Activities at Sarara

Unrestricted guided game drives – including night-drives – make for unforgettable sightings while exploring Northern Kenya’s breathtaking wildlife and wilderness. As a guest of one of Sarara’s three ecolodges, Namunyak Community Conservancy’s 850,000 acres  offer exceptional game-viewing opportunities – including Kenya’s second-largest elephant population. As the ideal inclusion in a Sarara itinerary, Sarara Wilderness, our exclusive-use tented camp in the wider Samburu Ecosystem, is sought after for its exceptional up-close encounters – especially with big cats.

Available at:
Sarara Camp | Sarara Treehouses | Reteti House | Sarara Wilderness

Completely immersed in nature, an overnight Fly Camp at Sarara encompasses a specially set up outdoor experience for your group – complete with comfortably equipped tents, camping beds, wash basins and more. Typically located in a lugga (dry riverbed), it includes sharing fireside tales and being captivated by stories about the region’s fascinating history and culture, savouring a mouthwatering bush dinner – inspired by Indigenous flavours, stargazing, and being lulled to sleep by the sounds of the bush. With birdsong accompanying the smell of coffee come early morning, sunrise marks the start of another discovery-filled day.

Available at:
Sarara Camp | Sarara Treehouses | Reteti House

A helicopter safari is an exhilarating way to explore northern Kenya’s vast and picturesque landscapes, and offers stunning aerial views of the Mathews Range. Each excursion is a unique experience – with highlights ranging from flying close to soaring peaks and extinct volcanoes, to marvelling at desert plains and the shimmering waters of Lake Turkana. This pre-booked adventure includes stopping for lunch in a magnificent and remote natural setting, and ultimately, it offers the chance to venture into hidden locations that are only accessible by helicopter.

Available at:
Sarara Camp | Sarara Treehouses | Reteti House | Sarara Wilderness

Heading off the beaten track on a horseback safari is one of our most cherished outings – and with all your senses awakened, profound connections with nature and wildlife await. Our horseback encounters cater for absolute beginners to more experienced riders, and range from short to longer outings to suit each guest’s preferences and needs. Whether you set off early to catch the first rays of the sun (and the perfect bush breakfast spot); or chase the last light and top off the experience with a spectacular sunset, a horseback safari is a wonderfully tranquil way to explore Sarara’s wide-open landscapes. Our bush ponies all live in close quarters with wild animals – sometimes sharing a stable yard with giraffes and zebras – so they’re very familiar with the area’s wildlife. Read more here

Available at:
Sarara Camp | Sarara Treehouses | Reteti House

As one of the most coveted traditional encounters in Northern Kenya, the Ngoma offers a revered window into Samburu culture that few get to see. Comprising a sacred ritual of singing and dancing – combined with a vivid combination of colours, sounds, passion, and rhythm – it’s an experience that remains with you long after you leave. Set in a spectacular lugga (dry riverbed), it’s typically combined with a bush dinner and/or Fly Camp – and a delicious barbeque with a range of freshly prepared dishes, as well as snacks and salads galore. The brave might also want to try some nyama choma – a local delicacy of grilled goat meat!

Available at:
Sarara Camp | Sarara Treehouses | Reteti House | Sarara Wilderness

Join a circle of Samburu ladies while they are beading, and find out more about the cultural importance of the vivid jewellery of the ‘Butterfly People’. As an integral part of Samburu life, beads can denote everything from wealth to age and social status, and women are especially known for their vibrant necklaces, anklets, earrings, and bracelets. During this experience, you’ll have the opportunity to partake in a beading session and also make your own piece. While gaining insights into the significance of this craft, you’ll spend meaningful time in conversation with the Beading Mamas, and share heartwarming cultural exchanges.

Available at:
Sarara Camp | Sarara Treehouses | Reteti House | Sarara Wilderness

Passed on through generations, blacksmithing is a time-honoured skill that highlights the richness and depth of Samburu culture, and how it has been preserved for ages. Called to this craft since he was a young boy, Augustine – the region’s master blacksmith – learned at the hands of his grandfather, and after an extensive apprenticeship, Augustine now breathes life into handmade spearheads, ornaments and jewellery over a fire. It’s mesmerising to watch him creating individual pieces, and during this activity, you can even have a custom-made item crafted for you while he describes the intricacies of his trade first-hand.

Available at:
Sarara Camp | Sarara Treehouses | Reteti House

Witness the impact of sustainable tourism up close by engaging with community members in and around their manyattas (homesteads). Typically, 5-10 families live in each manyatta, with surrounding man-made fences protecting them against wild animals. The huts – which are constructed from hide, mud, cow dung and grass – are arranged in a circular fashion, and can easily be identified when flying over this landscape. It’s an eye-opening experience to be included in the daily activities of a Samburu manyatta, where the spirit of community leaves you in awe of this culture that’s been preserved for centuries.

