Samburu Simba Lodge is a new safari lodge in the Buffalo Springs National Reserve. Buffalo Springs is located on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River in Kenya; on the other side of the river is the Samburu National Reserve and nearby the favours Shaba National Reserve (Joy Adamson of ‘Born Free’ film).

Buffalo Springs is accessible by road via Isiolo, about 6 hours drive from Nairobi through Nanyuki on a tarmac road to Isiolo, then a 22km murram road. Buffalo Springs remains serene, removed form the beaten path of topical tourist circuit. The area is very dry (semi-arid officially) with a lot of scrub and some acacia trees. The temperatures range from 30ºC during hottest months to 20ºC between July and September. The only reprieve is an oasis of crystal clear water - Buffalo Springs, and the Uaso Nyiro River. In fact the entire ecosystem in the area is sustained mainly by the water from Uaso Nyiro where there's a narrow band of doum palms, riverine forests and grasslands. The high faunal concentration at the waterholes and riverbank is a gift for the wildlife watcher.

Unobstructed view of the river bank

Samburu Simba Lodge was designed such that it has unobstructed viewpoint to the activities at the river bank. You can see the river banks and the waterhole from either your room terraces, at the lodge or restaurant. Herds of elephants roaming by, troops of baboons trying to drink water but hesitant because of the crocodiles in the river.

Birds are prolific in the Acacias and Doum Palms along the river banks. Birds include Orange-bellied Parrots, Bristle-crowned Starling, Vereaux’s Eagle-owl, Night Heron, Palm-Nut Vulture and the Vinaceous Dove. Expect to see Gravy’s Zebra, Gerenuk, Beisa Oryx, Reticulated Giraffe, buffalo, Waterbuck and crocodiles in the Uaso Nyiro River. Large predators such as the lion, leopard and cheetah also reside in the buffalo springs.

Simba Lodge’s facilities

The lodge has 18 cottages, over 70 rooms in singles, doubles and interconnecting rooms. The rooms are spacious, well furnished with a reading desk and several lounge chairs. The bathrooms have a shower with warm or cold water. The rooms have an over head fan, telephone extension and reading desk. A visitor will very much like the large terrace that faces the river valley below, especially in the morning when there is bird life and elephants roaming.

Other facilities at the lodge include several  conference rooms for over 100 delegates, business centre with photocopy, typing and internet access. You may just carry your mobile phone with you, there is network coverage at the lodge.

Game drives are ideal in the early morning and in the evening when it is cool.You can spend the mid day in the swimming pool, or at the lounge watching wildlife at a watering hole. Evenings after dinner at the restaurant, there is entertainment by the Samburu traditional dancers, relax at the lounge with a Tusker beer, or conversation with friends.

Community and Environment

The lodge rely on solar panel to warm water for showering. Samburu Simba Lodge recycles all the waste water and sewage using an aerobic treatment system that could be well emulated by local authorities. The water discharged after the process is odorless clean enough to use in rrigating the vegation near the lodge.

The lodge has recuited all its staff from the community around, given them training and employed them to help benefit the locals.

You can book a safari to Samburu Simba Lodge by contacting Destination Connect.