About This Property
Elephant Bedroom Camp is an Atua Enkop tented camp on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River, inside Samburu National Reserve in northern Kenya. Fourteen canvas suites sit on wooden decks under doum palms, each with a private plunge pool looking over the river. Elephants, monkeys and impala move through camp almost daily.
This is classic Samburu: dry plains, a permanent river and the Special Five — Beisa oryx, reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, gerenuk and Somali ostrich — plus lion, leopard and, with luck, cheetah. Morning and afternoon game drives use open 4x4s (the operator caps vehicles at six guests). Guided walks, bush breakfasts, sundowners and Samburu cultural visits are offered; on some rate cards those extras are charged separately.
Luxury tents have a king or twin queens (up to three guests), lounge space, a fan, an en-suite indoor shower and a plunge-pool deck. Two Deluxe tents add a larger pool, a bigger lounge, indoor and outdoor showers and a bathtub. Expert Africa’s visited layout is 12 standard plus two deluxe; the operator simply says 14 tents.
The main area is a pair of raised lounge and dining tents on a cypress deck, with a fire pit nearer the river, hammocks and a lookout for sundowners. Meals run to al fresco breakfasts, three-course lunches and four-course dinners. A spa tent offers massages (extra).
The camp is fully solar-powered, with 240 V charging and Wi-Fi throughout. Children of all ages are accepted; Expert Africa prefers 8+ because of the elephants. Kalama airstrip is about 45 minutes through the reserve. Open year-round.
Published stays are fully inclusive (meals and selected drinks). Full-board-only cards still exist — check which package you are on, and whether park fees are in. Kenya flying-safari itineraries often pair Samburu with the Mara at Angama Mara or Mahali Mzuri, or with Amboseli at Angama Amboseli.
Why We Love It
We love Elephant Bedroom for a simple reason: elephants walk through camp, and every one of the 14 tents has a private plunge pool on the Ewaso Nyiro. That combination is unusual inside the reserve.
Samburu still feels like northern Kenya — doum palms, dry hills, the Special Five — without the vehicle numbers of the Mara. Traveller reports keep coming back to the river site, the food and guides who actually know the reserve.
Fourteen tents is the right scale: intimate enough to feel like a camp, large enough that two deluxe tents exist for anyone who wants a bath and an outdoor shower. We would book a fully inclusive rate so drinks and drives are not a surprise, and we would confirm park fees in or out.
It is unfenced, solar-powered and honest about extras on cheaper full-board cards. Come for the river and the elephants, not for a spa resort. The spa tent is a bonus, not the stay.
Rooms & Details
Luxury Tent
Twelve standard tented suites (the visited split of 14 tents), with a king or twin queens, up to three guests. Each has a lounge or sofa, fans, an en-suite indoor shower, twin basins, a flush toilet, and a private river deck with a plunge pool.
Deluxe Tent
Two deluxe tents add extra space, a larger plunge pool, a bigger lounge, indoor and outdoor showers and a bathtub. One is a double and one a twin; they sit furthest from the main area. Four further deluxe rooms were planned for late 2026 and are not yet in this count.
Main Camp
Raised lounge and dining tents sit on a wooden deck over the Ewaso Nyiro, with a fire pit, hammocks and a lookout for sundowners. A spa tent offers massages (extra). There is no communal pool yet.
Amenities & Features
Photo Gallery
Rates
Prices start from $445 per night. Final pricing depends on season, room type, and availability. Check current rates on our booking partner's site for the most accurate pricing.
What's Included
- Al fresco breakfast (tea/coffee and biscuits before the morning drive; full breakfast on return)
- Three-course lunch (order in advance from a blackboard; indoor or by the river)
- Four-course candle-lit dinner (dining tent or under the stars); selected beverages on fully inclusive rates
- Bush breakfasts and private veranda or starlight dinners on request (sometimes extra)
- Morning and afternoon game drives in open 4x4s (max six guests per vehicle on the operator page)
- Guided nature walks (often extra on full-board rate cards; confirm on the Go2Africa fully inclusive package)
- Samburu cultural visits and warrior talks / traditional dancing (often extra on full-board cards; listed among Go2Africa highlights)
- Bush breakfasts and sundowners (listed by Go2Africa; some rate cards charge extra)
- Birdwatching
- Wildlife viewing in camp (resident elephant, and sometimes lion or leopard)
Go2Africa fully inclusive: tented accommodation, all meals and selected beverages. Game drives, walks, bush breakfasts and Samburu cultural visits appear on Go2Africa’s activity list — confirm they are wrapped into the quoted rate. African Spice full-board rates include breakfast, lunch and dinner only; park fees, drinks, laundry, walks, village visits, sundowners and bush meals are extra. Expert Africa’s usual board is full board and activities, with house drinks included.
