Our Affordable Romantic Samburu Safari Packages take couples north
from Nairobi to the Ewaso Nyiro River for private game drives, rare
wildlife and quiet riverside nights, with a package built around every
kind of occasion.
Affordable
Romantic Samburu Safari Packages for Couples
Many Kenyan couples have done the Mara, Naivasha or the
coast. Far fewer have made the trip north of Mount Kenya to Samburu, and
that is exactly why it works so well for two. Here the country is dry
and wide open, red earth and doum palms cut through by the Ewaso Nyiro
River, and the wildlife is unlike anything on the southern safari
circuit.
This guide explains what makes Samburu different, how the trip
actually works, what it costs and which of our seven couples packages
fits your occasion.
Why Samburu for Couples
Samburu
National Reserve sits on the northern bank of the Ewaso Nyiro, in
Samburu County, about 350 kilometres north of Nairobi. It is a smaller,
quieter reserve than the Mara, and that quiet is a large part of its
appeal. Game drives are less crowded, evenings are spent listening to
the river rather than a crowd, and the lodges tend to be small.
At the heart of it all is the river. Through the dry months, elephant
herds come down to drink and cross, crocodiles lie out on the sandbanks
and lions and leopards work the thick cover along the banks. Sitting on
a lodge terrace watching elephants in the river at sunset is the kind of
shared moment a couples trip is really for.
The Samburu Special Five
What makes Samburu worth the drive is a group of animals built for
dry country, known together as the Samburu Special Five. You will not
find all five together on the Masai Mara or at Lake
Nakuru.
Grevy’s zebra: larger than the common plains zebra, with narrow,
closely set stripes, a white belly and big rounded ears. It is an
endangered species, and northern Kenya holds most of the wild
population.
Reticulated giraffe: patterned with large, clean edged brown patches
separated by thin white lines, very different from the blotchy Masai
giraffe of the south.
Gerenuk: a slender, long necked antelope that stands upright on its
hind legs to reach acacia leaves, one of the strangest and most
memorable sights in the reserve.
Beisa oryx: a desert antelope with long, straight horns and striking
black and white face markings.
Somali ostrich: the males have blue grey necks and legs rather than
the pink of the common ostrich.
Lions, leopards, cheetahs and large elephant herds live here too,
though there are no rhino inside the reserve itself. Samburu is not a
Big Five destination, and we would rather tell you that plainly. Its
real draw is the Special Five and the river.
How the Trip Works
All seven packages leave from Nairobi in your own private Toyota
Hiace tour van with a pop up roof and a driver guide who stays with you
for the whole trip. Expect about five to six hours on the road, passing
Mount Kenya and crossing the Equator at Nanyuki, where every trip stops
for a photo, before the land turns dry and red beyond Isiolo.
We will be honest about the road. It is long, and it bookends a short
trip. In return, you arrive in time for lunch and an afternoon game
drive on the first day, the van and guide are yours alone for every
drive, and the price stays far below what flying costs. Game drives run
in the cool of the morning and late afternoon, and the hot middle of the
day belongs to the lodge pool.
Where You Stay
Our packages are based at Samburu Elephant Lodge or similar, a small,
privately owned lodge on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro with only a
handful of villas and cottages. People from the local community run it,
it has a pool looking out over the river country, and elephants are
often seen from the grounds. Stays are full board, so breakfast, lunch
and dinner are all included.
If you want to spend a little more, each package offers upgrades to
Samburu Intrepids, a riverside tented camp inside the reserve, or to
Basecamp Samburu in Kalama Conservancy, where night game drives are
possible. Our Honeymoon
package adds Saruni Samburu, a lodge built into a rocky hillside
with sweeping views over the north.
Our Seven Samburu Couples
Packages
Every package includes your private van and driver guide, full board
accommodation, Samburu National Reserve entry fees for two and game
drives on every day. Prices are per person, low season, for Kenyan
citizens and residents, with non resident prices shown on each package
page. All are from prices, confirmed against your dates when you
book.
Affordable
Anniversary Samburu Safari, 3 Days 2 Nights, from KES 82,900 per
person
Some anniversaries deserve more than a dinner out. This one takes you
five to six hours north, to a small lodge on the Ewaso Nyiro River. Your
private van and driver guide stay with you for all three days. Nobody
else sets the pace.
On arrival, your room is dressed for the occasion. Petals, candles, a
small cake and a card are waiting. The second day is spent in the
reserve, searching for the Samburu Special Five. Elephants gather at the
river in the late afternoon.
That evening, you exchange letters written before the trip. The river
turns gold below you as you read them. It costs nothing, yet it tends to
be the moment couples remember most. Dinner follows at the lodge, and
the road home can wait until morning.
Affordable
Birthday Samburu Safari, 3 Days 2 Nights, from KES 82,900 per
person
A birthday in Samburu swaps the usual script for something neither of
you has done before. The day begins at 6am, heading north past Mount
Kenya. Lunch is waiting at the lodge, and the first game drive follows.
By sunset, the city feels far away.
Day two belongs to the birthday person. They choose which of the
Special Five to hunt first. Gerenuk, oryx or reticulated giraffe, your
guide builds the drive around the pick. Midday is for the pool and a
slow lunch.
After the afternoon drive, dinner ends with a birthday cake and
candles. Make a wish with the river sounding in the dark. Pack a small
wrapped gift in your day bag for the moment. Birthdays rarely get better
than this.
Affordable
Proposal Samburu Safari, 3 Days 2 Nights, from KES 82,900 per
person
As far as your partner knows, this is a safari. Three days in
Samburu, a private van and a riverside lodge make the perfect cover.
