10 Day Northern Exposure Honeymoon

Upon arrival at O.R. Tambo International Airport, you will be met for the start of an adventure to celebrate your love. From the airport, you are transferred to The Palace of the Lost City at Sun City, one of South Africa’s most iconic luxury hotels. The magnificent property, inspired by a mythical African kingdom, crowns the country’s largest entertainment resort, with architecture, mosaics and water features that create a sense of fantasy and indulgence. It offers refined rooms and suites, lush public areas and attentive service tailored to leisure travelers and honeymooners alike.

During your stay, you can enjoy a remarkable variety of activities and entertainment options (not included in the package price). Spend time at the famous Valley of Waves water park, relax beside tropical pools, or test your skills on two championship golf courses designed by Gary Player. Evenings may be devoted to fine dining, the casino, shows or quiet drinks in one of several bars. You can also wander through the extensive tropical gardens, retreat to your room or suite for private time together, and be as active or relaxed as you wish.

Note

Guests spend three nights at The Palace of the Lost City, with breakfast included daily.

Guests are transferred back to O.R. Tambo International Airport for a flight to Mbombela (Nelspruit), where they are met and accompanied to Summerfields Rose Retreat, nestled on the banks of the Sabie River in the Lowveld. The property lies near Hazyview on a working farm with macadamia and litchi orchards, rose gardens and indigenous trees, creating a lush and fragrant environment. Luxurious en-suite tented rooms with private decks overlook the forest and river, allowing you to hear the water flowing below and birds calling from the canopy.

These days are devoted to relaxation and unhurried time together. You can stroll or cycle through the orchards, linger beside the pool or simply read on your deck while listening to the river. Honeymoon couples often visit the Rose Spa for massages and other treatments in a tranquil riverside setting (not included in the package price). Evenings are spent savoring meals at the estate restaurant, which emphasizes fresh produce and a romantic atmosphere. It is a gentle interlude between the excitement of Sun City and the adventures of your safaris.

Note

Guests spend two nights at Summerfields Rose Retreat, with breakfast included daily.

On your last morning at Summerfields, you will be met at 10 am for a road transfer to the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, which forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park. The reserve shares an unfenced boundary with Kruger, allowing wildlife to roam freely between the two areas and creating outstanding game-viewing opportunities. Your destination is Motswari, a well-established safari lodge that offers warm hospitality, comfortable accommodation and an authentic sense of being in the African bush, with views of the surrounding wilderness.

During your stay at Motswari, you will enjoy daily safari drives in open 4x4 vehicles accompanied by experienced rangers and trackers. One drive typically departs shortly after sunrise and another in the late afternoon, often extending into early evening for possible nocturnal sightings. On these outings there is a strong chance of encounters with the Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo – as well as plains game and a variety of birdlife. Between activities, there is ample time to relax at the lodge, share quiet moments on your private veranda and soak up the peaceful atmosphere.

Note

Guests spend two nights at Motswari Lodge on a full-board basis, with two game drives and a bush walk included daily.

On your last morning at Motswari, a game drive is conducted before breakfast to make the most of your time in Timbavati. Afterwards, you are met at 10 am for a transfer to Imbali Safari Lodge, set on the private Mluwati Concession inside the Kruger National Park. Imbali is built along the N’waswitsontso River beneath large jackalberry and tamboti trees and features only twelve suites, each with a private veranda and either a jacuzzi or small splash pool. This exclusive scale creates a serene, intimate atmosphere, ideal for honeymooners seeking seclusion in nature.

While staying at Imbali, you will join early morning and late afternoon safari drives in open 4x4 vehicles to explore the concession and surrounding areas. These drives provide opportunities to observe a wide range of mammals, birds and smaller creatures, while your ranger shares insights into animal behavior, tracking and the ecology of the region. After breakfast, you may also participate in bush walks to appreciate smaller details such as tracks, insects and plants. Between activities, relax on your deck, cool off in your private jacuzzi or pool and enjoy the sounds of the bush drifting in from the riverbed.

Note

Guests spend two nights at Imbali Safari Lodge on a full-board basis. Two daily open 4x4 safaris and a bush walk are also included.

A last-morning game drive and relaxed breakfast at Imbali bring your safari to a gentle close. There may still be opportunities to spot wildlife along the way as you traverse the Mluwati Concession one final time. After breakfast, you are met for a road transfer to Skukuza Airport, traveling through the Kruger landscape that has framed so many of your honeymoon memories.

From Skukuza, a short scheduled flight returns you to O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, where your Northern Exposure honeymoon officially concludes. You depart with the satisfaction of having combined Sun City, the Lowveld and two distinct safari areas into a single itinerary, rich in shared experiences. If you prefer, arrangements can be made to connect to onward flights or additional extensions in southern Africa.