Safaris start early. Game drives begin around dawn and the days are long, which is why so many people want a beach at the end. The question is which beach, and the answer decides most of the holiday: the Kenyan coast at Mombasa, the white sand of Zanzibar, the Mozambique coast, or the resorts of Mauritius.
This guide is for anyone who wants a safari and a beach in one holiday. We compare every safari-and-beach tour on our Africa tour pages, from a 13-day Kenya trip with flights to six weeks overland, so you can choose the safari, the beach and the balance between them. If you’d rather travel on your own dates, see our tailor-made safari and beach trips to Zanzibar, Kenya and Mauritius. For safari ideas beyond these tours, start with our safari holidays page.
The quick answer
- If you want Kenya’s parks and a full week on the beach, pick Kenya Grand Safari & 7-Night Mombasa Beach Stay.
- If you want the Mara, the Serengeti and Zanzibar, pick East Africa Safari & Zanzibar.
- If you want Kruger and a quiet beach, pick Kruger Safari & Mozambique Beach.
- If you want all-inclusive luxury, pick the Luxury Safari & Mauritius Beach Holiday.
- If you have children aged seven or over, pick the Family South Africa Safari & Beach.
Every safari and beach holiday compared
| Tour | Days | Price from | Physical rating | Group size | Flights included | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya and the Mombasa coast | ||||||
| Kenya Grand Safari & 7-Night Mombasa Beach Stay with Flights – 16 Days | 16 | £4,963 pp incl. flights | Low | Max 24 | Yes | A full week on the beach |
| Kenya Grand Safari & 4-Night Mombasa Beach Stay with Flights – 13 Days | 13 | £4,585 pp incl. flights | Medium | Max 24 | Yes | Four nights on the beach |
| East Africa and Zanzibar | ||||||
| East Africa Safari & Zanzibar: Maasai Mara to Nungwi – 13 Days | 13 | £2,918 pp | Medium | Max 12 | No | Mara, Serengeti, then Zanzibar |
| Zanzibar Short Break: Stone Town & the North Coast – 4 Days | 4 | £448 pp | Low | Max 12 | No | Zanzibar, added to any safari |
| Overland from Kenya to Victoria Falls via Zanzibar – 27 Days | 27 | £2,697 pp | Medium | Max 22 | No | Overland to Victoria Falls, camping |
| Overland from Victoria Falls to Kenya via Zanzibar – 28 Days | 28 | £3,560 pp | Medium | Max 22 | No | Overland from Victoria Falls, camping |
| Overland from the Gorillas to Victoria Falls – 42 Days | 42 | £5,123 pp | Medium | Max 22 | No | Six weeks, with gorillas |
| Overland from Victoria Falls to the Gorillas – 43 Days | 43 | £6,435 pp | Medium | Max 22 | No | Six weeks, the other way |
| South Africa and Mozambique | ||||||
| Kruger Safari & Mozambique Beach with Flights – 13 Days | 13 | £4,018 pp incl. flights | Low | Not stated | Yes | Kruger camp, then a beach resort |
| Kruger Safari & Mozambique Beach with Flights – 13 Days | 13 | On request | Not stated | Max 45 | Yes | Similar, dates on request |
| Southern Africa Safari: Kruger, Zululand & Mozambique Coast – 11 Days | 11 | £3,255 pp | Low | Max 15 | No | Zululand, Kruger and the Mozambique coast |
| Family South Africa Safari & Beach Adventure – 13 Days | 13 | £2,295 pp | Low | Max 20 | No | Families with children aged 7+ |
| South Africa and Mauritius | ||||||
| Luxury Safari & Mauritius Beach Holiday, Flights Included – 15 Days | 15 | £5,669 pp incl. flights | Low | Max 24 | Yes | All-inclusive luxury |
| South Africa Safari & Mauritius Beach with Flights – 15 Days | 15 | £4,819 pp incl. flights | Low | Not stated | Yes | A week in the Waterberg, then Mauritius |
Prices are per person, twin share, live from our tour pages (updated November 2026). The lowest price can apply to a later departure, so check the dates you want on each tour page.
Ask us about safari and beach holidays →
Kenya and the Mombasa coast
New to Kenya? Our Kenya holiday guide covers the Masai Mara, Amboseli, Samburu, the Rift Valley lakes and the whole coast from Diani to Lamu.
A week on the beach
Kenya Grand Safari & 7-Night Mombasa Beach Stay with Flights – 16 Days
- 16 days
- From £4,963 per person incl. flights
- Max 24 people
- Starts and ends in United Kingdom
- Physical rating: low
- Flights included
- Departures in January, February, March, May, June, July, September, October, November
Sixteen days with flights and a tour director, by 4×4 safari vehicle in a group of up to 24: a night at the Ark in the Aberdares overlooking a floodlit waterhole, two nights in Samburu, Lake Nakuru for its rhinos and flamingos, and two nights at Keekorok Lodge in the Maasai Mara, all full board, then a night at the Fairmont Norfolk in Nairobi, or similar, and seven all-inclusive nights at a Mombasa beach resort. The 13-day version has the same safari with four nights on the beach.
