5 romantic activities to do on a couple’s safari

Book an aerial tour over Botswana’s extraordinary wilderness. As the helicopter lifts, the landscapes open up like a living tapestry. Here, perspective is everything. Over the Okavango Delta, you can see shimmering waterways, islands of palm and fig trees, giraffes threading their way between woodlands, and herds of red lechwe and buffalo. Or feel the scale and sense of solitude over the Linyanti’s vast savannahs, see elephant herds, oxbow lakes and glinting lagoons. If you’re in Zambia, don’t miss out on a flip over the Victoria Falls. From ground level, the Falls are massive but from the air you’ll see the full curtain stretching more than a kilometre across – the largest sheet of falling water in the world.

Where: Wilderness Mombo in the Okavango Delta; Wilderness DumaTau in the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve; Wilderness Toka Leya, Zambezi River, Zambia.

If quiet time is your love language, gliding through the channels in a mokoro (traditional canoe) is a must. It offers the best water-based game-viewing experience in the Delta, but is also is unbelievably peaceful, as with no engine noise, you hear everything – the rustling of the reeds, distant bird calls, the gentle splash of the pole in the water. It’s safari at its most meditative and the closest you can get to the essence of the Okavango.

Where: Wilderness Vumbura Plains and Little Vumbura.

For those drawn to a touch of adventure in their romance, drifting off beneath a canopy of stars is hard to beat. Our Star Beds in Botswana and Zimbabwe are raised open-air structures a short drive away from the camp, with all the comforts needed for a good night’s sleep, but with just the sounds of the night and the inky sky as your companions (your armed guide will be camping a discreet distance away). You can enjoy a candlelit table for two in the wilderness, or head out after dinner at the camp. Sleep-out options are also available on the deck or rooftop of your room at select camps in Namibia and Rwanda.

Where: Wilderness Linkwasha and Little Makalolo, both in Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park; Wilderness Ruckomechi in Mana Pools; Wilderness Savuti, Botswana.

It’s the perfect pause – restorative downtime after the exhilaration of a game drive: a signature treatment in one of our wellness sanctuaries, a soothing foot rub in a therapy room after a guided walk, or a couples massage in the privacy of your suite. The Sanctuary at Wilderness Mombo and Bisate are the newest additions to these flagship camps and are rooted in our purpose to restore and rewild. A grounding space where guests can connect and unwind, here you have an array of facilities – heated, salt-water indoor lap pool, steam room and ice bath, meditation pods and dedicated body treatment rooms for signature massages and treatments. Wellness in the wilderness doesn’t get better than this.

Where: Wilderness Mombo, Botswana; Wilderness Bisate and Bisate Reserve, Rwanda; and spa treatments at other select camps.

Few experiences rival drifting silently above the action in a hot air balloon. Whether it’s a unique perspective of the Namib Desert or scanning for wildlife high up over Tanzania’s Serengeti, there’s something magical about being suspended in a basket above these massive landscapes. Expect chilled champagne ready to be popped over breakfast on your return…

Where: Wilderness Little Kulala in Namibia’s Sossusvlei; Wilderness Usawa Serengeti.

When booking your getaway be sure to tell your Travel Designer about any special requests or anniversaries so that they can brief the camp. If romance to you is about privacy, sole-use transfer vehicles and private game vehicles can be arranged with the camp. (Always request it before the time to find out if there will be an additional rate). Flights too, can be booked for sole use on a per leg basis at an extra cost. And while evening turndowns and ambient lighting will always welcome you in the evening, the staff can add special touches to the turndown, set up a private dinner on your deck or have candles and a petal-filled bath tub ready with your nightcaps.

At Wilderness, a romantic safari goes beyond wildlife checklists. It’s an intimate journey filled with extraordinary moments for just the two of you.