5 of our best safari and beach combos

Some things just go together, like sun and sand or strawberries and cream. When it comes to dynamic duos, a safari-beach combo is simply unbeatable. Nothing compares to the thrill of game drives at the crack of dawn in search of the iconic Big 5. From safari to serious downtime, there’s no ignoring the pull of the warm Indian Ocean. Your decisions – romantic tented camp or contemporary lodge? Total privacy or lively beach nightlife? Our specialists have pulled off every combination under the African sun with logistics down to a T. Here are some of their favourite safari-to-beach holiday ideas, each one tailorable to your taste:

1. Best for first-timers

Safari novices need look no further than Kenya’s Maasai Mara for big Big-5 focused game drives and hot air ballooning escapades over the savannah. Rest your head at Governors' Camp, the ultimate spot to explore the riverine forest full of elephants, hippos and buffaloes. Direct flights to Mombasa’s beaches – a good value getaway – mean you’ll be sipping cocktails on the sand in no time. Zanzibar’s dazzling shores and lavish pool villas are also easily accessible, while nearly 900 miles off Kenya’s east coast lie the irresistible granitic beachscapes of the Seychelles should you crave romance with a side of exploration.

2. Best for slow-burning romance

Who said romance and adventure couldn’t be combined? Make the most of Cape Town’s stunning cityscape hiking Table Mountain and phenomenal cuisine while cycling through the Winelands is a must. Chase with a slow safari experience in Garonga Safari Camp, treading quietly over sun-swathed savannah to capture the essence of the bush. Soothe any adrenaline leftover from a Big-5 game drive with sleep-out decks under the stars and bubble baths in the bush. For those wanting to venture off-track, a rustic beach lodge on the unblemished beaches of Mozambique’s marine coast could provide the perfect post-safari tonic.

3. Best for experienced safari-goers

If you’ve seen everything but are no less curious, Tanzania is where you can get lost in it all again. Start in Zanzibar’s Swahili Stone Town strolling narrow streets perfumed with spices, lined with crumbling buildings and carved wooden doors. Invigorated by the sea breeze, bask in far-out adventure in Nyerere National Park, formerly the Selous, a remote wilderness away from the crowds. Spot hippos from a boat or giraffes in herds of up to fifty from the seat of a breezy 4×4. Then swap to a subaquatic safari in Zanzibar’s far-flung Pemba Island where the coral life is king and you can live out your Robinson-Crusoe dreams.

4. Best for show-stopping scenery

Looking to continue that initial thrill? Cape Town will leave you feeling giddy from sunset cruises along the coast to helicopter rides over the Winelands. Head to South Africa’s Eastern Cape for safari in an Insta-worthy wilderness where not only can you see riveting game from a 4×4 but via a drifting river boat and on intrepid guided walks too. A handy 4-hour flight from Johannesburg to Mauritius makes it easy for you to unwind on picture-perfect beaches, stupefied by the sun. Should you feel the need to budge, you’ll be spoilt for choice with watersports, snorkelling and world-class golf.

5. Best for an Out-of-Africa experience

Head to Amboseli National Park for huge elephant concentrations under a looming Mount Kenya. Combine with the little-visited Tsavo West, characterised by the freshwater Mzima Springs frequented by pods of hippos bathing in the emerald water. You can’t talk about romance in Kenya without mentioning Karen Blixen’s novel, Out of Africa, made famous by Robert Redford and Meryl Streep. Experience starry nights under canvas in a camp so romantic it was named after heartthrob, Denys Finch Hatton. Then for absolute relaxation on a laid-back beach retreat in Mombasa where you can dine by candlelight to the sound of lapping waves.

This feature was updated on 12th November 2024. The information within this feature is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of print.