Camp050 - Shaba Game Reserve - Safari within Kenya's Northern Frontier!

Camp050 - Shaba Game Reserve - Safari within Kenya's Northern Frontier!

 

Shaba is part of three small adjoining National Reserves that lie on either side of the Northern Ewaso Ngiro River (the other two being Samburu and Buffalo Springs), lying about 340 kilometres north/north east of Nairobi. These reserves were established in 1948 as the Samburu Isiolo Game Reserve. Now they are managed by their respective county councils, Samburu and Isiolo.

The reserve consists of a low-lying, semi-arid plain on the southern bank of the Northern Ewaso Ngiro river. It lies 9 kilometres east of Buffalo Springs National Reserve, from which it is separated by the main road from Isiolo to Marsabit.

Its Northern section includes a 34 kilometre stretch of the Ewaso Ngiro river; here and elsewhere in the reserve are numerous springs and swampy areas, although some have bitter tasting water. Still, Shaba's various sources of water provide relief for many animals, including Grevy's zebra, the reticulated giraffe and the Somalian ostrich. The scenic landscapes of permanent springs, green riverine forest set against thorny bush, and doum palms lining the river amidst the arid terrain are an attraction for safari-goers as well as the wildlife.