Ultimate 2 Week Honeymoon in Kenya
Are you looking for the ultimate 2 weeks in Kenya? Planning a romantic Safari honeymoon itinerary? I’ve got you!
I’m your anything like me, I had my honeymoon destination picked out before the husband! I knew I wanted to go on a 2- week Safari trip in Kenya. When it came time to plan the trip the best way to plan it was with a Travel Advisor who specializes in the destination.
A honeymoon in Kenya offers the quintessential romantic safari experience. From the iconic Maasai Mara offering endless savannas, Amboseli has the world's largest elephants, Loisaba offers one of the most unique lodges I’ve ever stayed in, and Kenya boasts one of the best white sand beaches in the world. Round out the trip with a day exploring the city of Nairobi and you will have the perfect 2 week honeymoon in Kenya.
Day 1: Fly to Nairobi
Days 2-4: Amboseli
Days 5-7: Loisaba
Days 8-12: Massai Mara
Day 13-14: Day in Nairobi and head home
Flights arriving from the US, Europe and the Middle East arrive into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in the evening. We flew from New York City via Amsterdam arriving at 9 PM local time. The best Kenya itinerary includes a local VIP pick-up. Our guide picked us up right at our gate and helped us through fast-tracked customs. They had a private car waiting to take us to our hotel for the evening.
Where to stay in Nairobi? I have three options below to help fit many budgets. Pro tip: If you are staying at the luxury option below you might want to stay two nights to get the full experience!
Budget: Tamarind Tree Hotel
This hotel was lovely for our first night in Nairobi! The staff were so welcoming and excited to have us with them as part of our Honeymoon. This hotel is only about a 35-minute drive from the main international airport and a 10 minute drive from the domestic Wilson airport (this will come in handy tomorrow). The hotel is located just outside of Nairobi National Park if you wanted to add this on to explore in your itinerary.
When we got to your room they had set up rose petals and gave us a personalized note to congratulate us on our wedding.
The next morning we headed downstairs for breakfast in their TAMAMBO restaurant before our next flight. The breakfast was a buffet that was included in our stay. It had local and international food from fruit and pastries to egg dishes and chapatis. The hotel is right nnextto one of Narobi’s most famous restaurants Carnivore.If you have time after your plane arrives I recommend going to this restaurant to start your Kenyan journey.
This hotel was perfect for our one-night stay and I recommend it to all my travel clients who are just staying one night and would rather splurge on their safari lodges.
Moderate: Hemingways Hotel
Hemingways Nairobi, a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the world, is an elegant boutique hotel situated in Nairobi's Karen neighborhood. The hotel offers forty-five luxury suites. The Hemingways Nairobi Brasserie serves classic dishes and the very best of local and international cuisine and is open everyday for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. If you're here on a Sunday the brunch is the best in the city!
Luxury: Giraffe Manor
I couldn’t write an ultimate 2 week honeymoon itinerary in Kenya without including the world famous Giraffe Manor. Be warned this hotel books up more than a year in advance!
Giraffe Manor is an exclusive boutique hotel, owned by The Safari Collection. The hotel is an old Scottish hunting lodge that was built in 1932. It had been renovated and expanded into the beautiful lodge that it is today. I would recommend adding on another night here to get the full experience
Imagine waking up early in the morning to the Rothschild giraffes at your balcony where you get to feed them. After this encounter you head downstairs for breakfast at the most instagrammable windows in the world. Spend your day exploring the property and the attached Giraffe Center. In the afternoon enjoy afternoon tea on the back lawn hoping for some visitors again. All meals are included in your stay here so there is no need to even leave the property if you wanted to.
WILSON AIRPORT
Days 2-4: Amboseli
Amboseli National Park is nestled in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro. While the mountain is in Tanzania the best views of it are from Kenya. The second reason to visit Amboseli is to see the Tuskers. These are the largest elephants in the world and they have the biggest tusks you will ever see. This area in Kenya had less poaching than the rest of the country so the elephants grow larger trunks that hit the ground.
You’ll leave Narobi from Wilson airport on a small 12 person plane and travel about an hour to Amboseli. Amboseli has one of the bigger airstrips for the Safari locations. Upon landing you will be met by your lodge and your safari guide who will be with you for the next two nights.
Budget: Ol Tukai Lodge
This beautiful lodge is located inside the heart of Amboseli National Park. Ol Tukai had 80 rooms on the property. The Elephant bar on the property is a beautiful space to enjoy the beauty of Amboseli.
Moderate: Tawi Lodge
Tawi Lodge is right outside of the National Park located in the Tawi private conservancy. Set in the heart of its own 3,000 acre private conservancy and in one of the richest game areas in Kenya. Tawi Lodge is an eco award winning lodge, combining unpretentious comfort with subtle accents of style coupled with traditional East African hospitality. Each room is a private cottage with lush beds, soaking tubs, and private decks to soak in all the Killinjamaro views.
