Our top 5 safari honeymoons

Safaris are impactful, milestone trips. There’s no wonder newlyweds are drawn to the possibility of open-top game drives and wildlife encounters that remain imprinted in your memory. If you’ve dreamt about the Great Migration and are looking for extra privacy, or if you’re curious about conservation but are keen to keep it romantic, planning can be overwhelming especially when in the throes of orchestrating a wedding. A great escape to Africa involves a fine-tuned itinerary, and we’ve got you covered. To get you started, here are some of our top 5 ideas for your honeymoon. 

Into Kenya’s Wild

There’s no better place for a romantic adventure than in Kenya, conjuring images of East-African-style tents, open grassland roamed by the Big 5 and the striking red uniforms of the Maasai people. It’s a place for the apex predators of BBCs Big Cat Diaries and wildebeests of the Great Migration amongst other staggering wildlife. Honeymooners should by all means explore in opulence from hot air ballooning over the Mara at dawn to horse riding in the high altitudes of the Great Rift Valley. Bookend your activities with alfresco bubble baths in a lakeside hideaway and in secluded safari camps entrusted to impress from bush breakfasts to candle-lit three-course dinners 

Botswana, King of Safari

Botswana calls for off-chartered adventure with dazzling white salt flats, standout camps and sprawling wetlands that positively shimmy in African sun. The lodges here reign supreme in terms of serious style while offering three-dimensional safaris from water, land and air. Spot elephants and zebra from a boat or traditional mokoro canoe, fly over the game in a private helicopter and sip sundowners under the gigantic trunks of ancient baobabs. The prices may seem eye watering but it’s worth it for the high sustainability factor and utter solitude. 

The Great Tanzanian Escape

For complete immersion, Tanzania’s vast landscapes never disappoint. There’s always a stunning backdrop from the prehistoric marvel of the Ngorongoro Crater to the acacia-studded sweeps of the Serengeti. The best time for a honeymoon is during the Great Migration when you can trail wildebeest stampeding through the plains and then retreat under canvas for lantern-lit dinners. How to make it that extra special? Travelling with a dedicated guide and private vehicle only adds to the sense of adventure allowing you to stop and linger as you please.

Gorillas in the Mist

A two-part trip to Rwanda and Kenya ticks Africa’s most sought-after wildlife. Channel Dian Fossey gorilla trekking in Rwanda’s mist-shrouded mountains for emotional encounters with endangered silverbacks. Then rest your limbs in a hillside retreat flanked by tall eucalyptus trees. Switch from bamboo forests to big cats in the Maasai Mara arriving in light aircraft for those extra thrills. Some superb camps put you in prime location for Kenya’s exciting game. Think in-room spa treatments and sundowners around sunken fire pits in stylish yet sustainable surroundings. 

Conservation in Kenya

If sustainability is key, then try a sweeping safari honeymoon across Kenya’s conservancies from the iconic Maasai Mara reserve to Amboseli National Park, Mount Kenya etched into the background. From bans on single-use plastics to solar-powered camps, the country is leading the way in sustainable tourism though this in no way detracts from the safari experience. Go on bush walks with members of the Maasai tribe, custodians of their ancestral home. Scour for leopards while pausing at a bead making workshop, and spy wildlife roaming free, aided by anti-poaching initiatives.This way, you can see the country’s extraordinary game while forging deeper connections with the local communities and also with each other.