5 Tips for Planning an Unforgettable Honeymoon to Africa

Welcome to our very first Blog Hop for 2015!

This month we want to help you start the year off by getting organized as you’re planning your wedding or event. Get ready for some great ideas to help you reduce stress and enjoy the planning process as you move along through the blog hop.

You may just be starting the blog hop or may have come from Katrina McCullum’s blog, Made of Honor Weddings (#26 in the blog hop lineup) on Natalie’s Blog Hop. If you get off track at any time, the full lineup below will help you move along from blog to blog so you make sure to see and learn from all of the articles featured here today.

Below are my 5 Tips for Planning an Unforgettable Honeymoon to Africa: 

Renowned as one of the planet’s most exotic and romantic destinations, Africa is a honeymoon couple’s dream. So, if you’ve decided on Africa for your special honeymoon, here are some tips to keep in mind when planning your unforgettable journey.

1. Don’t put too much on your plate: When planning your African honeymoon safari, keep in mind that travel time to and from Africa is extensive. And travel times between countries can be long. This is why we recommend choosing just 1 – 2 countries to visit and spending 3 – 5 days at each hotel, camp, or lodge that you visit. This way, you’re not overwhelming yourself with lots of draining flights and car drives.

2. Decide what’s important to you in terms of what you want to see and do on your honeymoon: There is practically an infinite amount of things to see and do in Africa – it’s one of the most diverse continents! So when you’re planning your honeymoon be sure to list out some of your biggest interests. This way, you can specifically look for destinations within Africa that cater to those interests. You’ll most likely find that many of the destinations within Africa are diverse and can cater to ALL your interests!

To help you start planning out your trip, I’ve listed some interests below and the destinations I recommended for them:

• Fishing – The coastal regions of Mozambique and South Africa are exceptional fishing spots, but so are the lakes and rivers in Zambia and Zimbabwe
• Beaches – You can’t go wrong with the unspoiled beaches of the Bazaruto Archipelago off the coast of Mozambique, or the many beaches of Cape Town! But the destination that really takes the cake when it comes to breathtaking beaches is North Island in the Seychelles . . . Stunning . . .
• Photography – Some of the most stunning and dramatic landscapes can be found in Namibia, but if you’re looking for wildlife photography, I recommend Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa
• Hiking – South Africa has some incredible hiking routes, especially in and around Cape Town. Hiking around Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe is also exceptional
• Sailing / Boating / Canoeing – Any of the coastal regions are wonderful but I love Mozambique and Zanzibar for boating and sailing. Also, the Mana Pools Canoe Trail in Zimbabwe is an exceptional canoeing experience, as well as the Okavango Delta in Botswana
• Cooking – South Africa, primarily Cape Town, is foodie heaven! There are a variety of exceptional cooking classes, courses, and tours to experience in Cape Town
• History – Two of the best places to soak in history is in Cape Town and Johannesburg – both cities are in South Africa. In Cape Town, you can embark on a Robben Island Tour (where the late South African president, Nelson Mandela was imprisoned) and in Johannesburg, you can visit the Apartheid Museum, as well as many others
• Adventure activities such as white water rafting, zip line tours, quad bikes, horseback riding – Quad biking is exceptional in Namibia, while zip line tours and white water rafting are at their best in Zimbabwe. As for horseback riding, some of my favorite countries for this include South Africa, Kenya, and Tanzania
• Bird watching – Bird watching is exceptional in pretty much all of the countries in southern and eastern Africa, but Botswana is arguably the best!

3. Book with an African travel expert: This is a biggie. Planning a trip to Africa can be highly challenging when you don’t know much about the countries within the great continent of Africa. The logistics of coordinating flights and transfers alone can leave your head spinning. Not to mention it can be super stressful sifting through accommodation and activity reviews online. When you book your trip with a trusted Africa expert, they’ll make sure your itinerary is in line with your exact interests and needs. They’ll also equip you with all the travel information and updates you need to experience a stress-free honeymoon. Not to mention, Africa travel experts know the best places for you to stay (based on your interests, needs, and preferences), so you won’t ever end up at a lodge that caters to kids and families!

