The short answer: for a honeymoon in the Kruger area, look for small lodges with private suites, your own plunge pool and the option of dinner for two. Our favourites are Notten's Bush Camp and Jock Safari Lodge for great value, Leopard Hills and Savanna for classic luxury, and Lion Sands Narina Lodge and Singita Lebombo for a once-in-a-lifetime splurge.
A safari is one of the most memorable ways to begin married life. Early mornings tracking leopard, long lazy afternoons by your own pool, and evenings by the fire under a sky full of stars: it is time together that feels a world away from the wedding planning. Kruger and the neighbouring Sabi Sands are also easy to reach, with short flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town, and pair beautifully with the Winelands or a few days on the beach.
What makes a great honeymoon lodge
- Privacy: suites set well apart, ideally with your own deck and plunge pool.
- Size: smaller lodges feel more intimate, and some are adults-only.
- Little touches: private dinners in the bush, sleep-outs under the stars, spa treatments and outdoor showers.
- The game viewing: in the private reserves, guides can follow animals off-road and sightings have fewer vehicles, so you get the best of both.
Classic: under R20 000 per person per night
Notten's Bush Camp, Sabi Sands. Possibly the most romantic camp in the reserve. There is no electricity in the suites, just the soft glow of paraffin lamps, an outdoor shower and the sounds of the bush at night. The welcome is famously warm, and dinner by lantern light is unforgettable.
Jock Safari Lodge, Kruger National Park. A private concession in Kruger's south-west, where two rivers meet. Thatched suites come with their own plunge pool and outdoor sala, so the quiet middle of the day is yours to enjoy together. Superb value for a private-concession experience.
Elephant Plains, Sabi Sands. A relaxed, family-run lodge with excellent leopard viewing and a secluded honeymoon suite with its own splash pool. A lovely way to experience the Sabi Sands on a gentler budget.
Luxury: R20 000 to R29 999 per person per night
Leopard Hills, Sabi Sands. Set high on a rocky hill with sweeping views and a busy waterhole below. Each of the eight glass-fronted suites has its own rock plunge pool, and the leopard viewing is among the finest in the reserve.
Savanna Private Game Reserve, Sabi Sands. Stylish and intimate, with heated plunge pools and outdoor showers in every suite and a floodlit waterhole to watch from the lounge after dark.
Ultra-luxury: R30 000 and over per person per night
Lion Sands Narina Lodge, Kruger National Park. Our top pick for honeymooners. This adults-only treehouse retreat has suites raised on stilts among century-old trees along the Sabie River, each with a private pool, deck and egg-shaped bath. Quiet, romantic and made for two.
Singita Lebombo Lodge, Kruger National Park. Glass-walled loft suites cling to the cliffs above the N'wanetsi River, with decks where you can sleep out under the stars. Add the spa, the remarkable wine cellar and some of Kruger's best game viewing, and it is hard to beat.
Silvan Safari, Sabi Sands. Just six contemporary suites, each with a private plunge pool overlooking a dry riverbed where elephants often wander past. Calm, design-led and wonderfully private.
Honeymoon specials
Many lodges in the area offer honeymoon specials, often with one partner staying at 50% off. Offers usually apply within a set time after your wedding, and terms and dates vary from lodge to lodge, so we will always check which lodges have the best offer for your dates.
Your honeymoon, planned around you
Every couple is different, and we tailor every honeymoon safari to suit you. Whether you want to combine two lodges, add a few days in Cape Town and the Winelands or finish on a beach, we will plan the whole trip, from flights and transfers to the special touches that make it feel like yours. Tell us your dates and what you have in mind, and we will put together ideas for your honeymoon.