Honeymoon Destinations

[CharmyPoo]

My husband and I didn't go to a honeymoon right after our wedding. I want to start thinking about it now and because it is delayed .. I am really wanting an awesome honeymoon.

I am debating between Europe or an African Safari trip. Anyone got recommendations for an Europe itinerary - the hubby really wants to get a car and do a european delivery to drive around. Or does anyone have experiences with an African Safari?

Open to recommendations. We are planning to try for kids shortly so this could be one of our last chances to have a trip without thinking about children.

 

[ForteKitty]

How long of a honeymoon can you take?

 

[CharmyPoo]

I was thinking 3-4 weeks perhaps.

 

[mrscushion]

I was thinking 3-4 weeks perhaps.

Sounds to me more like a Europe-alooza rather than a safari, unless you combine a safari in Kenya with a trip to South Africa (traveling along e.g. the garden road). 3-4 weeks on safari will get boring, I venture. I did one in Kenya for a week, I thought it was really cool, but a week was enough!

 

[Blackpaw]

Oooohhh how exciting id do africa for sure, reason being that africa is easier to travel when you're younger, europe is super easy to travel so you can do it whenever. And i think africa would be a super special place for a honeymoon, and there's plenty of variety to keep you busy (like ms cushion said, you couldnt really spend the whole time on safari).

My SO and i spent 6 months backpacking southern and eastern africa a couple of years ago, we loved it so much, theres such a primal beauty to the landscapes there and we loved safaris, all up id say we spent 30-40 days on safari in various parks...

but if you're honeymooning you'll want to do it in style i imagine, i cant wait to go back one day and stay in nice places,there's some beautiful properties throughout africa...generally we just had a drink in their bars though

So recs for 3-4 weeks - id recommend you stick to eastern africa, although if you would prefer south africa let me know and ill give you my recs for there (you could add namibia into that itinerary easily too), we spent 6 weeks in SA so saw quite a bit...

But eastern africa...Tanzania is a must, the Serengeti is spectacular, if you want the lion king that's where you'll get it!!

I happen to love safari and could spend days happily on them but you may want to limit more depending on how interested you are in wildlife. Minimum though for the serengeti id say 5 days to a week. Then seeing as you're in tanzania you could do kilimanjaro if you're into hiking (we didnt do it and its one thing id like to go back and do), if not you could head to Zanzibar, an island just off the coast of tanzania...its fantastic, you get a african version of middle eastern souk there, and there are amazing beach resorts there to stay at (and you could spend a couple of days in stone town too, thats where we spent most of our time). Then you might want to go to Kenya, spend some time in Nikaru or Masai Mara (if you're like me you'll be ready for more safari! we didnt do it but i wish we'd done a hot air balloon ride through the mara), then to Uganda. Spend a night or two in Kampala sorting out your gorilla permits (although likely you would just book a tour from home and meet it). The gorillas are a sight to see, a very expensive sight but i cant say i regret it, and i know i would have regretted not seeing them...also to see in uganda is jinja, the source of the nile and really fantastic white water rafting...(im a scaredy cat and thought it was awesome!).

Other options depending on your interests and which direction you want to go, where you want to start from, include:

Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe!! has to be the zim side trust me, and dont be scared, its a lovely place and the people are lovely too you could do the famous bunjee jump there too, i did it, it was terrifying

If you love beach (and diving? i love diving!) Pemba or the Bazaruto Archipelago (vilanculos would be the airport i imagine) are amazing, although for fantasy-land kinda beach going that would be the archipelago, there are some crazy resorts out there im told! (i just did a diving trip through the islands and it was amazing).

Oooh i hope you go to africa, i cant recommend it enough. Surely its not as 'easy' as europe is but for a honeymoon i think it would be truly amazing, you cant appreciate the vastness and wildness of the landscapes until you're there, its crazy beautiful

 

[Novel]

Driving around Europe can be fantastic! FI and I drove from southern Germany down to Cinque Terre in Italy a few years back when he was living in Germany, and I loved it. You can easily spend 4 days in Cinque Terre, and then drive to other places in Italy.

I think if you're going to devote a huge chunk of time to this (3-4 weeks sounds amazing), you can do a few countries and fly between them. If I were going to do that, my ideal would be to start in Swizterland or in Freiburg, Germany, then drive to Italy - Cinque Terre to Pisa to Rome to Naples (pizza!) to the Amalfi Coast and then fly to Paris and drive to Normandy (7 hours, great places to stop on the way) and then to Brittany.

I think Africa vs. Europe is dependent largely on what you're looking for, but either would be fantastic.

 

[Haven]

Well, we travel a lot and our most recent trip to Switzerland was the most romantic trip yet, so I would definitely recommend it for a honeymoon. We stayed up in the Alps in the Berner Oberland region. My stomach still feels all fluttery when I think of how romantic it was. *swoon*

We have done both the driving thing and the train thing around Europe, and I have to say that I prefer the train. It is just so relaxing, and depending on which country you're in, so easy to get around. And the scenery! Oh, spectacular.

 

[CharmyPoo]

Thanks all for the great suggestions. I am going to report back after doing some research. The hubby is really not feeling the safari so europe it is. The thing is now we have to wait until next spring

 

[centralsquare]

I've done both. I'd go on the African Safari. If you'll have kids soon then it's much harder to go to Africa but you can always bring them around Europe.