A honeymoon safari in South Africa is more than a holiday, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will stay with you forever. The African bush is an inherently romantic setting. There’s truly nothing like it. Out in the wild, you’re completely disconnected from the outside world and technology, giving you the perfect chance to fully connect with one another. From thrilling wildlife encounters to intimate fireside dinners under the stars, every moment is steeped in magic.
South Africa is a top destination for luxury honeymoon safaris. Known for its world-class Big Five game drives and exceptional lodges, the country offers honeymooners a unique blend of adventure, luxury, and romance.
What to Expect on a Honeymoon Safari in South Africa
- Wildlife Activities: Go on off-road game drives in open 4×4 vehicles, led by expert guides and trackers with deep knowledge of the local wildlife. Morning drives often include a coffee stop at a scenic spot, while evening drives end with sunset drinks in the bush. Many lodges also offer guided bush walks, birdwatching, and night drives.
- Treehouse Sleepouts: Sleep under the stars in a luxurious treehouse. These romantic hideaways offer honeymooners complete privacy, with plush beds, full bathroom facilities, and private dinners. Fall asleep to the sounds of nature in a truly unforgettable setting.
- Open-Air Dining: Dining is a highlight of any safari, with meals served in stunning locations, from fire-lit African Boma’s to expansive decks. Honeymooners can also enjoy intimate in-suite dinners or meals set up in secluded spots around the lodge.
- Cultural Experiences: Enjoy enriching visits to nearby villages, where you’ll learn about traditional customs, storytelling, crafts, and dances. These experiences offer a deeper connection to the land and its people.
- Pampering Spas: Unwind with spa treatments in serene bush settings. Many luxury lodges offer full-service spas or in-suite massages, combining indulgence with nature.
- World-Class Facilities: Luxury lodges in South Africa feature everything from rim-flow pools and gourmet restaurants to wine cellars, cocktail bars, and elevated viewing decks—ensuring your stay is as comfortable as it is memorable.
South Africa’s top lodges go above and beyond to make every honeymoon feel extraordinary. However it it is important to note that choosing the right lodge for your honeymoon is key, one that suits your style and offers the right mix of privacy, romance, and luxury. Below, you’ll find our top picks for the most luxurious safari lodges for honeymooners in South Africa and what they have to offer.
Lion Sands Narina Lodge
Narina Lodge is a renowned luxury escape within Kruger National Park and a top choice for honeymooners seeking an intimate and unforgettable safari experience. Nestled on the banks of the Sabie River, the lodge offers breathtaking views of the surrounding reserve and its abundant wildlife.
Perfect for couples looking to spend quality time together, Narina Lodge features nine private and secluded suites, each with its own plunge pool. A spacious bathtub overlooking the river invites you to unwind in a truly romantic setting. Guests can enjoy private candlelit dinners set up under the stars in stunning locations.
For an added touch of magic, Lion Sands offers a unique treehouse sleepout experience, allowing honeymooners to spend a night in the beauty and sounds of the African wilderness. Lion Sands Game Reserve is celebrated as one of the premier game-viewing destinations in Kruger National Park. It borders the famed Sabi Sands Game Reserve, with no fences separating the two, allowing wildlife to roam freely between them.
Honeymoon Special:
Celebrate your honeymoon at Lion Sands and enjoy 50% off accommodation for one partner. This offer is valid for a minimum 3-night stay, excluding the festive season from 20 December to 3 January.
Lion Sands Ivory Lodge
Lion Sands Ivory Lodge is an ultra-luxurious sanctuary tucked away in the southern region of Sabi Sands, within the Lion Sands Private Game Reserve. Perched on the banks of the perennial Sabie River, this iconic lodge promises one of South Africa’s most exclusive and intimate safari honeymoon experiences.
The lodge boasts eight expansive one-bedroom villas, thoughtfully designed to provide complete privacy and comfort. Each suite features a private plunge pool, a shaded deck, a cozy lounge with a fireplace, and panoramic views of the Sabie River, an idyllic setting for romance and relaxation.
