Our 10 Best Romantic Safari Lodges

A safari, by nature, is already romantic. Certain lodges, however, excel at romance – or at facilitating it, in any event. We’ve carefully curated these 10 best romantic safari lodges in Africa, to help paramours decide where to go when they’re looking for the ultimate amorous safari escape. Here they are, in no particular order.

Loisaba Star Beds | Laikipia, Kenya

Our 10 best romantic safari lodges list would be incomplete without a star-bed lodge, as there can be fewer things more romantic in the world than spending the night with your love in a cosy four-poster bed, in a remote location under the African stars. This is exactly what awaits you at Loisaba Star Beds, which is on Laikipia Plateau in northern Kenya. Fall asleep to the roar of lion beginning their nocturnal hunt and wake to birds chattering away as the sun rises over the waterhole your magical bed overlooks. Continue exploring…

Mara Plains Camp | Masai Mara, Kenya

Your romantic adventure at Mara Plains Camp begins as you walk over a narrow wooden bridge to get there, suspended over the Ntiakitiak River in the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, just north of Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve. Your tented suite, raised on wooden decking and tucked away in riverine forest, will be one of just seven at this intimate lodge, and privacy is assured. You’ll find the deep copper bathtub is big enough for two. Continue exploring…

Sabora Tented Camp | Serengeti, Tanzania

This elegant 1920s-themed safari lodge oozes the glamour and romance of yesteryear. Its nine tents suites overlook Tanzania’s sweeping Serengeti plains – views best enjoyed from the comfort of your daybed or while drifting along in a hot-air balloon. Play a surreal game of couple’s tennis on the lodge’s court before refreshing yourself in the swimming pool or enjoying the spa; after your private dinner, you may wish to sip Champagne in the Jacuzzi. Continue exploring…

Mnemba Island | Zanzibar, Tanzania

A private island, you say? Yes, this one definitely makes our 10 best romantic safari lodges. And not just any island, we’re talking a tropical forest in a marine conservation area and endangered-turtle breeding ground, set off the coast of Tanzania. Your days can be filled with swimming, watersports, snorkelling, diving, birdwatching and walking … or simply lazing around. In the evening, we suggest a sunset dhow cruise, followed by private, lantern-lit dining right on the beach. Did we mention guests have private butlers? Continue exploring…

Chinzombo | South Luangwa, Zambia

As you descend in your light aircraft, you’ll get your first glimpse of the Luangwa River – the lifeblood of Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park. A mini game drive takes to you its shores, and then a short boat ride delivers you across the hippo-and-crocodile-laden waterway to the ultra-luxurious Chinzombo, shaded by ancient msikzi trees on 24ha of private land. If it’s a remote location you’re after for a romantic tryst, this is it. Continue exploring…

Jack’s Camp | Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana

With its staggering setting on the Makgadikgadi Pans, Jack’s Camp is the epitome of romance, well deserving of making our 10 best romantic safari lodges. The cooling desert breeze flutters among billowing Bedoin-style tents and the mokolwane trees that shelter them, while the stark beauty of the landscape is enough to send shivers down your spine. Inside each, there’s every opulence, from Persian rugs to canopied four-poster beds. There’s also a mess tent with a library and museum, a Moroccan-influenced tea tent and a swimming pool pavilion. And you can meet meerkats nearby. Continue exploring…

Azura Quilalea Private Island | Quirimbas Archipelago, Mozambique

As one of the southernmost islands on Mozambique’s Quirimbas Archipelago, Azura Quilalea Private Island offers an idyllic, isolated retreat … one you arrive at by helicopter. The lodge includes nine luxury seafront villas (one with private pool), so there’s no need even to cross the grounds to get into the water – you can simply slip right into it from your private terrace. (Did someone say sunset skinny dip?) Other romantic activities include sandbar picnics, dhow sailing and stargazing. Continue exploring…

Ivory Lodge | Sabi Sand, South Africa

This super stylish lodge is set on Sabie River in the private reserves of the greater Kruger. Its eight suites and one villa have their own private plunge pools and butlers and flexible-meal offerings, which provide all the ingredients for private poolside dining under the stars. The lodge also has two luxury treehouses, in which guests can spend an amorous evening under the stars, deep in the African wilds. Bush breakfasts and dinners round off a stay. Continue exploring…

Tintswalo Atlantic | Cape Town, South Africa

This boutique hotel is set at the base of the cliffs on Chapman’s Peak Drive in Cape Town – a dramatic location worthy of a classic romance novel. Each of the 10 luxury suites have private decks facing the Atlantic Ocean – ideal for watching waves crash against the rocks at high tide or for seeking whales. Other pastimes include swimming in the lodge’s pool or at nearby Hout Bay Beach, indulging in the spa or exploring the rock pools at low tide. Continue exploring…

Little Kulala | Sossusvlei, Namibia

There’s something deeply romantic about deserts. The Namib Desert is no exception, particularly the Sossusvlei area where Little Kulala is located, famed for its enormous red dunes. The stargazing here rivals anywhere in the world, but don’t miss the hot-air ballooning either. Each of the 11 suites have private plunge pools to keep you and your love cool, while the lodge itself overlooks a waterhole. The lodge library will fuel your imagination, while its wine cellar will feed your soul. Continue exploring…