Only you know what happens on the second morning. We brief your driver
guide before you leave Nairobi.
At first light, the van stops where elephants come down to drink.
Your guide raises the roof and suddenly finds the engine very
interesting. You stand up through the hatch together. The sun comes up
over the doum palms, and you ask.
If the wildlife does not cooperate, a sunset backup at the lodge is
ready. After the yes, the day slows right down. Messages home, the pool
and an afternoon drive fill the hours. That evening, your table is set
with candles, flowers and a small cake for your first dinner
engaged.
Affordable
Surprise Samburu Safari, 3 Days 2 Nights, from KES 82,900 per
person
Your partner only needs to know one thing: be ready at 6am. You know
the rest. A private van heads north, and they get to guess the
destination the whole way. Let them.
At the Equator in Nanyuki, you hand over a sealed envelope. Inside is
one word: Samburu. The second reveal comes at the lodge. You walk them
in with their eyes covered, and the first thing they see is the
river.
Petals, candles and a card are waiting in the room. From there, the
trip belongs to both of you. Two more days bring game drives, the pool
and quiet evenings by the water. It is the kind of surprise that gets
retold for years.
Affordable
Vacation Samburu Safari, 3 Days 2 Nights, from KES 82,900 per
person
Already done the Mara or Naivasha? Samburu is where Kenya starts to
surprise you again. The land north of Mount Kenya is dry, red and huge.
Ololokwe, a flat topped mountain, watches over the plains.
A fruit platter and welcome card wait in your room on arrival. Day
two covers both sides of the reserve. Mornings on the open plains bring
Grevy’s zebra, oryx and Somali ostrich. Afternoons along the river bring
elephants, gerenuk and crocodiles.
Between drives, the pool and a long lunch take over. No emails, no
traffic and no alarms beyond the early game drive. Three days here feel
longer than a week at home. Bring a list and tick off the Special Five
as you go.
Affordable
Getaway Samburu Safari, 3 Days 2 Nights, from KES 78,600 per
person
Not every trip needs a reason. Sometimes you both just need to be
somewhere else for a while. Samburu is about as far from ordinary life
as a long weekend can take you. It is also our most affordable Samburu
package.
There is no programme to keep up with. Game drives run at the cool
ends of the day, in your own private van. The hot hours belong to the
pool, a book and each other. Elephants often drink at the river near the
lodge.
On the second night, step out after dinner and look up. Far from any
big city, the northern sky fills with stars. A room setup or a riverside
sundowner can be added if you want to make more of it. Otherwise, simply
enjoy the quiet.
Affordable
Honeymoon Samburu Safari, 4 Days 3 Nights, from KES 115,000 per
person
After months of wedding planning, the last thing you need is another
schedule. Samburu gives you the opposite. This package runs four days
and three nights, one more than the others. That extra day is the whole
point.
Your room is dressed for newlyweds when you arrive. Day two is for
the reserve and the Special Five. Day three has no alarm at all. Sleep
in, swim, read and head out only for a golden hour drive.
Want something grander? Upgrade to the Saruni Samburu Honeymoon Villa
in Kalama Conservancy. House drinks, sundowners, and day and night game
drives come included. Either way, your private van and guide stay with
you all four days.
Prefer to
Fly? Try Our Romantic
Samburu Flying Safari
The road north is beautiful, but it is long. Flying swaps five to six
hours on the road for about an hour in the air. You board a light
aircraft at Wilson Airport in the morning. Mount Kenya slides past the
window on the way.
At Kalama airstrip, your camp guide is waiting. Home for two nights
is Samburu Intrepids, a tented camp on the Ewaso Nyiro inside the
reserve. Each tent sits on a raised deck with a four poster bed and a
river view. Two game drives a day are included, in the camp’s open sided
vehicles.
Prices start from KES 152,100 per person for travel between 1
November and 22 December 2026. Transfers to Wilson Airport can be added.
Extra nights are available too. Other dates are quoted on request.
When to Go
Wildlife viewing is best in the dry seasons, June to October and
January to March, when animals gather along the Ewaso Nyiro. April to
May and November are wetter and greener, with fewer visitors and lower
lodge rates. Our headline prices are low season. Travel from July to
October or over Christmas and New Year carries a high season supplement,
which we confirm when you book.
Frequently Asked Questions about Affordable Romantic Samburu Safaris With Baecation Adventures.
How far is Samburu from Nairobi?
About 350
kilometres, or five to six hours by road through Nanyuki and Isiolo. By
air, the flight from Wilson Airport takes roughly an hour to an hour and
a half, depending on stops.
Can we see the Big Five in Samburu?
Not all five.
Elephants, lions and leopards are seen regularly and buffalo less often,
but there are no rhino inside the reserve. Samburu is about the Special
Five instead.
Are park fees included in the packages?
Yes. Samburu
National Reserve entry fees for both of you are included in every
package price. Buffalo Springs and Shaba charge separate tickets and are
not included.
Is the game drive vehicle private?
On all seven road
packages, yes. The van and driver guide are yours for the whole trip. On
the flying
package, game drives are in the camp’s own vehicles, with a private
vehicle available on request.
Can we do a night game drive?
Night drives are not
allowed inside Samburu National Reserve itself, but they are offered in
neighbouring conservancies such as Kalama. Our Basecamp Samburu and
Saruni Samburu upgrades include them.
Can we visit a Samburu village?
Of course. A
cultural village visit can be added to any package. Ask us and we will
confirm the current arrangements and price.
Ready to Go North?
Pick the package that fits your occasion, or talk to us about building your own.
Call +254 725 300 400 or +254 727 44 77 00, or message us on WhatsApp, and we will confirm
availability and your final price for your dates.
