A Heavenly Honeymoon: From the Lion’s Den to Marital Bliss

German-Japanese soccer player Yuki Stalph and his bride Rui were so impressed by the incredible wildlife of Masai Mara National Park that they decided to go on a short safari before their wedding. This is the story of their dream honeymoon on an African patch of paradise.

"Jambo!" Our jeep driver greeted us jauntily early one morning in Nairobi, Kenya. For the first time in my life, we were headed to my wife's second home - for our own wedding! You can choose to enter the part of the Mara either by road or on a chartered flight. We chose to do the six hour drive as we had a lot of bags with us and also a wish for adventure! 

"We rattled our way through hills and dales, captivated by the breathtaking scenery of the fascinating Kenya."

Our cruiser was no cosy wedding carriage as we rattled through hills and dales with what felt like 120 bags on board! As we drove through the stunning landscape, the sight of zebras, impalas, wildebeest and various gazelle greeted us everywhere. Although our wedding guests did make the trip a whole lot of fun, I was saddle sore and glad when my feet finally touched the ground exactly six hours later. 

We entered our wedding camp to the sound of my phone belting out elephant calls, and were greeted by the rest of the wedding troop, who had chosen to fly in, and a feast of salads, pastas, grilled meat and lots of fruit.   After we unpacked our stuff at the camp, I decided to go on an afternoon safari. My wife had booked a relaxing massage to relieve the strain our rigorous journey had caused. Both were great choices! 

The morning and evening safaris were absolute highlights of our trip! Game drives are held during the morning and evening as the animals are more active around these times. The bush breakfast that is located in the jungle right by the Mara river, and a visit to one of the nearby Maasai villages, are both highly recommended.

We had really good luck during our four-day stay - in addition to numerous zebras, gazelles, monkeys, birds, wildebeest, giraffes, buffalos, hippos and crocodiles, we saw elephant families, including babies, frolicking in the mud. We also saw lion cubs resting on their cute little paws by their powerful pack leader, and a lonely cheetah chased away by an angry gazelle leader after an unsuccessful attempt at hunting.

All our experiences were memorable, and our wedding on the idyllic Olololo Hill was to be the highlight of the trip. I didn't want to miss out on anything and splurged on the wedding, which was also to be a journey through the world of African wildlife. After the lunch buffet, we ended up in different tents before the grand entrance. My wife was in our luxury suite, getting her hair and makeup done while I was in a Classic Tent that the camp had kindly provided on a complimentary basis. Quickly I stepped out of my safari gear and into my wedding suit.

A small, simple yet enchanting altar, adorned with white rose petals that had been flown in for the occasion, a sensational view of the endless Masai Mara National Park, and all of it accompanied by singing Maasai natives - it was perfect!

We will never forget our dream wedding, and we intend to fulfil our mission to come back to complete our Mara Big Five experience, for the leopards and rhinos that we missed.

Pinning for an African safari for your honeymoon or maybe a luxury Asia tour? Contact one of your Enchanting Travel consultants today!