9-Nights Luxury Safari Honeymoon in Southern Africa - Tailormade Journeys — CALL

Itinerary Details

1 Arrive Johanesburg, South Africa

Set within the wild confines of Greater Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve promises some of the finest wildlife watching in South Africa. Pioneered by local landowners and conservation enthusiasts in the 1950s, this 160,000 acre private reserve shares its unfenced 31-mile eastern border with its world-renowned neighbor, Kruger National Park, it is home to the Big Five and particularly famous for regular sightings of the often-elusive leopard. Seasoned safari-goers spend their days watching leopards snooze in the branches of trees or waiting patiently for an elephant herd to trundle down to the riverbed, before returning to one of the most opulent lodges in the country, trading tales beneath immense, star-laden skies.

Wake early to set out onto a thrilling game drive at the perfect time to catch the early prowlers on the hunt. With the birds singing and the morning dew and fresh smell of the bush serenading you, take in vast terrain of the reserve, watching for the spontaneous appearance of any number of iconic species, including giraffes. Return to the lodge mid-morning for a scrumptious breakfast and some relaxation time. Soon after lunch, head out on an afternoon drive as you guide keeps a look out for cheetahs, giraffes and endangered wild dogs. Cap off your day’s safari experience before setting up camp with a refreshing drink around a firepit, carrying on the sundowner tradition. Return to camp for dinner.

Continue your explorations of this heaven for wildlife enthusiasts, photographers and bird watchers, spotting anything from lions and rhinos to lumbering Cape buffalo. Head out on a traditional game drive or opt for a guided bush walk, approaching the wild residents at ground level with an armed ranger at your side. This evening, take advantage of Sabi Sand’s far distance from city lights as you gaze up at the glittering night sky and bed down in the heart of the wilderness on an unforgettable treehouse sleepout as the reserve’s nocturnal species emerge from their slumbers. Here, from a lofty spot amid the canopies, see the region’s dramatic landscapes transform from day to night before experiencing the stirring sounds of the wild beneath starlit skies. It’s a perfect setting for blissful sleep or honeymoon romance.

On your last day on safari in the reserve, get a feel for the incredible diversity of species living here. With no fences between Kruger National Park and Sabi Sand Game Reserve, wildlife roams freely over a vast natural environment. The Sabi and the Sand rivers run through the landscape as well, adding more dimension to the biodiversity of the area. Game viewing possibilities include some 300 species of birds, such as the southern ground-hornbill, marabou stork, red-billed oxpecker and bateleur eagle, which you may spot perched in trees, wading beside riverbanks or gliding majestically in the sky overhead.

Livingstone pulses with the raw energy of the Zambezi River and the thunderous roar of Victoria Falls. Named after the 19th-century explorer David Livingstone, the town retains a rugged, frontier feel. Colonial architecture, characterized by Victorian-style buildings with wide verandas, gabled roofs and intricate woodwork, contrasts with the vibrant local markets and the surrounding untamed wilderness. Dr. Livingstone was the first European to behold the falls and named them in honor of Queen Victoria in 1857, but the locals long-since had their own name, Mosi-Oa-Tunya — “The Smoke That Thunders” — their description for the mists cast up by the mighty cataract’s 300-foot-plunge from the Upper Zambezi to the Lower Zambezi. Touch down and journey overland to your welcoming A&K Sanctuary property, with the remainder of your day free.

Explore Victoria Falls with a private guide getting up-close enough to feel the mist on your face, learning the history and statistics of the incredible, mile-wide-plus cascade. Then roam through nearby Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, its biodiversity offering you a wealth of chances to spot wildlife. You may sight zebras, giraffes, elephants, warthogs, antelope and a wide variety of birds. Since there are no predators in the park, the wildlife is relaxed, allowing for excellent photo opportunities. Take a shared tour of Zimbabwean side of the falls as well. Later this afternoon, embark on a sunset cruise down the Zambezi River, watching beautiful scenery unfold on shore and perhaps seeing wildlife coming down to the river to drink and bathe. Raise a toast to your Livingstone experience as the setting sun paints the river gold.

Forever shapeshifting beneath the sun, the Okavango Delta is Africa's mercurial wonder, a flooded paradise where rivulets run like cheetahs, oxbow lakes lie still and serene, and islets come and go with the tides. Unlike most deltas, the waters of the Okavango never reach the sea, as if guarded jealously by the land. And what treasures it hoards: from prowling lions and vast herds of buffalo to hundreds of species of birds, wading and watching from the water's edge. Widely regarded as one of the premium destinations for game viewing, the delta itself is a patchwork of cool clear streams, lagoons, floodplains and forested islands. In the dry winter season vast numbers of wildlife flock to where the floodwaters infiltrate the delta, providing one of the natural world’s most spectacular sights. Upon touch down at the local airstrip, journey overland to your A&K Sanctuary camp, with the remainder of your day free for relaxing or taking part in game viewing activities.

Heed the call of the Big Five with morning and evening game drives in a custom-built vehicle, accompanied by an experienced A&K guide, before relaxing with a refreshing drink in the camp’s well-stocked library. Seasonal floods permitting, no visit to the Okavango is complete without a paddle in a mokoro (dugout canoe). Glide at water level among wild species, from watchful hippos to chirping frogs. Later, set out on a guided walking safari, led by an armed ranger, that takes you on foot amid the home turf of countless species of animal, insect and birds. Cap off your day with a delectable dinner back in camp.

On your final day in the Okavango, choose the activities you like best. Set off on a morning game drive and take in the fresh smell of the river and the bush, returning to your lodge for a freshly prepared breakfast, or maybe just laze around the lodge. In the late afternoon, you may opt for a sunset cruise down the Zambezi River or any other activity as offered by your A&K Sanctuary. You may also choose to soar over Botswana's Tsodilo Hills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with 26,000-year-old rock art and profound spiritual significance for local people, on a breathtaking helicopter excursion, available for an additional fee. Draw your exciting, romantic safari adventure to charming close with dinner under the starlit African night sky, serenaded by countless nocturnal wild residents.