Wow, wow, WOW! What an unbelievable start to the honeymoon it’s been. When we first set out deciding where honeymoon was going to take us, it was a toss up between something action packed and full of adventure, or real relaxation and beach downtime. Given both were equally appealing, we opted for everything! First, we started with what I had heard to be one of the best safari experiences out there.

Welcome, Four Seasons Serengeti.

I can officially say this trip to the Four Seasons Serengeti has cemented my belief that it is one of the very few brands you can genuinely and whole heartedly trust to give you an unbeatable experience, anywhere in the world. The standard of service, hospitality, general feel and welcome is unmatched with such consistency world wide – I am so pleased it’s where we created these memories.

So, why so incredibly special and unique?

The Details

Given what I do and how much I’ve begun to travel with Lean Living Girl, it’s fair to say one can become substantially more aware of the finer details that a holiday brings. It’s like a little devil on your shoulder pointing out when the curtains don’t fully close or the morning poached eggs arrive a leap away from how you politely asked. Occasionally it can be somewhat of a negative ring if you find yourself in a place that deems it, but I honestly left my devil behind for a solid 3 days and loved every second of it.

Upon arriving at Seronera airstrip, we were greeted by the friendliest of guides; a lovely man named Priscus, who had come prepared with a hamper full of tea, coffee, champagne and snacks, just incase we fancied them (we did!). Not only did we get to know Priscus en route but he stayed as our guide for the whole safari which was lovely as he learned from day one we were more cat than bird watchers!

You might be experiencing the beauty of the wild, but the Jeeps are fully equipped with high speed wifi, chargers for every phone possible, blankets and a fridge at the back stocked with everything from water to ros̩, beers and champers Рdoes it get much dreamier? Not only that but feel free to request your choice of jeep, whether you fancy open sides or the classic raised roof game drive material.

I’m not sure about you guys, but champagne, a personal note, chocolate toffee crisp bars paired with a bowl of fresh fruit is my kinda welcome!

Four seasons may be a world-wide brand but each individual hotel has character and something different to offer. The gift shop at the lodge isn’t lined with the brands you come across everyday in your local pharmacy or retailer – they are all unique and have a story in their own right, put there because of that very reason.

I fell in love with a collection of hand-made Maasia-inspired and crafted, luxury jewellery they had in store. All brought about by a woman who came to visit the tribe and fell in love with the people and their culture. The company is called Sidai designs and they actually sell online so you can take a look here.

Locally made Maasia honey and honey candles, all supporting the livelihood of the Maasia people.

The Lodge itself 

Do you think safari means getting friendly with spiders, snakes and mossies? Not in this case!

Upon being welcomed into the Terrace suite, it was quickly apparent no such webs or bites were playing a part in our trip any time soon. The chic rooms are Stunning with a capital S; a mix of African heritage and modern decor. The beds are lined with nothing short of blissful cloud-like sheets and pillows, and the dressing room is larger than that in my own home – the joys of a his and hers! Not one thing is out of place, yet everything embodies a sense of real comfort and welcome to Africa.

Between safaris and the main pool area, you can retreat to your own private oasis overlooking the savannah, just by the watering hole. No elephants wandered past the terrace during our short stay but we were told we only missed them by a day. Plenty to be seen on safari anyhow!

And if you’re own private luxury isn’t enough, the main pool is something to be reckoned with!

As with any great hotel, the spa is a necessary component to match it in luxury and welcome. Greeted with friendly faces and a quick questionnaire, Jack and I were lead to an individual treatment room where we were shown different oils available to use for the massage and requests on pressure. Given my Father has been a strong believer in massages since I was about 7 years old, I’ve been accustomed to breathing through the pressure and relaxing into the benefits of deep tissue, in-fact anything less I find a little annoying!

The therapists are incredibly accommodating and make every second of the treatment feel like a very special experience.

The Unforgettable Safari

I’ve been on safari before as a child but quickly into the first game drive I realised this was a new kettle of fish. The park is how you see it in the nature programmes and how you would imagine it in the wild; a completely real and immersive experience into the lives of the animals we read about in story books.

It’s surreal to say the least, and the knowledge of Priscus, our guide, was second to none. I pride myself on good eyesight but the amount of times he would spot a Cheetah hundreds of metres in the distance which still took me two minutes to make out when right next to it was rather highlighting to say the least!

The animals are in their absolute natural environment … looking for food, to reproduce and avoid predators. Lifetime memories that I will never forget. I didn’t think seeing lions mate was something I’d be writing up, but if any of you caught sight of my snapchat, you’ll know too that it’s a rather quick affair! Given they mate on average 33 times a day, you can understand why…!

The Food

In all honesty, I wasn’t convinced food in the Serengeti was going to be quite up to the standard of a true foodie given the remoteness of the location, but I was pleasantly surprised.

The game drives start relatively early if you want to catch the best light and the buzz of animals waking up to the warming sun, so it’s a quick hot breakfast to start the day, followed by treats for the road to keep you going.

Nothing is too much trouble, and everything is possible. Pastries, fresh fruit, teas and coffees on the go…

Lunch on our full day game drive was with the option of a picturesque park picnic accompanied by a pre-designed menu that suited our tastes. Chicken breast with tomato salsa, beef noodles, roasted vegetables salad and carrot cake and granola bars for dessert. Plus some additional melted cheese and tomato paninis just incase animal spotting was burning more calories than expected!

This was one of my favourite parts of our whole safari.

Food back at the lodge is delicious and ever-changing, so if you’re a guest that is staying for 10 nights, don’t be worried about it getting ‘samey’. There are 3 restaurants at the lodge and the team make the effort to change the themes each evening so you rarely eat from the same menu two nights running.

The first night we were treated to a traditional Maasai dance ritual accompanied by an African feast. Our second was spent dining à la carte with the most amazing beetroot and goats cheese filled ravioli I have tasted and starters alike. The drinks and wine in the full and half board packages are nothing short of excellent and only add to the taste of ex-Zuma chef worthy food.

And incase the quality of the food wasn’t enough, the setting of the restaurants aren’t too shabby either!

My Thoughts on Safari with FS Serengeti

Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Creating a honeymoon that is full of adventure, luxury, stand-out experiences and the warmest of welcomes is, in my opinion, unbeatable. If Safari is yet to be ticked off your bucket list then I urge you to start making the plans to travel this year or next! If you’re like me and relish the combination between staying somewhere that is nothing short of honeymoon worthy but also encapsulates the realness and opportunities that a well planned safari has to offer, Four Seasons Serengeti has your vote.

I hope you enjoyed the glimpse into my time on Safari and if you have any questions or thoughts about my trip – the safari, lodge, getting there or otherwise please leave a comment in the box below, I always love to hear your thoughts!

Carly x

You can visit the Four Seasons website here and ask their team to help you plan a trip of a lifetime!