Africa’s Most Exclusive Beach and Safari Destinations

From the crystalline waters off the coast of Zanzibar to the misty jungles of Uganda where families of gorillas roam about within a safe sanctuary, Africa is the only place in the world where you can have an old-world authentic safari on one day and sail the coastline in a dhow the next.

Home to some of the world’s best beaches, many of which are just a stone’s throw away from iconic safari destinations, the continent has become the destination of choice for multi-experience adventures.

The various Africa beach and safari destinations are perfect for a family getaway, and at the same time, they make for the dreamiest romantic trip.

Spending a few adrenaline-fuelled days on safari and then winding down with a cocktail in hand on some remote beach (or vice versa) with not another soul in sight is the epitome of a luxury holiday and also fits in well with the slow safari trend (one that is quickly becoming an industry norm).

A combination trip hits all the right spots, will leave you more than satisfied, and, since Africa is such a diverse continent, you’ll find that there’s more than a handful of places where you can have the ultimate bush/beach break.

First Things First: Is it Bush and Beach, or Beach and then Bush? 

Most travellers end their tour on the sand, and there’s a solid reason for it.

Spending a week waking up at 5 am to be in the bush just as the sun comes up can leave you feeling rather tired, the sort of drain on your energy that only a hammock and ocean breeze can mend.

Ending your trip to Africa with a couple of lazy days waking up when you please, strolling along the warm beach sands, and taking part in a couple of activities, if you feel called to, is a tonic for the soul of a different kind.

That said, there’s not really a right or wrong way to organise which destination should come first or last.

After a long-haul flight, starting your holiday by spending a few peaceful days by the water can do a lot to reset the body clock. And then later on, when you are on safari, you’ll feel a lot more energised and ready to take on those early mornings.

If you want to be really practical, one way that you can answer the question for yourself would be to plan in a way that whichever half comes last is the place with the shortest hop from an international airport, so a delayed light aircraft won’t keep you from your flight back home.

The Best Africa Safari and Beach Holiday Combinations

Pretty much any country in Southern Africa with a coastline can give you the bush/beach break, but your selection narrows quite a bit if your tastes lean towards the more exotic, luxurious retreats that are not quite yet fully on the tourist trail.

These places cater to a more exclusive market and are home to only a handful of lodges. If you want complete privacy and high-end treatment, these are the places to go:

Travel Along the Rivers in Nyerere and Explore the Reefs of Mafia Island (Tanzania)

Tanzania is best known for the Great Migration. Watching 1000s of wildebeest thundering across the dusty plains is an experience unlike any other. It’s also a spectacle that tends to attract large numbers of tourists.

Nyerere National Park is nowhere near the Great Migration; it is a safari destination you won’t easily find on a Pinterest bucket list because so few people know about it. Though it doesn’t have an iconic safari status, it is one of the biggest parks not just in Tanzania, but on the planet, making it a superb place to see some of Africa’s most exceptional animals.

The best days in Nyerere National Park begin on the Rufiji River, exploring the park by boat and on foot, with wild dogs among the many sightings you might be lucky enough to stumble across. The park is also home to the Big 5, and one of the more peculiar sightings you’ll have here is that of lions snoozing in a tree.

A short flight away from the park is the obscure-sounding Mafia Island, home to Tanzania’s first national marine park.

One of the best places to stay on the island is Chole Mjini’s treehouses, which are as luxurious as they are romantic, and Fanjove, a retreat that will give you complete seclusion.

Compared with Zanzibar, Mafia is far quieter and will show you a wholly different side of Tanzania’s coastline.

Spot Leopards in South Luangwa and then Sit on the Sands of Likoma Island (Zambia and Malawi)

Leopards are some of the shyest big cats on the continent, and spotting one while on safari is a real highlight, something people won’t stop talking about for the rest of the trip.

Having one of the biggest concentrations of leopards in Africa, South Luangwa in Zambia is known as the Valley of the Leopard, and it is also the home of the walking safari. South Luangwa is credited with pioneering walking safaris, and such tours remain one of the most intimate ways to explore Africa.

Its lake neighbour is the closest beach you’ll get to the park, and Likoma Island, which sits right in the middle of Lake Malawi, is its most private corner.

At Kaya Mawa, the island’s luxury beach lodge, the water is as warm as a bath; its numerous mango trees and striking, old baobabs give the sandy shore plenty of shade to sit under, and you can spend your days snorkelling, kayaking and indulging in long, slow lunches.

The trip runs via Lilongwe and is reached by a charter flight, which is part of why so few people make it here and also why, for those who do, this Africa safari and beach combination is one of the most memorable.