The food at this lodge is amazing! This is one of the best places in East Africa for vegetarian clients. Breakfast and lunch is served as a buffet in the main dining room or by the pool Dinner is a three course meal packed with flavor. Enjoy and safari walk and sundowner on the private conservancy on your last evening.
Luxury: Elewana Tortilis Camp Amboseli
Tortilis Camp is currently the most luxurious resort in the Amboseli area. The luxury tent resort has truly 5 star service. The watering hole is a favorite of the elephants in the area so sit and enjoy the views while enjoying your dinner.
Days 5-7: Loisaba
Loisaba is a 58,000-acre wildlife conservancy located in Laikipia, Northern Kenya. You’ll fly from Amboseli to Loisaba where you will be picked up by your lodge.
In the conservation area, there are three lodges all owned by Elewana. I recommend staying at 2 during our time here.
Elewana Starbeds is the most unique stay you will ever have in East Africa! Stay one night at this amazing lodge. At Starbeds you will sleep out under the stars with all the luxuries of a 5-star hotel. This was one of our favorite experiences from our honeymoon! The room is a platform nestled into the rocks high above a water dam. Your bed moves so you have the choice to sleep 100% outside with nothing except the blankets and mosquito net or under the thatched roof but still open to the elements. With many blankets and hot water bottles nestled into your bed at turn down in the evening you have plenty to stay warm in the African cool nights. Another favorite of ours at this lodge is the live cooking for lunch. The chef comes out to cook your meal right in front of you. You can chat and ask questions while they pre-pair your two course lunch.
Elewana Tented Camp built in 2014 takes bush luxury to a whole new level. The massive “tents” were larger than my NYC apartment and truly felt like home. The lodge is built on the cliffside overlooking the valley of Lupkita. The diverse landscape in Loisaba really gives you a different perspective compared to the African Savanna in Amboseli and Massai Mara. The personalized touches at this lodge made our honeymoon feel extra special and the staff were some of our favorite the entire trip. Our server and butler, because yes you have both, set up private breakfast and dinner specially for our honeymoon and it was such a special experience.
Days 8-12: Massai Mara
Next you will travel to the Massai Mara. When you think of a Kenya Safari this is most likely what comes to mind. There are many airstrips in The Mara so you will land at the one closest to your lodge. There are so many lodges and camping grounds to choose from in the Masai Mara that you could run the range of price points to make the Safari of your dreams. I’m not going to list specific lodges here but rather talk about the experience the Mara provides.
The Massai Mara is one of the most magical places to travel to in the world. The sheer number of animals all in the circle of life is what makes this place so special. Your day here consists of waking up before sunrise to go out of your first game drive of the day. If you're lucky enough to have a few mornings here you should take the time for a hot air balloon ride. You glide over the treetops exploring the landscape and seeing what animals you encounter on your way. If you're there during the great migration I would stress doing this activity even more!
If you are out on your morning game drive for a few hours you will usually pack a breakfast and eat while either watching a great wildlife encounter or take a break under an acadian tree to have breakfast under the African sun. After this you will head back to your lodge for a few hours of relaxing, spa visits, napping, and lunch. When traveling there is usually a difference between travel and vacation but because of how Safari's are laid out it’s the perfect combination between both.
After your relaxing afternoon, around 4PM you head back out for your afternoon/evening game drive. The animals are more active in cooler weather so you really get to see them out and about right before sundown. Your afternoon game drive will also include a sundowner. This is Africa’s version of happy hour. It will include snacks, drinks, and most likely an amazing view of the sunset. Then after the sun has set you will slowly make your way back to your lodge for dinner and evening activities. We usually liked to head back to our tent to freshen up and put on a slightly nicer outfit for dinner. Before sitting down to dinner we would enjoy a glass of wine or a gin and tonic by the fire pit. Dinner was always a beautiful 3 course meal that I could not believe was cooked in a tent.
There is something beautiful about sitting in your tent at night hearing the sounds of the Massai Mara. Lions roaring, small animals scurrying around the riverbed, or elephants sending sounds to one another. It is the perfect way to end your Safari portion of your honeymoon in Kenya.
Day 13-14: Day in Nairobi and head home
Spending your final days in Nairobi allows you to explore the city. Nairobi, like any major city in the world has history, culture, amazing restaurants, museums, and markets. It also has the added layer of Nairobi national park and other wildlife encounters you can still have in this one of a kind city.
Some of my top things to do in Nariobi are the following:
Sheldrick Elephant Center and Giraffe Center Do a half day tour that hits both of the two biggest highlights in Nariobi. Getting to meet orphaned Elephants and wild Giraffes that know to come to the center for food.
I love getting locally crafter souvenirs on my trips and one of the best places to do that is the Bead Center
Is one of the reasons you wanted to go to Kenya the movie Out of Afirca? Well you can visit the Karen Blixen Museum to get a peek into life in Kenya and scenes from the movie.
This is my ultimate 2 week honeymoon in Kenya!
