A stay at Saruni Rhino in the Sera Conservancy provides insights into the fascinating Samburu culture and way these people have long since mastered the art of survival in a challenging environment.
From its raised setting, this safari camp overlooks a dry riverbed, with shade provided by palm trees and thorny acacias.
The prospect of water and minerals draws many animals to the riverbed, making the camp the perfect place to while away a morning or afternoon watching as they come and go.
The riverbed is also the scene for many of the most memorable Saruni Rhino experiences, including starlit bush dinners, guided walking safaris, and lessons in tracking from the local guides, who draw on their expertise to identify and locate endangered species from marks in the sand that could easily escape the untrained eye.
A definite highlight is rhino tracking on foot – a unique experience made possible by the skill and anticipation of the guides. The Sera wildlife conservancy provides a sanctuary for these remarkable animals, and creates livelihoods for local communities as part of a sustainable approach to wildlife conservation.
Accommodation
Saruni Rhino is a 4-banda camp. A banda is a rustic stone cottage with a thatched roof and canvas zip down windows and doors. All bandas have flushing loos, hot & cold water and natural stone showers. The bandas are situated along a dry river bed lined with beautiful doum palms in a way that ensures maximum privacy for guests, but intimate enough for group bookings on an exclusive basis.
Ntangaswa
Named after Ntangaswa, the first rhino born in the Sera Rhino Sanctuary, this spacious banda blends rustic charm with subtle elegance. It offers a serene escape for 2 to 4 guests. Inside, a double bed and the option for an extra single bed provide flexible sleeping arrangements, while an en-suite bathroom with a natural stone shower ensures comfort. Outside, a private sandy terrace with a sitting area invites you to relax and enjoy sweeping views of the lugga, a dry riverbed that stretches in front of the banda, connecting you to the vast natural landscape.
Loijipu
This small and cozy banda is named after Loijipu, the second black rhino born in the Sera Rhino Sanctuary. It serves as an idyllic retreat for two guests, focusing on intimacy and comfort. The banda includes a well-appointed sleeping area and an en-suite bathroom, which features a natural stone shower. The private terrace provides a picturesque of the lugga, making it an ideal spot to relax and take in the serene beauty of nature.
Nashami
Named after Nashami, Ntangaswa’s daughter born in the Sera Rhino Sanctuary, this family-friendly banda provides a comfortable and spacious retreat. It features two bedrooms—one with a queen-sized double bed and the other with twin singles, with the option to add a third single bed if needed. Each bedroom has its own en-suite bathroom. The shared lounge provides a cozy space for relaxation, while the expansive verandah features an outdoor seating area with beautiful views of the nearby waterhole that is frequently visited by elephants, monkeys, impalas, and a wide variety of birds.
Napanu
The newest addition, Napanu Banda, named after the translocated rhino from Nakuru National Park, exudes elegance and romance, making it ideal for honeymooners. The spacious interior is adorned in soft pink hues and features a comfortable double bed, cosy cushions, and ample storage space. The en-suite bathroom includes an open shower that spans the width of the room, as well as a concrete vanity. Outside, the shaded veranda provides an inviting mix of comfortable seating areas overlooking the dry riverbed the perfect spot to relax and enjoy the serenity of this pristine wilderness.
Swimming in the pool at Saruni Rhino lets you completely immerse yourself in your surroundings.
It’s the perfect counterpoint to the sparse yet beautiful landscape and the ideal way to cool off after your Samburu game drives.
You may be many miles from the ocean, but feeling sand underfoot and looking up at swaying doum palms will make you feel as though you’re walking along a tropical beach. Being at one with your surroundings is the ultimate way to relax, and it’s a feeling you’ll soon get used to during your time at Saruni Rhino.
Take a stroll from your banda (stone cottage) to the open-air bar in the dry riverbed and enjoy a traditional Samburu sundowner experience at the end of another amazing day on safari.
Facilites
- Swimming pool & sunbathing area
- Waterhole for wildlife sightings
- Communal lounge, dining area & fireplace
- Dry river bed bar
Amenities
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Indoor shower
- Fan
- Mosquito net over bed
- In-room water dispenser
- Private verandah
- Private living area & private dining (Family banda)
- Electricity
Saruni Rhino is approximately 90 minutes’ drive from Saruni Samburu, in the heart of the Sera community-based tourism area.
Living proof of the effectiveness of responsible tourism in Samburu, this wildlife conservancy offers an opportunity to track endangered rhinos on foot. The rhinos share their home with herds of elephants, while Samburu herders pass through with their livestock and make use of the famous ‘singing wells’, a place that provides not only life-giving water, but a spiritual connection to the beauty and riches of this remote part of northern Kenya.
