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Hemmingways, Nairobi, Kenya

We flew into Nairobi and the question was; do we check out this city? And as a Travel Advisor, the answer is always…YES. Two nights were spent at Hemmingways, which in my opinion, is the only option in the city (maybe the Fairmont, due to its list of historical guests). The hotel is in “Karen” (as in “Blixon,” not “loser”), an upscale neighborhood outside of the city fray. During my one day in the city, we went to a women’s collective to watch how glass beads were made, fed giraffes at a conservatory (this was also next door to the famous Giraffe Manor, which I am now giving a huge “pass” even though people seem to love it), visited an animal rehab center, and explored the National Museum of Kenya, which I actually really enjoyed. Nairobi is safe, but it’s also hectic and I couldn’t find a cool neighborhood (no “Williamsburg of Nairobi” here!) So that was a bit of a bummer. But the hotel was chic and a nice respite. Highly recommend.

Before I go any further, I want to go deep on the small plane situation because everyone talks about it. First off, I am the worst flier and I wasn’t fully prepared for how many tiny planes I would have to take; to get from one spot to the next, you need to jump on a 12 seater prop plane which is basically a bus, meaning, you get on and they make stops. Some stops are 8 minutes away, others are 40 minutes away; people get on and off. There are always two pilots who seem super competent and receive intense training so I always felt “safe” but it’s just pretty uncomfortable emotionally. And physically. You could get a smooth, easy ride or one that’s totally bumpy and torturous - we had both. Most people only need to take two or three of these plane rides during their trip, I took about ten. But this is just kind of the deal - you pop a xanex, a zofran, slide your headphones on, put on some affirmations and get ready to see some amazing shit when you land. It’s called growing.

***Two short flights (one bumpy) and a small drive

Suyian, Central Kenya

Our second stop was &Beyond’s newest property, Suyian, which is kind of in a weird destination - apparently it’s just in “Central Kenya.” From the website, I wasn’t excited about the hotel’s design but the second I arrived, all I felt was elevation; every single thing was insanely tasteful, perfectly “of place”, and the service is seriously unparalleled. Loved, loved, loved. While here, we momentarily lost our minds and decided to milk camels (camel milk is easily digestible, people - they sell it at Erawhon), and visited a very remote, 50 person village where we really spent time with the villagers and got to dance with the town celebrity who was making a youtube video (teens be teens, amiright?) We decided to send the community bags of maize and rice since the nearest supermarket was two and a half hours away by foot. At this location, we saw the basic animals - giraffes, zebras elephants, a few lionesses in the distance - but didn’t know what was to come.

The hotel itself is small but mighty; with only one family suite and twelve (enormous) rooms, everyone at Suyian has a plunge pool, a bananas view and a butler. This place is l-u-x-u-r-y. Special touches: the staff’s drawing a surprise bath (since takes an hour to fill the tub with hot water), the chef’s scrapping the menu and making a traditional Kenyan meal that our guide wanted us to try, overhearing me talk about wanting to eat in the garden and making that happen, and cooking anything you want, whenever; “You want eggs? We will make you eggs!” Furthermore, the staff is always watching what you’re doing - for instance, if they see you are only drinking iced coffee, they put ice in your room. I also got a dreamy massage which was just a fraction of the cost of what I’m used to paying in LA. Here, we also learned about &Beyond company ethos, their commitment to the local communities and something I loved - how during staff meetings they discuss not only career goals, but personal goals (“I want to spend more time with my son”), and how to support that staff member’s growth. So beautiful.

***Two short flights - one bumpy.

Bataleur, Maasai Mara, Kenya

We arrived at the Maasai Mara to the most spectacular sighting; a pride of lions eating a buffalo. This is considered “special” as you’re witnessing the circle of life. The hotel was definitely the most “me” - it had a classic feel with “Out of Africa” vibes, Ralph Lauren coded decor, and Belgian crystal and candelabras. Epic. This one also had a nighttime energy: everyone from British couples with a baby to older friend groups met in the candle-lit common area - it happened to be pouring rain both nights we were there, which made it feel extra dramatic and cozy. And special moments continued; Chef Jackson sent me home with a jar of Boabab (African superfruit) after he heard I was interested in it at breakfast. I’m told he also does cooking lessons with guests.

Here, we saw the best animals; aside from the lions, we saw a black rhino, tons of species of gazelles, impalas and oryx, and the money sighting…a leopard. For those of you who think you’re not into wildlife (like me), let me tell you, you are. A friend’s client said she “felt God” at Bataleur and I understand why; you’re witnessing life cycles, seeing predators in calm states, watching babies attach themselves to mothers - and we even spied on gay baboons. The Mara itself is lush, tropical, and green - this was my favorite landscape.

