The Best Safari and Beach Combinations in Africa
Holidaying in Africa means you can follow a prowling pride of lions in the morning, and in the afternoon be reclining on a glistening Indian Ocean beach. Safari and beach is the ultimate holiday combination for those after a wilderness adventure like no other with a sprinkle of pristine seaside relaxation.
Tanzania and Zanzibar
Tanzania and Zanzibar is one of the most popular safari and beach combinations – and for good reason. Southern Tanzania’s brilliant internal flight network means you can flit from one to the other within hours. Even if your heart is set on a northern Tanzania Serengeti safari, the Zanzibar archipelago is a must, and still easily accessible.
But it’s not just convenience that makes it a popular combination: Ruaha National Park and Nyerere National Park offer untouched safari scenes with mesmerising wildlife and charming lodges, while the Zanzibar Archipelago sees all your beachy dreams come true.
© Fundu Lagoon
Dotted with an array of colourful boutique hotels, Zanzibar’s main island is the go-to destination for the classic beach experience. But if travellers want to get off the beaten track, Pemba Island offers a cast-away, leafy island hideaway, while Mafia Island is one of the best places in the world to dive with whale sharks, if you’re keen for an underwater safari too…
While Tanzania and Zanzibar is undoubtedly one of the most popular safari and beach combinations with our clients, Kenya has some impressive options for those looking for a luxury combination of stays off the trodden path.
The Masai Mara’s ecosystem is teeming with life, and its views are the continent’s most iconic with imposing kjopes and jagged escarpments watching over endless plains. No lodge better captures the beauty of the area than Angama Mara, raised on stilts with the best views in the whole continent, spanning as far as the eye can see. Here, you don’t even need to leave camp to go on safari – just grab some binoculars and focus in on the moving dots in miles upon miles of safari canvas stretching out in front of your steaming morning coffee. But it would be a sin not to explore too, as this park offers quintessential safari magic with its prowling predators, travelling herds, and blood-orange sunsets.
© Angama Mara
Kenya’s beaches are often overlooked, but offer spoiling coastal restbite just hours from the country’s safari heart. Alfajiri Villas is the pick of the coastline with its spacious, luxury Indian Ocean homes-away-from-home, to the north of Diani Beach. The pristine villas ooze African calm, and are tucked away from the bustle making for an exclusive experience without paying a private island premium.
Phinda is one of South Africa’s greatest conservation success stories. Land that was once dominated by farmland is now an enchanting, action-packed safari destination, and offers an unrivalled experience. Activities here offer a chance to help vital conservation work including rhino darting and pangolin tracking, but the usual activities like walking safaris and game drives are brilliant, offering a blissful moment plucked from safari dreams.
© Thonga Beach Lodge
Just a stone’s throw away lies Thonga Beach Lodge set on the Mabibi Peninsular of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. It’s the best place to stay on this undisturbed coastline, and offers a wild beach experience. South African beach stays are not so much about Indian Ocean sun-worshipping, but are focused on absorbing yourself in the untouched beauty of the surrounding nature. Thonga and Phinda make for an excellent combination whether you’re a multi-generational family, or a couple looking for some privacy.
