The Best Beach Safaris in Africa

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A lazy few days spent exploring and relaxing on a beach, followed by an exciting trip through a wildlife reserve, searching for the Big 5 and then spending an evening sitting around a boma, eating braai vleis and gazing at the stars, is exactly what you can expect from the best beach safaris.

Africa has a reputation for being one of the only places in the world where you can see indigenous wildlife living carefree, and where you can enjoy space and utter solitude like you’ve never experienced before, but it is often overlooked as a beach destination.

And that is kind of a plus for travellers who want the best of both kinds of holiday but who like to stay away from conventional destinations.

There are a few sublime beaches in Africa.

Some are secluded and only accessible to the select few who are staying in the area, at a lodge or resort, while others are more open, to both fellow travellers and the locals.

Some beaches are, of course, far better than others, so if you really want to make sure that you are booking the best beach safaris in Africa, this is the guide that’s going to help you make the right decisions when it comes to the package you book and the company you travel with.

What is a Beach Safari?

It is an effortless fusion of a dip in the saltwater of the sea and a safari in the wilderness that makes the best beach safaris an experience that will spoil you for ordinary holidays.

Spending one part of your holiday taking walks and lazing along the shore in the soft light, listening to the gentle lull of the Indian Ocean as it laps up on the drenched beach sands, and then spending the next part of your holiday settling into the safari way of life, with game drives during the day and nights spent beneath a starlit sky, listening to the laughing calls of hyenas and the roaring of distant lions, is what the best beach safaris in Africa are made of.

A beach safari is so far from your typical sun-and-sand getaway. It’s a rare and utterly indulgent balance of calm and wild that only Africa can pull off.

Where Are the Best Beach Safaris?

Africa’s coastline spans an incredible 30 500 km, but there are only a handful of exquisite destinations along the coast that are home to beautiful beaches and have a concession close by.

If you are looking for a quiet spot where the scent of salt and savannah mingle, these are the best beach safaris in Africa where you can book a holiday:

Tanzania: Zanzibar and the Southern Parks

When it comes to the best beach safaris, Tanzania is without a doubt at the top of the list.

A trip to Selous Game Reserve (now known as Nyerere National Park) or Ruaha National Park, followed by some time spent at Zanzibar’s stunning archipelago, is the makings of an idyllic getaway.

Starting your morning drifting down the Rufiji River as elephants wade through the shallows, and ending the day on a white-sand beach, with the scent of cloves and sea breeze in the air, is the sort of high-end dreamy excursion most of us could do with.

Zanzibar is a tropical playground, and it has famous palm-fringed beaches, spectacular coral reefs, and centuries-old spice plantations that travellers enjoy exploring.

If you’re craving barefoot luxury, this East African escape’s coast-to-bush itinerary should be at the top of your list.

Kenya: Maasai Mara and Diani Beach

Kenya is home to some of Africa’s best safari experiences, but did you know it also has a couple of beautiful beaches?

A comfortable few hours’ flight can take you from the legendary Maasai Mara, where the Great Migration stirs up clouds of dust at certain times of the year, to the sunlit coastline of Diani Beach, south of Mombasa, with its shimmering turquoise waters and white coral sand beaches.

There’s no other place in Africa where you’ll spend part of your holiday surrounded by the sounds of thundering hooves and acacia silhouettes, followed by days spent sprawled beneath a palm tree, sipping a passionfruit cocktail while the Indian Ocean laps at your toes.

Accessibility and proximity make Kenya an effortless two-in-one escape; it’s ideal for those who crave a full safari experience without giving up the ocean breeze.

And if you want an extra dash of romance, many travellers end their trip on Lamu Island, a place that feels suspended in time, and where you’ll see dhow sails gliding across the horizon.

Mozambique: Gorongosa and The Bazaruto Archipelago

For travellers who prefer something a little more under the radar, a little more off the beaten track, Mozambique is Africa’s best-kept secret.

The combination trip of Gorongosa National Park and the Bazaruto Archipelago is pure, unfiltered adventure.

