Planning your honeymoon safari can be very frustrating because there are so many options to choose from it's hard to know where to begin.
A list of the best operators in the industry and the top five honeymoon safari destinations is a good place to start.
And these lists are not simply a few names pulled out of a hat.
They are based on the safari reviews that I receive at African Safari Journals from travellers who have been on tour with that company in the past, so they have first-hand knowledge of the services provided.
I read them all and it's amazing how much relevant information you can get from a trip report about the destination and the company used. I scour the web for travel journals posted on other sites too and if it's been up for a while you can bet that I've read it.
I also keep an ear to the ground in the travel industry at forums, exhibitions, periodicals, magazines and websites to keep up to date with who the best companies and destinations really are.
The Best Five Honeymoon Safari Destinations
An African honeymoon safari is the perfect way to celebrate your marriage. The pampering that you get on a honeymoon safari is second to none and the surroundings are as beautiful as you will get anywhere in the world.
All you have to do is turn up and your safari company caters to your every whim while you enjoy excellent cuisine and the incomparable African wildlife, so there's no doubt that a safari is an awesome honeymoon experience.
The biggest question really, is not whether to go on safari for a honeymoon but where, because Africa covers such a vast and varied area.
To provide an answer to this question, I've compiled a list of the top five honeymoon safari destinations in Africa, based on the experiences of previous travellers in safari reviews on my own website and others across the web.
I also weaved in a little of my own experience because I went on a honeymoon safari myself in the Okavango Delta in Botswana and the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
Here's the top five romantic locations in Africa...
1. Serengeti and Pemba Island - Tanzania
By combining a safari and beach honeymoon you are getting the absolute best of both worlds and for this not much beats the Serengeti and Pemba Island close to Zanzibar.
The Serengeti rightly ranks as one of the best national parks in Africa and will give you a wonderful safari experience.
You can for example stay at the Ngorongoro crater lodge which is built on stilts right on the lip of the fantastic crater and affords you some awesome views and from there you can make forays onto the Serengeti plains themselves too.
Then, once you have covered most of the Serengeti move on to the secluded island paradise of Pemba and stay at one of the handful of luxury resorts there like the Funda Lagoon beach resort.
The big advantage of Pemba Island is that it is far less commercialized than Zanzibar and offers you a true island hideaway experience complete with azure blue, crystal clear seas, white sands and palm trees. Magical.
2. Kruger National Park and Cape Town - South Africa
Another safari and beach combination honeymoon but with much more variety, Cape Town offers far more than just stunning beaches.
Visit the winelands in the area, take a trip up Table Mountain, watch whales at Hermanus and sip champagne at the Victoria and Alfred waterfront and that's just for starters. There is more to do and see than you will be able to get around to.
And then the Kruger National Park provides an amazing safari experience also with a wider variety of wildlife than any other reserve in Africa.
Stay at Lower Sabie camp in one of the fully equipped tents situated right next to the Lower Sabie River. I have watched elephants crossing the river sitting on the veranda with a beer in my hand. Can't get much better than that.
3. Victoria Falls and South Lungwa Reserve - Zimbabwe and Zambia
My honeymoon took me to the place that should rank as one of the seven wonders of the world. Victoria Falls lives up to its reputation and is a natural wonder that must be experienced.
The Victoria Falls Hotel provides good views of the deluge of water as you take tea in the gardens of this charismatic hotel oozing with colonial magnetism.
To get your dose of safari, mix your Falls visit with a trip across the border into Zambia to the South Luangwa National Park.
This reserve was the birthplace of the walking safari and is famous for its leopard-sighting potential. Stay at the Tena Tena camp which has been ranked as one of the finest in Africa.
4. Okavango Delta and Chobe Game Reserve - Botswana
The Okavango Delta is unique in all the world and a stay at Selinda camp will bring out its full potential for you.
See all the usual wildlife suspects and enjoy gliding along the river in a canoe called a mokoro while you watch elephants and antelope along the banks of the swamp.
Chobe National Park provides more opportunities to spot your favourite wildlife, especially elephants and buffalo. Take a sunset cruise on the Chobe River and dine watching hippos and elephants only feet away from the boat.
5. Timbavati and Sabi Sabi Nature Reserves - South Africa
The camps in the Timbavati and Sabi Sands nature reserves which lie adjacent to the Kruger National Park in South Africa have raised the bar on luxury worldwide.
The Singita Boulders Lodge in Timbavati is the first and only accommodation in the history of the Conde Nast Gold List Reader Poll to get a perfect 100 score, an honour it has held for three years.
It doesn't get better than this in terms of luxury. And on the wildlife front, you are virtually guaranteed to see the "big five" animals because these are private reserves and the vehicles are allowed to go off-road to track the big game.
Top Six Safari Operators In Africa
Once you have answered the location question for your honeymoon in Africa, the next very important issue is to decide which safari company to travel with.
Before you entrust your honeymoon safari to just anyone, take a look at my Top Six Safari Operator List which details the best six companies in Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe as ranked by previous safari travellers...