2023 Guest Reviews
Kruger Walking Safari
Botswana Trip Report
The home of the luxury safari since it all began, Kenya still today evokes the image of a timeless safari, reminiscent of a bygone era. A honeymoon in Kenya will be an experience to remember, with a lingering atmosphere of the classic Out of Africa safari romance.
In the North, far from the madding crowds, Borana (Lewa Downs) is a charming and timeless owner-run lodge. We would particularly recommended it if you enjoy horse riding. Joy’s Camp (Samburu) is set around a waterhole, offering you the chance to stay in bed and not feel guilty – the wildlife will come to you! It’s a fabulous luxury tented camp with experienced staff who know how to look after honeymooners.
In the south, the Greater Mara (outside the Mara Reserve) is home to Alex Walkers Serian and Bateleur Camp which both have private game viewing areas and can dip into the Mara itself if they choose. This way, you get the best of the Mara wildlife without lots of vehicles buzzing around your sightings. Serian is particularly remote and might take many out of their comfort zone with their laid back dedication to the best safari experiences out there - but absolutely worth it, in our opinion. We also have a lot of time for the bygone era romance of Cottar’s 1920’s Camp.
It gets more difficult to find areas away from the crowds in the Mara Reserve, but Naibor is a well-managed and presented camp, and Rekero has the romantic views overlooking the huge African landscape (don’t get married in April or May, though, as the camp is closed!).
The amount of different ways to explore Kenya is astonishing and there is no right or wrong way - it is totally dependent on the type of experience that you want. From the thrill of hiking in the Samburu Mountains and quad biking in Laikipia, to relaxing next to your plunge pool in one of the Mara’s hyper-luxury safari lodges, Kenya has it all. That is not to say that a luxury trip can’t also be adventurous; the joy of a tailor made honeymoon in Kenya is that you can combine all of the elements which appeal to you into one amazing and unforgettable trip.
You can enjoy pretty much anything here; cultural experiences, horse riding, walking, game drives, night drives, quad biking, hot-air ballooning, fishing, boating (and the list goes on!).If you have a specialist interest then just give us a call and we will point you in the right direction.
Kenya is one of the best destinations to combine a brilliant safari with an idyllic stay on the beach. The Indian Ocean coastline spans the entire Eastern length of Kenya, and dotted up and down are some beautiful beaches. As well as Kenya's own mainland beaches such as the white sands of Diani Beach, and the historic and charming Lamu, it is also now very easy to combine a Kenyan safari with the colourful island of Zanzibar. Flights link so well that you can get from your safari in the Masai Mara to Zanzibar in just a few hours.
Kenya safaris can also be combined with the islands of the Seychelles, Mauritius, and the northern beaches of Mozambique - though, we would really recommend staying close to your safari to avoid wasting time and budget on something which is just as brilliant on your doorstep!
Infrastructure: Kenya has the whole honeymoon sewn up – excellent game-viewing and fabulous beaches. A romantic tented safari in the bush and a week reclining on a deserted beach? What more cold you want.
Value for money: because you don’t have to fly far out of Kenya ft combine your safari with the beach, you keep the costs down - not to mention the hassle of international airports.
Kenya Beaches: For those honeymooners seeking active days, there is kite-surfing, kayaking, windsurfing, paddle-boarding, mountain biking, big game fishing, sailing as well as the usual Indian Ocean world-class diving, and magical snorkelling. You are sure to be kept busy into your beach time if you wish!
Easy logistics: There’s pretty much no time difference from the UK - you can fly overnight and be on safari or beach by the morning, so you don’t waste time being jet-lagged. Our US and UAE guests like to start their trip off with a few days in London for this reason.
Kenya Wildlife: The Great Migration - two million wildebeest make their way into the Masai Mara from July and remain until October. Witnessing this remarkable natural spectacle on your honeymoon would be unforgettable.
Safari lodges in Kenya start from around $400 per person per night, for a brilliant safari in a good location - albeit with excellent but basic accommodation. This ranges all the way up to $1,800 per person per night for some of the most luxurious lodges in the whole of Africa.
A ten day honeymoon in Kenya - combining a couple of safari areas with a some time on the beach - comes in at around $4,500 per person. From here, a honeymoon can go anywhere up to around $14,000 per person for the super luxurious end of the spectrum.
It is worth noting, when looking at other African countries for a beach and safari honeymoon combination, this price can be considerably more given the more lengthy flights to get to that precious coastline, which Kenya has in abundance!
Introducing Odyssey Explorer
Welcome to our new itinerary-building app! Odyssey Explorer allows you to browse a range of popular itinerary templates and tailor them to suit your budget and tastes. Once you are happy with your route template, Odyssey Explorer gives you the freedom to select and change your accommodation in each destination. It is an excellent tool for you to get an instant price for your dream trip before you work with a Tanzania expert to fine-tune it and make it into a reality.
Kenya is in East Africa, just on the equator so it never gets too cold. The more pressing issue is actually when the rains arrive. Added rain means the wildlife isn't as concentrated, making the game viewing not as easy as when it is dry and hot. Really though, who wants a honeymoon in the rain? So stick to dry season, which at its peak is from July until October. The period from November to March is good too, but there can be a few short showers - it is a particularly good window to travel in if you want to avoid peak season rates - important when paying for an expensive wedding too!
April and May should generally be avoided as this is when the heavy rains start, but there are still some places that are worth a visit and rates tend to be extremely low.
A combination of two or more areas works really well to give you a varied and interesting safari experience - all are diverse and interesting in their own right.
Visit a beach at the end (and even at the beginning too!) - you have to finish with a bit of relaxation! Look for smaller, boutique lodges and camps. Some of the bigger beach resorts are ok, but after an authentic and wild safari experience if you choose this style you may not enjoy it!
Avoid trying to combine Eastern and Southern Africa. It is possible but the logistics waste a lot of your precious honeymoon time and money. They are better done as two trips.
Always ask us about honeymoon deals - this is a big thing in Africa and can bring some of the more expensive lodges into a more affordable price bracket!
Suggestions were spot on. 101% as described by AO. What a Honeymoon. Would not hesitate to recommend
Just returned from a wonderful honeymoon.
I have to thank you and all your colleagues for your great organisational skills.
All the connections worked perfectly.
We just wanted to say how much we enjoyed our honeymoon. It really was incredible and the safari was definitely one of the best things I have ever done – so a honeymoon to remember!
Our AO sales agent was very patient with us and helpful in choosing the right itinerary and price for our perfect honeymoon. Our guide could not have been better. We saw everything we hoped for - and more. Coordination of daily activities and lodging was perfect. The lodge and tented camp exceeded our expectations
Rupert and I had an amazing honeymoon, it really was the best holiday ever and we were very sad to come home. Kichwa Tembo was amazing and I would highly recommend it to anyone. Thank you so much for organising such a once in a life-time trip
