A ‘sustainable’ Africa safari honeymoon

Can you imagine enjoying your morning coffee here while watching an elephant herd graze? (Photo: Hills of Africa Travel)

Thinking of an African safari honeymoon? This tour company promises an eco-friendly safari and cultural experiences that benefit the local population—plus comfortable, romantic accommodations.

Hills of Africa Travel, based in Huntersville, North Carolina, specializes in customized, eco-friendly, sustainable safaris in southern Africa—and they cater to honeymooners, devoting a section of their website to their Africa safari honeymoon packages. Special touches include a “candle-lit dinner for two at sunset on a riverbank,” a “private bush dinner,” and “rose petals leading from the game-drive vehicle to your room.” But perhaps the most unique feature of their customizable safari honeymoon packages is their sustainability. Here’s how the company explained it in a recent press release:

These eco-friendly safaris also add substantial value to the lives of the inhabitants and the wildlife of each area and camp that honeymooners visit. Whenever couples stay at an eco-tourism establishment, donate to a local project, visit a community school, or purchase art from locals, they give the community a tangible benefit.

“We ask each couple as many questions as we need to create their special once-in-a-lifetime trip,” says Sandy Salle, CEO of Hills of Africa Travel. “Every couple’s dream honeymoon is different, and every couple has their own view of what giving back means. We balance their needs with the needs of the communities they’ll visit to continue the sustainable tourism cycle.”

A typical honeymoon trip might venture to Tanzania’s Manyara Ranch Conservancy to experience the ultimate game-drive safari, bush walks, and horseback safaris. Guests to the Ranch also have unique opportunities to visit the local primary school and enjoy a Maasai cultural visit where they’ll learn about the Maasai culture and lifestyle, directly from the locals.

Salle notes, “We’ve found that honeymooners love to share their lives with the locals. When you share yourself and your experiences with them, you open their world and mind to new discoveries and possibilities. That’s one of the best ways to give back. What could be more rewarding?”

According to a Hills of Africa spokeswoman, the cost of the company’s all-inclusive honeymoon safari packages vary, depending on the length of stay, country, and package details; however, they typically range in price from $8,000 to $25,000 per person, not including airfare. “All-inclusive” in this case is a lot more than you’d get at your typical honeymoon resort; for example, one itinerary includes big game drives, walking safaris, and a “private beach villa with private pool on the white-sanded beaches of Benguerra Island.” See their sample itineraries on the company’s honeymoon safari page for more information.