4. Decide your budget before planning: A luxury honeymoon can get to be quite expensive! In fact, I’ve come across many couples who expected a luxury honeymoon to cost between $2,000 and $3,000 per person, but the reality is that a luxury trip to Africa typically runs $5,000 and up per person. So, when you’re planning your honeymoon, make sure your Africa travel expert understands your exact needs, preferences, and budget. He or she will then try to create an itinerary that falls within your budget while still speaking to your interests.

5. Prepare your travel documents and get any necessary shot(s) / medication(s) well in advance of your departure: Last minute scrambling for travel documents, shots, and medications, can be a nightmare. And having a stressful start to your honeymoon is certainly not the way to go! So make sure that once you book your travel dates that your passport is valid for at least another 6 months after you return home from your trip  and that you have two blank pages for each country you plan on visiting. You also want to be sure you receive any vaccinations you need at least one month prior to travel. Ask your Africa travel expert what the recommended shots and medications are for the countries you will be visiting, and also make an appointment with a Passport Health near you (they will recommend shots and medications, as well, and will administer the shots and provide medication prescriptions if you need any).

Happy honeymoon!

The next stop is Rachel Huntoon at Ashford Manor Bed & Breakfast (#28 on Natalie’s Blog Hop)!

Thanks for visiting and I hope to see you again next month! 

1. Natalie Bradley at Natalie Bradley Events  
2. Katherine Shorter at Creating Awesomenessity
3. Kristi Richardson at Bloomed To Last
4. Chantal Benoit at Chantal Benoit Photographer
5. Elizabeth Batte at plainjane designs 
6. Andie Freeman  at Andie Freeman Photography 
7. Brenna Fields Taylor at An Elegant Affair LLC
8. Irene Tyndale at Irene Tyndale Events 
9. Tessa Marie at Tessa Marie Weddings
10. Peter Merkle at Chicago Wedding DJs
11. Anshwa Lewis at SwaLaRue Events
12. Deborah Ashe at Rev. Deborah Ashe
13. Angela Christoforo at Elite Wedding and Event Planning
14. Liz Coopersmith at Silver Charm Events
15. Amber Peterson at Cheers Wedding & Event Planning
16. Maggie Evans at Maggie Evans Designs :: handmade bridal couture
17. N’neka Scruggs at Images by N’neka
18. Kelly Snyder at Southern Charm Weddings
19. Cindy Clearwater at Something Blue Virgin Islands
20. Kimberly Parks at KP Photography
21. Simone R. Ross at Lil’ Tux N Tiara’s Event Sitters & Entertainment
22. David Osborne at Sound Insight Productions
23. Nicole Hill at Flora Bond
24. Shaun Cox at A D.I.Y. Affair Weddings and Events
25. Katrina McCullum at Made of Honor Weddings
26. Sandy Salle at Hills of Africa Travel
27. Rachel Huntoon  at Ashford Manor Bed & Breakfast 
28. Daphne Simpson at Elite Design
29. Kishana Highgate at Kishana Highgate Photography
30. Loraine McCall at Mojica Photography
31. Teresa Rhodes at Nearly Nesters
32. Andrea Freeman at Andrea Freeman Events
33. Nikki Michel at Ciao Bella Weddings
34. Kelly King at Affordable Wedding Invites by Gossett Printing
35. Christine Ringuette at Down The Aisle Wedding Planning & Design
36. Myiesha Antwine at Kiss and Tell Weddings
37. Ashley Rae at Ashley Rae Events
38. Laurie Kuerlemann at Platinum Party Events Entertainment, Inc
39. Lydia Wells at Writer Mom
40. Melissa Pepin at Melissa Pepin Photography