6 Day Kenya Honeymoon Safari Package
6 Day Kenya Honeymoon Safari Package – Overview
A 6 day Kenya honeymoon safari package typically includes:
- Cost: USD 3,400 – 8,500+ per person (two sharing)
- Route: Lake Naivasha (1 night) + Masai Mara (4 nights)
- Best for: Couples wanting flexibility, private experiences, time to actually relax
- Includes: Private Land Cruiser, hot air balloon with champagne breakfast, private bush dinner, Naivasha boat ride, sparkling wine on arrival
- Honeymoon touches: Request tent away from dining area, confirm camp knows it’s a honeymoon, get balloon booking reference 48-72 hours ahead
- Best months: January–February for fewer crowds; July–October for migration (higher prices)
Four nights in the Mara means you can skip a morning drive, sleep in, and not feel like you’re wasting money—something shorter honeymoon itineraries don’t allow.
Picking a Honeymoon Camp
Angama Mara gets mentioned constantly for honeymoons and the location on the escarpment above the Mara Triangle is legitimately beautiful—infinity pool, tented suites with views, the whole “Out of Africa” connection since the film’s picnic scene was shot nearby. It’s also expensive and because everyone knows it’s a honeymoon spot, you’ll share the property with other couples celebrating the same thing you are.
Sanctuary Olonana sits on the Mara River where you can watch hippos from your deck. The tents have bathtubs positioned by windows so you can soak while watching the river, which sounds like a brochure line but is actually nice in practice. More intimate than Angama, fewer guests overall.
Elephant Pepper Camp in Mara North Conservancy allows walking safaris and night drives that the main reserve doesn’t permit. The camp is small and if you want activities beyond standard game drives, this works well.
Tipilikwani Mara Camp or Ashnil Mara for couples who want something comfortable but aren’t trying to spend USD 1,500 per night—river-view tents, decent service, not the absolute top tier but romantic enough for most people.
When you book, ask specifically for a tent away from the main dining area and common spaces. Most camps accommodate this request for honeymoons but you have to ask during the booking process, not when you arrive.
For couples who plan to edit photos or do any work at night (it happens, even on honeymoons), ask about power reliability—whether the camp runs on solar or generator, what hours electricity is available, and whether there’s any kind of workspace in the room. Some safari tents are set up for this, most aren’t, and it’s a detail that rarely gets mentioned.
Day 1: Lake Naivasha
The drive from Nairobi takes about two hours on good tarmac, which makes it a gentle start before the rougher roads to the Mara the next day.
The afternoon boat ride is the main activity here—private boat, drifting past hippo families while fish eagles call from dead trees along the shore. The birds make this sharp, haunting sound that carries across the water. The boatmen know how close to the hippos is safe, which is closer than you’d think comfortable, and the late afternoon light turns everything golden.
One logistical thing: before you leave Nairobi, spend five minutes cross-checking your itinerary with your driver. The agency you booked through and the operator who actually owns the vehicle are sometimes different companies, and occasionally drivers show up with a different schedule than what you were promised—like trying to skip the Naivasha boat ride because nobody told them it was pre-paid. A quick conversation at the start prevents confusion later.
Enashipai Resort has a spa if you want a massage after traveling, and the grounds are manicured in that resort way—flowering trees, lawns, lake views. Different vibe than what’s coming in the Mara.
At night, hippos graze on the lodge lawns and you’ll hear them grunting outside. The staff will tell you not to walk around alone after dark and they mean it.
Day 2: Getting to the Mara
After breakfast, you drive to the Masai Mara, which takes about five hours. The last section from Narok is bumpy—locals call it the “African Massage”—and the dust on that stretch is serious enough that a buff or neck gaiter over your face helps prevent what people call “safari cough” from inhaling fine silt for two hours. It’s not just the bumps; it’s the dust that gets you.
If the bumps are bothering you or your partner, tell the driver “pole pole”—it means “slowly slowly” in Swahili and most drivers will ease up if you ask directly rather than just suffering through it.
Arrive at your camp around lunch and settle in.
