From
$2,052
Tented Camp · Samburu, Kenya
Soroi Larsen’s Camp
On the same riverbank where a Danish explorer pitched his tent in the 1950s — now one of Samburu's most intimate and celebrated camps
Erik Larsen was not a man who camped casually. The Danish explorer who documented Samburu’s wildlife in the 1950s and gave language to what are now known as the Samburu Special Five chose this particular bend of the Ewaso Nyiro River deliberately — for its sightlines, for the wildlife it concentrated, and for the quality of sky that northern Kenya produces at an altitude where humidity is low and light pollution is absent. Soroi Larsen’s Camp was built on exactly that spot, and it carries the logic of his choice forward into every design decision the camp has made.
The Ewaso Nyiro is the lifeblood of this landscape. It draws elephant, buffalo, crocodile, and the reserve’s full complement of plains game to its banks on a daily cycle that requires no game drive to witness — guests on their private river-facing terraces see it simply by sitting still. The camp’s 16 units are all oriented to the water, positioned along the bank so that the river is the constant reference point of a stay here: the sound that greets a guest in the morning, the view that accompanies a sundowner, and the source of the animal movement that makes Samburu’s game density exceptional even by Kenya’s standards.
Beyond the Ewaso Nyiro, Samburu Game Reserve sits at the convergence of three protected areas — Samburu, Buffalo Springs, and Shaba — each with distinct terrain and wildlife, all accessible on game drive from the camp. It is this breadth of ecosystem access that distinguishes a Samburu safari from the circuits of the south. The Special Five are the signature, but the birdlife across the three reserves exceeds 450 recorded species, the predator sightings are reliable, and the absence of the Mara’s visitor volumes means the encounters happen without an audience. Soroi Larsen’s Camp is consistently ranked the top-rated camp in Samburu on TripAdvisor — a measure of the whole: the location, the guiding, and the level of personal attention that a 16-unit operation can sustain in a way that larger properties cannot.
Soroi Larsen's Camp sits on the Ewaso Nyiro where explorer Erik Larsen first made camp. Sixteen tents and suites face the current and the Doum palms beyond. Special Five country: reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, gerenuk, Beisa oryx, and Somali ostrich — endemics no other Kenyan ecosystem delivers
Why Stay Here
- All 16 tents and suites are river-facing, each with a private terrace directly above the Ewaso Nyiro
- Samburu Special Five reliably sighted: reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, gerenuk, Beisa oryx, Somali ostrich
- Private 24/7 butler service and outdoor showers in the two deluxe suites
- Star bed experience under skies where over 80% of the world's constellations are visible
- Access to Samburu, Buffalo Springs, and Shaba in one stay — three reserves, distinct terrain and wildlife
- #1-rated camp in Samburu on TripAdvisor, consistently across multiple seasons
Our Commitment to Conservation
A portion of every booking funds education, healthcare, and livelihood programmes in the surrounding Samburu communities — continuing the conservation ethic Erik Larsen pioneered here six decades ago. An organic kitchen garden reduces supply chain dependence; waste and water systems meet the standards expected inside a protected reserve.
Rooms & Accommodation
Sixteen units follow the Ewaso Nyiro in a configuration that gives each one direct river frontage and a meaningful degree of privacy from neighbouring tents. The 12 luxury tented suites are the camp’s core offering: king beds, private en-suite bathrooms, large walk-in wardrobes, writing desks, and generous wooden terraces furnished with lounge seating oriented to the river. Each tent is named and decorated individually — a design choice informed by Larsen’s original field notes and the explorers who followed in his wake across northern Kenya. The two family units extend the standard tent configuration with adjoining sleeping arrangements and a dedicated terrace, maintaining river frontage throughout. The two deluxe suites are in a category of their own: larger footprints, private 24/7 butler service, outdoor showers, and the camp’s star bed — a sleepout deck on which the bed is positioned under open sky, calibrated to the star density that Samburu’s elevation and latitude produce on a clear night.
