Affordable Surprise Samburu Safari | 3 Days 2 Nights
Couple Packages
Surprises
Samburu Elephant Lodge or similar
They know you are going somewhere. They do not know where.
Our Affordable Surprise Samburu Safari lets you whisk your partner away to Kenya's wild north without telling them where, with the destination revealed at the Equator and a room by the Ewaso Nyiro waiting at the end of the road.
All your partner needs to know is to be ready at 6am with a bag packed for warm days and cool mornings. You know the rest. A private van is taking the two of you north, five to six hours from Nairobi, to Samburu, a reserve on the Ewaso Nyiro River that rarely makes the usual couples' list and is hard to forget once you have been.
The surprise comes in two parts. At the Equator in Nanyuki, where every traveller stops for a photo, you hand over a sealed envelope. Inside is a card with one word: Samburu. Then, at the lodge, your guide keeps them busy while the room is checked, and you walk them in with their eyes covered. When you let go, the view is the river, and the room is set with petals, candles and a card.
From that moment the trip belongs to both of you: three days of private game drives in search of the Samburu Special Five, Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, beisa oryx and Somali ostrich, afternoons by the pool and evenings listening to the river in the dark.
Details
Summary information about this package
Samburu Elephant Lodge or similar
Samburu
Couples
Included
Road
For Adults only (18+)
Full-board
Included
All year round
Costs
Kenyan Citizen
Ksh. 82900 per person sharing
Non-resident
$ 1043 per person sharing
Transport
Options: Road
Duration and Timing
No
3 Days 2 Nights
About Package
More information about this package
Your Lodge: Samburu Elephant Lodge is a small, privately owned lodge on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro, with only a few villas and cottages. Run by people from the local community, it is quiet and personal, exactly right for a reveal.
The Envelope at the Equator: We prepare a sealed card naming the destination and hand it to you before the trip, ready to give your partner at the Equator stop in Nanyuki.
The Walk In: At the lodge, your partner walks into the room with their eyes covered. The first thing they see is the river view and a room set with petals, candles and a card.
A Guide on Your Side: Your driver guide is briefed in advance, so nothing slips out on the road and the timing of both reveals runs smoothly.
Elephants at the River: Herds come to drink near the lodge and are often seen from the grounds, sometimes within the first hour of arrival.
Pool Above the River: The pool faces out across the river country, the natural place to spend the hot middle of each day.
Full Board: Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included, so once the surprise is out, there is nothing left to plan.
Package Itinerary
The package itinerary is as follows
Affordable Surprise Samburu Safari Itinerary with Baecation Adventures from Nairobi
Day 1: The Mystery Drive
Morning: Destination Unknown
We collect you both from your home or hotel in Nairobi at 6am. Your partner knows they are going somewhere. As the van heads north past Mount Kenya, let them guess. At the Equator in Nanyuki, hand over the envelope.
Afternoon: The Walk In
Past Isiolo the land turns dry and red. At the lodge, cover their eyes and walk them into a room dressed with petals and candles, facing the river. After lunch together, your first game drive heads out into the reserve.
Evening: The First Night
Dinner at the lodge, with the whole story of how you kept the secret finally out in the open.
Day 2: The Reserve Together
Morning: First Light
Out early, when the animals are most active, to find the Special Five on the open plains and in the thorn bushes along the river.
Afternoon: Pool and River
Back for lunch and the pool through the heat of the day, then a late afternoon drive along the Ewaso Nyiro, where elephants come to drink and crocodiles rest on the sandbanks.
Evening: Dinner by the River
A relaxed dinner at the lodge after a full day in the reserve.
Day 3: Home Again
Morning: A Final Drive
One last short game drive, then breakfast and checkout.
Afternoon: The Road South
Back past Isiolo, Nanyuki and Mount Kenya, with a lunch stop along the way at your own cost.
Evening: Back in Nairobi
We drop you both at your home or hotel in the early evening, with the kind of surprise that gets retold for years.
Add Ons
Romantic Touches:
(Optional extras to make the surprise bigger.)
Wine or champagne waiting in the room — price on request
Riverside sundowner or bush dinner — price on request
Upgrade Your Stay:
(Priced per couple for the full stay, on top of the package price.)
Samburu Intrepids, riverside tented camp, full board — KES 26,300 per couple, USD on request (November to December rates, other dates on request)
Basecamp Samburu, Kalama Conservancy, full board with house drinks, shared day and night game drives — KES 78,600 ($2,543) per couple (low season rates)
Upgrade Your Ride:
Toyota Land Cruiser Safari Van for all three days — KES 64,300 ($643) per couple
Culture:
Samburu cultural village visit — price on request
+ Inclusions
Private Toyota Hiace tour van with pop up roof and a driver guide for all three days, including fuel and the vehicle's park fees
Pickup and drop off at your home or hotel in Nairobi
2 nights at Samburu Elephant Lodge or similar, cottage room, full board
Samburu National Reserve entry fees for two
Game drives on all three days
Surprise plan agreed with you in advance and your driver guide fully briefed
Sealed destination card for the reveal at the Equator
Arrival room setup with petals, candles and a card for the eyes covered walk in
- Exclusions
Drinks at the lodge
Lunch on the drive home on day three
Entry to Buffalo Springs or Shaba National Reserves, and any conservancy fees
Samburu cultural village visit
Tips for your driver guide and lodge staff
Travel insurance
High season supplement (July to October and mid December to early January)
Add ons and anything of a personal nature
What To Carry
A packing list for your partner that gives nothing away: light clothes, swimwear, a warm layer and a hat
A scarf or eye mask for the walk in
Both of your national IDs or passports, needed at the reserve gate
Light, neutral coloured clothing for game drives
A wide brimmed hat, sunglasses and high SPF sunscreen
Binoculars and a camera with a zoom lens
Insect repellent and any personal medication
A power bank for the long drive
Cash in small notes for tips
Book This Package
Reach out:
For enquiries or bookings, write to [email protected]. We’ll revert within 20 minutes during business hours.