Samburu Safari Packages: Road or Fly-In, and How to Add the Mara

Entice Africa October 9, 2026Safari Packages | Booking | Entice Business Insights

Samburu safari packages give you two to three nights beside the Ewaso Ng’iro River in northern Kenya, reached by a five-to-six-hour drive from Nairobi (330 km, about 205 miles) or by a flight of roughly an hour. Samburu is dry, quiet river country with animals you rarely see further south, so we think it works best as one leg of a longer trip.

Below we compare the road and fly-in routes, show how many days each plan needs and set out three ways to add the Maasai Mara. Every Entice safari is private, with your own 4×4 and guide, and every price here is a starting point that depends on season, group size and lodge choice.

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At a glance

All prices are per person, two sharing. Each is the lowest-season rate (April to June); the cost section below shows how prices rise in other months.

What a Samburu safari is like, and when to go

Samburu National Reserve covers about 165 square kilometers (64 square miles), and the Ewaso Ng’iro River runs through its middle. In dry country the river is the draw: elephants, big cats and antelope come down to it, so most game drives follow its banks. Buffalo Springs reserve lies across the river, and the area is quieter than the big southern parks.

The headline attraction is the Samburu Special Five: Grévy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, beisa oryx and gerenuk, five dry-country species that are largely absent from the southern parks. Our guide to the Samburu Special Five covers each one. You also see elephants, lions, leopards and cheetahs. You will not see the migration here, and for rhinos Ol Pejeta is the better place, which is why our road itinerary adds it.

When to go

Samburu is at its best in the dry months, roughly July to October and January to March, when animals gather along the river and are easier to find. The long rains fall in April and May, when the scenery is green, rates are lowest and a few camps close for part of the season. For other parks and months, see our guide to the best time to visit Kenya for a safari.

If you add the Mara, July to October puts you there for the Great Migration. It is also our peak-price period.

Road or fly-in: how to get to Samburu

Both routes work. The choice comes down to days and luggage.

By road

On our 10-day itinerary you land in Nairobi on day 1, drive north on day 2 and reach your Samburu camp in the early afternoon, in time for a late-afternoon game drive. The road climbs through the central highlands, passes the equator sign at Nanyuki and drops into red thorn country after Isiolo. The full loop to the Mara has five road days, none longer than about six and a half hours, with no flights and no weight limit on your bags.

By light aircraft

Flights leave from Wilson Airport in Nairobi. Safarilink’s published timetable has Wilson-to-Samburu flights taking between 1 hour and 1 hour 35 minutes from departure to arrival, and our 8-day fly-in itinerary allows about 1 hour 15 minutes. Our 7-day Untamed Skies fly-in safari is built around this. You fly into Samburu for three nights, fly on to Meru for two and finish at Ol Pejeta, then fly home from Nanyuki. One transfer, Meru to Ol Pejeta, can go by road or air, and your planner confirms which when you ask for a quote.

Luggage is the catch. Safarilink limits bags to 15 kg per person including hand baggage, in soft bags, and we advise packing to the same limit on any light-aircraft leg. Camera gear counts toward the weight.

How many days do you need in Samburu?

Our advice is two nights as a minimum and three as the sweet spot. That gives you dawn and late-afternoon drives on the river, when animals are most active, with a rest at camp through the midday heat, which is often above 30°C (86°F). Many packages online run three days and two nights, which by road leaves little time in the reserve. Beyond three nights, variety beats extra nights: add Meru, Ol Pejeta or the Mara rather than a fourth night in the same reserve.

We do not publish a fixed price for a short Samburu-only trip, so ask for a tailor-made quote. Any trip above can be reshaped around your dates.

How to add the Maasai Mara

Samburu and the Mara are opposites. One is dry river country with rare species; the other is open grassland with large herds and, from July to October, the migration. There are three practical ways to see both.

1. Drive the loop (10 days)

Our 10-day road trip goes from Samburu to Ol Pejeta and Lake Nakuru, then spends three nights in the Maasai Mara with two full days of game drives. The last day is the long one: the Mara to Nairobi takes 5.5 to 6.5 hours by road, and you can swap it for a scheduled flight of 45 minutes to an hour. An optional sunrise hot-air balloon flight over the Mara is USD 550 per person.

