Five ways to discover Samburu, Kenya's wild north

Tucked away in Kenya’s rugged north, Samburu National Reserve offers a wilder, more distinct experience than some better-known safari spots in the country’s south. Its remote, arid landscapes — combining sprawling savannahs dotted with acacia trees and doum palms, with rolling hills and rocky outcrops — provide an ideal setting for close encounters with an array of extraordinary creatures, as well as opportunities for meaningful exchanges with the people who call this land home. And when night falls, an inky sky emerges, drawing stargazers from around the world. Though Kenya’s Maasai Mara is often synonymous with safari, Samburu feels more like a well-kept secret, its dramatic terrain and distinct ecosystems like nowhere else in Africa. Here are just five of the unforgettable experiences