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 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-5 focused game drives and hot air ballooning escapades over the savannah. Rest your head at Governors' Camp, one of the most iconic tented camps in the Mara, and part of our classic Governors’ Safari – a week-long adventure that also includes birdlife-rich Rift Valley lakes and colonial charm at Loldia House.

Direct flights to Mombasa’s beaches make it easy to swap game drives for sundowners on the sand. Or go for the full classic with our Kenya Bush and Beach itinerary. Want to go all out? In neighbouring Tanzania, combine Lion King wildlife with a Zanzibari pool-villa paradise on our Serengeti Fly-in & Zanzibar tour.

2. Best for romance

Who said romance and adventure couldn’t be combined? Start in  Cape Town, hiking Table Mountain and sampling standout cuisine in the Winelands. Then fly to Garonga Safari Camp in the Greater Makalali Reserve, where you’ll track big game, unwind in bubble baths overlooking the bush and sleep out under the stars. End with barefoot luxury on Mozambique’s unspoilt coast, where rustic beach lodges meet turquoise seas. Our Cape Town, Safari and Mozambique Beach itinerary wraps it all into one slow-burning love story.

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. Our Tanzania's Great Migration itinerary takes you from the elephant-rich landscapes of Tarangire to the otherworldly Ngorongoro Crater and deep into the Serengeti, with two different stops so you can shadow the Great Migration depending on the season. After epic wildlife moments, slow the pace on Zanzibar or the even more off-the-radar Pemba Island, among driftwood bars and reef-rich waters.

4. Best for show-stopping scenery

Looking to continue that initial thrill? Cape Town brings the drama – from sunset cruises and sidecar road trips to hikes up Table Mountain. Then move on to a Big Five safari in a private reserve, where you can spot wildlife from a river boat or on guided bush walks. Our Safari and the City itinerary ties it all together. Follow with a four-hour flight to Mauritius and wind down on palm-fringed beaches with snorkelling, watersports and world-class golf.

5. Best for a taste of secret Kenya

Our Laikipia Fly-in Safari & Lamu itinerary takes you from Laikipia’s wild landscapes, where you’ll track lions and toast the day by a waterhole fire, to Lamu’s historic coastline. In this Swahili archipelago, life runs on foot and by boat. Wander the maze of Shela’s sandy lanes, sail at sunset or laze on the beach with fresh mango juice in hand. Stay at waterfront Peponi or opt for The Majlis, a boutique beach base across the water. Expect yoga, snorkelling and seafood feasts served to the sound of the sea.

This feature was updated on 9th July 2025. The information within this feature is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of print.