Saruni Basecamp | Unique Camps & Lodges + Safari Packages
Saruni Basecamp – Luxury Safari Camps & Lodges in Kenya. Saruni Basecamp provides its visitors with an intimate, boutique-style experience amid two of Kenya‘s top reserves by fusing authenticity with luxury. Each Saruni camp is situated in a private conservancy near the Masai Mara and Samburu, guaranteeing the best of both worlds: unrestricted game viewing and low-density exclusivity.
With a family villa, five thatched cottages, and a private honeymoon villa, Saruni Mara is located in the Mara North Conservancy. Close by, Saruni Wild offers cozy, opulent 3-tent lodging. Both locations offer opportunities for game viewing from a moving vehicle, on foot, and from a hot air balloon.
The lone lodge in the Kalama Conservancy, which abuts the Samburu National Reserve, is the luxurious Saruni Samburu. It is situated in Kenya’s remote north. Here, visitors may experience opulent villa lodging, a different side of Kenya’s animals, and panoramic vistas. A diverse and satisfying safari is provided by balancing spa services and massages with cultural tours and wildlife-tracking adventures.
The Saruni Basecamp Ocean at Msambweni on Kenya’s idyllic south coast is the perfect place to unwind after a safari if you’re looking to blend the bush and the beach. Saruni Ocean, which is situated on a six-kilometer (almost four-mile) stretch of pristine private beach, is the ideal example of castaway style and barefoot luxury. The lodge’s seven roomy villas, which are surrounded by the Indian Ocean’s warm waters, and first-rate spa make it the ideal location for a dreamy honeymoon.
But Saruni Basecamp is more than just beautiful scenery, idyllic beach resorts, and game viewing: For instance, at Saruni Samburu, 60% of the bed night fees go toward community projects (such as water projects and school bursaries) while the remaining 40% goes toward the conservancy’s annual operating expenses. Saruni camps have been created to leave a small ecological impact because they care about the well-being of their surrounding communities and the natural beauty of their surroundings. Their guiding principles include recycling, rainwater collection, environmentally friendly restrooms, and solar power usage.
Saruni Basecamp | The Saruni Luxury Safari Experience
A luxury Samburu safari staying with The Safari Collection centers around Sasaab, their stunning Moroccan-and-Swahili fusion eco-lodge. Perched high on a ridgeline in the Westgate Community Conservancy along the Ewaso Nyiro River, Sasaab offers an immersive immersion into Kenya’s rugged Northern Frontier.
Because The Safari Collection prioritizes reservations at the high-demand Giraffe Manor for guests booking multi-property itineraries, pairing a bush stay at Sasaab with a city stay in Nairobi is the premier way to experience the circuit. Rates for a standard suite at Sasaab range from $1,050 to $1,850+ per person sharing, per night depending on the season, completely inclusive of meals, drinks, game drives, guided walks, and community experiences.
Saruni also emphasizes Kenya’s rich cultural heritage. As part of Saruni’s mission to foster an attitude of respect, understanding, and appreciation between visitors and Kenyans, guests will enjoy engaging with Masaai and Samburu guides and may look forward to village visits and guided bush walks.
Saruni Basecamp Safaris
The Sasaab Experience
Sasaab differs drastically from traditional canvas camps, utilizing expansive open-air architecture designed to channel cooling breezes through the African heat:
Palatial Tented Suites: The property features just nine massive, canvas-sided rooms (over 100m² each). Every suite boasts its own private plunge pool and open-air veranda offering panoramic views toward the Laikipia Plateau and Mount Kenya.
The “Samburu Special Five”: Game drives focus on tracking rare, arid-adapted wildlife species unique to northern Kenya: the Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx, Somali ostrich, and the long-necked gerenuk. Vast herds of elephants also frequently gather to bathe in the river directly below the lodge.
Beyond the 4×4 Vehicle: Guests can explore the wilderness via traditional camel treks, mountain biking, or dynamic quad-bike excursions across the sandy luggas.
Cultural Connection: Sasaab works intensely with the local community. Safaris here include guided visits to local Samburu manyattas (homesteads), bustling local market days, and community initiatives like healthcare projects or primary schools supported by the lodge.
Structuring Your Itinerary
A classic itinerary starts with 1–2 nights at Giraffe Manor in Nairobi to experience the resident giraffes at breakfast. From there, you take a 50-minute scheduled bush flight from Wilson Airport directly to the Sasaab airstrip for a 3-night stay in the wilderness.
Considering a safari in Kenya? Browse through our suggested safaris and tours, many of which include a stay in one of Saruni’s opulent safari camps, or just get in touch with an African Safari Expert for advice on creating the ideal custom itinerary.
Samburu Safaris
An elite northern Kenya safari at Sasaab is one of the most structurally distinct luxury travel experiences in East Africa. Perched on a dramatic rocky ridge inside the Westgate Community Conservancy, the lodge sits on the edge of the iconic Samburu National Reserve along the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River.
Architecturally, Sasaab stands out by blending open-air Moroccan design with traditional Swahili elements, crafted to naturally channel breezes through the arid landscape. Because it operates within a private community conservancy, a stay here offers exclusive wilderness access completely free of standard national park crowding constraints.
Saruni Properties
Logistics & Planning Guide
The Safari Circuit: Sasaab is managed by The Safari Collection. Because their flagship property, Giraffe Manor in Nairobi, is incredibly difficult to book individually, they strongly prioritize manor reservations for guests who pair it with a 3-to-4 night bush stay at Sasaab.
Getting There: The easiest route is a 50-minute scheduled bush flight from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport directly to the private Sasaab airstrip, followed by a short game drive to the main lodge.
Browse the suggestions we’ve provided below, or get in touch with one of our Africa Safari Experts for help organizing your Saruni Safari.
