Affordable Birthday Samburu Safari | 3 Days 2 Nights
Couple Packages
Birthdays
Samburu Elephant Lodge or similar
A birthday somewhere neither of you has been before
Our Affordable Birthday Samburu Safari trades the usual dinner out for three days in Kenya's dry north, with private game drives, rare wildlife and a birthday cake by the Ewaso Nyiro River.
Most birthdays follow the same script. This one starts at 6am in a safari van heading north, and by lunchtime you are somewhere that feels like a different country: red earth, doum palms, a wide sandy river and animals you will not see on a weekend trip to the Mara or Nakuru.
That is the point of Samburu. Its headline animals are the Samburu Special Five, Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, beisa oryx and Somali ostrich, all built for dry country and all worth the drive. Add elephants at the river, lions and leopards along its banks and a sky that goes on for miles, and a birthday here becomes the one you both talk about for years.
The drive is long, about five to six hours each way, so this is a trip for couples who enjoy the road as part of the adventure. In return you get your own van, your own driver guide and a full day in the reserve set around the birthday: the birthday person decides what you chase first, and the evening ends with cake and candles at dinner.
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
Where You Stay: Samburu Elephant Lodge is a small, privately owned lodge beside the Ewaso Nyiro, with just a few villas and cottages. It is run by people from the surrounding community, which gives it a warmth the big lodges struggle to match.
Pool With a View: Between game drives, the pool and its view over the river country are where the hottest hours of the day disappear.
Elephant Country: Herds come down to the river close to the lodge, and it is common to watch them from the grounds, particularly in the dry season.
Meals Taken Care Of: Full board means breakfast, lunch and dinner are sorted, with fresh, simple food and more than one place to eat with a view.
Your Own Van: A private tour van with a pop up roof and your own driver guide, so the day runs at your pace, not a group's.
The Birthday Chase: On the full game day, the birthday person picks the order in which you hunt for the Special Five, and your guide builds the drive around it.
Cake by the River: On the second evening, after the big day in the reserve, a birthday cake with candles comes out at dinner.
Package Itinerary
The package itinerary is as follows
Affordable Birthday Samburu Safari Itinerary with Baecation Adventures from Nairobi
Day 1: North to Samburu
Morning: An Early Start
We pick you up from your home or hotel in Nairobi at 6am and head north through Central Kenya. Mount Kenya often shows itself in the morning light, and there is a stop at the Equator in Nanyuki for coffee and a photo on the line.
Afternoon: Arrival and a First Drive
Past Isiolo the land turns dry and wide open. You reach the lodge for lunch, have time to settle in, then set out on your first game drive in the softer afternoon light.
Evening: A Quiet First Night
Dinner at the lodge and an early night, because tomorrow is the big one.
Day 2: The Birthday Game Day
Morning: The Birthday Person Chooses
Out at first light, when the animals are most active. The birthday person picks which of the Special Five to find first, and your guide sets off after it, gerenuk in the thorn bushes, oryx on the plains or reticulated giraffe browsing the acacia.
Afternoon: Pool, Lunch and Back Out
The heat of the day is for the pool and a slow lunch. Later you head out again along the Ewaso Nyiro, where elephants gather to drink and crocodiles lie still in the shallows.
Evening: Cake and Candles
Back at the lodge, dinner ends with a birthday cake and candles. Make a wish with the sounds of the river in the dark beyond the lights.
Day 3: One More Drive and Home
Morning: Last Look at the Reserve
A short early drive for anything still on the list, then breakfast and checkout.
Afternoon: Back Down South
The road home runs past Isiolo, Nanyuki and Mount Kenya, with a lunch stop along the way at your own cost.
Evening: Nairobi
We drop you at your home or hotel in the early evening, birthday well and truly celebrated.
Add Ons
Romantic Touches:
(Optional extras to make the birthday bigger.)
Birthday room setup on arrival with balloons, a card and flowers — 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
Birthday cake with candles at dinner on the second evening
- 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 small wrapped gift for the birthday, easy to hide in a day bag
Your national ID or passport, needed at the reserve gate
Light, neutral coloured clothing for game drives, plus a warm layer for early mornings
Swimwear for the lodge pool
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.