How to Plan a South Africa Honeymoon for Wine & Adventure Lovers
Why South Africa for your Honeymoon? This is the number one question we got asked after our trip. For us, it was a couple of reasons! One is that it is a super long trip to take and you definitely need to go for at least two weeks, and your honeymoon is one of those special occasions in life where you are actually able to take that much time off of work and be on vacation. The biggest reason was that South Africa had so much to offer that we were really interested in seeing and doing! Wine country, excellent food, hiking, safari, and a relaxing beach trip checked all of the boxes for us.
South Africa Honeymoon Itinerary
It was really awesome because on our trip we met quite a few other couples on their honeymoons. Some people did super similar itineraries as us, and others added in other countries or did a similar trip but in a different order. This is the way that we wanted to do it and what made sense to us – but on your South Africa honeymoon, you could totally start with a beach or safari trip first and end in wine country!
Day 1 -4: Cape Town
Day 4-6: Winelands
Day 6-10: Kruger National Park (Safari!)
Day 10-14: Vilankulo, Mozambique
What to Pack for South Africa
One thing to note about packing for South Africa is that it is in the southern hemisphere! This means the seasons are opposite from us. We went at the end of March to mid-April so it was fall and approaching winter. In South Africa, this time of year is still pretty warm. Cape Town had a few chilly days when it got super windy but other than that I was comfortable in sundresses, shorts, or jeans and a T-Shirt.
Safari is where it got hot. We had 95-degree days, but chilly mornings waking up at 5 am for game drives. The most important thing for that part of the trip is to pack lots of layers.
Mozambique was hot and humid. I pretty much lived in cover-ups and swimsuits this whole part of the trip – even when it was somewhat rainy or cloudy!
Cape Town, South Africa
Okay, first of all, Cape Town is the coolest city! I recommend 3-4 nights but you could definitely do more if you have time.
Where to Stay
We stayed at the Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel and I can’t recommend it enough. It’s an intimate guest house with great service and big comfy beds. Breakfast is included which is delightful, and the location is walking distance from some awesome restaurants on Kloof street which is a super cool area.
Where to Eat
Codfather
If you’re in Cape Town you HAVE to get fresh seafood, and this is the perfect place to do it! This was one of my favorite meals the whole trip because it was also an experience! The restaurant is set up like a fish market, so you can grab your sushi from the conveyor belt, then head over to the seafood counter to pick out your freshly caught fish where they weigh it, and cook it in olive oil and lemon with sauces on the side.
Kloof House
This restaurant is a giant house on Kloof street (6 min walk from our hotel) and each room is such a vibe. The decor is elegant yet modern and it gives off a romantic, club vibe. It’s kind of hard to explain but just know there are super yummy cocktails and delicious entrees (we had the Ostrich and it was to die for).
V & A Waterfront Market
This is also a shopping area but the food market is a cool experience! They have tons of different food stands so go hungry and try a little bit from each place. They also have nice restaurants right on the water.
Things to Do in Cape Town, South Africa
Hike Lion’s Head Mountain
If you go to Cape Town this is a must-do, it was a huge highlight of our trip! I recommend going with a hiking guide if it’s your first time. Keep in mind this is NOT just a “circular walk uphill” like our previous tour guide told us… lol. Wear some comfy hiking shoes and prepare to get a workout in!
Cape of Good Hope + Penguins Day Trip
Take a day trip to Cape of Good Hope and drive to the South Western most point of the continent! The views are beautiful and if you’re lucky (or unlucky) you may even see some baboons. On your way back, stop at Boulder’s Beach and see the famous African penguins.
Go wine tasting in Constantia
Constantia is the oldest wine region in South Africa. The influence from the False bay creates cooling breezes in the vineyards here, and this region is known for its Sauvignon Blanc, Cap Classique and Syrah.
For more on the wineries and Winelands, check out my blog post here.