About the honeymoon welcome touches—flowers on the bed, sparkling wine on ice, rose petals in the bathtub—these happen because someone flagged your booking as a honeymoon. If you booked through an agency, make sure they communicated this to the camp. If you’re not sure, email the camp directly a week before arrival to confirm they know.
Afternoon game drive around 4 PM. Your first look at the Mara. Lions sleeping under acacia trees, elephants crossing the plains. The scale of the landscape takes adjustment because it’s bigger than photos suggest.
Days 3-5: Time in the Mara
Four nights in the Mara means three full days plus arrival and departure afternoons, which is more time than most safari itineraries allow and the reason this works well for honeymoons—you can skip a morning drive without feeling like you’re wasting money, sleep until 9, have a long breakfast on your deck.
One of these mornings is the balloon safari.
One of these evenings is the bush dinner.
The other days are yours to fill however you want.
If you’re staying in a conservancy rather than the main reserve, you can do night drives and walking safaris. Night drives after dinner—spotlights picking up leopard eyes in the darkness—work well for couples. Walking safaris are slower, more intimate, different energy than sitting in a vehicle.
If photography matters to you, ask your operator specifically for a guide who positions for light and action, not just “finds animals.” There’s a difference between a guide who spots a cheetah and moves on versus one who thinks about where the sun is and where the animal is likely to move next. Some guides are naturally good at this; others aren’t. You can request it.
Migration season (July-October) adds the wildebeest herds and possible river crossings but also more vehicles at popular sightings and higher prices.
Midday in the tents can be uncomfortable—the canvas traps heat and most camps don’t have air conditioning, so between noon and 3 PM things get warm. This is when couples either nap through the heat, hang out in the common areas (which usually have shade and sometimes a breeze), or sit by the pool if the camp has one. It’s worth knowing so you don’t plan anything ambitious for those hours.
If your camp has a spa, book the couples massage for one of the afternoons but do it in advance since most lodges only have one or two therapists.
The Balloon Safari
You wake up around 5 AM, drive to the launch site in the dark, watch the balloon inflate. Floating over the Mara at sunrise is hard to describe in a way that doesn’t sound like marketing copy—silent except for occasional burner blasts, the plains stretching below, animals moving in patterns you can’t see from the ground.
The landing is bumpy. They drag the basket for a bit. Then you climb out in the middle of the savannah and there’s a full breakfast waiting—tables, chairs, champagne, eggs cooked on site.
The flight runs USD 450-550 per person. Some honeymoon packages include it; others list it as an add-on.
Here’s something worth doing: if the balloon is listed as “included” in your package, request the balloon operator’s name and your booking reference number at least 48-72 hours before the flight. There have been cases where couples paid for this and assumed it was booked, then found out on the morning of that nobody had actually made the reservation. Getting the confirmation details in advance prevents that.
Weather can cancel flights—morning fog or strong winds mean you don’t go. Four nights in the Mara gives you backup mornings if the first attempt gets cancelled.
The Bush Dinner
A table set up away from the main camp, lanterns, a fire nearby, a waiter and an armed guard. The Milky Way in the Mara with no light pollution looks different than anything you’ve seen with city lights around.
The food varies by camp. Some do a full multi-course dinner; others keep it simpler—grilled meat, salads, wine. The setting matters more than the menu.
One food note about Kenya generally: beef is almost always cooked very well done (tough) because of local food safety standards. The vegetarian options are often where the kitchen puts more creativity—Kenya’s high-altitude farms near Naivasha produce excellent vegetables, and safari chefs sometimes put more effort into the veggie dishes than the standard tourist steak.
If you want a cocktail at dinner, ask for a Dawa—it means “medicine” in Swahili, and it’s vodka, honey, and lime. The ritual involves the waiter bringing a Dawa stick to muddle the honey at the table. It’s become the unofficial drink of the Kenyan bush and it’s better than ordering something generic.
Bush dinners happen weather-permitting. Rain moves you to the main dining area.
Practical Stuff
Tsetse flies exist in some parts of the Mara and they bite through thin fabric. Specifically avoid blue and black clothing—those colors attract them for whatever reason. Khaki, olive, tan, green all work fine.
