Buffalo Springs National Reserve

Wildlife & Animals

Expert

Anthony is the author of the Lonely Planet guide to Kenya.

There are decent wildlife densities in Buffalo Springs National Reserve, and many safari animals can be spotted in just a couple of days. Numerous leopards make their home along the riverbanks of the reserve and great sightings are quite frequent. Rhinos are absent, but elephants are plentiful, and there is a good variety of antelope, including both the greater and lesser kudu.

ElephantAbundant

GiraffeCommon

HippoOccasional

BuffaloOccasional

ZebraCommon

WildebeestNone

White RhinoNone

Black RhinoNone

LionOccasional

LeopardOccasional

CheetahRare

HyenaOccasional

Wild DogRare to None

Wildlife Highlights

Several dry-country-adapted mammals that occur in only a handful of Kenyan parks can be found here. The reticulated giraffe with its striking pattern is common. Beisa oryx is particularly well adapted to arid conditions. The gerenuk, with its elongated neck, is able to stand on its hind legs and nibble hard-to-reach leaves. The extravagantly striped Grevy's zebra is often seen feeding in large herds, sometimes alongside common plains zebra.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

Buffalo Springs doesn’t get much rain and can be visited throughout the year. However, the best wildlife viewing is in the Dry season (June to September) when vegetation is minimal and animals gather around predictable water sources. The dry spell between the rains, from January to February, is also a great time for spotting animals. April and November are usually the wettest months, and wildlife watching can be more challenging then.