We recently interviewed one of our clients who just returned home from a romantic African safari honeymoon! See below for why these honeymooners, Devin & Margaret Battiston, chose Africa for their honeymoon, and how Africa changed their lives (NOTE: all pictures in this post were provided by and are owned by the Battistons):
What inspired you to visit Africa for your dream honeymoon? Was it as romantic as you thought it would be?
I’ve dreamed of going to Africa since childhood, and when my fiancé and I both wanted to go somewhere far away for our honeymoon (instead of a nearby option like the Caribbean or Europe to which we’ve both traveled a good bit), it was a pretty natural choice.
We love to scuba dive but knew that we didn’t want to sit on a beach for two weeks. Africa offered us the opportunity to safari and then relax on a pristine island. We wanted something exotic, luxurious, and romantic, and our African experience way exceeded our expectations on all three.
At each of our destinations, Giraffe Manor, Mara Plains, and Marlin Lodge, we were treated to romantic surprises, which made an already perfect honeymoon even more so.
During your trip you visited the Masai Mara. What was your favorite part about this region and why?
We chose to stay at one camp instead of the more popular option of spending fewer nights at several different camps. Mara Plains Camp, in the Olare Orok Conservancy in the Masai Mara, blew our minds in every way. The service was impeccable in Africa and the standout among our destinations (all of which easily put to shame any Conde Nast recommended visit in the US) was Mara Plains. The accommodations were so luxurious and completely changed our concept of what can be offered on a tented safari.
The food was amazing, and when we were offered a choice between a meat and a vegetarian option, we always chose both as the entire menu was superb. They were extremely accommodative of my dietary needs, and did so in a very subtle way.
And, of course, the safari itself was absolutely the most amazing experience of our lives. We saw multiple successful lion hunts from stalking to enjoying the meal, in true National Geographic splendor – but in person, and very much so up close.
We witnessed a bachelor group of male lions taunting a pride, and we were so close that we could feel their roars on our bodies (though our conservation-minded guide always made sure we never intruded in the events and that we were always kept safe). We watched a leopard and her cub as the sun went down, and saw the most playful baby elephant ram into every member of its herd in search of a wrestling partner.
Hyenas wildly jumped and bit at the air to keep the vultures at bay, while cheetah relaxed in tall grass or in the shade of an acacia tree. And the biggest spectacle of all: the Great Migration with literally millions of wildebeest and zebra following the rains and the fresh grass across the continent.
We saw a crocodile keep the migration from crossing north of the Talek River within our first hour in the Mara. The next day they returned determined to cross, and did so thundering into our territory. Of course, while other vehicles returned to their camps for lunch, thanks to the foresight of our guide, we enjoyed an incredible picnic lunch while taking in the immaculate spectacle without a soul in sight to share it with. We can’t thank the camp manager and assistant manager, Richard and Lorna, enough for all they did.
Richard was our personal guide and took us out for dawn and we didn’t return until after dusk. We truly felt like their sole mission was to ensure that we had the experience of a lifetime.
STAY TUNED FOR PART II OF THIS INTERVIEW, WHICH WILL PUBLISH THIS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18!
Have you always dreamed of embarking on a life-changing honeymoon? Click here to contact Hills of Africa today for a complimentary 15-minute consultation.