Kenyan Honeymoon Safari at
Elsas Kopje, Cottars Camp and Funzi Keys
Day 1
Depart 2000 from London's
Heathrow Airport on Kenya Airways flight KQ101 to Nairobi's
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Days 2 to 4
On arrival at 0635 you will be
transferred to Wilson Airport for a light aircraft charter
flight taking you into the Meru National Park where you stay
for three nights at Elsa's Kopje (fully inclusive of meals and
activities).
Kenya provides a beautiful
location for a once in a lifetime safari for both you and your
spouse with some fantastic safari memories. Kenya has some of
the most luxurious lodges for the perfect African safari
honeymoon.
Elsa's Kopje is located on a
huge rocky outcrop with views in all directions across the
Meru National Park. The safari lodge is so named because it is
the site of George and Joy Adamson's first camp where Elsa and
other lions were reared.
The Meru National Park is
located east of Mount Kenya and has rich areas of open
savannah, woodland and regions of swamp. In the distance are
ranges of hills which receive considerably more rainfall than
Meru and from which flow fifteen rivers and streams, which
pass through the park, providing abundant water for the
wildlife and birds.
Meru is a success story of
conservation as during the early 1990's the area was at the
mercy of poachers who reduced the animal numbers there.
Subsequently, with the arrival of Elsa's Kopje and under the
energetic guidance of the park warden, Mark Jenkins,
international funds have been raised to protect the national
park and the animals are flourishing again and growing in
numbers in this fertile and attractive location.
On your luxury honeymoon safari
at Meru you can expect to see good herds of elephant, lion,
over a dozen types of antelope ranging from waterbuck to
eland, hartebeest and dik dik, buffalo, many giraffe and a
wide range of other creatures. Game viewing is carried out by
open vehicle, during the day and at night, when a spot light
is used, and you can also enjoy walking safaris from the lodge
with an armed guide and national park scout.
Elsa's Kopje is one of the most
imaginatively designed lodges in East Africa with nine
individually designed thatched stone built rondavels dotted
all over the kopje in private locations, each with amazing
views. Most have a bath with a view and all have large bed,
comfortable safari furniture and built in veranda. There is a
spacious thatched bar, lounge and dining lodge, all of which
have superb views across Meru and there is an 'infinity' pool
set right on the edge of the kopje where you can cool off
between safaris with the sights and sounds of Africa all
around you. The atmosphere at Elsa's Kopje is one of peaceful
relaxation and the standard of cuisine is exceptionally good -
all supervised by Ava, your highly competent hostess.
Days 5 to 7
You will be transferred to the
airstrip where you board your light aircraft charter flight to
Nanyuki. On arrival you will be met and assisted with boarding
a scheduled flight departing at 1000 to Mara. On arrival at
1130 you will be met and taken by 4x4 to Cottars 1920's Camp
where you stay for three nights (fully inclusive of meals and
activities).
Cottars 1920's Camp is a superb
and stylish camp on a vast 22,000 acre private area of land in
the heart of the Masai Mara. The safari camp is set on a
hilltop with views for a dozen miles across rolling hills and
expansive open plains dotted with acacia trees which are the
setting for the world's biggest animal migration between July
and September as one and a half million wildebeest and zebra
pass through the Mara. Your honeymoon safari will be an
experience like no other.
Cottars is owned and run by
Calvin and Louise Cottar who have been operating safaris in
the Masai Mara for many years and who know their private
conservancy and the entire Masai Mara Reserve intimately. The
camp is very traditional with huge white canvas tents, open at
the sides during the day, with proper beds, comfortable
furniture and en suite w.c and shower, and from the chairs at
the front of your tent you can enjoy the fine views across the
plains. The camp is run with a good sense of style and the
standard of food and service is excellent. Because it is set
on a large private reserve you can enjoy walking with an armed
guide, tracking animals through the bush and game viewing by
vehicle during the day and at night, knowing that you will
encounter no other tourists or vehicles. You can also venture
further afield into other parts of the Mara following the huge
migrating herds and seeing countless lion, leopard, cheetah,
giraffe, elephant and buffalo in the company of Calvin and his
other highly expert guides.
More so than any other camp in
East Africa, Cottars manages to combine simplicity with a real
sense of relaxed style and inspired guiding, cuisine and
attention to detail, all of which goes to create an
unforgettable African safari.
Days 8 to 13
After lunch you will be
transferred to the airstrip where you board a scheduled flight
departing at 1400 to Ukunda. On arrival at 1600 you will be
met and taken by road and boat to Funzi Keys where you stay
for six nights (all inclusive).
Funzi Keys is probably the most
luxurious beach hideaway for a honeymoon in Africa. Situated
on a private island 15 minutes by light aircraft from the
Kenya Coast, the island accommodates guests in nine huge
thatched buildings inspired by typical Omani architecture.
Inside is a vast 'bedroom' with four-poster bed, jacuzzi with
a view and Omani furnishings, an open-fronted lounge with
sofas and low tables.
The owners, Alessandro Torriani
and his wife Claudia, are usually there and they charmingly
and unobtrusively keep in touch with each guest to discuss
what they would like to do each day and what you would like to
eat and drink - there are no menus.
Funzi Keys has an enormous pool
and wide range of water sports including snorkelling. You can
also go deep-sea fishing in the nearby Pemba Channel where the
enormous catches attract sports fishermen from all over the
world. Guests often like to simply explore the island with its
pretty creeks, spectacular bird life. Snorkellers and divers
will want to visit the owner's private islands to the south
where there are marvellous reefs and hundreds of species of
fish. There is a small beach in front of the lodge and a
superb private white sandy beach a few hundred yards away by
boat.
The atmosphere is private and
relaxed with superb cuisine and dinner can be prepared to
order and enjoyed by your own campfire on the beach outside
your lodge, in the dining room or on board a dhow moored just
offshore. The dhow can also be used for dreamy sunset cruises
around the islands when you just want to wind down and enjoy a
romantic evening.
Kenya combines an overland
African safari with a beach break perfectly, as romance and
tranquilty are the main factors of this remote luxury
honeymoon safari.
Day 14
During the afternoon you will
be returned to Mombasa Airport for flight KQ615 departing at
2000 to Nairobi. Arrive at 2100 and connect with flight KQ102
departing at 2350 to London's Heathrow Airport, arriving the
following morning at 0545 (local time). |
