BON VOYAGE: Kenya and The Seychelles with Elizabeth & Rhys

Couple: Elizabeth + Rhys

Location: Kenya & Seychelles

Travel Season: Early Fall

Length of Stay: 3 Weeks

Lodging: Palacina in Nairobi | Elsa’s Kopje in Meru, Kenya | Mahali Mzuri in Kenya | Raffles in Praslin, Seychelles | Four Seasons in Mahe, Seychelles | Giraffe Manor in Nairobi

Honeymoon with a Mission

“When we started to plan our honeymoon, we knew we wanted to do something to give back. We discovered that Elsa’s Kopje, the safari lodge where we stayed in northern Kenya, supported a local school. The biggest issue they were facing at the school was lack of access to light. Rhys works in solar energy so we worked closely with the manager of the lodge and the head of the school to bring an individual solar-powered light to every family in the school – about 250 lights which we sourced locally from Kenya.” – Elizabeth

Top Honeymoon Moments

• Going on safari!
• Diving in the Seychelles.
• Renting a bike on La Digue. Don’t forget to stop for a fresh squeezed juice on the beach!
• Finding a secret beach in the Seychelles. If you get off the beaten path, you can find one all to yourself!
• Enjoying sundowners in the bush (i.e. sunset safari drinks).
• Spending a night at Giraffe Manor in Nairobi.
• Visiting the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi.
• Hiking in the Seychelles mountains.
• Watching the amazing Seychelles sunset every night.
• Spotting the Big 5 (lions, leopards, rhino, elephant, and buffalo).
• Taking a hot air balloon ride over the Masai Mara.

Top Things to Eat & Drink

Octopus Curry. Full of flavor, spicy, and perfect with a local beer!
South African Wine.
Bobotie… a traditional South African dish that’s a bit like a meat pie.
Breakfast in the bush!
Anything Creole from the Four Seasons Seychelles.
Samosas at Moonflower Restaurant in Nairobi.
Ice cream from La Dolce Vita in Seychelles.

What to Pack

• Bathing Suits! Make sure to bring a mix of super practical suits for diving in the breathtaking waters of the Seychelles, and some sexier styles for lounging in the cliffside infinity pools after a day of hiking.
• Safari Chic Clothing — You can’t wear bright colors in the bush, so make sure to pack comfy and cute neutrals.
• St Maarten Nectar Bug Off.
• Hats — For both safari-ing and on the beach.
• Binoculars! — You definitely want to make sure you have a great pair of binoculars on safari to see all the amazing animals!

Souvenirs to Shop:

• We spent some time in the Mara in Kenya where the local tribe, the Masai, are world renown for their beautiful beading. We purchased a number of hand-beaded gifts to bring back for friends and family, and I bought a hand-beaded headband that made the perfect wardrobe addition for when we were in the Seychelles the following week.
• A must if you want to shop in Kenya is to visit the Utamaduni craft market in the suburbs of Nairobi. They have a treasure trove of shops in a beautiful garden setting, and you can find amazing crafts from jewelry to statues to toys and bowls. We picked up a wood picture frame to display a photo from our honeymoon.
• An orphaned elephant! Well, you can’t actually take him home with you, but you can foster an orphaned elephant at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya and they’ll send you home with a great picture and memories. The center rescues baby elephants who have been orphaned, usually because of poaching, and raises them and rehabilitates them under they’re ready to live on their own in the wild. Getting to spend time up close with the baby elephants was one of the best moments of our honeymoon – one particularly tiny guy wrapped his trunk around Rhys’ wedding finger and didn’t want to let go which was just so cute.

As seen in Flutter Magazine, Issue No. 11