Suits: wildlife lovers who also want to unwind. The honest drawback: long drives between parks, and not a small group.
The Serengeti and Zanzibar (spice, sand and a lot of wildebeest)
Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Zanzibar
East Africa Safari & Zanzibar: Maasai Mara to Nungwi – 13 Days
- 13 days
- From £2,918 per person
- Max 12 people
- Nairobi, Kenya to Zanzibar, Tanzania
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Year-round departures
Thirteen days in a group of up to 12 in eight-seater 4WD vehicles: a Maasai village in the Loita Hills, a full day in the Maasai Mara with an optional balloon flight, game drives in the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater in open-roof jeeps and time with the Hadzabe people at Lake Eyasi, then a flight to Zanzibar for Stone Town and beach cottages at Nungwi. The safari is full board. If you are planning your own safari, the Zanzibar Short Break (4 days) adds a night in Stone Town, a spice plantation and two nights on the north coast.
Suits: first-time safari-goers who want a beach to finish. The honest drawback: long drives, simple rather than luxury lodges, and the Zanzibar section is independent, without a guide.
For a long adventure, four overland journeys by safari truck include Zanzibar: Kenya to Victoria Falls (27 days) and Victoria Falls to Kenya (28 days), both with Lake Malawi, and two six-week trips that add Uganda, with the chance to trek to see mountain gorillas, Gorillas to Victoria Falls (42 days) and Victoria Falls to the Gorillas (43 days). You camp most nights in two-person dome tents, everyone helps around camp, and groups can reach 22.
Kruger and the Mozambique coast
For Tofo, the Bazaruto islands, Gorongosa and where the FCDO advises against travel, see our Mozambique holiday guide.
Kruger, then a beach resort
Kruger Safari & Mozambique Beach with Flights – 13 Days
- 13 days
- From £4,018 per person incl. flights
- Starts and ends in United Kingdom
- Physical rating: low
- Flights included
- Departures in January, March, April, May, August, September, October, November
Thirteen days with flights from the UK: a night at Sanctuary Mandela, a boutique hotel in Nelson Mandela’s former Johannesburg home, six nights at the Camp Bethel tented safari camp near Hoedspruit with three guided safaris in Kruger and the Greater Kruger, and three nights at a beach resort on Mozambique’s Machangulo Peninsula, reached by private speedboat. A tour leader and wildlife specialist travel with you on safari. A similar tour on our Mozambique page is currently dates on request.
Suits: anyone who wants Kruger and a quiet beach without changing hotels much. The honest drawback: three included safaris, so not for anyone after many game drives, and the beach days are for relaxing rather than exploring Mozambique.
Southern Africa Safari (11 days) is a small-group alternative for four to 15 travellers aged 16 and over, from iSimangaliso and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi to two nights at Ponta do Ouro in Mozambique, with dolphins, then three nights in Kruger. The Family South Africa Safari & Beach Adventure (13 days) is for children aged seven and over, with game drives from a lodge in the Timbavati, a family bush walk, Eswatini and beach walks and snorkelling at Kosi Bay on the Indian Ocean.
South Africa and Mauritius (all-inclusive, all the way)
Luxury and all-inclusive
Luxury Safari & Mauritius Beach Holiday, Flights Included – 15 Days
- 15 days
- From £5,669 per person incl. flights
- Max 24 people
- Starts and ends in London, United Kingdom
- Physical rating: low
- Flights included
- Departures in March, April, May, June, July, September, October, November
Fifteen days with flights from London: five all-inclusive nights at the Safari Plains five-star tented camp in the Mabula Game Reserve, or similar, with a tour leader and wildlife specialist, then seven all-inclusive nights at a five-star beachfront resort in Belle Mare, Mauritius, with drinks served from 10am to 10pm. South Africa Safari & Mauritius Beach (15 days) spends a week at the five-star Rhino East Lodge in the Waterberg and five nights at the Tamassa Bel Ombre in Mauritius, or similar, also all-inclusive.
Suits: couples who want comfort and very little to organise. The honest drawback: neither safari is in Kruger, and you stay in only two places.
Tailor-made safari and beach trips
Prefer your own dates and a lodge instead of a group? Our multi-centre holidays pair a private safari with a beach hotel, and a specialist builds the flights and transfers around you.
Tanzania safari and Zanzibar
Five nights across Tarangire, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, then a week all-inclusive on a Zanzibar beach.
Kenya safari and coast
Four nights in the Masai Mara, then seven on Diani Beach south of Mombasa, with a short flight between them.
Kruger and Mauritius
Five nights on a private reserve near Kruger, then seven all-inclusive on Mauritius’ north coast.
More combinations, from city and beach to island hopping, are on our multi-centre holidays page.
Other safari and beach pairings
Liwonde and Lake Malawi
Boat safaris on the Shire River in Liwonde, then a freshwater beach on Lake Malawi. Far fewer vehicles than the Mara or Kruger.