The local village was super fun to visit, while maybe a bit tourist-y. But the Maasai makes up over 2 million of the Kenyan population so it felt really important to visit, meet with the village chief, learn about the traditions, see the homes, and eventually, send over some necessities.

It took us several short flights to get to the Tanzania border, and then our visas which were only in the “processing” phase, held us up a bit. Be sure to bring your Yellow Fever vax card which I forgot (I didn’t forget to get vaxxed, I just forgot to bring the card and was fined).

***Five okay flights (two of which were 8 minutes) and a short drive

Under Canvas, Serengeti, Tanzania

So…this is glamping, but at it’s finest - and before you write it off, I will say that it’s really cool. The tents are chic, the beds are cozy, the food is super good (think delicious stir-fries and chicken curry), and the service was way above par. There’s a giant campfire - it’s like that vibe. There’s also a real sense of community here - we met many adventurous travelers and shared stories. My issues were very related to being a middle aged woman staying at such a place; for one, you need to call ahead for hot water for the outdoor shower (of which you pull a lever, Flashdance style), and there is no fitness or spa options which make downtime super down. If you try to take a walk, you could get eaten by a lion, so that’s not an option either. The answer, I guess is…a book. All that said, I really enjoyed myself. The Serengeti landscape was different; with wild, open plains, we were met with hundreds and hundreds of wilde beasts and babies and flocks of peach-y flamingos.

There were carcasses and skulls laying around - it felt wild, real wild. We got up close and personal with male lions a few times and saw carnivore birds eating something nasty. This was all very exciting. They also have hot ballooning in this region, which my travel buddies bailed on, but is said to be majestic. We also thought about trying to re-enact the hair washing scene in “Out of Africa” but we couldn’t find a Director’s Chair and also it was too cold. Listen, if you’re scared of tent accommodations, you have every right to be - they’re not for everyone. I’ve glamped before so I knew what to expect. But if you’re the Le Bristol type…moving right along.

***Two bumpy flights, an hour car and 6 minute smooth boat ride

Mnemba, Mnemba Island, Zanzibar

We knew Mnemba would be special as it’s located on a private island off of Zanzibar. So it’s an island off an island. With only twelve rooms, this is true barefoot luxury - which is really not my world - but holy shit, it was insane. The “bandas” are enormous and have fun treats like homemade cardamom and coconut marshmallows, and “in box” fitness. Each room has a private cabana that looked out onto the white sands and clear Indian Ocean. I always get bored at beach hotels but there were actually tons of things you can do; take the dhow boat at sunset (which is the old fashioned wooden style), snorkle, reiki/sound bath session, glass bottom kayaking, beachside yoga, lots of spa treatments, step-paddle board, and non-certification scuba. I think of all the properties, this had my favorite food, in most part, because it was all fresh seafood (think: enormous prawns, Vietnamese style local fish and papaya salads). On our final night the hotel hosted cocktails on the beach (mine was the perfect blend of tequila, camomile, cinnamon, lime and ginger) and held a courtyard dinner under the stars. Memorable.

***Hour and a half drive through small villages

Stone Town, Zanzibar

Okay, Stone Town. If you’re a cool but not fancy person, I really think you’ll like (even love?) Stone Town. As a Unesco site, the Euro-Arabic architecture is preserved, but crumbling, which my friends know I love. With its unique buildings, huge wooden doors, djellaba-clad children and beach proximity, it felt super exotic, unlike anything I have ever experienced. In the beginning we felt overwhelmed by the oppressive heat and the crowds (lots of visitors, tiny streets), but there were some real gems to be unearthed; I thought the Emerson Spice hotel was a perfect example of a really chic (probably) 3 star hotel. There are no elevated options here - lots of little budget hotels with beautiful architecture. Honestly, it would feel out of place for a high-end hotel to put down roots - this town was all about an authentic vibe. The lush secret garden restaurant at Emerson was beautiful and romantic and we all had the best vegetable curry. So vibe-y.

We stumbled upon a great coffee shop called Zanzibar Coffee House that had “spiced iced coffee” (with cinnamon and cardamom), energy balls - stuff like that (I later found out that they also have very cool rooms you can rent). And I loved the organic, sustainable spice shops (we did a spice tour at a farm on the drive in but I would have preferred buying them at the stores in the town). And of course we ended with a baller move; reflexology at a random little spa on our last day.

