakfast and lunch will be provided, we choose not to cook dinner on these days because there is a good restaurant in our hotels). We will discuss your food preferences with you on the first day of the trip.

Please contact the Empakaai Cultural Safari team at info@empakaaiculturalsafari.com with any questions or queries. We will be happy to answer all your questions and help you to book your trip.

Amazing Maasai and Samburu by Jimmy Nelson

See how beautiful the Maasai and the Samburu are on the superb photographs of Jimmy Nelson.

Exhibition Leiden Museum

Jimmy Nelson pictured a number of unique ethnic groups from all over the world for his project Before They Pass Away. All his works are impressive, but the Maasai and the Samburu series are obviously special to our hearts!
Jimmy Nelson is a master of showing people at their best and letting their character shine through. Short stories about traditions and a current lifestyle of Samburu and Maasai are included next to the pictures, you can read them on the website, when you visit an exhibition and in the gorgeous book dedicated to Before They Pass Away.

Don’t miss the exhibition of Before They Pass Away when it moves close to you. It just finished in Leiden, The Netherlands, and is moving to London and Brussels. Take your time and have a close look. Get inspired while thinking about your next journey to Africa (contact us at info@empakaaiculturalsafari.com to discuss your Africa travel plans)!

Our Story

The beautiful Maasai people, breathtaking views of the Ngorongoro crater, charming lakes of the Great Rift Valley, paradise of Zanzibar beaches, surprising wildlife of the famous Maasai Mara and Serengeti National Parks… Right now you might be planning your very first journey to Africa. Or perhaps reflecting on what should your next big discovery in Africa be. Or maybe you’ve just realized that you’d actually love to visit some of these magic places again in the near future.

Make your journey to Africa with Empakaai Cultural Safari.

Empakaai Cultural Safari is a Kenya based tour operator. We deliver safari holidays, camping trips, local culture discovery tours in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and most Southern African countries. No matter which itinerary you choose, we take care of all logistics of your trip, so that you enjoy a smooth travel. Immerse yourself into Africa, its nature and wildlife, people and communities, history and cultural heritage.

Africa is our home.

Our family roots are in the Maasai land in Kenya. We speak the local languages of East Africa. This connects us and our guests with the local communities in a very close and enriching way.

We are passionate about our homeland and love taking our guests through its most beautiful places, and beyond. We will guide you by showing and sharing Africa as we know it. We will be happy to join you on your journey as your travel companions rather than as a service staff only (while remaining fully responsible for giving you all service you need, seamlessly and efficiently).

Contact us at info@empakaaiculturalsafari.com. We are happy to answer all your questions and inspire you to book your trip to Africa with us.