Honeymoon Safaris
Your honeymoon is the ideal time to book your dream African safari. You have both the budget and the time off to justify a truly memorable first trip with your new spouse. Plus, many safari lodges offer generous honeymoon discounts with up to 25% off your stay. The best honeymoons blend adventure and relaxation, and Africa is one of the best destinations to combine the two.
The “bush to beach’ itinerary is a classic option that starts with a safari and ends on a romantic Indian Ocean beach. However, there are options to fit every travel style, from pampered luxury to rugged adventure. We’ve compiled this honeymoon safari guide to answer your questions and inspire your trip.
Many safari areas in Africa are seasonal, with summer rains shutting down lodges for months. However, there are great options year-round if you know where to look.
The dry winter season (North American summer) from late May to October offers some of the best game viewing across the continent. Clear skies, pleasant weather, reduced foliage, and animals congregating around waterholes make for the best viewing.
From mid-October to mid-November, you have a shoulder season where you will start to see the first rains fall, but it will rarely be disruptive. It’s one of our favorite times because there are better rates, fewer tourists, and plentiful wildlife. The only caveat is that it is also the hottest time of year.
Rains come in force in mid-November, and while you can still enjoy an extraordinary safari at a reduced rate in Botswana, we usually direct clients to South Africa’s Eastern Cape, which has a different rainy season than the rest of the continent. A rainy safari is better for a veteran safari-goer.
The rain abates in Kenya and Tanzania in late December and January, making for a beautiful green season until March. In March, the rains fall again until June. In southern Africa, the rains do not break until April, but after that, the skies are relatively clear until peak season starts in May or June, making Southern Africa a better option than East Africa from March to May.
One great thing about safaris is that they are all-inclusive, so you are completely taken care of once you show up at the game reserve. Most camps will even arrange events for your honeymoon, like candlelit bush dinners. Depending on your inclination to conversation, you can book a private driver, though we have made memorable friendships with other travelers on safari.
Accommodations in Africa range from basic canvas tents to over-the-top luxury rooms with private plunge pools. We book the full range of tents, but lean slightly more towards luxury for honeymoons. Our favorite itineraries are “the high-low,” which start in a more basic tent but end with a lodge with a private pool. If you want to be truly immersed in the wild, some camps offer a fly camping sleep out option.
Another truly memorable activity is a helicopter ride to take the climax of your safari to the next level. Read more about our favorite helicopter rides in Africa…
Many honeymooners also choose to dust-off from their trip on an Indian Ocean Beach. There are many choices depending on your budget, the vibe you are seeking, and seasonality. Read our guide to African beaches to learn more about your choices…
Safari honeymoon pricing varies widely by destination, depending on season, country, and class of hotel. We’ve booked honeymoons that run anywhere from $8,000 to $50,000. A good starting budget for the safari portion of your trip will be $700 per person per night, but those costs can be offset by city or beach hotels that have a wider range of prices and start at closer to $350 per night.
If you are on a limited budget, I highly recommend South Africa because the exchange rate and diversity of offerings allow you to get a much higher-quality property for the price there. However, adventurous honeymooners on a budget will also like Zambia or Zimbabwe. There are luxury properties all over Africa, and travelers looking for the ultimate experience, no matter the cost, should look at Botswana or private reserves outside of the ever-popular national parks like Kruger, Serengeti, or Maasai Mara. Read more about the most romantic lodges in Africa…
As mentioned, honeymooners can often get up to 25% off some lodges for their honeymoons. We recommend putting a honeyfund on your registry to let you splurge on the honeymoon experience rather than getting new china.
We plan every itinerary custom to meet your needs, but here are a few examples to inspire your trip:
The classic South African itinerary starts in Cape Town, before four to five nights on safari and then some relaxing time on the beach in Mozambique or Mauritius. Read more…
Honeymooners looking for an epic once-in-a-lifetime luxury getaway can combine a Tanzanian safari with gorilla trekking in Rwanda. Read more…
If you’re looking for a taste of adventure, you’ll love this off-the-beaten-path adventure to the Zambezi River and Lake Malawi. Read more…
We had the absolute pleasure of working with Scott Dubois to plan our honeymoon, and I cannot express enough how wonderful the experience was. From the very beginning, Scott was incredibly responsive, accommodating, and genuinely invested in making sure everything met our needs. He took the time to truly understand what we were looking for, and his knowledge of the hotels and destinations was impressive. It was clear that he wasn’t just trying to make a sale — he was making sure we had the perfect trip, tailored to our preferences. Every suggestion he made aligned perfectly with what we envisioned, and his kindness and professionalism made the entire process seamless and enjoyable. We are beyond grateful for all of his help and couldn’t have asked for a better planner. Thank you, Scott, for making our honeymoon everything we dreamed of and more!
We combine expert knowlege with creative itineraries to make your travel dreams a reality. Contact us for a free consultation.
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