February 2022…// Leading conservation organization Great Plains is delighted to present the ultimate collection of romantic Kenyan safari experiences. Couples based at the group’s luxurious ol Donjo Lodge, Mara Plains and Mara Nyika camps can choose from several unforgettable bucket-list experiences, from nights spent sleeping under the eternal African sky to wildlife spotting as they enjoy in-suite spa treatments.
The ‘wildly romantic’ experiences were designed by co-founders of Great Plains and husband-and-wife duo Dereck and Beverley Joubert. “Kenya is one of the most romantic destinations in the world because camps like those at Great Plains provide the adventure that guests want, but also with the luxurious seclusion we offer. You can be alone but can also choose when to be out doing something great like a riding safari together or getting up close to cheetahs. A safari is a spiritual journey, and sharing that with someone you love really sets the tone for life,” said Dereck Joubert.
The experiences include:
A bucket-list Breakfast on Horseback at ol Donyo Lodge
Serenely located in the Chyulu Hills, in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro, privacy is guaranteed at ol Donyo Lodge. Along with traditional game drives, the beauty of ol Donyo Lodge is that it is home to an impressive stable of twenty horses, which allows guests to swap the engine’s rumble for the sound of hooves hitting the grassy plains.
For a start to the day to remember, romantics staying at ol Donyo Lodge can book a once-in-a-lifetime bush breakfast when enjoying their horseback experience. Available for riders of novice to advanced levels, this is the perfect experience for adventurous couples (and a great place to pop an all-important question…).
Swapping a game drive for a morning on horseback offers one of the most peaceful and unique ways to experience Kenya’s diverse landscape and its awe-inspiring natural world. If riding does not appeal, guests can swap hooves for wheels and start their experience with an exhilarating game drive.
In suite Wildlife-Spotting and Spa Treatments
After a morning on horseback and a bush breakfast à deux, couples can enjoy spa treatments together from the privacy of their own suite, surrounded by breath-taking views across the sprawling plains with Mount Kilimanjaro as a constant backdrop.
The Out of Africa Couples Treatment is an enriching spa treatment. Designed to deep clean and rejuvenate tired skin, the treatment starts with a full-body exfoliation followed by a moisturising body balm massage, which leaves skin feeling tender and soft. Couples can unwind while enjoying this renewing spa treatment as local wildlife such as elephants and giraffes wander by. This treatment is available at all Great Plains Kenya Réserve Collection camps.
If this is simply not enough to experience in one day, Great Plains can arrange for private dining and private night game drives following the treatment. Couples can then reflect on their special day before drifting off in a ‘Star Bed’ to the sound of rumbling elephants…
Sleeping on a ‘Star Bed’ Under the African Sky
Couples can opt to spend the night sleeping under the stars in their very own ‘Star Bed’ for the finishing touch. Lovers will return to their room at ol Donyo Lodge to discover a lantern-lit walkway to their private star bed set up on the roof of their suite. Made up with luxurious linen and draped mosquito net upon their four-poster bed, dreamers can sleep under the endless African sky to the sounds of the bush, only to be woken up naturally by the birds and the rising sun. A night under the stars in Africa is a memory to treasure for a lifetime…
The Honeymoon Suite Island at Mara Plains Camp (Opened Summer 2021)
For couples searching for the ultimate private ‘love nest’, there’s only one choice: the new Honeymoon Suite at Mara Plains Camp – built on a peninsula island and accessed only via a suspension bridge.
Situated in the private Olare Motorogi Conservancy, one of the most iconic wildlife destinations on the planet with unrivalled access to more than 100,000 acres of exclusive land and access to the 375,000 acre Maasai Mara Reserve, Mara Plains Camp reopened in Summer 2021 after undergoing an entire camp refurbishment. Located upriver from little sister Mara Toto Camp, the refreshed Mara Plains camp is completely elevated on high-rise decks and offers couples a brand-new Honeymoon Suite on a peninsula island.
The new Mara Plains Honeymoon Suite has been carefully designed for ultimate privacy. Guests enjoy their private wooden bridge to cross the Mara River, leading to their suite, which boasts endless views of the sprawling plains of the Masai Mara, where you can watch the Great Migration and even spot a cheetah from your private deck.
The Great Plains team are dedicated to creating unforgettable holidays of a lifetime and look forward to welcoming couples to experience Kenya’s beauty together.
“Here at Great Plains, we specialise in flexibility and creating a personal experience for every safari, so if a couple’s massage followed by a private dinner with wine pairing by our Relais & Chateaux chefs, topped off with a bubble bath is on the wish list, our team will make the ‘once in a lifetime’ happen!” said Dereck Joubert.
