Africa has it all: iconic wildlife, stunning landscapes, ancient wonders, and an incredibly diverse cultures that have intrigued intrepid adventurers for centuries! However, vast and beautiful Africa also has a soft, romantic side, and it’s a perfect place for newlyweds looking to experience the ultimate, unforgettable best African honeymoons.

Below we’ve put together our tops picks for a glorious Africa honeymoon, from remote desert oasis to a dreamy tropical archipelago. Here are our top honeymoon destinations and experiences in Southern Africa.

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Mozambique honeymoons

Mozambique’s Quirimbas Archipelago has all the makings of a perfect beach honeymoon.  The Quirimbas consists of 32 islands nestled in the pristine aqua waters of the warm Indian Ocean, and Ibo Island and Anantara Medjumbe Private Island offer the perfect blend of barefoot luxury and remote beach bliss.

The magic of Ibo Island is in its ‘lost in time’ atmosphere. The island’s grand architecture, tumbling ruins, fascinating culture, private idyllic sandbank beach, and the opportunity to island hop by dhow, make for an utterly captivating honeymoon.

Anantara Medjumbe Private Island is a small private Mozambique island, only 1km long and 500m wide, and with its endless white sand and translucent sea, it captures the hearts of all who visit.  The island boasts private beaches, countless coves and blissful surroundings.

Days on either island are spent reading on sun-drenched white beaches, sipping cool drinks under swaying palm fronds, and diving and snorkelling in some of the most pristine marine areas in the world. Indulge in massages, or catch 40 winks in your luxurious air-conditioned chalet.

A Mozambique trip also combines well with a few days in South Africa.  You can enjoy all the wonders of a big five safari in Kruger or Phinda, or the beauty and buzz of cosmopolitan Cape Town, and then head off to Mozambique for a fix of tropical island bliss.

South Africa honeymoons

What is a visit to South Africa without a Big Five safari experience?

Phinda Private Game Reserve, in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province, is one of the most exclusive and diverse game reserves in Southern Africa.  With only a handful of lodges on 23 000 hectares, you’re assured extraordinary and private game viewing experiences.  The remote and intimate nature of the lodges at Phinda offer absolute seclusion and tranquility. Love is definitely in the air!

Go to Phinda for your honeymoon.

Another option for Big Five viewing is a visit to the acclaimed Kruger National Park. Stay at luxury lodges in the Sabi Sands and Timbavati Private Game Reserves, within the Greater Kruger National Park, and then head to Cape Town for beaches, buzzing nightlife, wine tours and fine dining.

See our Kruger National Park and Cape Town safari.

READ MORE about Big Five safaris in Southern Africa.

 Namibia honeymoons

With its vast and incredible beauty, Namibia’s big sky country is the perfect destination for a loved-up honeymoon.  Not only will you find awesome landscapes and abundant and intriguing wildlife, you’ll also find yourself in utterly remote wilderness areas and some of the best luxury lodges in Africa.

Our favourite romantic experiences in Namibia include climbing the towering red dunes of Sossusvlei at sunrise, as well as hot-air ballooning over the magnificent, other-worldly landscape of the NamibRand Reserve. Damaraland offers uninterrupted tranquility, while the famed Etosha National Park offers the excitement of the big four (you won’t find rhino here) and some of the best wildlife sightings in world.

Explore Namibia on your honeymoon.

READ MORE about Namibia tours and safaris here.

Botswana honeymoons

With its unsurpassed game viewing, Botswana is one of the top destinations for an intimate and romantic safari.

Botswana offers small luxury camps, limited numbers of guests, and private concessions, some on isolated islands.  It’s the remote seclusion of Botswana’s lodges that sets it apart from the lodges in East Africa, with their high tourist volumes.

There’s little more romantic than the channels of the emerald Okavango Delta – incredible sunsets, starry night skies, abundant wildlife, and absolute peace and quiet.  The famous Moremi and Chobeoffer the chance to see the largest concentration of elephants on the planet, while in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve you’ll find endless horizons, enormous blue skies, and dazzling night skies.

Attentive staff and incredible customer service is what really sets Botswana apart – from private romantic dinners in secluded locations, to bathtubs strewn with rose petals, you’ll find yourself easily falling in love with this magical place.

See the best of Botswana on our Botswana Roundabout safari.

READ MORE about things to do and see on a Botswana holiday.