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Luxury Africa Safari & Beach Tours

For those looking for an exhilarating game-viewing experience and relaxation on the beach, a combination of safari and beach is a great option. While you can combine most safari destinations with the beach, we would recommend certain options to save time and money. Tanzania works well as a combination safari destination. The north offers the iconic open plains of the Serengeti National  Park, while the south offers less visited parks such as the Nyerere and Ruaha National Parks. These parks can all be combined with the beautiful Zanzibar Island – just take a short flight from the bush to the beach. For a more private beach experience in Tanzania, take a look at Fanjove or Mnemba Private Island.

Mozambique, Mauritius and South Africa are also luxury beach destinations to combine with a safari. Although there are nice beaches in South Africa, many travelers opt to fly to Mauritius for more seclusion and romance. There are direct flights from Cape Town to Mauritius, or more frequently from Johannesburg to Mauritius.

 

For those that still want a wildlife experience during their beach time, Zanzibar Island is a great option. The island has a small forest called Jozani which is home to the red colobus monkeys. The island also has great diving and snorkeling opportunities, with tropical fish, colorful reefs, turtles, and occasionally dolphins to be spotted.

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Gemma D Souza

Africa Specialist

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Which Beach Destination is Best For Me?

Gemma

Africa Specialist

For those who are looking for a more active beach trip after their safari, we would recommend Mozambique if your budget allows. The marine parks surrounding Mozambique, particularly in the Bazaruto Archipelago are simply breathtaking. The colorful coral reefs and the abundance of fish and shark will not disappoint divers – be it beginners or experienced. Most of the lodges in Mozambique have their own watersports or dive centers attached to them, so you can book as many dives as you like. Snorkelling is also a great option here and with many of the lodges being so remote, you will have the underwater world to yourself! There is also an excursion where you can do horse riding on the island’s beaches. The horses have a lovely story behind them (they were rescued from Zimbabwe), and you can enjoy riding them along the white sand beaches, and in the sea on a hot day.

For those looking for a more relaxing beach trip, we’d recommend somewhere like Mauritius. While there are plenty of excursions you can do on the island, there are also plenty of all-inclusive resorts on the island, where you can just relax for a week or so. Some resorts are adults-only too, if you are looking for somewhere quieter and specific to honeymooners. For families, Zanzibar Island is a great option as there is a wealth of accommodation, from boutique, private villas to larger resorts.

 

Best Luxury Beach Extensions

With the Indian Ocean bordering many of the countries that offer safari experiences, it has always been popular to combine both safari and beach in a twin-centre trip. Here are some of our recommended beach add-ons:

  • Zanzibar

    Located off the eastern coast of Tanzania is the tropical island of Zanzibar. Its local name is Unguja and its capital is Stone Town, which is USESCO World Heritage site. The island is small but home to some beautiful white-sand beaches and azure waters. The north (Nungwi area) and the eastern coast of the island (Matemwe and Paje area) offer some of the best beaches and lodges, with a mix of smaller, intimate lodges and larger hotels with a wealth of facilities. With spice plantations, Jozani Forest, historical walking tours and many water sports activities on offer, Zanzibar is an island offering something for everyone.

    Zanzibar Island
  • Mauritius

    Mauritius is a small island in the Indian Ocean, located off the southeast coast of the African mainland. The islands is subtropical and homes some beautiful national parks and mountains such as the Black River Gorges National Park, the Chamarel Mountain and the Tamarind Waterfalls. For those who are visiting Mauritius after their safari, then relaxing on the white-sand beaches or enjoying its colourful underwater world is the main attraction to the island. The best time to visit the island is October to December when the temperatures are warm and skies are blue.

    Mauritius
  • Seychelles

    The Seychelles is a collection of over 100 stunning islands, off the east coast of Africa. With direct flights from Nairobi to the Seychelles, this idyllic beach destination works very well in conjunction with a Kenya safari. Homing private white sand beaches, azure waters and an outstanding underwater scene, the Seychelles are a great option for honeymoon couples or those looking to dive or snorkel surrounding waters. Hotels like Constance Ephelia, Carana Beach Hotel and the H Resort all offer idyllic views of the Indian Ocean, beautiful interior décor with a luxury beach vibe, and exceptional service.

    Seychelles
  • Mozambique

    Mozambique has some of the most remote and beautiful beaches in Africa. Most of the luxury lodges are in the Bazaruto Archipelago. This is a chain of four islands just off the mainland and are mostly uninhabited, with white sand beaches and untouched marine parks teaming with wildlife. You fly into the town of Vilanculos on the mainland and then transfer to the islands by helicopter, light aircraft or boat. There are direct flights to Vilanculos from the Great Kruger Park, making it an ideal beach location to travel to after a safari.

    Mozambique
  • Kenya Coast

    Located on the southern coast of Kenya is Mombasa – a city also known as the blue and white city (as the residents were told that buildings should be painted white with blue colours, symbolizing the Indian Ocean). Located 30km from Mombasa is Diani Beach which is one of the most beautiful beaches on the African coastline, and has been voted Africa’s leading beach destination for five years running. Diani Beach is a great option for families, especially those who are doing a Kenya safari, as it saves time and money on international flights and logistics.

    The Kenyan Coast
  • Plettenberg Bay

    The coastal town of Plettenberg Bay is on the East Coast of South Africa on the famed Garden Route. The area has long pristine beaches, lagoons and lakes, the nearby Robberg beach and nature reserve has won awards for its beauty. We recommend staying in one of the lodges on the beach front where you can do as much or as a little as you would like. This area is very easy to access, you can self drive there from Cape Town or take a short domestic flight to the small local airport.

    Plettenberg Bay

When to go on a Luxury Africa Safari & Beach Tour

The best time to combine a safari and beach completely depends on where you are planning to go. Generally speaking, Africa is accessible year round and offers warm temperatures and lots of sunshine. In East Africa, try to avoid the window between March and May which is the rainy season. Although the safari experience can be pretty incredible at this time (dramatic storms – a photographers dream), the beach experience won’t be enjoyable and many of the lodges will be closed. For somewhere like Mozambique, the best time to visit is between June and October which is the dry season. The best time to see whale sharks is between October and January.

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Your Safari & Beach Questions Answered

How long should I combine on my safari and beach trip?

This completely depends on how long you have to spend in Africa! For the safari, I would recommend between three and five nights in one national park. If you wanted to spend longer on safari, I would recommend combining two destinations or safari camps to give you a varied experience. Most people spend longer on the beach after the safari as this is time to relax. For an island like Zanzibar or Mauritius, a length of seven to ten nights is a good amount of time.

Which Africa beach destinations are best for watersports?

Almost all beach destinations will offer the opportunity to do watersports, from either the hotel or a nearby dive or watersports company. For keen divers, I’d recommend islands off the east coast of Tanzania, including Zanzibar, Mnemba, Mafia and Pemba. These all have beautiful coral reefs, home to a wealth of tropical fish, turtles, and sometimes dolphin or shark. It’s possible to snorkel here too, either from the beach or head out on a boat to reefs further out.

Ready to plan your trip?

What ever you want from your dream trip, our team of
experts are ready to help.