Safari & beach vacations travel guide

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?

In addition, many of the best destinations for safari and beach vacations are already pretty pricey, however you travel. Tanzania, for instance, is never a budget destination. Opt for an unforgettable safari in Ruaha or Selous followed by snorkelling off Mafia Island or dozing on a secluded Zanzibar beach and you’re in trip-of-a-lifetime or blow-the-budget honeymoon territory, with a price tag to match!

The best time to take a safari and beach vacation is outside the rainy season, which affects Kenya, Tanzania and Kruger National Park from March to May. At this time, animals disperse, lodges close and beaches become soggy, with the wash-off from rivers causing poor visibility for diving and snorkelling. Dry, mild July and August are peak months, with the Great Migration now at the Tanzania and Kenya border, but June to September are quieter, while southern Tanzania is rarely crowded. In February, sea temperatures can hit 30°C, with 20-30m visibility. On Tanzania’s coast and islands, November through to March is best for snorkelling with whale sharks, April to September is when green turtles hatch. In South Africa, see whales off the KwaZulu Natal coast July to December.