Yala leopards and Sri Lanka’s beaches
Yala has one of the highest densities of leopards anywhere. Pair a few jeep safaris with the south and west coast beaches.
How to choose
By the beach. Mombasa for a long all-inclusive stay after Kenya’s parks; Zanzibar for spice and white sand after the Serengeti; Mozambique for a quiet resort after Kruger; Mauritius for luxury after a private-reserve safari.
By time available. Thirteen to 16 days for most holidays here; four weeks or more for the overland trips. The Zanzibar Short Break adds four days to any safari.
By budget. The family trip, Southern Africa Safari, East Africa Safari & Zanzibar and the four-week overland trips are the least expensive, though the overland trips camp most nights. The Kenya, Mozambique and Mauritius holidays with flights cost the most. Live prices are in the table above.
By travel style. Small groups of up to 12 or 15 on East Africa Safari & Zanzibar and Southern Africa Safari; larger groups with a tour director on the flight-inclusive holidays; and participatory camping on the overland trips.
When to go
The safari and the beach have their own seasons, so the best months are the ones where both are good. July to October works almost everywhere on this page.
| Where | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya | ||||||||||||
| Masai Mara | ||||||||||||
| Mombasa, Diani | ||||||||||||
| Tanzania | ||||||||||||
| Serengeti | ||||||||||||
| Zanzibar | ||||||||||||
| South Africa and Mozambique | ||||||||||||
| Kruger | ||||||||||||
| Mozambique | ||||||||||||
| Mauritius | ||||||||||||
| Beaches | ||||||||||||
- Best
- Good, some rain or heat
- Rainy or cyclone season
Kenya. The Mara is best from July to October, when the wildebeest migration is there, and again in January and February. The long rains run from March to May. The coast is best from December to March and from July to October; April to June is the wettest.
Tanzania and Zanzibar. The Serengeti is dry from June to October. In January and February the herds calve in the south of the park. For a safari and Zanzibar holiday, aim for June to October or late December to February, and avoid the long rains from March to May.
Kruger and Mozambique. The dry winter, May to September, is the best for game viewing, because the bush thins out and animals gather at water. The Mozambique coast is best from May to November, with humpback whales from July to October. January to March is hot, with a risk of cyclones.
Mauritius. May to December is the best time. January to March is cyclone season.
Group departures are in each tour’s fact panel above.
Before you travel, check the FCDO travel advice for Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Mozambique and Mauritius.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for safari and beach, Kenya or Tanzania?
Kenya and Mombasa gives you Samburu, Lake Nakuru and the Mara with a long all-inclusive beach stay. East Africa Safari & Zanzibar adds the Serengeti and Ngorongoro, with Zanzibar to finish.
Can I add Zanzibar to my own safari?
Yes, the Zanzibar Short Break is four days with Stone Town, a spice plantation and two nights on the north coast.
Which safari and beach holidays include flights?
The two Kenya and Mombasa holidays, the Kruger and Mozambique holidays and the two South Africa and Mauritius holidays include flights. The others are land-only.
Is there a safari and beach holiday for families?
Yes, the Family South Africa Safari & Beach Adventure, for children aged seven and over.
Are the Mauritius holidays all-inclusive?
Yes, both the safari and the beach parts of the two South Africa and Mauritius holidays are all-inclusive.
Can I see gorillas and go to the beach?
Yes, on the six-week overland trips, Gorillas to Victoria Falls and Victoria Falls to the Gorillas, which include Zanzibar.
How many days do you need for a safari and beach holiday?
Two weeks is the usual length: four or five nights on safari and a week on the beach. Ten days works if you keep to one park and one beach. Less than that, and the travel days take too much of the trip.
Should you do the safari or the beach first?
Safari first. Game drives start at dawn and the days are long, so the beach is a rest at the end. Light aircraft between parks often have a 15 kg limit in soft bags, so pack light for the safari part.
Do I need malaria tablets for a safari and beach holiday?
Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kruger and Mozambique are malaria areas. Mauritius is not, and nor are some South African reserves such as those in the Waterberg. Check NHS Fit for Travel or a travel clinic six to eight weeks before you go.
When is the best time for a safari and Zanzibar holiday?
June to October, when the Serengeti is dry and Zanzibar is sunny. Late December to February is the second choice. Avoid March to May, the long rains.
Safari, then sand?
Tell us which safari and which beach appeal, and a Travelisto specialist will compare the holidays with you.
Keep planning
- Safari holidays
- Multi-centre holidays
- Zanzibar holiday guide
- Tanzania holiday guide
- All escorted tours in Kenya
- Escorted tours in Tanzania
- Escorted tours in Mozambique
- South Africa tours compared
- The best all-inclusive holidays in Mauritius
- Kenya holidays
- Tanzania holidays
- Mozambique holidays
- Mauritius holidays
Prices are live from our tour pages (updated November 2026). Tour details and dates can change; your specialist will confirm everything before you book.