Gorongosa, which is situated in the Great Rift Valley in central Moz, has rebounded beautifully after years of conservation work and is now home to lions, hippos, a variety of antelope, and rare birds, all living in beautifully preserved habitats.

Then, just a short flight away, there’s the Bazaruto Islands, a unique and highly secluded place where the ocean gleams like liquid glass and the coral gardens are home to dugongs, dolphins, and turtles, making it just the place to go scuba diving or snorkelling.

Mozambique can give you the best beach safaris, the kind that feels exclusive to you and wildly enjoyable. It is the kind of destination where you can have an entire stretch of beach or a sunset boat ride, all to yourself.

South Africa: The Kruger and KwaZulu-Natal

Closer to our heart (and home), South Africa has the best beach safaris, especially if you are looking for a trip with flair and finesse.

You can start with a few days in the Kruger National Park, which is widely considered to be South Africa’s best safari destination, especially if you are including other places in your trip as you are almost guaranteed amazing wildlife sightings during even the shortest visit, before heading east to KwaZulu-Natal’s wild coastline, a tropical stretch full of small towns and blissful beaches where the warm Indian Ocean meets rolling green hills.

Many of the best beaches here are world-class, and you’ll quickly fall into a subtropical rhythm that feels worlds away from the Kruger’s bushveld landscape. Depending on where you are visiting, you can snorkel among the coral reefs in Sodwana Bay, wander the wetlands of iSimangaliso, or simply bask in the sunshine.

And if you have some extra time, you can take the long drive south to Cape Town and wind your way through the numerous ancient vineyards. It will be the perfect epilogue to the best beach safaris.

How long do beach safaris take?

The best beach safaris usually take around 7 to 14 days, depending on how deeply you want to sink into both experiences.

A week should be enough if you’re tight on time.

On a weeklong trip, you can spend four days on safari followed by three days at the beach.

But if you can get away for two weeks, you’ll have the luxury of slow mornings, unhurried drives, and beach sunsets. On a two-week trip, you should spend about 7 days on safari at least. This will give you ample time to see all sorts of animals.

How far do you have to travel from the beach to the safari?

The bush and the beach might not be neighbouring each other, but they are close enough not to require more than an hour or 2 of travelling, especially if you are flying.

In Kenya, it’s just a short flight (well under two hours) from the Mara to the coast. Tanzania is similarly close, with connections between Selous and Zanzibar taking under an hour.

In South Africa, it’s a little more spread out, so you can expect a scenic half-day to day day-long drive from the Kruger to the Indian Ocean beaches, although there are far faster travel options, with regular flights between the city of Nelspruit and Durban taking just over an hour.

Mozambique’s best beach safari tours include lodges that provide same-day transfers from your game drive to your beachfront villa.

It is safe to say that there are no exhausting travel distances here, just smooth transitions between your safari jeeps and your sun lounger.

What sort of marine life will you see in the water?

The waters along Africa’s east coast are nothing short of cinematic, and the marine life includes whale sharks, dolphins, sea turtles and more.

In Zanzibar and Mozambique, the coral reefs are technicolour worlds of clownfish, moray eels, and parrotfish. If you visit between June and October, you might even swim alongside migrating humpback whales (although such an experience is carefully managed).

And if you visit the South African coast in June or July, you might be lucky enough to see the annual Sardine Run, where millions of shimmering sardines attract dolphins, sharks, and even orcas in the “greatest shoal on Earth”, nature’s most spectacular oceanic feeding frenzy.

What sort of animals will you see on the safari?

On land, the best beach safaris will treat you to sightings of elephants, lions, leopards, buffalo, and rhinos, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, and more. You will get to experience the typical safari sightings.

In Gorongosa or Selous, you’ll see wild dogs, hippos, and crocodiles in remote wetlands that feel like Africa before mass tourism.

A beach safari is pure escapism.

It’s a holiday that is restorative, exciting, jam-packed with things to see and do, and the ideal opportunity to make memories.

You can book the best beach safaris in Africa right here on the African Travel Concept website.