ENCOUNTERSAFRICA
6-Day Samburu & Meru Safari

Kenya - Fly-in safari

6-Day Samburu & Meru Safari

Duration
6 days
Countries
Kenya
Suited to
2-6 guests
Pricing
From USD 6,380

The journey

Updated on 23 August 2026

North of Mount Kenya the country turns to red rock, doum palm and thorn, and the animals change with it. The Samburu Special Five live here and nowhere in the southern parks: Grevy's zebra with their narrow stripes, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk standing on their hind legs to browse, Beisa oryx and the blue-legged Somali ostrich. Saruni Samburu opens the trip from the Kalama Conservancy, community land next to Samburu National Reserve. Its villas are built onto a rocky outcrop with no fences and no glass in the openings, looking out toward Mount Kenya over an enormous amount of nothing. Then east to Meru, the park George and Joy Adamson made famous by releasing Elsa the lioness here, and which spent decades neglected before a serious restoration brought it back. Elsa's Kopje is built directly into Mughwango Hill, above the site of Adamson's original camp, each cottage worked around the existing rock. Meru is green and well-watered where Samburu is arid, so the two halves look nothing alike. June to October and January to February are driest. It is remarkable value for country this good.

Your camps, day by day

Stay 1

Wilson to the Kalama Rocks

The flight north from Wilson takes about ninety minutes, crossing Mount Kenya's shoulder as the green gives way to thorn and red rock. Saruni is built onto an outcrop with open sides and no fences, so the view simply carries on into the room. The afternoon drive works the conservancy for oryx and reticulated giraffe.

Stay 2

The Special Five

A long morning after the north's own animals: Grevy's zebra on the open ground, gerenuk up on their hind legs in the thorn, and the blue-legged Somali ostrich striding off at the sight of the vehicle. The afternoon visits a Samburu manyatta on terms the community sets, then a night drive home under a spotlight.

Stay 3

South to Meru

A dawn drive down to the Ewaso Nyiro in the national reserve, where elephant cross the brown water and the doum palms hold vulturine guineafowl. Then the flight southeast to Meru, and the country turns green in twenty minutes. Elsa's Kopje sits on Mughwango Hill, its cottages worked around the boulders they are built into.

Stay 4

Born Free Country

Meru is a park of thirteen rivers, and the morning drive follows them for elephant, reticulated giraffe and the lion that hold the open plains. Below the lodge lies the site of George Adamson's camp, where Elsa was released. The rhino sanctuary is a short run west. The afternoon returns for the hill's own view at sundown.

Stay 5

Rivers and Rhino

A full day with lunch packed: the rhino sanctuary for black and white rhino, then the Tana or Rojewero rivers where crocodile bask and palm-nut vultures work the doums. Meru's restoration from the poaching years is the story the guides tell, and the empty tracks make it convincing. A guided walk closes the afternoon.

Stay 6

Meru to Nairobi

A last drive off the hill as the rivers throw mist, breakfast among the boulders, then the flight south to Wilson and a transfer for evening international departures. Five nights in two versions of northern Kenya, red rock and green river country, at a price that makes the rest of the region look expensive.

Safari highlights

  • Two nights at Saruni Samburu on the Kalama Conservancy
  • The Samburu Special Five, found only in the north
  • Three nights at Elsa's Kopje built into Mughwango Hill
  • Meru, the park where Born Free happened
  • Community conservancy land with walking and night drives
  • Two dryland habitats that look nothing alike

What is included

Included

  • 5 nights accommodation, per person sharing
  • Light-aircraft flights Wilson-Kalama, Samburu-Meru and Meru-Wilson
  • Road transfers between airstrips and lodges
  • All meals, house wines, local spirits, beers and soft drinks
  • Twice-daily game drives at both lodges
  • Guided walks and a Samburu community visit
  • Kalama conservancy and Meru National Park fees
  • Laundry and emergency medical evacuation cover

Not included

  • International flights to and from Africa
  • Kenya electronic travel authorisation and entry permits
  • Comprehensive travel and medical insurance
  • Spa treatments and camel treks
  • Premium spirits, champagne and imported wines
  • Gratuities for guides, drivers and lodge staff
  • Items of a personal nature and telephone calls

Frequently asked questions

How much does a 6-day Samburu and Meru safari cost?

From USD 6,380 per person sharing, rising to about USD 7,080 in peak season, which for two lodges of this standard is unusually good value. It covers five nights at Saruni Samburu and Elsa's Kopje, all meals and house drinks, twice-daily game drives, walks, a community visit, conservancy and park fees, and all three internal flights. International flights to Africa are excluded.

What are the Samburu Special Five?

Five dryland species found in Kenya's north and not in the southern parks: Grevy's zebra, the largest and rarest zebra, with narrow stripes and rounded ears; reticulated giraffe, with sharply outlined liver-coloured panels; the gerenuk, a long-necked antelope that browses standing on its hind legs; the Beisa oryx; and the Somali ostrich, whose legs and neck turn blue-grey. All five are realistic over two days here.

Why is Meru significant?

Meru is where George and Joy Adamson released Elsa the lioness, the story behind Born Free, and where both are buried nearby. The park declined badly through the 1980s poaching years and was rebuilt from near-collapse, which makes today's game viewing a genuine restoration story. It is also green, well-watered and strikingly empty of other vehicles.

What is the Kalama Conservancy?

Community-owned land adjoining Samburu National Reserve, managed by the Samburu families who live on it under the Northern Rangelands Trust model. Conservancy status means fewer vehicles than the reserve, permission for guided walking and night drives, and lease and bed-night fees flowing back to the community. Drives can still enter Samburu National Reserve for the Ewaso Nyiro river frontage.

Are international flights included?

No. International flights to and from Africa are excluded and booked separately, arriving at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta airport. All internal flying is included and departs Wilson Airport across the city, so allow about an hour to transfer between the two. Light aircraft enforce a 15 kg soft-bag luggage limit per person.

Is northern Kenya a malaria area?

Both Samburu and Meru carry malaria risk, higher in Meru's wetter, lower-lying country and after the rains in April, May and November. Prophylaxis is recommended for the trip; see a travel clinic about six weeks before departure. Both lodges provide nets and repellent, and a yellow fever certificate is needed only if arriving from a transmission-risk country.