Safari Drives in Peaceful Laikipia and then a Day or Two on the Beaches of Lamu (Kenya)

If you’ve never heard of Laikipia, don’t feel bad; it’s not exactly a location on its own. Laikipia is a region in Kenya, one of the country’s lesser-known safari areas, and it sits right on the equator.

The region has pioneered community-led wildlife conservation in Kenya and, with its numerous small lodges, big blue skies and an abundant Big 5 population, it is just the place to have a one-of-a-kind safari.

After a couple of days spent on game drives, a short flight can take you to the country’s capital, Nairobi, and another flight of just over an hour will take you to Lamu, where you’ll probably see more donkeys than cars.

Manda Bay Lodge in Lamu is one of the best places to stay, and it keeps its own sixty-foot sailing dhow, called the Utamaduni, to take guests for overnight trips among the coast’s uninhabited islands.

Visit a Nurtured Wilderness in Gorongosa and then be Dazzled by Bazaruto (Mozambique)

Gorongosa, around a million acres of woodland, floodplain and rainforest, is a park that is still finding its feet, having been only fairly recently restored through tremendous effort, sacrifice and care.

In the 1960s, Gorongosa had one of Africa’s biggest wildlife populations, but following the years of civil war, the park was decimated, and few animals remained. The restoration of the park began in 2008, and today there are over 100 000s animals living safely within its confines.

When you’ve spent ample time enjoying safari game drives, you can head to Benguerra Island in the Bazaruto Archipelago for the barefoot half of the trip.

A Gorongosa to Beira to Vilanculos air route, launched in mid-2025, makes the trip much simpler than it once was.

How to Time Your Safari and Beach Getaway

One of the great things about planning a dual holiday like this is that the bushveld and the coastlines of Africa share the same “best time to travel”.

From roughly mid-May to the start of October, the weather is nothing short of sublime.

The heavy rains are over by the start of April, sometimes sooner, and that means the bush is at its best for wildlife viewing, and the skies above the best beaches are beautifully clear.

These months are perfect for travelling through southern Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.

South Luangwa is at its best from July to September, and Lake Malawi is most inviting between May and November.

Laikipia shines from June to October and again from January to March, when Lamu’s seas are calm and warm.

The months you might not have the most ideal conditions are usually March to May along the East African coast, when some smaller camps and some island lodges close.

A green-season trip can be glorious and wonderfully quiet, but it needs an operator who can plan well enough to make sure that you get a spot in one of the few places that are open through the summer.

Tips For Booking the Best African Safari and Beach Combination Holiday

The best holiday starts with excellent planning. When you have your planning down to a tee, the rest of your trip will fall into place, and any hiccup that might come your way won’t derail your peace.

Planning a combination Africa safari and beach holiday is going to require a little more from your side, so that you can be confident that the destinations you choose are the right fit for you.

Of course, we’ll always advise that you book your trip with the right travel company. Working with a consultant is a better choice because they will know about places no travel guide will give away.

That said, to get you started, this is what you need to know now, at the beginning phase of your planning:

The Small, Exclusive Camps Fill First and Fast

Camps like, Kaya Mawa on Likoma Island with its 12 chalets, and Ol Lentille in Laikipia with its 4 villas, tend to book out fast because they are so small and especially during the high season.

To get accommodation like this, it is best to plan and book your tour at least 9 to 12 months ahead of time, so that you get the spot you want.

Count the Transfers, Not the Nights

The last thing you want is to waste your precious time in Africa driving or flying between places.

To visit both the bush and the beach, you would normally have the option of a charter flight or even a boat, and your goal should be to minimise the amount of time you spend on a transfer as well as the number of transfers you have on a single trip.

Reaching Fanjove, a private island south of Mafia, for instance, means a flight to Songo Songo and then a trip of about 45-minute by dhow.

Before making your booking, you can ask for every leg of your trip to be mapped out, and then keep a spare night near your departure airport, just in case.

Think About How You Want to See the Big 5

Laikipia is rhino country as well as lion and leopard country, while South Luangwa is famous for its leopards and walking safaris. If all 5 are non-negotiable, say so at the start and the route can be built around it.

Pack For the Smallest Aircraft

Bush flights generally have rather strict weight limits, and the lack of space means you’ll want to travel with a soft bag.

Plan For Health and Conscience

Most of the best Africa beach and bush destinations have some sort of malaria risk, so book a travel clinic appointment early and choose insurance that covers medical evacuation, because many places are quite remote.

You can also ask each lodge how it supports local communities and conservation, and where park and marine fees end up, to give you peace of mind during your tour. The best operators will answer your questions without hesitating.

Africa’s beaches and safari destinations are up there among the best holiday spots on the planet. The only question you need the answer to is, when can you free up some time for a getaway?