When Ryan & I started talking about honeymoon destinations we knew Kenya was high on our list. The main reason we selected Kenya was to visit Giraffe Manor in Nairobi. Once we decided on Kenya we knew we would pick a few safari’s since we both never been on one. We decided to go with The Safari Collection which has a total of four properties: Giraffe Manor, Salas Camp (Masai Mara), Sasaab Lodge (Samburu), and Soloio Lodge (Solio Reserve: most successful private rhino breeding reserve). Each property is very different and worth experiencing but we were only able to experience Giraffe Manor, Salas Camp, and Sasaab Lodge. I’ll be sharing all the details of each property below. Here’s everything you need to know when planning an 8 day Kenya trip!

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOUR TRIP

• Kenya Travel Visa: Purchase at e-visas online. We purchased a single entry visa and had them within 72 hours. The cost came out to $109 per visa. Visas can also be purchased upon arrival paid in cash
• Passport must remain valid for at least 6 months from the date of departure and must have at least two blank pages left in it
• Kenya Travel Vaccines recommended are yellow fever but we were never asked to show proof. Other vaccinations we had but are not required are Hepatitis A, Typhoid, and we had prescriptions for malaria pills to take daily. We did not feel sick from any of these
• Currency: US Dollars are accepted. When tipping, only bills dated after the year 2000. Keep bills clean, no tears as it can be difficult for Kenyan’s to exchange bills at the bank
• Travel Insurance: We purchased ours from World Nomads. It’s super easy, just make sure it’s purchased before you leave for your trip
• Only drink from bottled water or if provided to you by the hotel (hotel staff will advise you when it’s safe to use sink water to brush your teeth or they will provide clean bottled water)
• Plastic bags are illegal in Kenya. Do not pack any plastic bags
• English is widely spoken
• Best time to visit: July to September, during the country’s dry season, which also coincides with the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra. We visited the end of December.

WHAT TO PACK

• Kenya uses type G sockets. I suggest packing a few universal adapters
• Pack a portable power bank
• Binoculars, however, most guides will provide this for guests
• Mosquito repellant
• Clothing: Utility shirts, cargo pants, utility dress, jumpsuits, light jacket/fleece jacket
• Hats, swimsuits, sunglasses, boots
• Camera gear: Canon 5D Mark IV, 100-400mm lens, tripod
• Baggage: We packed 1 checked luggage and 1 carry on luggage (soft duffle bag). All camps use small regional flights and will only allow a duffle bag. I used the Novel Duffle which was perfect for 2 nights per camp. We flew with Safarilink – which allowed us to store our checked luggage for us for free. The maximum weight limit is 15kg. Dimensions of soft bags: 25 cm / 9.8 inches wide x 30 cm / 11.8 inches high and 62 cm long / 24.4 inches long

There are so many amazing camps to choose from but since we knew we wanted to experience Giraffe Manor it was easy to go with The Safari Collection (prices are all online). As one of the best travel companies in Kenya, I highly recommend it as all costs include:

• Food/Drinks (some alcohol such as wine is included)
• Transportation: regional flights and car transfers to each property and airports
• Laundry services
• WiFi
• Most activities (all game drives are included)

We started in Nairobi, Salas Camp, Giraffe Manor and ended in Sasaab. There’s no particular order that works best, however, I did prefer having Giraffe Manor in between the two safari camps (this allowed me to repack my duffle bag). All regional flights were from Wilson Airport.

I suggest spending a minimum of two nights at each property if possible.

DAY 1 – NAIROBI

There are a few flight options from New York but we flew with Emirates from New York, Dubai to Nairobi. We spent one night in Nairobi to catch up on rest as we knew we would be quite exhausted from our flight. We booked a car service with our hotel at Fairmont Norfolk.

Other hotel options: Villa Rosa Kempinski, InterContinental Nairobi, Radisson Blu, and Hemingways Nairobi but a bit of a splurge.

DAY 2-3: SALAS CAMP

Sala’s Camp is located in Masai Mara by the Keekorok Rivers. The location is in southwestern Kenya, along with the Tanzanian border close which we had the opportunity to visit. If you want to witness the Great Migration, visit between July and August. There are a total of 7 luxury tents with private pools and these tents have doors. The food was the best out of all the properties we experienced, lunch and dinner are 3-course meals.

This property provides rain jackets, fleece jackets, and rain boots for guests. There’s hot water in the evenings and can be turned on upon request in the mornings or afternoon.

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THINGS TO DO

Game drives: Each day we had two game drives. One in the morning starting at 6:30 am and in the evening at 4 pm. The morning game drive includes breakfast in the middle of Masai Mara! I truly felt like I was in the middle of a Lion King movie! We even witnessed two lions mating! This was such a unique experience and we saw so many animals from cheetahs, Masai giraffes, gazelles, elephants, ostriches, buffalos and so many more!

Hot air balloon: Guests can experience a hot air balloon over Masai Mara each morning. It looked beautiful watching all the hot air balloons fly over Masai Mara. This experience is an additional fee of $450 per person.

Sunset campfire: Spend an evening by the campfire with food and drinks.

Visit Masai Villages: I highly suggest doing this if you have the opportunity or time. Unfortunately, we did not have time to do this.