Discover where our other Saruni Basecamp Properties are in Kenya
Saruni Rhino is a small camp, but its symbolic significance in Kenya goes well beyond its size. The camp is being considered a leading example of sustainability because it is the first time that a community owns and manages a black rhino sanctuary, using tourism as a tool for the protection of one of the most endangered and iconic species of the Africa big fauna.
We work using a modern solar system that reduces to very little and only as backups the use of generators, we use bio-degradable detergents, we encourage our guests to disperse seed balls that help with the reforestation of eroded areas. But perhaps the biggest contribution is to the community: our employees are Samburu and members of the community, and our financial contribution to the conservancy is the only source of commercial income (the rest of the financial needs are covered by donors and by Northern Rangelands Trust). An income that is going to go when new investments will increase the capacity of eco-responsible tourism facilities in this region, that is still relatively new to tourism.
We also believe that sustainability means to encourage the cultural pride of the Samburu people and allow them to share their values with our guests. These values are strictly connected to conservation and protection of habitat and wildlife. This is why our guides are always around the fire exchanging stories with the guests, sharing with them their culture and their beliefs.
Rates from US$500
See our 2026 Saruni Basecamp Rates and Terms & Conditions – simply click on the view/download button below.
Please contact us for Resident Rates applicable to residents of Kenya & East Africa.
View or download the 2026 Saruni Rhino rates
Is Saruni Rhino wheelchair accessible?
Yes. Saruni Rhino’s stone bandas are set on naturally flat terrain in the remote Sera Conservancy in northern Kenya, making it one of our most accessible safari properties.
- All rooms are situated on flat ground, allowing wheelchair access throughout.
Every guest’s needs are different. If you or someone in your party has specific mobility or accessibility requirements, please let our Reservations team know when booking and we will gladly help you choose the right tent or room and prepare for your arrival.
Activities & Experiences
- On-foot rhino tracking
- Guided, shared day & night game drives
- Waterhole for wildlife sightings
- Picnics, bush meals & sundowners
- Guided bush & dry-river bed walks
- The Singing Wells – visit & walk
- Tribal storytelling through song and dance
- Birdwatching. Includes sand grouse ‘spectacular’ – seasonal
- Pool swimming
- Re-wilding rhino calf visit
- Lontopi Mountain Hike
- Reteti Elephant Sanctuary Excursion
- Helicopter scenic flights
Reasons to Visit Saruni Rhino
There are many reasons to visit Saruni Rhino and we have selected the six main ones to make it easier for you to feel the uniqueness of this safari camp, where nature, wildlife and people connect in a special way.
First rhino tracking experience in East Africa
The first walking safari of its kind in East Africa, this unique experience provides a unique and exhilarating adventure whilst allowing you to actively contribute to the protection of an iconic species. Tracking rhino on foot, accompanied by an expert Saruni Basecamp guide (and a highly trained Sera Community Conservancy ranger for complete safety), gives you an excellent opportunity to spot rhino roaming free in the 25,650-acre sanctuary.
First community-owned rhino sanctuary in Africa
Sera Community Conservancy is home to around 16 000 Samburu semi-nomadic pastoralists. Within the conservancy, the Sera Conservancy Rhino Sanctuary offers a secure environment for a group of reintroduced black rhino. The goal is to increase Kenya’s black rhino population and the range they occupy, and to demonstrate the sustainable benefits of fully community-focused conservation initiatives.
First Black Rhino reintroduction to North Kenya
An area which for over 40 years has seen the depletion of the black rhino, until now, where one of the most advanced conservation projects has taken place and the first of its kind in Africa, whereby a group of black rhino has been successfully reintroduced in the fenced, maximum protection sanctuary offering the endangered species a chance to flourish.
Singing Wells
The Fifty Wells or ‘Kisima Hamsini’ is a series of springs where local pastoralists take their livestock to find water, digging deep into the dry earth and filling up wells that they then use to add water to troughs for their livestock. As they dig, each Moran (or warrior) sings a unique melody to which his animals are accustomed to responding. A unique and intimate tradition, the singing wells of Samburu are an experience that will remain with you long after you leave Kenya.
Endless, untouched landscape
Located a little over 90 minutes’ drive from Saruni Samburu, Saruni Rhino lies in the wild, undiscovered northern frontier of Kenya in the 839 000-acre Sera Community Conservancy. This striking, semi-arid landscape stretches further than the eye can see, giving you a sense of limitless possibility.
Unique wildlife & ecosystem
The Sera Community Conservancy protects a fascinating ecosystem, which you can explore as you seek the ‘Samburu Five’ - rare, endemic creatures found nowhere else. During your time here, see if you can spot the gerenuk antelope, the reticulated giraffe, the Somali ostrich, Grévy’s zebra, and the Beisa oryx. Sera also offers the chance to see an abundance of other rare species such as leopard, the striped hyena, civet and African wild dog, plus a great many bird species.
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