Luxury Tented Suite
Twelve tented suites, individually named and decorated after the explorers and naturalists who shaped Samburu's conservation history. King bed facing the river terrace, walk-in wardrobe, writing desk. The large private terrace overhangs the Ewaso Nyiro directly — coffee at first light, elephants crossing below, no immediate reason to be anywhere else.
King bed · Private river-facing terrace · En-suite bathroom · Walk-in wardrobe · Writing desk · Complimentary Wi-Fi · Filtered water · Laundry service
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Deluxe Suite
The two deluxe suites add generous living space, outdoor shower, and private butler. The star bed — a four-poster wheeled under open sky on the private sleepout deck — is the defining feature: conceived for Samburu's skies, where over 80% of the world's constellations are visible. The river audible below, the reserve on the night air.
King bed · Star bed sleepout deck · Outdoor shower · 24/7 private butler · Generous private terrace · Full en-suite bathroom · Walk-in wardrobe · Complimentary Wi-Fi · Minibar
Experiences & Activities
Every moment at Soroi Larsen’s Camp is crafted to immerse you deeper in the wild.
Samburu Special Five Game Drives
Morning and evening drives with accredited guides across Samburu, Buffalo Springs, and Shaba. The Special Five are the headline; full programme covers elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, buffalo, crocodile, and exceptional birdlife.
Star Bed Sleepout
Over 80% of the world's constellations visible on a clear Samburu night. The star bed — a four-poster on a raised platform under open sky — is designed around that fact. The Ewaso Nyiro below, the reserve on the night air.
Guided Bush Walks and Bird Walks
Morning bird walks on the Ewaso Nyiro riparian zone; broader naturalist walks covering tracks, smaller fauna, and botanical detail. Slower, more detailed, and more attuned than a game drive.
Spa and Wellness
Locally sourced treatments coordinated around the safari day. Infinity pool with river views available throughout.
Ready to plan your stay?
Our specialists are available 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Dining
h are served à la carte — a deliberate departure from the buffet format that most camps in this category default to, and one that reflects a kitchen confident enough in its range to cook to order for a small number of guests. The head chef works across international and East African dishes, with fresh produce drawn from the camp’s own organic kitchen garden supplementing locally sourced ingredients. Breakfast is served before the morning drive departs and again on return — a hot spread, Kenyan coffee, and fresh fruit that sets the pace of the day without rushing it. Bush dinners, taken in the reserve at a location chosen by the guide, are arranged for guests who want their evening meal to be an experience rather than a backdrop. Sundowners follow the game drive out — a position selected for the light and the view — and the bar carries a range of local spirits and wines adequate for a camp where evenings are long and the conversation tends to run late.
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Best Time to Visit
Samburu is a year-round destination with two distinct dry seasons that deliver the most concentrated game viewing. July through October is peak: the Ewaso Nyiro drops in volume, animals concentrate along the riverbanks, and predator activity is at its most predictable. January and February provide a second dry window, often with lower occupancy than the main season and equally productive game drives. The short rains of November and December bring brief showers that transform the landscape quickly without making roads impassable — birdlife peaks, and the reserve empties of most visitors. The long rains of March to May are the least productive period for game viewing, though guests seeking solitude and green-season rates find Samburu at its most dramatic. Samburu’s low altitude relative to Nairobi means warm daytime temperatures throughout the year; mornings and evenings in the dry season are cool enough to make early drives comfortable.
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Location & Getting Here
Destination
Samburu, Kenya
Conservation Area
Samburu Game Reserve
Nearest Airstrip
Kalama Airstrip (served by AirKenya, SafariLink, FlyALS)
Transfer Time
Short road transfer from Kalama Airstrip / approx. 5–6 hours by road from Nairobi
Getting Here
Soroi Larsen's Camp sits on the southern bank of the Ewaso Nyiro within Samburu Game Reserve, accessible by light aircraft from Wilson Airport to Kalama Airstrip — approximately 45 minutes on daily AirKenya, SafariLink, and FlyALS services. The reserve position gives immediate access to Samburu, Buffalo Springs, and Shaba.
Safaris That Include This Lodge
Explore handcrafted itineraries where Soroi Larsen’s Camp forms part of the journey.