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DAY 4-5: GIRAFFE MANOR

I’ve been dreaming of staying at Giraffe Manor for years and it has truly lived up to my expectations!

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GIRAFFE MANOR

• There’s two manors: the main manor and a newer manor a few steps away
• Guests will eat breakfast with the giraffes at the manor they’re staying in however, guests are allowed to take photos in either manor
• Book 1 year in advance at a minimum. I booked 9 months out and the main manor was sold out. Check for availability here. To book the second manor guests will need to book at least 1 other Safari Collection property
• We stayed in Edd’s room in the second manor and loved it
• There’s WiFi
• Giraffe’s show up at breakfast and afternoon tea
• Each party has a staff dedicated to helping you with anything you need. They’re very helpful with setting up the photos
• I recommend a minimum of two nights but 1 night is possible
• Some things to note: one evening it rained, another evening the giraffes did not show up for afternoon tea
• 3-course meals each day and food was phenomenal. Guests can set up special dinners at the garden upon request

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THINGS TO DO IN NAIROBI

Elephant Orphanage: Visit the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to learn about the first and most successful elephant orphan rescue and rehabilitation program in the world. This program protects young elephants who have been abandoned or lost their mother’s, they’re taken care of until they’re able to be released back into the wild. I urge you to STOP buying ivory. African elephants are still being poached in large numbers. Tens of thousands of elephants are being killed every year for their ivory tusks for souvenirs and jewelry. Please do not buy ivory!

Giraffe Centre is open to the public but free for guests staying at Giraffe Manor. It’s a few steps from the manor.

• The center was opened to help the endangered Rothschild Giraffe. There are roughly 130 giraffes at the time and now there are over 300.
• There are 9 different types of giraffes, 3 are located in Kenya: Masai, Rothschild, and Reticulated Giraffes

Nature walk/hiking around the property: If you’re into doing outdoor activities I suggest going for a hike. Ryan and I went on a small nature walk to learn about the different types of plants and animals around Nairobi.

Museums including Karen Blixen Museum, Nairobi National Museum, and National Gallery

DAY 6-7: SASAAB LODGE

Sasaab Lodge is located in Northern Kenya in Samburu National Reserve. The Moroccan design at Sasaab is beautiful. It has 9 luxury open-air rooms with a plunge pool. Guests can take in views across the Laikipia Plateau toward the jagged peak of Mount Kenya. If guests are lucky, guests can catch elephants in the river.

There are a lot more bugs at this property. I suggest covering up and re-applying mosquito repellent as much as possible.

THINGS TO DO

Morning game drives only as drive time to the reserve is over an hour. Note that it’s much drier in Samburu and a bit harder to find animals compared to Masai Mara. We were lucky enough to see plenty of animals such as lions and it’s cubs, elephants, zebras, and so many others!

Visit the Samburu villages: this is such a great experience to get to learn about the Samburu culture and way of life. I highly recommend doing this.

Sunset at sundowner’s rock: we did this on our last night where we were welcomed by the Samburu people celebrating life, dancing and singing on top of the most stunning views of Samburu National Reserve.

Camel rides: the property offers camel rides as an option for guests

Bush dinner under the stars: enjoy a romantic bush dinner under the stars. I’m not sure how this works but I think I might be too scared to have dinner in the dark in the desert!

Spa treatments at Sasaab: spend a few hours relaxing at the spa at Sasaab. The spa is beautiful and there’s also a small gym if guests want to work out.

Private helicopter ride: guests can experience a private helicopter ride at an additional fee per hour. This is pricey but can be a great option to split with other families or guests interested.

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SAMBURU PEOPLE

It was such a humbling experience to learn and meet the Samburu people. They’re so happy and welcomed us with open arms. Here are a few things I’ve learned about the Samburu people:

• Samburu people depend on livestock for survival
• They live in groups of 5-10 families
• Men may have multiple wives
• Men look after cattle and safety of the tribe
• Women care for the children and are in charge of gathering roots, vegetables and collecting water
• They only eat meat on special occasions
• Some children do not go to school so they can tend the cattle
• More children a family has the more propitious the family is thought to be
• Dancing is a significant part of the culture, traditionally use no instruments
• Samburu’s clothing is usually bright colors. Each jewelry piece worn represents the status of the wearer

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DAY 8

After we arrived back in Nairobi we spent the day at Hemingways Nairobi hotel since we had a long layover. Guests can either book a day room, spa treatment or have lunch at the property. The Safari Collection dropped us off at the property and picked us back up to take us to the airport that evening.

I’m sure many of you are wondering what this trip costs. It’s definitely a splurge and a once in a lifetime experience so it was worth it in my opinion. You can check for room rates online – guests are able to receive a discount on the lodges depending on how many properties/nights guests book. We did receive a 25% discount on Salas Camp and Sasaab Lodge. Overall I had the most amazing experience with The Safari Collection and highly recommend them! I wish I had time to experience Solio Lodge and see the rhinos so if you have time, make sure to book a room there. To book a room with any of the properties, make an inquiry on their website after checking for availability and booking will be handled via email.

From Kenya, we flew to Seychelles with Kenya Airways directly for our last part of our honeymoon in Seychelles!

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