Location
How to Get There
By air from Nairobi
Scheduled SafariLink and AirKenya flights (operator: twice daily from Nairobi) land at Kalama, Oryx or Buffalo airstrip — about an hour from Wilson Airport. Go2Africa’s nearest airport is Kalama. Expert Africa: Kalama is about a 90-minute flight, then about 45 minutes by road through the reserve to camp (longer if you game-view). The operator quotes 30–60 minutes’ drive from the airstrip with a game drive en route. African Spice: about 45 minutes from Kalama; about 30 minutes from some airstrips.
By road from Nairobi
About 5 hours’ driving (operator); African Spice 5–6 hours / about 345–359 km via Nanyuki, Isiolo and Archer’s Post. From Archer’s Post the camp is about 12 km / 23 minutes.
Nearby Attractions
Samburu National Reserve (Samburu Special Five: Beisa oryx, reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, gerenuk, Somali ostrich); Buffalo Springs and Shaba National Reserves; Ewaso Nyiro riverine forest; local Samburu village (about 15 minutes; often extra); Reteti Elephant Sanctuary (Expert Africa lists a 1½-hour visit plus transfers, extra)
Things to Do
At the property
Watch elephant, monkey and impala from your plunge-pool deck or the raised lookout. Swim in your private pool — there is no communal pool yet. The spa tent offers massages (extra).
Meals are in the dining tent, by the river or, on request, on your veranda. Fire-pit drinks before dinner; there is no television.
In the area
Morning and afternoon game drives in Samburu National Reserve for lion, leopard and the Special Five (Beisa oryx, reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, gerenuk, Somali ostrich). Guided walks with armed rangers (often extra; book ahead). A Samburu village is about 15 minutes’ drive (often extra). Birding is strong along the river.
Day trips
Buffalo Springs and Shaba National Reserves sit in the same northern ecosystem and can be combined. A visit to the community-run Reteti Elephant Sanctuary is about 1.5 hours plus transfers, extra. Private sundowners and bush meals are offered at extra cost on several rate cards. Many Kenya itineraries continue south to Angama Mara or Angama Amboseli.
Good to Know
Children: Children under 12 are welcome; there is no strict minimum age (0-5.99 stay free on one rate card). Expert Africa prefers well-behaved children over five and generally recommends 8+ because of elephants in camp. Baby cots and highchairs on request. Supervise at all times — unfenced, river, elephants.
Tents: Operator: 14 tents, Luxury and Deluxe, each up to three guests. Visited split: 12 standard (eight twin, four king; third single bed possible) plus two deluxe. Four more deluxe rooms and a communal pool were planned for late 2026 — not yet counted.
Power: Fully solar; 240 V charging in tents and main area; heat pumps for hot water. Hairdryers at reception, not in tents. Wi-Fi throughout camp, plus cellphone reception.
Drinks: Fully inclusive rates include selected beverages. Some full-board cards charge extra for house drinks — confirm which package you are on.
Extras on some cards: laundry, spa, guided walks, village visit, private sundowner, bush meals, exclusive vehicle.
Safety: High-risk big-game country, unfenced. Askaris escort guests when elephants are in camp; park rangers at night. Vervet monkeys raid tents — zip and padlock. Malaria area.
Payments: Visa and Mastercard without surcharge; cash in USD, sterling, euro or Kenyan shillings. No Amex. Electric safe in each tent.
Who It's For
Couples, honeymooners and families who want a classic, colourful tented camp inside Samburu rather than a large lodge, with a plunge pool on every deck and a real chance of elephants in camp. Photographers and anyone after the Special Five. Expert Africa thinks it is better for children eight and over. Not for guests who need in-tent air conditioning, a big communal pool (not yet built), or a quiet camp with no wildlife in the walkways — the elephants are the point.
Best Time to Visit
Open year-round. Operator page: June–October for the long dry season and easier game viewing at water; January–February as a short dry season; November–December and March–May greener, with birding. Samburu stays productive in the dry months because the Ewaso Nyiro holds water. April–May rains can be heavy.
