- Type
- National Reserve, county-managed
- Ecosystem
- Semi-arid acacia bushland and lava plains on the Ewaso Ng'iro
- Altitude
- ~850–1,230 m
- Best for
- Northern arid-country specialists; quieter game drives
- Pairs with
- Samburu and Shaba across the river
- Climate
- Hot and dry for much of the year
Buffalo Springs National Reserve lies on the south bank of the Ewaso Ng'iro River in Kenya's arid northern frontier, sharing both the river and its wildlife with the better-known Samburu Reserve directly across the water. The two are managed as part of one ecosystem, and a river crossing links them, so most safaris work both reserves on the same trip. What sets Buffalo Springs apart is its mood: flatter and more open, threaded with old lava flows and scattered acacia, and noticeably quieter than the headline parks to the south.
The reserve takes its name from the clear natural springs that rise here, a rare permanent source of water in a thirsty land. These pools, and the river that fringes the reserve's northern edge, draw the same northern specialists that make this corner of Kenya so distinctive — the long-necked gerenuk, reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, Somali ostrich and beisa oryx, the so-called Special Five you struggle to see anywhere else in the country.
You come for arid-country wildlife in a landscape that feels genuinely remote, and for the chance to game-drive both banks of the Ewaso Ng'iro on the same trip while sharing the tracks with far fewer vehicles than the Mara. It rewards travellers who already know the headline parks and want something wilder and less worn.
What you come here for
Both banks on one trip
Cross the river to game-drive Buffalo Springs and Samburu together, working both sides of the Ewaso Ng'iro for elephant, lion and leopard along the water.
The Special Five
Gerenuk, reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, Somali ostrich and beisa oryx — the northern specialists that draw safari-goers to this frontier.
The springs themselves
Clear natural pools give the reserve its name and a permanent magnet for wildlife in dry country.
Lava-plain solitude
Open volcanic flats and scattered doum palms, with rarely another vehicle in sight.
Riverine birding
The doum-palm forest and riverbanks are alive with vulturine guineafowl, palm-nut vultures and a long list of dry-country birds.
The wildlife of Buffalo Springs
Reticulated giraffe
The northern subspecies, with crisp white-lined chestnut patches; a near-certainty here and quite distinct from the Maasai giraffe of the south.
Grevy's zebra
The largest and rarest of the zebras, narrow-striped with big rounded ears; northern Kenya is one of its last strongholds.
Gerenuk
The 'giraffe-necked' antelope that stands on its hind legs to browse acacia, a true desert-edge oddity.
Beisa oryx
A handsome grey antelope with long rapier horns, well adapted to going long stretches without drinking.
Somali ostrich
Distinguished from the common ostrich by the male's blue-grey neck and thighs; a northern speciality.
Elephant
Herds move between the banks to drink and feed in the doum-palm thickets along the river.
Lion
Resident prides hunt the open plains and riverine fringe; sightings are best in the dry months when prey concentrates on water.
Leopard
Present in the riverine forest and rocky ground, and seen with reasonable frequency given patient driving.
Ways to experience the park
Game drives
Morning and afternoon drives across open lava plains and the riverine fringe, with access across the river to Samburu.
Birdwatching
Dry-country and riverine species reward a careful eye, from vulturine guineafowl to raptors along the water.
Sundowners
An evening drink on the lava flats or a river bend, with the light dropping behind the northern hills.
Samburu cultural visits
Time with the Samburu people, close cultural cousins of the Maasai, can be arranged for an honest window onto pastoralist life in the north.
The best months, and the weather right now
The drier months are the most rewarding — roughly June to October and again December to March — when wildlife concentrates on the river and the springs, the bush thins out, and the tracks across the lava plains are firmest. The two rainy spells, around April–May and again in November, green the country and bring fine birding, but can leave drives muddy and animals more dispersed. Heat is a near-constant here in any month; early starts pay off.
Indicative pattern for Kenya's safari circuit. The long rains (around March–May) and short rains (around November) shift year to year.
Buffalo Springs lies in Kenya's north, reached by a scenic drive of several hours from Nairobi across the equator and through Isiolo, the gateway town just to the south of the reserve. By air, scheduled light aircraft serve the airstrips of the Samburu–Buffalo Springs ecosystem, putting the reserve roughly an hour's flight from Nairobi; a short transfer then brings you to camp. The reserve combines naturally with Samburu and Shaba on the same trip, all within the one cluster of reserves.
Camps and lodges
Accommodation sits inside or just outside the reserve, much of it along the river. Expect a small choice of classic tented camps and lodges in the comfortable mid-range, plus a handful of more exclusive river-fringe camps for travellers wanting greater privacy and a higher level of service. Some travellers base themselves in Samburu across the river and game-drive both banks; either way, a position on or near the Ewaso Ng'iro gives the best of the wildlife and the cooler air.
Protecting Buffalo Springs
Buffalo Springs is a county-managed reserve, run alongside neighbouring Samburu as part of one ecosystem whose lifeline is the Ewaso Ng'iro River — a water source under real pressure from upstream demand and recurring drought in Kenya's north. The region is also at the heart of efforts to protect two species in genuine difficulty: the endangered Grevy's zebra, whose global population is now largely confined to northern Kenya, and the reticulated giraffe, whose numbers have fallen sharply across the Horn of Africa. The wider Samburu landscape has become a focus for community-led conservation, with local pastoralist communities increasingly partners in protecting wildlife rather than competing with it, and tourism revenue helping make that wildlife worth more alive than not.
Parks that pair well with Buffalo Springs
Questions about Buffalo Springs
- What is the difference between Buffalo Springs and Samburu?
- They are two reserves on opposite banks of the same river, managed as part of one ecosystem and linked by a river crossing. They share the same wildlife, including the Special Five. Buffalo Springs is the flatter, more open and generally quieter of the two, and most safaris work both.
- What are the 'Special Five'?
- A local term for five northern arid-country species you struggle to see elsewhere in Kenya: the gerenuk, reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, Somali ostrich and beisa oryx. All occur in Buffalo Springs.
- When is the best time to visit?
- The drier months, broadly June to October and December to March, when wildlife concentrates on the river and springs and the tracks are firmest. The wetter spells around April–May and November are greener and quieter but can leave drives muddy.
- How do I get there from Nairobi?
- Either a scenic road journey of several hours north across the equator through Isiolo, or a scheduled light-aircraft flight of around an hour to one of the ecosystem's airstrips, followed by a short transfer to camp.
- Can I combine it with other parks?
- Yes. It pairs naturally with Samburu and Shaba in the same cluster of northern reserves, and many trips link the north with the Mara, Nakuru or Amboseli further south. Note that Buffalo Springs and Samburu are separately ticketed, so crossing between them needs a valid permit for each.
Build Buffalo Springs into your safari
Sketch a route around it with the Wildtouch Safari Designer, then hand your plan to Jacob to make real.