Shopping V & A waterfront and Downtown Markets
If you have room in your suitcase, do some shopping! They have all kinds of African art and different cuisines. This is a great lunch spot or way to spend an hour or two in the afternoon.
South Africa Winelands
Okay, so y’all know wine is my thing. We spent a few extra days in the Winelands so we could do our own thing and I’m so glad we did. For a detailed breakdown of where we stayed, tasted, and dined, check out my South Africa Wine Country blog post.
Where to Stay
Leeu Estates in Franchhoek. We loved our hotel and wouldn’t have wanted to stay anywhere else. It was beautiful and had excellent service and cuisine! My favorite part was that it was located right in front of gorgeous mountains and had a vineyard on the property you could walk through. It was truly a dream!
I also hear that Delaire Graff and Lanzerac are gorgeous properties if you are looking for a vineyard hotel.
Where to Taste
Where to Eat
- Epice – This was an incredible Michelin star restaurant with a pairing menu. We added the wines and were so impressed by the flavor and spices of everything! This is a must-visit if you want an incredible fine dining, South African experience.
- La Petit Colombe – This restaurant was right on property at the Leeu estates and was wonderful. It is another fine dining experience with wine pairings and magnificent presentations.
South African Safari
In the Kruger National Park area, there are a lot of different private game reserves you can stay at. We chose Ngala Private Game Reserve, and I’m so glad we did. Not only did we see all of the “Big 5”, but the service and accommodations were also exceptional.
Since most of the places to stay while you do Safari are all-inclusive, you have to based on reviews and what you see on the websites. I loved Ngala because we were assigned our very own butler who took care of us the whole time. We also had an assigned guide and tracker, and they truly made the experience amazing. I had done safari before in Kenya, but this was very different! We had a lot more adventure and action, and I think the trackers they have at Ngala are so talented and great at their jobs. On our last night of the stay, they set up a romantic dinner for us in our cottage with sparkling wine and candles.
Vilankulo, Mozambique
Our travel agency for our South Africa honeymoon recommended Mozambique to us when we were looking for a beach to end our vacation at. We also loved this area because it was off the beaten path and a quick 1-hour flight from Johannesburg.
Where to Stay in Mozambique
Where we stayed in Mozambique was also all-inclusive, as most places here are. The village of Vilankulo is very small so there isn’t much to do in the village itself. This is definitely a place to come and relax and enjoy the weather.
The place we stayed was Santorini Mozambique and it didn’t feel like a hotel but more like home. The staff was so inviting and accommodating, the food was incredible, and the included activities are amazing! You get a boat ride included in your stay where you can snorkel and see the sunset.
Transportation in South Africa
If you plan to do this itinerary, keep in mind there will be a few flights you’ll have to book. In South Africa, all of our flights were through Airlink. These were pretty affordable and the longest flight we took was 2 hours!
International Flight into Cape Town
Day 1 -4: Cape Town
Arrange a driver or guide to bring you to Stellenbosch (1 hour)
Day 4-6: Winelands
Flight from Cape Town to Hoedspruit Airport (2 hours)*
*depending on where you go in Kruger, they have a few different small airports!
Day 6-10: Kruger National Park
Flight from Hoedspruit to Vilankulo (1 hour)
Day 10-14: Vilankulo, Mozambique
Flight from Vilankulo to Johannesburg
International Flight out of Johannesburg
Planning Process
For this South Africa Honeymoon, we did use a travel agency. Normally if we go to Europe or somewhere a little less foreign to us I plan the trip myself by just doing research. For this trip, I really did not know much about the area, currency, etc. and since I was super busy with planning the wedding, going with a travel agency was a lifesaver. On our trip, we also saw how much it paid off to have everything planned out and scheduled for us – it truly was such a luxury!
If you have specific questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me on Instagram or send me an email at carolyn@theamericanwinegirl.com.
Podcast Episode
To hear more about our trip, check out the podcast episode we recently recorded!