For an unforgettable night under the stars, Ivory Lodge offers the Kingston and Chalkley Treehouses, secluded, open-air sanctuaries where honeymooners can fall asleep to the sounds of the African bush.
Honeymoon Special:
Celebrate your honeymoon at Lion Sands and enjoy 50% off accommodation for one partner. This offer is valid for a minimum 3-night stay, excluding the festive season from 20 December to 3 January.
Tengile River Lodge
Tengile River Lodge is an exclusive retreat located in the prestigious &Beyond Private Game Reserve, nestled within the world-renowned Sabi Sands. Perched on the banks of the Sand River, its prime location offers breathtaking river views and an intimate setting, ideal for honeymooners seeking a luxurious and tranquil safari escape.
Blending open, interactive, and private spaces, Tengile River Lodge is designed for both connection and seclusion. One of its standout features is the expansive viewing deck, a perfect vantage point for observing passing wildlife. The lodge also features a cozy library, serene spa, well-equipped gym, and a boutique safari shop.
Each of the nine expansive suites offers sweeping views of the Sand River and is designed for complete privacy. Every suite includes a private plunge pool, sunken outdoor lounge, and elegant indoor-outdoor living spaces, creating a romantic sanctuary for couples to unwind in the heart of nature.
Honeymoon Special:
One partner pays the full rate while the other enjoys 50% off the accommodation rate for the entire stay. A minimum two-night stay is required, and the offer is available year-round.
Tanda Tula Safari Camp
Situated within the iconic Greater Kruger National Park, Tanda Tula Safari Lodge enjoys a prime location in the renowned Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. Nestled among towering trees and expansive grasslands, the camp offers a serene and picturesque backdrop for an unforgettable safari experience.
Designed with modern elegance, Tanda Tula is a chic and stylish camp, making it a favourite destination for honeymoons in South Africa. The lodge features seven luxurious suites crafted from canvas and glass, each offering an open-plan bedroom, a separate lounge, a private plunge pool, and a wraparound deck with breathtaking views of the river below.
Committed to conservation and sustainability, Tanda Tula actively participates in preserving the natural heritage of the Timbavati Reserve through eco-friendly initiatives such as solar energy and water conservation.
Honeymoon Special:
Honeymooners enjoy 50% off accommodation for one partner, along with a complimentary private romantic dinner. This offer is available year-round.
Saseka Tented Camp
Nestled in the heart of the Thornybush Private Game Reserve, Saseka Tented Camp is celebrated as one of the most beautiful tented camps in the Greater Kruger region. With its lavish décor, romantic ambiance, and fairy-tale atmosphere, it is the perfect choice for an unforgettable honeymoon safari.
The camp features nine luxurious tented suites, thoughtfully positioned along the riverbed to ensure complete privacy. Private decks with plunge pools invite couples to relax and soak in the tranquil surroundings, while the stylish central lounge, bar, and lookout deck offer breathtaking views over the Monwana River.
Twice-daily game drives, led by experienced and passionate guides and trackers, promise incredible wildlife encounters. Guests can look forward to up-close sightings of the Big Five and many other magnificent species, creating memories to last a lifetime in one of Africa’s most enchanting settings.
Honeymoon Special:
Enjoy 15% off total accommodation with a minimum three-night stay at one lodge. Valid for travel between 15 January – 30 June 2025 and 1 November – 15 December 2025.
Dulini Leadwood Lodge
Dulini Leadwood is a small, intimate safari lodge located in the Dulini Private Game Reserve, within the boundaries of the Sabi Sands and perfect for intimate and personal honeymoons. Situated at the confluence of the Sand and Mabrak rivers and nestled in a mature riverine forest, this lodge offers guests a stylish and exclusive five-star safari experience.
The lodge’s four spacious suites are designed to maximize comfort and views, each featuring separate lounge, bedroom, and bathroom areas framed by floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the Sand River.
