Kenya Honeymoon Guide

Kenya suits honeymoons unusually well, because it offers two entirely different holidays in one trip — and the second half is designed for doing nothing.

Safari first, beach second. Always.

Safari days start before dawn and involve a lot of driving. Beach days involve none of that. Doing them in that order means you finish rested rather than exhausted. We have never had a couple regret this sequencing; we have had several regret the reverse.

How long

Ten nights is the sweet spot: four or five on safari, four or five on the coast, one in Nairobi to absorb the flights. Under eight nights and you are rushing the part that is supposed to be slow.

Choosing camps

Smaller is better. A camp with eight tents has a fundamentally different atmosphere to a lodge with sixty rooms. Look for private verandas, outdoor showers and the option to dine separately rather than at a communal table.

In the conservancies you can also request a private vehicle, which means your day runs on your schedule rather than a group's.

Diani or Watamu?

Diani has better infrastructure, more restaurants and direct flights from the Mara. Watamu is quieter, with a superb marine park and far fewer people. Couples who want dinner options choose Diani; couples who want to disappear choose Watamu.

On the subject of fuss

Tell us how much you want. Some couples want the rose petals and the private dinner on a ridge; others want nobody to mention it at all. Both are easy — but only if we know in advance.

What we will always arrange quietly: a room upgrade where one is available, and a private vehicle on at least one day.

When to go

July to October gives you the migration and the coast at its coolest. December to March gives you clear seas, green plains and lower rates. Avoid April and May, when the long rains overlap with the seaweed season on the coast.