11 Day Kenya Safari from Samburu to Diani Beach

An 11 day Kenya safari beach plan that starts in Samburu is for travellers who want more than the standard southern circuit. You begin with the dry north, move to the Mara and Amboseli, and finish on the sand.

You travel in a private pop up roof 4×4 with a driver guide. Samburu gives you rare species and quiet game drives. The Mara and Amboseli bring the classic scenes. Three nights at Diani Beach round it off.

Below you find the day by day plan, three price tiers, fees and the practical details that matter on a long, varied trip.

Highlights

• Samburu’s Special Five, including Grevy’s zebra and gerenuk
• Two nights in the Mara for big cats
• Amboseli elephants with Kilimanjaro views
• Three beach nights at Diani, with a flight from Nairobi
• Quiet northern parks and busier southern ones in one trip
• Private 4×4 with a pop up roof on safari

Day by day plan

1. Day 1

   Nairobi to Samburu

   You leave Nairobi at 7 am and drive north past Nyeri, Nanyuki and Isiolo, with Mount Kenya on your right. The drive takes 6 to 7 hours with a lunch stop. You reach camp in the late afternoon, in time for a short game drive along the Ewaso Nyiro River.

2. Day 2

   Full day in Samburu

   You spend the day on game drives from first light. Samburu holds Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, beisa oryx and Somali ostrich. Elephants drink at the river, and leopards rest in the riverside trees. You return for a rest at camp at midday.

3. Day 3

   Samburu to Nairobi

   After a sunrise game drive you drive back to Nairobi, about 6 to 7 hours. You sleep in a city hotel, with time for a shower and a proper dinner. You can also fly from Samburu to Nairobi for a supplement.

4. Day 4

   Nairobi to the Masai Mara

   You leave at 6:30 am and drive 5 to 6 hours to the Mara, with a stop at the Rift Valley viewpoint. You reach camp for lunch and go out on a first game drive in the afternoon.

5. Day 5

   Full day in the Masai Mara

   A full day of game drives from first light, with a picnic lunch on the plains. Your guide looks for lion prides, cheetah, elephants and hippos at the river.

6. Day 6

   Mara to Nairobi

   After a short dawn game drive and breakfast you drive back to Nairobi, about 5 to 6 hours. You sleep in a city hotel and repack for the next leg.

7. Day 7

   Nairobi to Amboseli

   You drive 4 to 5 hours to Amboseli. After lunch at camp you go out on a game drive for elephants in the swamps and Kilimanjaro on the horizon.

8. Day 8

   Amboseli to Nairobi and fly to Diani

   After a dawn game drive you drive about 4 hours to Nairobi and fly to Ukunda, about an hour and ten minutes. A driver takes you to your Diani hotel. If flights are full, we add a Nairobi night.

9. Day 9

   Beach day at Diani

   This is a free day. Swim, snorkel on the reef, read or sleep. The hotel has a pool, a spa and a seafood restaurant.

10. Day 10

    Wasini and Kisite, or a free day

    Take the optional dhow trip to Wasini Island and Kisite Marine Park for dolphins and snorkelling, about USD 120 per person. Or spend a second quiet day on the sand.

11. Day 11

    Diani to Nairobi and home

    After breakfast a driver takes you to Ukunda airport for your flight to Nairobi. You connect to your onward flight, or we drop you at a hotel.

11 Day Kenya Safari Beach, guide price per person sharing, USD, low season

• Guide price per person sharing, confirmed in writing on WhatsApp before any payment
• Low season (Apr to Jun, Nov) shown, with Mara fees of USD 100 per day
• Jul to Oct and Dec add about USD 350 to 600 per person for higher Mara fees and beach rates
• Christmas and New Year dates carry a surcharge, confirm at booking

Get my exact price on WhatsApp

Why Start in Samburu

Most first time visitors go straight to the Mara. This 11 day Kenya safari beach plan starts north because Samburu is quiet, dry and full of animals you cannot see elsewhere. It suits repeat visitors who already know the Mara.

It also eases you into safari life, with long views and few vehicles. If you want a shorter northern taste, see our 3 day Samburu safari.

You also get a quieter first few days. That helps if you are tired after a long flight, because Samburu rewards slow, careful game drives rather than long chases across crowded plains on an 11 day Kenya safari beach plan.

How Much Does an 11 Day Kenya Safari Beach Cost?

Prices start at USD 3,400 per person for six people sharing a budget tier in low season. Two people in mid range pay about USD 5,190 each, and two people in luxury about USD 6,375.

The price includes the vehicle, guide, 10 nights, park fees and flights to and from Diani. See our safari cost and prices page for what moves the price.

Mid range is the most popular tier, because Samburu river camps and the Diani resort add real comfort for a modest step up. Budget works well if you spend most of the day out in the vehicle.

The Park Fees on This Route

Fees are per adult per day for non residents and are included. They are approximate, so we confirm the current figures at booking.

Camps outside a park gate may add a small community fee, and we list any extra in your quote.

• Samburu and Buffalo Springs: about USD 70 to 80 per day
• Masai Mara: USD 100 a day Jan to Jun, USD 200 a day Jul to Dec
• Amboseli: about USD 90 a day
• Children 9 to 17 pay about half, and under 9s are free in most parks

Samburu’s Special Five

Samburu has five species you will not find in the Mara. Grevy’s zebra has narrow stripes and large round ears. Reticulated giraffe has a bold net pattern. The gerenuk stands on its hind legs to eat. Beisa oryx has long straight horns. The Somali ostrich has blue legs.

