Classic Tanzania Honeymoon: 12-Day Southern Circuit

Tanzania is home to several iconic game reserves that you will be delighted to explore on this 12-day honeymoon vacation beginning in Ruaha National Park. You will touch down at Dar es Salaam Airport, meet your private transfer, and be whisked away to the park, which boasts diverse landscapes and abundant wildlife to discover during your stay at a glamorous lodge pinned into the wilderness. Checking into your secluded suites sharing panoramas of the park’s Great Ruaha River, you will swoon over the breathtaking scenes of Tanzania’s untamed wilds.

Your lodge is the gateway to Tanzania’s gorgeous wilderness, and your dedicated ranger is the key to discovering the wondrous wildlife dwelling in this region. Before the sun rises, you will traverse the rugged terrain sprawling outward from the great river to viewpoints and sighting spots speckling the park. With the hope of spotting early hunters, such as lions and leopards, you will be keenly tracing the spotlight across the bushveld until their iconic manes and spots come into view. Your day will continue with further exploration, and you will embrace Tanzania’s palpable safari spirit.

Ruaha National Park’s knowledgeable guides have a long-standing history with the reserve and know the ins and outs of its wilderness. They will be eager to join you for more safari activities within the untouched wild that blankets the reserve. From moments spent birding to reveal the dazzling winged creatures nesting in the trees or soaring the skies in search of prey to experiences strolling through the thick undergrowth where monkeys leap across the canopy and buffaloes graze the short grass, your safaris across Ruaha will share surreal encounters with the indigenous game.

There are many ways to enjoy the splendors of Ruaha that are not as common as game drives through the bushveld, and you and your partner will have the opportunity to relish these special experiences during your stay. You may tuck into beautifully prepared Tanzanian cuisine around a campfire surrounded by the wilderness or savor sumptuous spreads on your private terrace prepared by your personal chef. You may sip on cocktails watching over the shimmering river as the sun slowly drifts beyond the horizon or set up glamping tents in the middle of the bush for an authentic Tanzania camp.

Today, you will transfer to another flawless safari getaway destination tucked in the emerald bush and boasting stunning stretches of untamed wilderness, Selous Game Reserve. Arriving at camp, you will check into a spectacular suite boasting a private pool where you and your partner can kick back and relax after long days spent searching the plains for game. Upon arrival, you may slowly unwind and enjoy a short safari in the surrounding wilderness, introducing you to the grandeur of Selous.

Selous Game Reserve is a massive conservation area home to millions of animals and hundreds of species of birds, making this destination a game and bird spotter’s paradise. You will explore the wildlife sanctuary alongside a knowledgeable ranger, heading for sweeping plains where animals group together around watering holes to escape the heat of the African sun. Elephants, rhinos, gazelles, buffaloes, and other creatures will sip and swim in the refreshing waters together. Most days, you will spot prides of the apex predator, lions, meandering these plains in search of shady spots to wait out the hottest times of the day.

With another day set to explore Selous, you will be ecstatic to be guided by a knowledgeable game driver with a remarkable ability to track and spot game despite the creatures blending in with their environments. Circling back towards camp later this afternoon, you will follow roads winding along the banks of the Rufiji River to a perfect open spot where a dinner table will be set for you. You and your partner will savor a flawlessly prepared private candlelit dinner under the African sunset, treasuring the scenes and possible sightings that backdrop your fine-dining safari experience.

Game drives are one way to explore the wilderness, and boat safaris are another unique mode of transportation you will be overjoyed to experience during your stay in Selous Game Reserve. Boarding a flat-bottomed boat with ample space, you will gently flow down the mighty river that forms a spine through Selous. Pods of hippos, floats of crocodiles, and flocks of birds are all waiting to be discovered during your leisurely cruise downstream. This adventure is one of the most relaxing and intimate ways to explore nature, making it the perfect safari to complete your enchanting viewing in Selous.

Your journey will bring you to the Tanzanian Coast this morning, and from the sandy shoreline, you will catch a glimpse of an island sitting in the sea off the mainland. You will climb aboard a boat and speed across the glassy waters to a private island boasting immaculate Swahili-styles suites in keeping with local Tanzanian culture and architecture. With uninterrupted sea views and access to the white-sand beach on the foot of your terrace, you will be blown away by the sheer brilliance of this hidden-away, private retreat.

Lazy Lagoon Island offers extraordinary sea experiences for you to lap up during your three-night stay in your stellar suite. Today, you may discover the many marine wonders through these exciting opportunities, such as snorkeling over the sandbanks where dazzling fish and a myriad of sea anemones drift with the swell. For the adventurous couples, you may take a dhow trip further out to see where you may swim along the fluorescent reefs amongst millions of curious, colorful sea creatures. You may also enjoy a lazy kayak across the sparkling waters for unrivaled views of your paradise getaway.

Your resort boasts upmarket sailboats allowing you to discover the seascape, weather and tides permitting. Today, you will join an experienced sailor for an epic excursion over the swells while the sun dances off the glassy water. Whether you have experience sailing or none at all, Lazy Lagoon’s tranquil environment is an ideal place to hone your skills and try this thrilling activity as a couple. In the evening you will return to your resort, where you will tuck into a private dinner prepared for you by your personal chef on a table set in the sand.

Your enchanting oceanside suite, wrapped by the sparkling sapphire sea and hemmed in by the private island’s long band of sand, is a remarkable, far-flung destination boasting beautiful mornings for you to slowly soak up the African sun and wallow in the splendor of the views and secluded ambiance. You will tuck into a scrumptious breakfast prepared and served on your stylish terrace overlooking the seascape, relishing your final moments taking in Tanzania’s boundless beauty. After breakfast, you will collect your things and meet your private transfer to be swept away to the airport for your flight home.