Luxury African honeymoon safari A luxury African honeymoon safari is the wildest way to say "I do"

If you think a luxury African honeymoon safari means sleeping in a tent you pitched yourself, you’re in for a rather lovely surprise. This is next-level romance. Think sunsets with more shades of orange than an Aperol spritz, candlelit dinners under skies cluttered with stars, and a whole wilderness (almost) to yourselves. Botswana, in particular, sets the gold standard. Why? Because it’s as wild and exclusive as it gets—not a high-rise hotel or even a road in sight, just a handful of luxury tents tucked into wild landscapes, with more elephants than people. Literally.

Yes, a luxury African honeymoon safari comes with a price tag—but for a reason. Unlike mass tourism, which packs people in like sardines, the best safari camps keep things intimate. Fewer guests support a greater area, meaning less pressure on the land, and that’s the whole point. 

Botswana has set aside a staggering 40% of the country for wildlife conservation.. The result? No crowds, just wild, open spaces where the only traffic jam you’ll encounter is a herd of elephants blocking the road. 

Most safari lodges offer honeymoon specials, where traditionally the bride gets 50% off.  Low season also offers great savings and happens to fall in summer – great for lounging around the pool. The wildlife is just as spectacular, but the rates are far friendlier. Plus, the best part is that it’s an all-inclusive holiday (except for gratuities), so the only thing you’ll be calculating is how many lions you spotted.

Just because you’re in the wild doesn’t mean you’re roughing it. Expect private plunge pools, oversized beds, massages, candlelit dinners in the middle of nowhere, and staff who somehow always know when you need your next cocktail.

This is romance in its wildest form. Champagne that flows as freely as the Okavango Delta, gourmet meals in spectacular locations (dinners under lantern-lit trees, sundowners in the bush, lunch on your private deck). Want to take it up a notch? Try an open-air bath with a view of endless wilderness, or better yet, a sleepout in a treehouse and the African night sky.

Botswana isn’t just wild; it’s massive. It’s the size of France yet home to just over two million people, most of whom live in the southeast, leaving vast stretches of wilderness untouched. Here, you don’t drive from camp to camp—you fly in light aircraft (bush taxis) over surreal landscapes, landing on remote airstrips in the middle of nowhere. From the water-filled wonderland of the Okavango Delta to the shimmering salt pans of Makgadikgadi, every region offers something different, and getting there is part of the adventure.

Okavango Delta: Where the wild things are

A vast river that disappears into the desert instead of reaching the sea? That’s the Okavango, the world’s largest inland delta, a paradise in the desert. Where big cats rule over the elephants, buffalo, and antelope in uncountable numbers.

Here, you can track the big five in a vehicle, float silently in a dugout canoe (mokoro), walk through the bush with an armed ranger, or sip sundowners while hippos grunt in approval.

Makgadikgadi: The desert that comes alive

The world’s second largest salt pan, Makgadikgadi, is otherworldly—a shimmering white emptiness that the rains turn into a lush oasis overnight. Flights of flamingos gather. So does Africa’s second-largest zebra migration. And those famous meerkats? Yes, the ones that sit on your head for a photo-op.

Victoria Falls: Romance, with a side of thunder

Victoria Falls isn’t just a waterfall. It’s a spectacle. A mile-wide curtain of crashing water sends up mist so high it makes its own rainbow. David Livingstone thought angels wept when they saw it. You might, too.

See it from above on the Flight of Angels helicopter ride. Or go bolder—take a boat to Livingstone Island for a picnic in the middle of the mighty Zambezi and peek over the edge into the abyss. 

The best part? You don’t have to choose between adventure and relaxation. Some of the world’s most pristine tropical islands are a short flight away. One minute, you’re tracking lions. The next? Toes in the sand, with another cocktail in hand. 

Madagascar has to be our first choice; imagine a tropical island, no news, no shoes, a kind place where you can stroll through a pirate cemetery or go deeper into the bush to meet the locals – (if you’re as partial to lemurs as we are).

Bazaruto Archipelago in Mozambique is all white sands, turquoise waters, and boats sailing into the sunset. Scuba dive along kaleidoscopic reefs, swim with dolphins, or—if you’re lucky—spot an elusive dugong, a mermaid-like underwater creature (although it’s about as rare as bumping into your mother-in-law on the beach).

Time Out readers have just chosen Cape Town as their Best City in the world, confirming what locals have always known.

Here, your biggest dilemma will be winery-hopping in the Cape Winelands (there are literally hundreds to choose from) or feasting on fresh yellowtail tuna sashimi with an ocean view. Either way, a bottle of world-class wine is involved.

This is no ordinary honeymoon. A love story. A once-in-a-lifetime journey into the wild. Endless indelible moments, where every moment is unforgettable. 

Are you coming?