There are cool artisan booths that sell oddly shaped baskets (the kind you find on Goodee) and mahogony boxes with brass details that were perfect for a maximalist home, so I bought one. The carved wood doors that are everywhere are of Indian and Arabic influence and are all slightly different and stunningly beautiful. Since it’s on the water, there’s tons of fresh seafood like grilled sardines and octopus. I’d say that one day is enough. Zanzibar is also home to the biggest African slave trade which was spurred by the Arabs, and was the second wave to American slavery. We stepped into the slave quarters and it was as horrific as you can imagine (there is a lot to unpack in the history). The churches are beautiful, full of song and stained glass and we happened upon an Islamic school recess with tons of children in the square. The kids there are joyful and full of life. I must day, these were two of the most beautiful countries with the most beautiful people.

What to pack:

Washable clothing: You’ll be bringing very little and doing laundry a lot. I love my Suzie Kondi sweatsuits for the plane (and cute arrival).

A light foundation to even out any wonky sunburns from the Safari Jeep. Victoria Beckham currently makes my favorite because it’s super light.

I wish I had this cute vintage army jacket from The Great - would have worn it for every drive.

A multi-task serum: Vintners Daughter serum for life. It was fun layering this on, especially during glamping. It’s a one-and-done serum and replenishes your skin with everything it’s lacking.

I wish I brought an amazing conditioner as my hair was a rat’s nest the whole time. Roz Foundation Conditioner would have saved me!

SPF: I’ve been using the tinted one from Sarah Creel as it gives some glow with coverage

Sunnies: So you can’t look a lioness in the eyes! My new faves are oversized from Bottega.

Tall socks: Avoid those mosquitos. This year I’m getting good ones from Comme Si.

A cool anorak for chilly mornings: Marfa Stance is literally a perfect look for this trip.

A thick lip balm - the liquid-y ones didn’t cut it. I was missing my thick, juicy one from One Skin.

Sneakers: Forget what you read - you’ll wear sneakers the whole time. I wore these chunky New Balance because they’re Balenciaga coded.

Much like Iceland, Sri Lanka is a country where moving around a lot will serve you in the long run as there are so many different cultural moments to explore. We broke up the trek by spending two nights in Singapore (more on that at a later date), because Sri Lanka is somehow even further than that (?) From whatever-your-lay-over destination, you’ll arrive in Colombo and will stay close by for one night, get your footing and start your major adventure in the morning. We stayed at Uga Riva, a 180 year old colonial manor that was perfectly welcoming and had a great breakfast that overlooked a lovely little pool. I had such new-destination-arrival-excitement when we landed that I would have been okay if it were legit a Marriot airport hotel – I was literally jumping out of my skin, just to be in that part of the world.

From here, you’re off to the Cultural Triangle, which is a four-hour drive. You will stay at Uga Ullagalla, which is a sister property to Uga Riva (every one of the hotels in this group is different - some are better than others). Here you’ll find the birthplace of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, and can do everything from visit Dambulla, a cave temple carved out of solid rock to explore the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, a UNESCO world heritage site. The hotel situates you in the midst of rice paddy fields and the sacred Bodhi tree - truly this is a magical part of the trip that you don’t want to miss. After two nights here, you’re pairing this with another few at the Water Garden Sigiriya, because it’s widely considered the crown jewel of the Cultural Triangle and helps to break up the journey from the Cultural Triangle to the Ceylon tea hills.

Okay, now you’re venturing to my favorite spot: the Tea Plantations. From Sigiriya you can either take a (not chill) 4.5 hour drive, or you can hop on a Cinnamon Air seaplane. The drive is windy AF and you might get car sick - that’s just facts. And while I am a terrible flyer (terrible), I would choose the four seat seaplane any day of the week. It’s a twenty-minute flight and ours was super smooth and came with two pilots. Did I love the feeling of opening my eyes and being above the clouds in SUV sized aviation? No, no I did not. But it was quick, fairly painless and got us to the next location in record time. Which was….the incredibly dreamy Uga Halloowella where you are met with a “blessing of the room” ceremony. We were immediately obsessed with this new, charming little mountain top hotel which looked out over the misty, ethereal plantations. It’s worth the trek (trust). And the hotel is like staying at your rich Sri Lankan friend’s parent’s house because, don’t we all have one of those buddies from college? Rooms are charming and so chic (my friend Janet got the best room - I’m still bitter). And the food was some of the best I’ve ever had (and I’m a New Yorker so that says a lot). Since it’s such a small property and the food was so bonkers we requested a private curry lesson with Chef Danu (who had trained in Singapore and Paris), where we learned about all the local spices (cinnamon is the big one) and Sri Lankan mustard. Later in the day we tuk tuk’ed into the plantations where we did more learning - this time, about the tea picking process (all done by women, in the sun, amongst field leeches). It was explained to us that Sri Lankan tea is more pure than that from China or Kenya or India because Sri Lanka only uses the light leaves, and the others mix them with the dark. Then they’re taken to the factories for the men to process everything and let me tell you, it was also crazy hot. An easy job, this is not.

