Safari & beach vacations travel guide

Variety is the spice of life, and it’s certainly the piquant calling card of a safari and beach vacation. As the name suggests, this kind of trip combines superb wildlife watching and an idyllic beach break, deftly squeezing the most and best from a single trip to Africa. Spotting elephants lumbering through the long grass or herds of wildebeest flinging themselves across the Mara River is on many bucket lists. So, too, is that luxury beach trip – the one with the crystal clear seas, exclusive beach bungalow and miles of white sand. Temptingly, a safari and beach vacation delivers both, typically with the safari first, followed by the beach, so that the effort of rising early for game drives and bumping about in a jeep in search of the Big Five is then soothed away by a few days lounging on a beach or snorkelling with whale sharks in turquoise waters.

Our safari and beach vacations guide tells you more…

Wherever you go, a safari and beach vacation delivers a heady mix of wildlife watching and wild bush life, followed by an idyllic beach vacation, all in a single break. And you won’t necessarily need tons of time, either. Short flights zoom you from safari camp to serene seashore, all within a standard two-week getaway. It’s the fast-track to a vacation rammed with diverse experiences, sights and activities. So why doesn’t everyone do this?

The answer is cost. Hopping between two or more locations by plane is expensive, pushing a safari and beach break towards the luxury price range, with accommodation following suit. Forget simple campsites – exclusive game lodges and secluded beach bungalows will be the offer on this kind of vacation. It’s also pretty hard to find a safari and beach vacation that’s run as a more economical small group trip. This kind of twin experience is inevitably tailor made, giving you freedom to choose departure dates, safari extras and even where you stay – do you prefer Mozambique’s unspoiled coast or Mauritius’ exotic beaches?