Maralal National Reserve: Kenya’s Best Kept Secret

Tucked away in the sun-scorched highlands of north-central Kenya, Maralal National Reserve is one of the country’s most remarkable and least discovered safari destinations. Set amidst the majestic Ol Doinyo Lenkiyo Mountains and completely surrounding the Samburu town of Maralal, this compact but richly rewarding reserve sits at an altitude of 1,490 meters in the Rift Valley’s Baringo District  a landscape of rocky, dry terrain, sweeping mountain scenery, and a wild, unhurried authenticity that is increasingly rare in the modern safari world. Covering approximately 250 square kilometers, Maralal receives relatively few visitors compared to the more celebrated reserves to the east, and that, quite simply, is its greatest gift. Here, you will find Kenya as it used to be raw, unfiltered, and entirely your own.

The Maralal Camel Derby: The World’s Greatest Desert Party

If you happen to find yourself in Maralal during the summer, you are in for something truly extraordinary and utterly unlike anything else on the African continent. Maralal is home to the world’s only international Camel Derby, an annual event that draws participants and spectators from every corner of the globe for a celebration of speed, endurance, desert spirit, and sheer, joyful chaos. Open to both amateur and professional riders, the Derby welcomes absolutely everyone  first-time camel riders and seasoned desert veterans alike  to take part in one of the most exhilarating and laugh-out-loud events in Kenya’s annual calendar.

The atmosphere during Derby week is electric. The dusty streets of Maralal fill with an extraordinary cast of characters  adventurers, travelers, locals, journalists, and curious wanderers  all drawn together by the spectacle of camels thundering across the desert under the blazing northern sun. And when the racing is done, everyone retreats to the legendary Yare Safaris Club and Campsite for an evening of celebration that reliably lasts until dawn. The Maralal Camel Derby is not just an event , it is an experience, and one that will make you a better, wilder, and considerably more sunburned person for having attended it.

Wildlife

Despite its modest size and low profile, Maralal National Reserve punches well above its weight when it comes to wildlife. Within the reserve’s boundaries, impala, eland, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, warthog, and baboon share the rocky landscape with predators including leopard and hyena- a rich and varied roster that rewards patient and attentive game viewing. Seasonally, elephant descend from the forested hills to the north, passing through the reserve in impressive numbers and adding a further dimension to what is already a rewarding wildlife destination.

The finest wildlife viewing experience in the reserve is from the terrace of the Maralal Safari Lodge, where game can be observed both by day and under floodlight after dark. The lodge has constructed a specially designed blind from which guests can observe leopards that are baited from a small nearby forest — one of the most reliably thrilling and intimate big cat encounters available anywhere in Kenya.

In every direction from Maralal town, the scenery is strikingly beautiful, and the sight of wildlife moving freely across a landscape shared with Samburu herders and their cattle is one of the most authentic and visually spectacular experiences the Kenyan wilderness has to offer.

The Samburu Warriors of Maralal

Samburu People

The communities surrounding Maralal are the Samburu  cousins of the Maasai, and one of Kenya’s most culturally vibrant and visually striking peoples. The Samburu warriors of Maralal live in remarkable harmony with their environment, sharing the land with the wildlife around them in a relationship of genuine and enduring symbiosis. Dressed in their traditional clothing — vivid reds and ochres, elaborate beadwork, and the unmistakable bearing of a proud warrior people — the Samburu of this region are a living reminder that the most extraordinary safari experiences are not always found in the wildlife itself, but in the people and cultures that have coexisted with Africa’s wilderness for centuries.

Adventures in and Around Maralal

Maralal is not merely a wildlife destination — it is an adventure hub for the northern Kenya wilderness. The surrounding landscape is ideally suited to camel safaris, which offer an extraordinarily immersive way to explore the desert terrain at the unhurried pace of these magnificent animals. Walking safaris are equally rewarding, allowing you to connect with the landscape at ground level in a way that no vehicle can replicate. And for those who want to push further into the dramatic scenery of the Ol Doinyo Lenkiyo Mountains, trekking safaris offer some of the most rewarding and least-trodden trails in the country.

Getting to Maralal

Maralal town is located 150 kilometers north of Nyahururu, on the northern edge of the Mount Kenya highlands. The reserve can be reached from Nyahururu via the C77 road, which is paved as far as Rumuruti before giving way to rougher terrain. Alternatively, Maralal is accessible from Isiolo via the A2, C79, and C78 roads, or from the southwest at Lake Baringo along the eastbound C78. There is typically one bus per day in each direction between Nyahururu and Maralal, and between Isiolo and Maralal. Vehicle traffic north of Nyahururu and west of Isiolo is limited, so planning your transport in advance is strongly advisable. Tours to Maralal can be arranged, though they are less widely offered than those to the better-known reserves of Samburu, Shaba, and Buffalo Springs to the east.

Basic Facts

• Size: Approximately 250 square kilometers
• Province: Rift Valley
• District: Baringo
• Location: Ol Doinyo Lenkiyo Mountains, north-central Kenya, surrounding Maralal town
• Altitude: 1,490 meters above sea level
• Vegetation: Rocky and dry terrain
• Wildlife: Impala, eland, buffalo, baboon, warthog, leopard, hyena, giraffe, zebra, and seasonal elephant
• Visitor Facilities: One lodge and campsite

Why Visit Maralal?

In a country blessed with extraordinary safari destinations, Maralal National Reserve stands apart precisely because of what it is not — crowded, commercialized, or overrun. It is a place where the wilderness feels genuinely wild, where the culture feels genuinely alive, and where the camel derby, if you time your visit right, will give you a story you will be telling for the rest of your life. For the traveler who wants to go beyond the obvious and discover Kenya’s best-kept secret, Maralal is the answer.

Let us at The Travel Cafe help you plan your Maralal adventure — whether combined with Samburu, Lake Baringo, or woven into a broader northern Kenya safari circuit that takes you deep into the wild heart of this extraordinary country.