The river is the lifeline. Elephants bathe, crocodiles bask and leopards hunt along the banks. Read our 5 day Samburu, Ol Pejeta and Lake Nakuru safari if you want a northern focus.

Samburu is also home to the Samburu people, close relatives of the Maasai. A village visit costs about USD 20 to 30 per person and gives a respectful look at beadwork, dance and daily life on an 11 day Kenya safari beach plan.

Best Time for an 11 Day Kenya Safari Beach

Jun to Oct and Jan to Mar are dry, with the best game viewing in Samburu and the Mara. Jul to Oct is the Mara migration window. The coast is best Jan to Mar and Jul to Oct.

Nov and Dec bring short rains. Apr and May are wettest, with the lowest rates. See the Kenya safari month by month guide to plan your month.

Heat in Samburu can reach 35 degrees by day, so an 11 day Kenya safari beach plan uses early starts and long midday rests at camp.

The Beach at Diani

Diani is a long strip of white sand about 30 km south of Mombasa, with a coral reef offshore. Budget stays are simple beach hotels with half board. Mid range uses resorts with a spa. Luxury uses boutique or five star beach resorts.

See our Diani Beach holiday packages for typical hotels, and the Kenya safari and beach holiday page for other lengths.

Three nights is the right amount for most guests. It is long enough to rest, and short enough that the safari stays fresh in your memory when you fly home.

Drive Times, Flights and Who This Suits

This plan has two Nairobi nights, which break the long roads. The longest drives are Day 1 and Day 3 north, at 6 to 7 hours each, and Day 4 and Day 6 to the Mara, at 5 to 6 hours.

If you want to avoid the north road, we can fly you to Samburu for a supplement. See Kenya fly in safaris for prices.

An 11 day Kenya safari beach plan suits repeat visitors, honeymooners and keen wildlife watchers. It also suits photographers who want varied light and landscape. It is not ideal for first timers who want the simplest route, because the north adds time.

First timers may prefer the 10 day Kenya safari.

Highlights Park by Park

Each stage of an 11 day Kenya safari beach plan has its own reward, and the contrast is the point of the route.

• Samburu: Grevy’s zebra, gerenuk, beisa oryx and leopards by the river
• Masai Mara: lion prides, cheetah, hippo pools and big herds from Jul to Oct
• Amboseli: elephants in the swamps and Kilimanjaro views
• Diani: white sand, warm water, reef snorkelling and Colobus monkeys

Health, Packing and Insurance

Take malaria tablets for the safari and the coast. Pack layers for cool Mara mornings, light cotton for Samburu, swimwear for Diani and a hat for every stage. Insurance should include evacuation and trip cancellation.

Use our Kenya safari packing checklist and our vaccinations and malaria guide to prepare for your 11 day Kenya safari beach plan.

Booking an 11 Day Kenya Safari Beach

Send your dates, group size and tier on WhatsApp at +254 720 731957. We reply with a written quote.

Book Jul to Oct and Dec to Jan trips six months ahead. Low season trips often work with a month of notice.

Tell us about children, dietary needs and special occasions. A private beach dinner or a room upgrade can often be arranged for your 11 day Kenya safari beach plan.

How to book your 11 day Kenya safari beach

Booking your 11 day Kenya safari beach with us takes about five minutes of your time. The rest is our job. Here is exactly what happens, step by step, so there are no surprises along the way.

1. Send your dates. Message us on WhatsApp with your travel dates, how many people are coming and the ages of any children. Tell us if you have a budget in mind. We plan with it, not around it.
2. Get a written quote. We reply with a clear price per person, what it includes and what it does not. No hidden park fees and no vague extras. If a cheaper camp or a shorter route makes more sense, we say so.
3. Tweak it until it fits. Change a camp, add a night or swap a park. Ask as many questions as you like. Changes cost nothing until you confirm.
4. Confirm with a deposit. A deposit holds your vehicle, guide and rooms. You get a written confirmation with every detail and the date the balance is due.
5. Travel day. Your driver guide meets you at your hotel or the airport with a name board. You have their number and ours for the whole trip.

What every trip with us includes

Every 11 day Kenya safari beach plan we put together comes with the basics done properly. You ride in a safari vehicle with a pop up roof, with a professional driver guide who knows the parks. Water is in the cooler box, and park fees are sorted in advance so you do not stand in a queue at the gate.

We also stay reachable. If something changes on the road, a flat tyre, a closed route or a sudden storm, we sort it and keep you posted on WhatsApp.

Paying safely

We share payment details in writing only, and every payment gets a receipt. The payment options and the balance date sit on your written quote, so nothing is left to memory or a phone call.

Why book with a Nairobi team

We live here. We drive these roads all year, we know which camps are honest about their photos, and we know when a park is too busy to enjoy. That local knowledge is what turns a good 11 day Kenya safari beach into a great one. Our Google rating sits at 5.0 from 46 reviews, and we plan to keep it that way.

Ready when you are. Send us a message and we will put a plan together for you shortly.

Questions people ask

Official information: Magical Kenya, the official Kenya tourism site.

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