Love & Leisure go together… on Safari

A honeymoon safari. Somehow those two words fit together like “I do” and it’s no wonder that so many couples chose Africa for their romantic journey. And while most safari lodges will at least have a honeymoon suite on offer, you’ll be looking for accommodation that bring together not just love and leisure but also the best views, the best game viewing and the widest range of activities.

You may have a beach holiday in mind too: why not? Africa’s Indian Ocean coast is studded with tropical islands and beach resorts; but do you go to an island or a mainland lodge? Let’s find out with this guide to the choosing the best honeymoon safari in Africa.

GETTING THE VIEW RIGHT

Of course all African lodges have a view but for a view that makes you sit down – day or night – in awe at the immensity of nature in the most elemental of landscapes, then it’s hard to beat Namibia’s Namib Desert, and especially the extraordinary Sossusvlei dunes. These towering waves of sand sweep across a silent desert ocean, radiating different colours at sunrise and sunset – red, orange, purple – while the clear night sky delivers astonishing views of the noiseless heavens.

And if it’s a night view you want but with a background soundtrack, then several safari lodges offer a Sleep-Out experience: you’ll still be in a honeymoon suite but … not at camp. A Sleep-Out to some might mean bed-rolls and a campfire on a remote saltpan – which you can do – but we’d recommend the Sleep-Outs on a raised platform, complete with king-size double bed and bathroom. A mosquito net covers you at night, a ranger is discretely located nearby for safety, and now you immerse yourself in the sounds of the African wild – lions, hyenas, elephants – while you watch the Milky Way above you.

THE SAFARI PART – HOW TO CHOOSE?

I could go on all day about where to go on safari but I don’t have the time and neither do you so let’s make it easy:
If you want the Big Five (lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard) then it’s South Africa’s private Kruger Reserves but if you’d like a safari with as many experiences as possible, then fly into Botswana’s Okavango Delta. The Delta is famous for its prolific wildlife but it’s all about location: the annual flood and subsequent drought makes it tricky to get the right balance of water and land activities so choose a camp that is located by permanent water. This way you can combine motorboat and canoe trips with game drives; stay in a private concession and now you can add bush walks and spot-lit night drives to your activities.

Sounds ideal but there is a price to pay: and it’s the price. Botswana is at the top end of the market but for excellent game viewing in a value-for-money market, try Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park. Famous for its elephants, and still one of Africa’s heavyweight wildlife destinations, Hwange is also conveniently near Victoria Falls, a classic romantic destination and logistics hub for safari travel across Southern Africa.

VICTORIA FALLS – WHICH SIDE OF THE RIVER?

Many honeymoon itineraries include Victoria Falls and for good reason: the waterfall is a World Wonder and the area offers all sorts of activities from helicopter flights to elephant-back safaris. But this destination is shared by both Zimbabwe and Zambia, and each have their own character and activities on offer. Make sure you know which side of the river you want to spend most time on (the border crossing is usually easy) and remember that the waterfall is very seasonal – in full flood (April) it is almost impossible to view because of the mist and rain of the thundering waterfall, while in November and December, the waterfall may largely be dry.

One thing you can be sure of is that both sides of the river offer the classic Victoria Falls honeymoon accommodation: private suites located on islands in the Zambezi River, upstream from the waterfall. Now you have the Zambezi swirling past your bedroom window, accompanied by the snort of hippos and the plaintive cry of the African fish-eagle: perfect location for a motorboat trip to Livingstone Island and a dip in Devil’s Pool!

Further downriver the Zambezi widens out, slows down and starts attracting animals: lots of them. This part of the river – the Lower Zambezi – is famous for its wildlife, especially the bigger creatures like elephant, buffalo, hippo and lion, and is easy to access from Victoria Falls but again, there’s another choice to make: do you stay in the Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia, or Mana Pools National Park in Zimbabwe?

Our advice would be go to Mana Pools for its remoteness and raw, primal appeal; if it’s a wide range of safari activities you want, then Zambia’s Lower Zambezi offers a blend of land, water and foot-based experiences. And if you really want to feel the African earth under your feet, then Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park is ideal for active, adventure-seeking couples. The walking safaris there are perhaps the best on the continent – go in the cool, dry winter months for the best conditions.

EAST AFRICA – MADE SIMPLE

Everyone loves East Africa – the golden savannahs, the wildebeest migration, gorilla trekking … but make sure you book as early as possible, especially if you are hoping to see some of the best wildlife at the best time – for example, the wildebeest river crossings – as these are popular times for visitors.

Rwanda offers the easiest gorilla trekking but in terms of a classic safari, you can get everything in Tanzania: if you want to see the wildebeest migration then make sure you go to the Serengeti between October and July, and choose a lodge or mobile camp that is located on the path of the migration to ensure amazing views. Combine the Serengeti with a hill-top lodge in Tarangire National Park and a suite on the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater, and now you have a classic northern Tanzania safari.

If you’re looking for something more remote, then the former Selous National Park has morphed into the Nyerere National Park with lakeside camps offering game drives and boat cruises in a protected wilderness area the size of Belgium. Nyerere puts you close to the Indian Ocean coast and Zanzibar Island, a perennial honeymoon favourite, but you don’t have to go to Zanzibar: there are many island and main destinations, and you may prefer somewhere a little more private.

FINISH IN STYLE: THE BEACH HOLIDAY

You can’t go on safari in Africa and not have a few days on a beach to relax – it’s so easy to add to a safari and you have a range of warm water resorts from Mozambique to Kenya. They will all offer generally the same activities but there’s usually one big difference between them: price. The further away you are from the mainland, the more the cost goes up. And while everyone loves the idea of being marooned on a luxury island, the fact is that you can enjoy the same experience at a much kinder cost if you stay on the mainland – the Mozambique scenario being a good case in point. The island lodges on, say Benguerra Island, are fabulously luxurious but resorts on the mainland deliver more or less the same experience but at a much more competitive rate.

And if the beach isn’t your thing, then why not blaze a new trail and end your honeymoon on an island in the Nile River? Uganda’s newest experience combines well with a safari or gorilla trek and puts you in a unique destination, surrounded by the charging white-capped water on its way across Africa.