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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 6 MARCH 2016 41 Travel Safaris and more at Samburu, Kenya MARC CASOLANI Samburu National Reserve – Kenya PICTURE Pride Rock, from the Lion King animated film, and then you look around you and then you realise – "Wow! Yes, this is it!" This is the gateway to Samburu Nation- al Park, found in the northern, central part of Kenya and is home to the Sam- buru tribe, a tribe that has been around for a fair amount of time and have kept up with most of their traditions and have held their cultural identity to high es- teem. Samburu is also home to diverse wildlife and this is where you can find the big five, something that is not easy to find in one place in parks across Africa. Well, the first thing you'll need to do to make this adventure happen at a one stop shop to give you the best value for your dollar, is to head into the city centre of Nairobi, Kenya's capital City, and go around the wildlife safari offices and speak to the agents there to create a package that will meet your standards and expectations. Once you get that sorted, I can assure you that you will be a happy camper by the end of your ad- venture. In general the guides that the agencies will provide you with will do their utmost to make sure you are satisfied with the tour, and work around the clock to track down the wildlife that you eagerly came here to see. All that will be expected of you is a reasonable tip, which will help to take care of the driver's family. When you compare the cost of living, you will realise that this is a very fair deal. It's about a four-and-a-half hour drive from Nairobi to the Samburu Reserve. On the way there, your guide will stop you off at some cool tribal stands that will sell different types of attire and tribal crafts. They will be in the middle of nowhere, however they will be used to foreigners passing through so you will have to pull off your bargaining skills. You will also be passing through the equator to get to Samburu Reserve and there you will stop at a landmark that shows where you are passing over the line. Take a couple of snaps and head off for the final leg of the journey, to the reserve itself. The terrain that you will pass through is pretty spectacular and your guide will be talking and describing the places that you will see. In most cases you will be travelling in a converted mini bus with an open rooftop. If you are lucky, you will manage to get one of the 4x4s, how- ever these are increasingly uncommon due to the bureaucracy of the govern- ment-run board for national parks. The wildlife found in Samburu is abun- dant and I can guarantee that on every drive you go on you will see loads of im- pala, buffalo, dik diks, gazelle, baboons, zebra, ostrich, elephants and giraffes. If you persist in your search, you could come across lions, cheetah and wilde- beest. If you're really lucky, you might also come across the elusive leopards or even a rhino, however rhinos are on the brink of extinction in this park due to heavy poaching. A very, very sad situa- tion indeed. As I stated earlier, your guide will work magic to make sure that you are com- fortable, satisfied and exhausted from all the exploring and wildlife spotting. They will give you a variety of options on how to spread out your day and mix up wildlife spotting with educational treks around the land so that you can learn about life in this environment, as well as s u r v i v a l s k i l l s and facts about the wildlife. Also, if the S a m - b u r u t r i b e agree, they of- ten let the guide bring a small group of people to tour the villages and witness the way of life of the Samburu people. They will invite you into their homes and show you how they are built, how they hunt and cook, and explain the traditions and culture of the tribe. Before you leave they will ask if you are interested in buying any of their wares and crafts. Your accommodation on this safari will depend entirely on you. You will have the option to simply camp out in the bush, sleep in cabins, or enjoy the full comfort of a safari resort. All have their perks and excel in certain areas to create an experience to remember. For the ultimate safari experience, I will al- ways recommend sleeping in a tent. The sounds of the night are so invigorating and curious that you will automatically throw your mind back to the past of hu- man life. Needless to say, you will get that true explorer feeling. Check your calendar, pack a good camera, and book those tickets. You won't regret it, and you don't need to worry about a right time of year, as all year round has its benefits. How to get there Emirates offer regular flights to Nai- robi in Kenya with a stopover in Dubai. Flights departing from Malta on 17 March and returning on 31 March were priced at €607, including tax at the time of going to print. Total flying time is ap- prox. 20 hours.