Our Favorite Helicopter Flights for Your African Honeymoon

By: Scott Dubois, Fauna Travel Designer

Nothing levels up your romantic African honeymoon adventure more than a helicopter ride. From above, you can see Africa’s scale, soaring above jade rivers, desert lakes, canyons, and reefs. Plus, you’ll touch down at some of the world’s finest lodges that feel as memorable as the flight. Below are six of our favorite options to punctuate your itinerary.

Laikipia to Lake Turkana, Kenya

Lift off from the Rift Valley escarpment over dunes and canyons before curving down toward the “Jade Sea” of Lake Turkana, where you’ll trace the sinuous shoreline of Africa’s largest desert lake and spot fishing villages etched into volcanic outcrops. Andrew Francombe, the charismatic owner of Ol Malo Lodge, is your pilot and tour guide for the trip. And back on solid ground, Ol Malo is one of our favorite places to stay in the Laikipia region. The low-slung cottages and hilltop villas perched on a private ranch at the foot of the Mathews Range are the perfect blend of comfort and adventure.

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Skimming over the Okavango Delta’s shifting waterways, you’ll pick out forested islands, elephant herds forging new channels, and hippos bobbing beneath the surface in the dawn light. A recent client was lucky enough to see a lion hunt from above! Our favorite places to land in the area, Duba Explorers and Okavango Explorers, are run by Great Plains Conservation. The canvas-walled suites on wooden platforms are immersed in the landscape but are not lacking for comfort, with stylish decor and excellent food.

Benguerra Island, Mozambique

This helicopter ride to Benguerra Island was the highlight of my South African honeymoon.

This helicopter ride to Benguerra Island was the highlight of my South African honeymoon. From Vilanculos, your chopper sweeps you out over the Bazaruto Archipelago’s aquamarine shallows, where coral reefs and sand bars fan out beneath the surface in organic patterns. On the beach, you’ll find Azura Benguerra Island, our go-to island villas nestled amid casuarina trees, each with direct ocean access and wraparound decks perfect for sundowners.

Southern Serengeti, Tanzania

Mwiba Lodge is our favorite luxury property in the Serengeti because of its position on an outcrop in the vast private Masawa Reserve. Its sleek wood-and-glass villas with plunge pools and fire pits on broad decks are the perfect viewpoint for the grassy expanse. From the lodge, you’ll fly over sweeping plains where thousands of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle gather in a living mosaic. As a bonus, the pilot will guide you to a stunning location for a sundowner to end your flight!

Blyde River Canyon, South Africa

From the Greater Kruger National Park region, your helicopter will cross the Lowveld to the escarpment and into one of the world’s largest green canyons. The Three Rondavels’ stone sentinels and the jade waters of the Blyde Dam below form a dramatic contrast to the brushy bush surrounding your safari lodge. Back on the ground, our favorite place to unwind is Londolozi in the Sabi Sands. It’s a family-run lodge with luxury amenities, impeccable hospitality, and a deep connection to nature.

Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia

You can fly into the Lower Zambezi from Lusaka, but a helicopter is our favorite way to go. Circling above lagoons, swirling river channels, and floodplain forest, you’ll spot elephants enjoying a drink along the river banks. Along the edge of the park near the airstrip is Chongwe Camp—an intimate riverside outpost where canvas-walled tents perch on raised decks above the Chongwe River. Days here can be spent on game drives, walking, or cruising the river, before lantern-lit dinners on a deck under ebony trees—a perfect complement to your helicopter adventure. Read more about our recent trip to Zambia…

Planning a honeymoon safari?

Check out our guide to honeymoon safaris to explore all of the options for your African adventure.