Romantic African Safaris: The romance of East Africa

East Africa can provide the most magical backdrop for some of the most romantic moments. Marriage proposals, honeymoons, milestone anniversaries, and vow renewals are special, personal, events that deserve to be celebrated. Across our portfolio of East Africa safari camps, our staff have created some extra special experiences to provide the perfect setting for your romantic moment.

Romantic poolside private dining at Sayari Camp in the northern Serengeti

A surprise bush breakfast, complete with mimosas after a walking safari can provide the perfect start to a day of anniversary celebrations. Or perhaps a private drinks setup, whilst watching the sun slowly sink below the grassy plains of the Masai Mara, may be the scene you always pictured for your ideal proposal.

Walking safaris and bush breakfasts

If you’re planning to ‘pop the question’ during your safari, our suggestion is to plan the moment for the first couple of days of your trip. Once the question has been asked and the ring is firmly on your partner’s finger, you can relax and soak up the magic of this special time together, before returning home to share the news with family and friends. Oliver’s Camp, located in the quieter southern reaches of Tarangire National Park, is very often the first safari destination for travellers exploring Tanzania’s “northern circuit”. Whether driving or flying, the easy access of the park and the rugged authenticity of the safari experience makes Oliver’s Camp the perfect starting point to immediately feel immersed in your East Africa adventure. If you are planning to propose early in your safari itinerary, this may be the ideal location.

A walking safari, followed by a private bush breakfast, brings a romantic twist to a regular morning activity.

Picture a morning walking safari, setting out into the cool morning air shortly after sunrise with your primary senses on full alert as you explore the Tarangire wilderness on foot. A walking safari offers a completely different perspective. Watching big game from a secluded location, marvelling at birdlife, and learning about the smaller yet equally important ecosystems that contribute to the health of the wilderness area. Just when you think you’re heading back to camp, you spot some activity beneath the trees up ahead. A table has been set complete with a plunger of fresh coffee; a spread of cereals, yoghurts, fruits and pastries awaits, and a chef patiently stands by the grill ready to prepare eggs the way you like them, complete with all the trimmings.

The Naboisho Sundowner

Afternoon game drives are a standard component of a day on safari, but this doesn’t mean all game drives have to be the same. Naboisho Camp, in Kenya’s Mara Naboisho Conservancy, recently introduced the ultimate bush sundowner vehicle – the Refreshment Ranger. Fully equipped with tables and chairs, blankets, pillows and a selection of beverages and snacks, this mobile delight is taking romantic sundowners in the bush to the next level. As the sun begins to dip towards the horizon, your game drive happens upon the Refreshment Ranger parked alongside a tree adorned with lanterns, a blazing fire, complete with tables and chairs or blankets and pillows thoughtfully positioned upwind. Our staff understand the importance of these moments and remain on hand, whilst providing you with the space to simply absorb the experience with your loved one, or perhaps ask an important question.

Naboisho Camp’s mobile sundowner station, the Refreshment Ranger.

“All the little surprises like lunch in the bush, a bottle of bubbles, the dancing celebration and singalong at Highlands, and of course the engagement arrangements. Which was so much more than I had anticipated. THANK YOU!!” Guest Nov 2022, direct feedback

Honeymoon hot tub

Imagine returning to your tent from an afternoon game drive to find a freshly drawn bubble bath and your favourite drink ready and waiting. Sayari and Namiri Plains feature bathtubs in all the tents, with an additional outdoor granite tub for the romantics in the honeymoon tent at Sayari. There is only one bathtub in Oliver’s Camp, as a very special addition to the honeymoon tent. A separate wooden platform with a free-standing copper tub, beneath a tree strung with lanterns, overlooking the Tarangire grassland makes for an incredibly romantic experience. The Highlands offers a twist on the traditional bubble-bath experience, with a wood-fired hot tub perched on the deck of the honeymoon dome. While this offers a wonderful post-game drive cleanse, it is best enjoyed in the cold night-time air beneath the blanket of Ngorongoro stars.

The outdoor bathtub at Oliver’s Camp offers a romantic, candlelit experience.

Private dining

A private dinner in a romantic location is so much more than just a dinner. It’s an opportunity to reflect on your surroundings, the unfolding experience, and to recount the memories made so far whilst enjoying a shared meal. The location for a private dinner varies from camp to camp, as each team strives to create the most memorable experience within each unique camp location. The hide at Encounter Mara offers the perfect location for a private sundowner and dinner, complete with a camp fire, whilst taking in the views over the salt-lick and enjoying the nighttime noises of the Mara Naboisho Conservancy. Namiri Plains can offer a candle-lit pool-side table, accompanied by the exchange of roars from the neighbouring lion pride. Rekero Camp, with its separate “small deck” overlooking the Talek River, offers a romantic dinner with a unique soundtrack from the hippo below.

A romantic private sundowner and dining experience, in the hide at Encounter Mara, Mara Naboisho Conservancy.

Traditional Blessing Ceremonies

A traditional Maasai or Kuria blessing is a culturally immersive, once-in-a-lifetime experience. While the Maasai tribe need little introduction, the Kuria tribe is perhaps not as well known. With a love for music and dancing, a Kuria blessing is always a festive and energetic celebration. Available from a selection of camps across Kenya and Tanzania, a traditional blessing can be a part of a renewal of vows, a non-legal wedding ceremony or as a celebration of your love in marking an anniversary. Maasai blessings can be arranged in Kenya from Naboisho and Encounter Mara, and in Tanzania from Oliver’s, The Highlands, Namiri Plains and Dunia. Kuria blessings are only available in the northern Serengeti from Sayari or the migration camps of Ubuntu and Olakira when they are in the north.

A blessing ceremony with the Kuria tribe results in a celebration with music and dancing.

No matter what your perfect romantic safari features, any or all of these activities can be tailored to make it a reality and align with the romantic occasion you are here to celebrate. Our teams will pull out all the stops to make it happen.