A honeymoon safari in Tanzania is a different trip from a family safari with the children removed. The pacing changes, the camps change, and the parts worth spending money on change. What follows is what actually matters when there are two of you. To compare itineraries and prices, see our Tanzania honeymoon safari page.
The three things worth paying for
A private vehicle
Non-negotiable on a honeymoon. On a shared vehicle you spend eight hours a day with four strangers and leave when they leave. On a private one you can stop where you like, stay as long as you like, and have a conversation. It is the single biggest upgrade available and it costs less than a tier of accommodation.
A small camp
Eight tents rather than forty. The difference at dinner is enormous, and small camps are almost always better positioned inside the parks because they are built to move rather than to fill a car park.
A sundowner in the right place
Camps will set up drinks on a kopje or a river bend at golden hour if you ask. It costs almost nothing and it is the photograph you will actually keep.
Where to go, and when
Serengeti
The centrepiece. For couples, the northern Serengeti between roughly July and October combines the Mara River crossings with camps that are small and widely spaced. The southern plains from December to March give you calving season and much softer pricing.
Ngorongoro Crater
One full day, ideally from a rim camp with the caldera visible from your room. It is cold at night above 2,200 metres, which is not a drawback if there is a fireplace. See our Ngorongoro Crater safari page.
Tarangire
Quieter than the crater and excellent for a slower first two nights while you adjust after the flight.
Lake Natron
For couples who want the landscape rather than the wildlife. Flamingos, an active volcano, and almost nobody there. Rough drive, genuinely striking.
Zanzibar afterwards
The standard second act, and it works. Three to five nights on the coast after the safari turns an intense week into a honeymoon. Our Honeymoon Safari & Zanzibar does exactly that, with three beach nights. Book the beach half first if the dates are tight, because the good places on the north and east coasts fill early.
How to pace it
- Two or three camps across eight nights. Moving every night is exhausting and unromantic in equal measure.
- Do not book two drives every day. Some of the best hours of a honeymoon safari are spent doing nothing at camp between drives.
- Fly at least one long leg. A seven-hour transfer is a bad day on any trip and a worse one on this one.
- Safari first, beach second. Early starts are easier before the beach, not after.
Tell the camps it is a honeymoon
Say so at the booking stage rather than on arrival. Most camps will do something without charging for it: a private dinner, a bush breakfast, a room set up. It is standard practice and it only works if they know in advance. We flag it on every booking as a matter of course.
Practical things
- Name on passport. Book flights and permits in the name on your passport. If you are changing your surname, do it after the trip, not between booking and flying.
- Visas. Apply online in advance for both of you.
- Health. Tanzania is a malaria area. Speak to your doctor or a travel clinic about antimalarials and vaccinations well ahead. Yellow fever certification is required if you are arriving from a country where yellow fever is a risk, including via layovers.
- Insurance. Comprehensive cover including medical evacuation.
- Packing. Light aircraft baggage limits are tight, usually soft bags of about 15 kg. Camps do laundry daily, so pack less than you think.
Common questions
How long should a Tanzania honeymoon safari be?
Six to eight nights on safari plus four or five on Zanzibar is the shape that works best. Ten to thirteen nights in total.
What does it cost?
Our honeymoon itineraries start from $355 per person per night for Honeymoon Safari and Zanzibar and from $420 for Safari and Romance, and premium and luxury camps cost more. Our breakdown of Tanzania safari cost explains what drives the number, and what the luxury premium buys covers the top end.
Is it too rough for a honeymoon?
The roads are rough. The camps are not. A good tented camp has a proper bed, hot water and better food than most people expect, and the setting does the rest.
Best month for a honeymoon specifically?
June to October for reliable dry weather and the crossings. December to March for calving season, green landscapes and better value. Both work. April and May are the two to avoid.
Safaris for two
- Safari & Romance (5 days): slow mornings, sundowners and the northern parks at a couple’s pace. From $420 per person per night.
- Honeymoon Safari & Zanzibar (10 days): a slow northern safari with two nights in the Serengeti, then three beach nights in Zanzibar. From $355 per person per night.
- Safari to Zanzibar (8 days): a northern safari, then a flight to Zanzibar and three beach nights. From $335 per person per night.
See all honeymoon safaris with prices or see all safari packages.
Plan it around the two of you
Tell us your dates and roughly what you want to spend, and we will build something paced for two people rather than a group departure with two seats free.
See our Tanzania safari packages, read the Serengeti safari guide and the Ngorongoro Crater guide, then tell us when you are travelling.
