Why Africa is the Perfect Luxury Honeymoon Destination

A honeymoon is all about creating treasured memories and enjoying romantic experiences as a couple, and few experiences on earth rival that of a safari. The things you see and do on a safari honeymoon in Africa will stay with you forever.

Game drives are one of the top safari activities to take part in, offering a privileged insight into the animal kingdom. Perhaps you’ll see a mother elephant teaching her baby to use his trunk to drink from the river, glimpse the power of a lion stalking through the savannah, or marvel at the scale of ‘the greatest show on earth’ – the Great Migration. 

There are a handful of unrivalled safari spots that are perfect for exploring on game drives, such as the Kruger National Park, Sabi Sands and Maasai Mara. Or more off–the–beaten path destinations such as Zambia and Zimbabwe for tranquil and peaceful wildlife spotting on game drives away from the crowds.

You can personalise your honeymoon with a range of varied activities. Floating in a hot air balloon above the majesty of the Maasai Mara in Kenya, sleeping out in a star bed under infinitely starry skies or taking a sunset cruise along the Zambezi at the mighty Victoria Falls, are all wonderful ways to make your honeymoon a trip to remember.

Africa’s incredible, abundant and varied wildlife can be tracked in a variety of ways besides a traditional game drive. You can observe some smaller species up close on a Zambian walking safari, navigate the waterways of Botswana‘s Okavango Delta in a mokoro canoe, and enjoy a fascinating encounter with powerful gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda.

Africa also has opportunities aplenty for unforgettable and romantic dining experiences. Tuck into breakfast in the bush or hike to a favourite beauty spot to enjoy a private picnic. A laidback wine tour in South Africa’s best wine regions makes for a delicious day out, while post–safari sundowners can be sipped while watching the savannah’s epic sunsets.

There’s no better way to round off (or begin) your honeymoon safari experience than with a spell of complete relaxation. Some of the world’s best beaches and islands can be found in Africa, where swaying palms, luxury hotels, white sands and endless blue seas are the perfect paradise for honeymooners.

The pristine white sands and aquamarine waters of Zanzibar pair perfectly with a Serengeti safari in Tanzania, and the elegant resorts of the Seychelles make it one of the best honeymoon destinations in Africa. Dial up the luxury with a stay at a private island resort for the ultimate romantic getaway.

Characterised by turquoise bays and coral reefs, lush forests and rugged mountains, Mauritius is one of the best African islands to honeymoon on. The mixture of Dutch, English, Indian, Creole and French influences here makes for a unique blend of cultures – and some delicious dining. Meanwhile, Mozambique’s hundreds of miles of unspoilt beaches are lapped by the captivatingly blue waters of the Indian Ocean.

Africa’s luxury lodges and camps epitomise romance, offering intimate experiences in the most spectacular of settings. At the most romantic safari lodges in South Africa, you can expect couples’ spa treatments, unparalleled privacy, starlit dinners and sundowners over spellbinding views.

Our favourite romantic places to stay while on an African safari honeymoon are often intimate with just a dozen or so rooms, and set in enormous, wildlife-rich private reserves. These properties cater to just a handful of guests at a time to allow them to provide an exceptional level of service and attention to detail. At the best luxury safari lodges, you’ll feel completely at one with the natural world around you.

Exploring remote locations in Africa can be a truly exciting and luxurious experience. Imagine four-poster beds under the stars and private infinity pools overlooking the local elephant herd’s watering hole. You can also expect world class food, fantastic wine lists and even massages at luxury spa hotels across the continent and its islands. 

Some of the world’s best hotels can be found in Africa, many of which have received  countless luxury travel awards. These are the places that cater for discerning honeymooners, and you can expect them to exceed all your expectations of a luxury safari honeymoon.

As well as incredible wildlife, Africa is filled with breathtaking landscapes and natural wonders – the kind of views you’ll remember long after you return home. The star of many honeymoon places in Africa, the continent’s national parks, are ripe with endless plains which turn from golden to orange with each gorgeous sunset.

In Namibia, the striking landscapes seem almost surreal. In Sossusvlei, the towering rust–red sand dunes and cracked clay plans form vistas that transport you to another world. The Skeleton Coast is a real life adventure playground where shimmering sand dunes melt into the crashing sea, and shipwrecks stud the rugged yet beautiful coastline.

One of Africa’s most recognisable landmarks, the formidable silhouette of Kilimanjaro dominates the safari skyline of Amboseli National Park. Known as ‘the roof of Africa’, the continent’s tallest peak is a mesmerising sight – and a challenging climb.

On the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, the mighty Victoria Falls never fail to impress. Mosi-oa-Tunya, ‘the smoke that thunders’, is Africa’s largest waterfall churning out 550,000 cubic metres of water every minute. Take in this awe–inspiring spectacle from the view point at Devil’s Cataract and choose from a myriad of beautiful hotels, our favourites are Matetsi in Zimbabwe and the stilted tents of Wilderness Toka Leya in Zambia. 

For most honeymooners, privacy is a crucial part of the trip, and Africa’s wide, open spaces and expansive natural reserves lend themselves perfectly to peace, quiet and exclusivity. 

Private reserves cater to a limited number of guests in order to preserve that feeling of tranquility, meaning you can often spend all day on a game drive without encountering other people.

We’ll whisk you away to a part of the wilderness in which you can experience a luxurious combination of solitude and five-star service. Spacious, beautiful suites, romantic dinners under the stars and private picnics in the middle of the bush are just a few of the things our travel designers and concierge team can organise to make your stay extra special.

In remote travel destinations our travel designers can recommend camps where you’ll be the only couple as far as the eye can see. In others, you’ll be able to escape to your private plunge pool whenever you fancy. And if you’re craving the feeling of sand between your toes, many of our Indian Ocean hotels are located on private islands, so you’ll feel like the only people around for miles.