Bush & Beach Honeymoon in South Africa | South Africa | KwaZulu Natal

This is a romantic getaway for the adventurer who appreciates their creature comforts! This relaxed safari and beach holiday is perfect for honeymooners with a strong emphasis on excellent Big Five game-viewing, cultural interest and relaxation on the beach with a 4 night stay at a luxury coastal retreat on the Indian Ocean. You combine 3 nights of Big Five game-viewing in the magnificent Phinda Game Reserve with 3 nights at the Romantic White Elephant Safari Lodge with opportunities for elephant tracking, sundowner boat cruises, tiger-fishing and a host of other game activities. Depending on your onwards arrangements you can easily add on 2 nights on the Dolphin Coast north of Durban if you wish to extend your honeymoon.

Meals	Full Board & Game Drives on safari; Full Board at Marlin Lodge
Accommodation	3 nights White Elephant Lodge, 4 nights Thonga Beach Lodge and 3 nights Phinda Game Reserve
Departure Dates	On request
Transport	Group B rental car
Price Includes	Safari activities and beach excursion, snorkelling
Price Excludes	International and domestic flights, bar bills, diving & deep sea fishing
Minimum Number	2
Climate	Sub-tropical climate - hot & humid summers with afternoon showers Nov to April, warm dry and sunny winters
Best time to go	Suitable all year round. Warmest temperatures November to March; best game viewing April to October.
Health Requirements	Malarial area. Anti-malarial precautions essential. Sunblock essential
Combines well with	The safari can easily be extended with 2+ nights at Zimbali Lodge, Dolphin Coast
Other Ideas	Scuba diving, deep-sea fishing are additional cost. Spa treatments at extra cost.
Notes	Daily flights London to Johannesburg with SAA or BA from £590 including taxes

Day 1 : 3 nights safari at White Elephant Safari Lodge, Pongola Wildlife Reserve, Full Board & Game Activities
On arrival at Richards Bay you collect your Group B rental car and drive to White Elephant Safari Camp at the foot of the Lebombo Mountains overlooking Lake Jozini. Known as the ?elephant coast? in honour of the pioneering re-introduction of elephant families into the area, wiped out by widespread hunting in the past. White Elephant Lodge is an elegant, colonial lodge which is beautifully furnished. Outside a lovely rim pool is surrounded by a wooden deck with teak day beds. Paths lead to each tent stylishly decorated with crisp white linen, ceiling fan, dressing table and day beds on the deck. The bathroom has a ball and claw bath and huge French windows which can be completely to give the sensation of bathing in the open air.

Day 2 : Game Activities at White Elephant Safari Lodge
You have a choice of game activities whilst at White Elephant Safari Lodge.

Day 4 : 4 nights Thonga Beach Lodge, Coastal Maputaland, Full Board and activities
Head to the lush coastal Maputaland region, just south of Mozambique. The Maputaland Marine Reserve stretches 200km from Lake St Lucia, one of the world's finest marine sanctuaries teeming with water birds, crocodiles and hippo, to Kosi Bay near the Mozambican border. Within this, the Kosi Forest Coastal Reserve is an unspoilt wilderness region of pristine golden beaches backed by forested dunes and captivating freshwater lakes. This truly is a magical area, untouched by large-scale tourism development. The intimate lodges practice sustainable tourism with significant local community involvement. Their activities mostly revolve around the ocean and the lakeland system with snorkelling for tropical fish, canoeing and evening excursions in the summer to view the rare giant leatherback turtles as they lay and hatch their eggs (Oct to Feb). This area is also a mecca for keen divers, with spectacular coral formations and a number of magnificent reefs teeming with tropical fish.

Thonga Beach Lodge is an exciting and refreshing wilderness destination on the shores of the secluded Mabibi bay in Coastal Maputaland. Mabibi is a magical place of tranquil swimming bays, sandy beaches, snorkelling reefs, coastal forest and shimmering lakes. The lodge, nestling high in the canopy of the dune forest, offers panoramic ocean views. 11 eco-friendly suites are decorated in a chic Robinson Crusoe style. Activities include snorkelling, scuba diving, swimming, bird-watching and sundowner cruises or guided canoe trips on Lake Sibaya. Turtle tracking is again a highlight for summer visitors.

Day 8 : 3 nights on safari at Phinda Game Reserve
Phinda Resource Reserve, which means 'the return', is a 15 000ha reserve to the north of Hluhluwe and the St Lucia wetlands. Rich both in game and in stunning scenery, Phinda boats the diversity of seven contrasting ecosystems, including sand forest, mountain bushveld and wetlands. Phinda offers a winning combination of soft adventure, thrilling game-viewing and inspired lodge design. Guests can enjoy game drives, nature walks, birding, rhino tracking, boat cruises, canoeing, and community visits. Wildlife attractions include lion, elephant, cheetah, leopard, rhino, hippo, an abundance of general game, and prolific bird life (with over 400 species recorded).

Hand-built by local Zulu people to minimise its impact on the rare Sand Forest, Phinda Forest Lodge's 16 stilted glass chalets float between the forest floor and towering torchwood trees. Within these unique habitats, no luxury has been overlooked, from beechwood and slate floors, and air-conditioning, to hand towels tied with lichen, enhancing the "Zulu-Zen" feel. At Forest Lodge, the walls have become windows opening up to the canopy beyond. Outside, the forest is alive with creatures, from the tiny red duiker and suni antelope to the narina trogon and rare red squirrel. Your private glass chalet beckons the forest within. The dining, lounge, viewing deck and shaded pool areas of this intimate and secluded camp overlook a grassy vlei. There is also a forest "boma" (reeded enclosure), where memorable evenings are spent dining under the stars.

Day 11 : Return rental car OR Optional extension on the Dolphin Coast
Today you return your rental car to Richards Bay (approx 2 hours drive) or Durban (approx 3-3½ hours drive).

OR choose to extend your honeymoon with an optional stay on the Dolphin Coast .

OPTIONAL EXTENSION
Ballito and Umhlanga to the north of Durban offer endless stretches of sandy beaches, and are ideal for swimming, relaxing and enjoying alfresco seafood cuisine. Here you're away from the bustle of the city and yet easily within reach of its attractions such as the lush botanical gardens and enticing Indian spice markets. The Dolphin Coast is famous for its bottle-nosed dolphins - take a boat cruise to view them at close range, whilst the golf courses at Zimbali, Mount Edgecombe and the Royal Durban rival the best in South Africa. Everywhere the traditional arts and crafts of the Zulu nation are available to buy.

Zimbali Lodge is easily the most luxurious beach resort on the Dolphin coast, an elegant and sophisticated hideaway only 40 minutes from Durban. Set in a serene coastal forest reserve of 300 ha, it is home to Bottle-nosed dolphins and a rich birdlife. The hotel is perched on the hill with sweeping views over the wooded valley and lake to the Indian Ocean beyond. The 76 air-conditioned rooms and suites have Afro-eastern inspired architecture and hand carved mahogany furniture. Every room at Zimbali opens onto a private, furnished balcony. Facilities include tennis, walking trails, a breath-taking rim pool and deck, a health and beauty spa as well as its own quiet beach.

	1 May 2008 to 31 Aug 2008	1 Sep 2008 to 30 Sep 2008	1 Oct 2008 to 30 Nov 2008
Per person sharing	ZAR R 24,450	ZAR R 26,750	ZAR R 33,300

Prices may be based on current exchange rates and are subject to change prior to booking.

Contact us for more information or book your trip by clicking on the appropriate button below. One of our consultants will gladly help you with any questions you may have.