From here, you’re off to safari, homie! Get back in that seaplane, or take a 7.5 hour drive – difficult decision! While you might not associate Sri Lanka with safari, let me tell you – we saw stuff! Yala National Park is home to Asian elephants, herds of buffalos, playful monkeys and, the money, shot – cheetahs (though admittedly, a tough spotting). We stayed at Uga Chena Huts but Wild Coast Tented Lodge is another great option. The best part of the Huts experience was eating under the stars, feet in the sand, chatting it up with other guests.

After the animals you are making your way to the coast but first you’ll stop at a cinnamon farm where you’ll see everything from the bark, the sticks, the trees, the oil – all of it (we wound up purchasing ours in Colombo – more on that). Then, you’re hitting up a Moon Stone Farm to explore the not-so-easy task of securing and polishing these stunning stones with the opportunity to shop them after. I wound up purchasing a huge loose ombre amethyst-like gem, which I had made into a killer cocktail ring at home (my travel buddies bought some and had them set on-site).

Then you’re moving onto Galle. Honestly I didn’t know what to expect from this destination, the walled-in Fort town that was taken over by the Brits in the late 1700s. But I knew that I was psyched to stay at the Amangalle, one of the few non-minimalist outposts of this legendary hotel group. This property quickly became one of my all-time favorites – it’s got crazy historic charm, exotic but understated glamour, indoor-outdoor flow, Burmese teak floors, Dutch architecture – and it all spoke directly to me. Plus the food will forever live in my dreams. Think: the best crab curry you will ever eat in your life (note: Sri Lankan food is way lighter than Indian). The village is oddly hippie-dippie with young Euro kids on laptops in little cafes (here, I learned about “coconut water coffee” which I tried to re-create at home, but no.) In the middle of “town” is Galle Fort Hotel, where we had drinks with the owner who seemed to be part-time mayor of Galle. We also heard about a “grandma’s cooking class” that you can take while staying here and were tortured by not having had time to participate. They had me at “grandma.”

After stopping for a freshly hacked coconut from a street vendor, you’ll head to the coast to check into Amanwella, which is at the beach and is a surfer’s haven (the Brit’s found it first). You’ll be met with candy colored seashells and some sweet cows hangin’ by the shore. Palms will add to the dramatic coastline and even if you’re not a beach person like me, your soul might leave your body for a second.

Okay. From here, if I were to do this trip again (and I might, because it’s an amazing country), I would make my way to Lunuganga Bentota, two hours south of Colombo. Sri Lanka’s most celebrated architect, Geoffrey Bawa, left a specific design imprint that’s most evident in his once-personal estate that’s now an “idyllic, arcadian landscape.” The grounds are a sprawling, tropical oasis and the rooms are traditional and understated. I’m deeply sad that I didn’t get to experience any part of the Bawa legendary design movement but want to make sure that you don’t. It’s part of the country’s creative spirit.

Now, you’re headed back to Colombo to catch a flight back home but before that, you’ll visit the epic Jami UI Alfar mosque if not to take one hundred photos from every angle. There are also some cool home-stays in Colombo since you won’t find brand name luxury hotels here (I prefer charming residences that are “of place” anyway). Look for Number 11, Geoffrey Bawa’s former home (sick), Highbury Colombo, or homes that have been converted into charming boutique hotels, like Ishq.

Hit up the Ceylon Tea Supermarket (oddly enough, you can’t actually buy any at the plantations), and then F up some crab at the legendary Ministry of Crab (other fun dining options include Palmyrah, The Gallery Cafe and Gini. An easy trip? Heyl no. But that’s the fun of it all – getting a taste of everything from the temples to a walled-in colonial village to surf culture and beyond. And note that you didn’t even cover everything! There’s also wild horse safaris in the north, Buddhist nuns who will serve as meditation partners and yoga-in-a-monastery. And the only solution is to go back.

What to pack:

A cool belt bag will take you from the plantation to the safari (and back) – this Balenciaga denim is my go-too.

Get into the Galle boho spirit with a long patterned dress like this one from Doen.

This is a long flight(s). Be sure to wear something super comfy. I love La Ligne’s Colby pants.

I’m always looking for cool travel totes and this one from Celine is safari coded.

May Lindstrom makes one of my all-time favorite balms. Use this in any climate to heal inflammation and calm complexions immediately.

I wore these Bottega Veneta aviators in the little sea plane and it felt like a home-run.

Sri Lanka’s not a fancy place - but that doesn’t mean you need to look shlumpy. These green, retro Loewe sneakers will add spice to any market.