Available at:
Sarara Camp | Sarara Treehouses | Reteti House | Sarara Wilderness

It’s impossible to not be moved by the bravery of Reteti’s orphans, and visiting this pioneering centre leaves you touched, hopeful, and inspired! Nothing compares to the excitement of being right there and witnessing the babies being bottle-fed, seeing them interact with their friends, and delight in their antics during mud baths – and it’s a highlight to meet the passionate carers who tend to these calves 24/7! Rescuing orphaned and abandoned elephant calves to ultimately release them back into the wild, Reteti is the world’s first community-owned African elephant sanctuary, and was also the first to employ female keepers. Read more here

Available at:
Sarara Camp | Sarara Treehouses | Reteti House

Opened in November 2024, the highly interactive Reteti Visitor Centre takes visitors through every part of Reteti’s work as it unfolds: from the urgent call when a baby elephant needs to be rescued, to the orphan arriving on our doorstep, through the process of caring and rehabilitating each calf, right through to its ultimate release. Designed to inspire all visitors – from overseas guests to local school groups – highlights of the centre include exhibits about elephant tracking, community-led conservation, and the science of rewilding. It offers a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes insight into the vital work being done to protect Northern Kenya’s elephant populations and celebrates Reteti’s community-led conservation. Read more here

Available at:
Sarara Camp | Sarara Treehouses | Reteti House

Located just around the corner from Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, Elephant Rock is well worth a pit stop. Featuring an incredible artwork by Youri Cansell (aka Mantra) on a giant rock slab, the location marks the exact spot where initial meetings were held between community Elders to discuss the establishment of the sanctuary – so this is where the dream of Reteti first took flight. Back then, starting a community-owned sanctuary was just a wild idea – and it’s incredible to reflect on how we have come since those days! Apart from making for great photo opportunities, Elephant Rock also holds great significance for the Samburu, who deeply revere the elephants with whom they share this land.

Available at:
Sarara Camp | Sarara Treehouses | Reteti House

Unlocking economic independence for Samburu women, this flagship initiative was born in 2021 from a need to supply Reteti Elephant Sanctuary’s orphans with locally sourced milk during the worldwide pandemic. By selling their surplus goat milk, Samburu women – Milk Mamas – are now earning incomes for the very first time, and the baby elephants receive superior nutrition that doesn’t come in the form of imported formulas. It’s a privilege to meet the Mamas as they proudly bring their canisters of milk to the market, and a chance to step inside a rare and remarkable system of coexistence between Namunyak’s Indigenous people and wildlife! Read more here

Available at:
Sarara Camp | Sarara Treehouses | Reteti House

Bringing best-in-class treatment to even the most manyattas (homesteads) throughout our 850,000-acre conservancy, Nurse Dorcas and her team are improving health outcomes every day. Joining them in the field to see the impact of their tireless work is nothing short of inspiring, and it’s heartwarming to be part of a health clinic – including tracking children and pregnant women’s developmental milestones. The visits also create opportunities for authentic engagements with community members, while learning more about their challenges and the successes of the program. Read more here

Available at:
Sarara Camp | Sarara Treehouses | Reteti House

Growing from one to four schools since the program’s launch in 2019, our flagship education initiative keeps expanding access to education for Samburu children throughout Namunyak – and offers quality learning and a pedagogy that is tailormade for the Indigenous pastoralist culture. Spending time in the company of our passionate teachers and seeing the eager young minds engrossed in inspiring activities leaves one with hope for the future – and in awe of what is being achieved through a sense of purpose and dedication! Read more here

Available at:
Sarara Camp | Sarara Treehouses | Reteti House

Close your eyes and imagine… A gentle breeze from the bush brushing your skin, elephants trumpeting at a wildlife waterhole metres away, the smell of herbal oils soothing your senses, and the healing touch of expert hands as you ease into a treatment that restores as much as it connects you with this breathtaking landscape. The Samburu therapists at the heart of Sarara’s massages personalise every session for an experience that pampers areas in need of extra TLC. Whether enjoyed on your private veranda, inside your room, or alongside the pool of one of our lodges or camps, every treatment is tailormade for optimum relaxation.

Available at:
Sarara Camp | Sarara Treehouses | Reteti House | Sarara Wilderness

As a treasured guest activity at Sarara, stargazing allows time to stand still as you appreciate the immensity of the universe in full. Due to the remote location of our lodges and camps – far from urban lights and development – Africa’s famously clear night skies are even more amplified with breathtaking brightness and visibility. At Sarara, you’ll also be welcomed into age-old Samburu legends that connect the past with the present, and the worlds above and below. From experienced astronomy enthusiasts to those new to stargazing, our night-time experiences can be tailored to appeal to guest of any level.

Available at:
Sarara Camp | Sarara Treehouses | Reteti House | Sarara Wilderness