2. Fly to Samburu, then fly to the Mara (8 days)

If you would rather not spend days in a vehicle, the 8-day fly-in through Samburu and the Mara flies Nairobi to Samburu, Samburu to the Mara and the Mara back to Nairobi. You spend a night in Nairobi, three in Samburu and three in the Mara. The flights are part of the price, and the route and nights differ from the road trip’s, so the two prices are not like for like.

3. Fly north, drive south

You can also fly into Samburu and drive the rest of the loop through Ol Pejeta and Lake Nakuru to the Mara. That skips the first long drive. It is a variation on the 10-day trip rather than a separate package, so ask a planner for timings and a price.

With fewer than seven days, choose Samburu or the Mara rather than both. Moving between them uses a travel day, and each deserves two to three nights.

Safaris that fit this guide

8-Day Samburu and Mara by AirNorthern specials and big cats8 days · from $5,100 ppView trip →7-Day Samburu and Mara by AirSamburu specials, then the Mara7 days · from $4,554 ppView trip →10-Day Wings Over Magical KenyaAmboseli, Samburu and the Mara by air10 days · from $7,190 ppView trip →

Every trip is private and can be changed to suit you. Get a free, tailor-made quote in 6 hours →

What Samburu safari packages cost

Our published starting points are USD 3,840 per person for the 7-day fly-in of the north, USD 5,100 for the 10-day road trip with the Mara and USD 5,100 for the 8-day fly-in of Samburu and the Mara, all with two sharing. These are April to June rates, our lowest season, and for the 10-day trip they apply to Midrange lodges. They move with:

• Season. On our trips, April to June costs least and July to October costs most, with November to March in between.
• Lodge choice. Budget, midrange and luxury camps are priced differently. On the 10-day trip the Samburu camps are Samburu Sopa Lodge (budget), Ashnil Samburu Camp (midrange) and Elephant Bedroom Camp (luxury), or similar.
• Group size. Four to six people sharing one vehicle pay less per person than a couple, and solo travelers pay more.
• Flights. Scheduled flights between camps add to a road trip’s price.
• Extras. On the 10-day trip, the optional Mara balloon flight is USD 550 per person, and the Maasai village visit in the Mara is included.

On the 10-day road trip, the price covers the private 4×4 with a pop-up roof, your own English-speaking driver-guide, nine nights, meals as listed, park and conservancy fees and airport transfers. It does not cover international flights, the Kenya eTA, travel insurance, drinks at lodges or tips.

When you compare packages from other companies, check whether park fees are in the price, whether the vehicle is private and whether flights are included. A cheaper-looking package can leave one of those out.

Related safari guides

• 10 Days in Kenya: Samburu to the Mara Itinerary and Cost
• 9-Day Kenya Safari: Big Cat Itinerary and Price
• Kenya Fly-In Safari: How It Works and What It Costs

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Samburu safari cost?

From USD 3,840 per person for our 7-day fly-in of the north and from USD 5,100 per person for the 10-day road trip to the Maasai Mara, both two sharing. Prices depend on season, group size and lodge choice. For a short Samburu-only trip, ask for a tailor-made quote.

How many days do I need in Samburu?

Two nights is the minimum and three is better. If you have more time, add another park instead of a fourth night in Samburu.

Can I drive from Nairobi to Samburu in one day?

Yes. It is 330 km and takes 5 to 6 hours on our itinerary, so you arrive in time for an afternoon game drive. Our 10-day trip starts with a night in Nairobi, so you do not drive straight off a long flight.

What is the luggage limit on the flights?

15 kg per person including hand baggage, in soft bags, under the Safarilink rules we checked. Pack a soft duffel.

Do I need an eTA to visit Kenya?

Yes, most visitors need to apply online for a Kenya eTA before they travel. The official eTA site says foreign travelers must apply, and both the UK government and the Canadian government tell their citizens the same. Apply only on that official site, where fees start at $30 and applications are generally processed within three business days. The UK advises applying at least two weeks before departure, and both governments say your passport should be valid for at least six months after you arrive. The eTA is not included in our prices.

Is Samburu safe to visit?

The UK government’s regional advice does not advise against travel to Samburu. It does list Samburu among northern counties where security operations continue because of banditry, cattle rustling and intercommunal violence, and it says movement restrictions may be introduced there, particularly in remote areas of Samburu. It adds that foreign nationals are not usually the target but that you should take great care. Laikipia, Meru and Isiolo counties, which our road and fly-in routes pass through, appear on the same list. Read your own government’s current advice before you book, and ask your planner about conditions for your dates.