Tipping runs USD 25-40 per day for your guide, though some couples doing private honeymoon trips tip higher. Use new, crisp USD bills printed after 2013. Kenyan banks and businesses often refuse older, torn, or marked US currency, so bring clean notes.
Swahili phrases that help:
- “Asante, lakini sitaki” (Thank you, but I don’t want it) — polite way to decline vendors at Maasai villages or markets without being rude
- “Lala salama” (Sleep peacefully) — nice way to say goodnight to camp staff
- “Pole pole” (Slowly slowly) — tell your driver this if the roads are getting too rough
Camera gear: Don’t bring a heavy tripod. An empty bean bag cover that you fill with rice or beans at the lodge works better for steadying a camera on the vibrating frame of a safari vehicle. Also, if you’re serious about wildlife photography, bring UHS-II speed SD cards—regular cards will buffer right when a cheetah starts to sprint and you’ll miss the shot.
Vehicle requests: Before you leave Nairobi, confirm in writing: pop-up roof (not a van), working seatbelts, and whether there are charging points for phones and cameras. These details matter on long game drive days and it’s easier to sort them out before you start than to complain later.
At night, most luxury camps put a hot water bottle—they call it a “bush baby”—under the covers during turndown. The Mara can drop 20 degrees after sunset and even in “warm” months, nights get cold. If your camp doesn’t automatically provide this, ask for it.
Costs
Per person. Includes transport, accommodation, meals, park fees, guide, balloon, bush dinner.
Camp Level | Low Season | Peak Season |
Standard camps | USD 3,400 – 4,200 | USD 4,200 – 5,000 |
Nicer lodges | USD 4,800 – 6,200 | USD 5,800 – 7,200 |
Top-end camps | USD 7,000 – 8,000 | USD 8,000 – 9,500+ |
Peak season is July through October and December. Low season is April through June.
The balloon adds USD 450-550 per person if not bundled into your package.
Park Fees
Lake Naivasha: No entry fee for the lake itself. Boat safari is usually included in lodge rates or charged separately (USD 30-50).
Masai Mara: USD 100 per adult January-June, USD 200 per adult July-December. Tickets valid 12 hours (6 AM – 6 PM). Payment through aps.co.ke/kfms/gm_booking.php.
Conservancy fees (if staying in Mara North, Naboisho, etc.): USD 80-120 per night, usually included in camp rates.
Official fee information: Kenya Wildlife Service
Included
Private Land Cruiser with guide (all 6 days), 5 nights accommodation (1 Naivasha, 4 Mara), all meals, Naivasha boat safari, hot air balloon with champagne breakfast, one private bush dinner, sparkling wine on arrival, all park and conservancy fees, Nairobi transfers.
Not included: International flights, Kenya eTA, travel insurance, tips, alcohol beyond what’s included, spa treatments, laundry.
FAQs
Best time for a Kenya honeymoon safari?
July-October for migration and reliable weather, but higher prices and more tourists. January-February for pleasant weather and fewer crowds. April-May has rain that can affect bush dinners and balloon flights, but also the lowest prices.
How far in advance to book?
Three to six months for most camps. Top-end properties during peak season book out six months or more ahead, especially places like Angama during August.
Can we extend with beach time?
Yes. Diani Beach on Kenya’s coast or Zanzibar in Tanzania are common add-ons. Three or four nights at the beach after safari works well.
What about motion sickness?
If one of you gets carsick, request the front seats and confirm the vehicle has good ventilation. The Narok-to-Mara stretch is the roughest part and sitting up front helps. Ginger chews, avoiding reading, and the “pole pole” request to slow down all help too.
What if one of us doesn’t care about wildlife?
Four nights in the Mara helps with this. You can split activities—one person does the 6 AM drive, the other sleeps in. The camps on this itinerary are nice enough that not leaving the property is still a good experience.
Do camps know it’s our honeymoon?
Only if someone tells them. Make sure whoever is booking communicates this clearly and then confirm directly with the camp a week before arrival. The special touches happen because the reservation was flagged, not because they somehow sense you’re newlyweds.
Written by Robert Ogema, safari consultant with over 10 years of experience. Edited by Sankale Ole Neboo.
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