Dining at Dulini Leadwood is a culinary delight, offering a journey from breakfasts on the Treehouse Deck beneath a towering Jackalberry tree to refined dinners in the lodge’s elegant dining area. Couples can also enjoy intimate meals in the Boma or opt for a private dinner in the comfort of their suite.
Honeymoon Special:
One partner receives a 50% discount on their accommodation for the entire stay. This offer is available year-round.
Mateya Safari Lodge
Tucked into the rocky outcrops of the Gabbro Hills, Mateya Safari Lodge offers an exclusive and elegant retreat, renowned for its breathtaking views across the reserve and nearby waterholes. Its elevated position provides a dramatic backdrop for a truly unforgettable safari experience.
The main lodge is a masterpiece of African art and contemporary design, featuring a sophisticated lounge, a glass-walled dining room, and a spacious deck that overlooks the sweeping wilderness. Honeymooners can enjoy romantic dining experiences under the stars, in the atmospheric wine cellar, or deep in the bush.
Each of the five individually designed luxury suites is carefully positioned around the hillside to ensure complete privacy. The suites offer indulgent amenities such as en-suite bathrooms, cozy fireplaces, private decks, outdoor showers, and rim-flow pools, perfect for watching wildlife gather at nearby waterholes or roaming the open plains.
Honeymoon Special:
Honeymoon Special: One partner receives a 50% discount on the accommodation rate for the full duration of the stay. Offer valid from 10 January to 15 December.
Sindile Tented Lodge
Set high on a hilltop within the prestigious Shamwari Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape, Sindile Tented Lodge offers an exclusive 5-star luxury safari experience. With its prime location, the lodge provides breathtaking views, creating an intimate and serene retreat amidst nature.
The lodge’s central area is a collection of expansive, interconnected tented spaces, linked by elevated walkways and spacious viewing decks. Positioned above the landscape, Sindile overlooks the Bushman’s River and vast open plains, offering stunning, uninterrupted vistas of the surrounding wilderness.
Perfect for honeymooners, the lodge features nine ultra-luxurious tented suites, each offering panoramic views of the wildlife-rich plains. Each suite boasts a private deck with a heated plunge pool, a shaded outdoor lounge area, and spacious interiors.
Additional facilities include an expansive deck with a firepit, a tranquil bush retreat, a bar and lounge with a welcoming fireplace, and various relaxation areas designed for unwinding and connecting with nature.
Honeymoon Special:
10% on accommodation for 4 or more consecutive nights, a romantic turndown, and one couples massage. Valid 01 May 2024 – 30 September 2024
Great Fish River Lodge
Great Fish River Lodge is an exclusive safari lodge situated within the Kwandwe Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape. Nestled along the verdant banks of the Great Fish River, this lodge offers honeymooners a luxurious 5-star safari experience with mind-blowing scenery.
Comprising nine opulent suites, each is equipped with floor-to-ceiling glass windows that frame the stunning landscapes. The suites feature luxurious ensuite bathrooms, stylishly furnished bedrooms, and expansive private decks complete with plunge pools.
The main lodge features an elegant indoor dining room, a comfortable lounge area, a library, an outdoor Boma, and a spacious viewing deck that provides uninterrupted vistas of the surrounding reserve. Spanning 22,000 hectares of unspoiled wilderness, Kwandwe is renowned for offering some of the finest game drives in the region.
Honeymoon Special:
Honeymooners enjoy 50% off accommodation for one partner. Each stay includes a romantic arrival box with pampering treats, a romantic turndown, and an in-room wellness treatment voucher. This offer is available year-round.
Useful Information
If you are planning a honeymoon safari in South Africa, we recommend reading these articles.
- Best time to Go on safari in South Africa
- Best South Africa Safari Destinations
- South Africa Safari Holiday Packages
- Why Go On Safari In South Africa?
For personal planning assistance and advice contact out team.
