2 Day Samburu Safari from Nairobi

A 2 day Samburu safari is a tight but rewarding trip. You trade a long road day for one night on the Ewaso Ng’iro river and a sunrise drive among animals you cannot see in the south.

Samburu sits about 345 km north of Nairobi in dry, rocky country. Here you find reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, gerenuk and Somali ostrich, along with elephants, lions and leopards. You travel in your own pop up roof 4×4 with a driver guide.

This page is honest about what two days can and cannot do. It shows the plan, what you pay and when a third night makes more sense. Send your dates on WhatsApp and we quote the same day.

Highlights

• Samburu Special Five wildlife you do not see in the Mara
• One night beside the Ewaso Ng’iro river
• Private pop up roof 4×4 and one driver guide throughout
• Sunrise and afternoon game drives on a 2 day Samburu safari that makes the most of every hour
• Budget, mid range or luxury lodging on the river
• Reserve fees included, with a flight option for the road legs

Day by day plan

1. Day 1

   Nairobi to Samburu

   You leave Nairobi at about 6 am to beat the traffic. The road runs north through Thika, Nyeri and Nanyuki, where you stop for coffee at the equator. After Isiolo the land turns dry and red. You reach Archer’s Post gate in the early afternoon and check in at your lodge for lunch. At about 4 pm you set out on your first game drive along the river. Elephants bathe at dusk and leopards start to stir. You return at sunset for dinner while hippos grunt in the river.

2. Day 2

   Sunrise drive and return

   You leave camp at about 6:30 am for the best light and the most active animals. Your guide checks the riverbank for lions and leopards and the open plains for gerenuk and oryx. You return at about 9 am for breakfast and checkout. The drive back to Nairobi takes about 6 to 7 hours with a lunch stop at Nanyuki or Naro Moru. You reach the city in the early evening, so plan flights after 9 pm.

2 Day Samburu Safari, 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 and Nov) shown, with the reserve fee at about USD 70 to 80 per day
• Jul to Oct and the festive weeks add about 10 to 20 percent
• A flight in or out of Samburu adds about USD 300 to 400 per person return, confirm at booking

Get my exact price on WhatsApp

Is a 2 day Samburu safari Worth It?

Yes, if you accept the pace of a 2 day Samburu safari from Nairobi. Roughly 13 of your 36 hours go on the road. You still see two game drives, a night on the river and a full set of Samburu species. For many travellers that is a good trade for a weekend.

If you can take a day more, our 3 day Samburu safari adds a full day of game drives and costs about USD 130 more per person at six guests. A 2 day Samburu safari suits tight schedules, while the longer plan gives you real depth.

How Much Is a 2 day Samburu safari?

Our guide prices start at USD 520 per person for six people sharing a budget plan in low season. Two people on a mid range plan pay about USD 810 each. Two people on a luxury plan pay about USD 990.

The price of a 2 day Samburu safari covers the vehicle, guide, one night on full board and the reserve fees. Samburu fees for non residents run about USD 70 to 80 per day, confirm at booking. Our Kenya national park entry fees guide compares them with other parks.

Most of the cost of a 2 day Samburu safari is the distance. We drive about 700 km return and fuel and driver time add up. Sharing the vehicle across four to six guests brings the price down fast.

The Samburu Special Five

Samburu holds five species that are rare or absent in the south. They are the reticulated giraffe with its sharp patchwork coat, Grevy’s zebra with narrow stripes, the Somali ostrich with blue legs, the gerenuk that stands on two legs to feed and the beisa oryx.

Look for them in the dry riverbed and on the open plains. Most travellers from the south have never seen these species, so they feel like a new continent compared with the Mara. Our guide to Kenya safari animals lists where each species lives.

The Ewaso Ng’iro River

The river is the lifeline of the reserve. Elephants gather at the water in the morning and evening. Crocodiles bask on the sandbanks and leopards use the doum palms along the bank.

On a 2 day Samburu safari you spend most of your drive time along the river, because that is where the animals are. Lions sometimes rest under bushes near the water in the heat of the day. Samburu also has a strong elephant population and researchers have followed many families for decades.

The Road North and Flying Instead

The road is paved to Isiolo and mostly good after it. The last 40 km to the gate can be bumpy, so sit near the front if you get carsick. Your guide stops for fuel, toilets and snacks at Nanyuki and Isiolo, which are the last big towns before the reserve. Phone signal fades after Isiolo. Traffic at Nanyuki and Isiolo adds time on weekends.

If the drive sounds like too much, you can fly from Wilson Airport to the Samburu airstrip in about 75 minutes. A flight adds about USD 300 to 400 per person return and gives you extra game time. See our Kenya fly in safaris page for fly in options.

Where You Stay

Lodges and camps sit on the riverbank, so you hear elephants from your bed. The tier you pick for your 2 day Samburu safari sets the comfort. See our guide to lodge versus tented camp versus camping for what each style feels like.

• Budget: simple riverside tents or rooms with hot water and full meals
• Mid range: tented lodge with private bathrooms and a deck over the river
• Luxury: riverside camp with spacious tents, a pool and a bar

Best Time for a 2 day Samburu safari

Samburu is hot and dry for most of the year. Jun to Oct and Jan to Mar are the driest months and game viewing is easy because the animals gather at the river. Nov and Dec bring short rains and greener land. Apr and May are the wet months with fewer visitors.

Mornings are cool and afternoons are hot, often above 30 degrees Celsius. A 2 day Samburu safari in the hottest months, Jan and Feb, means long rests at midday, so plan your drives early and late. See our best time to visit Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda guide for the wider picture.

How to Make the Most of Two Days

Preparation matters more on a short trip. Sleep well before Day 1, since you leave at dawn. Pack a small day bag with water, snacks and a camera so you can open the roof as soon as you pass the gate. Charge your batteries the night before, since you will take hundreds of photos in the dry light. Download maps and a bird list to your phone, because signal is weak in the reserve.

Ask your guide to focus on the river and the open plains instead of ticking off every species. Quality time at one good sighting beats three quick stops. Ask for a longer stop whenever you want one, because on a private trip the schedule is yours. Tell us your priorities when you book and we shape the plan around them.

Keep your expectations realistic. A 2 day Samburu safari shows you the northern special species and a taste of the dry country. It does not replace a longer trip for leopards, cheetah hunts or the Buffalo Springs side.

The Samburu are cousins of the Maasai and live around the reserve. A visit adds a human side to a 2 day Samburu safari that would otherwise be all wildlife. Many lodges employ local guides and sometimes arrange a short visit to a village. You see beadwork, dances and homes made from branches and hide.

A village visit costs about USD 20 to 30 per person, paid at the village and it fits into the afternoon on Day 1 only if you arrive early. Our Kenya cultural safaris page explains how we run cultural visits with respect.

Health and Packing

Samburu is a malaria area, so see your doctor before travel and pack repellent. Bring a hat, sunscreen and a scarf for dust. Light neutral clothes work best, with a fleece for early mornings.

Our Kenya safari packing checklist lists everything and the Kenya vaccinations and malaria guide covers health notes.

Book Your 2 day Samburu safari

Send your dates, group size and budget for your 2 day Samburu safari on WhatsApp at +254 720 731957. We reply with a written quote and a lodge shortlist, usually within a few hours. A deposit holds your trip and you can pay the balance in instalments.

If you want more time in the north, see our 4 to 6 day Samburu and Ol Pejeta safari or browse the full list of safari packages.

How to book your 2 day Samburu safari

Booking your 2 day Samburu safari 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 2 day Samburu safari 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 2 day Samburu safari 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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