Travel agent for £7k honeymoon

[HoneymoonHelpThankYou]

My partner and I would like to book a long haul 10 day honeymoon (budget £3.5k per person) in September. We would love to include safari if we have the budget.

We have only done short haul trips before (1 week max) so we aren’t experienced with booking these kinds of trips and really want it to be special! We wondered about using a travel agent but not sure what a good deal is. We don’t want to overpay but also don’t want to scrimp and have a low-key experience. Feeling a bit overwhelmed by it really, we want to get this right as we are planning to elope a couple of days before.

Does anybody have any recommendations for great travel agents that would suit our budget? Thank you!

Yellow Zebra Safaris
https://yellowzebrasafaris.com/

Sorry to clarify it was one trip to Kenya and Zanzibar

on your budget South Africa could be doable-def some (cheaper) safari options there

I don't think you can do a safari for £7k. If you want to go for 2 weeks I'm afraid it'll have to be in Europe. The pound is really too weak currently.

We used Far and Wild for a recent Africa trip.

They were brilliant, DH is very travel agent averse (likes to do it himself) and loved them.

For safari and beach go Kenya or Tanzania. Zanzibar if you have time.

Uganda is absolutely lovely but you won't see the big five there. We preferred it as it was quieter.

Also Far and Wild make you an app which has all your info / boarding passes / itinerary/ etc which for me was mind blowing. It's a nice momento of the trip.

farandwild.travel/

You can come and stay at our place for 6.5K. We'll be very discreet and try and keep out of your way.

As for a safari, we have a cat who can be pretty wild at times and there are foxes that pass through the garden. The dogs in the neighbourhood bark and howl quite a lot so do add to the 'safari' ambiance. Man next door does a very amusing impression of an elephant with one ear.

Hi OP
I think South Africa may be worth a look. If you’re prepared to diy, you could prob do it for that money.
Lots of options, we recently flew to durban and drove up to at lucia https://stluciasouthafrica.com/. which was amazing, range of accomodation, and you can visit the wetlands, snorkel at Cape Vidal, see hippos in the estuary and you can do day trips to Hluhuwe National park from there https://www.hluhluwegamereserve.com/ ( safari) .
We also stayed for 3 nights in Manyoni game reserve at Rhino River Lodge which was outstanding. Only about 8 rooms, amazing service, fabulous wildlife and I can’t recommend highly enough! There are lots of beautiful places up the coast as well and you could end in Umhlanga or Ballito by the beach.
let me know if you want any more info, South Africa is really reasonable when you’re there. We hired a car and felt very safe. Food is amazing and people fantastic. Good luck!

Your money will go furthest in Asia - you can get amazing accommodation for comparably low prices. You could multi centre in Thailand with a beach resort and a stay at one of the elephant camps so you get something a little safari like. Maybe Chang Mai and Koh Samui? Just check the weather for that time of year.

Also, food prices are very cheap in restaurants so you can eat well too.

You should be able to get a wonderful luxury trip on your budget.

Have you looked at somewhere like voyage prive or secret escapes? Not a travel agent but I've seen quite a few safari type trips on them recently including a couple with similar styles of wildlife in places like Sri Lanka and Borneo. If you're flexible on dates there are usually some good deals.

Sri Lanka has amazing beaches and elephant safaris.
Your budget would get you amazing hotels as well.
There are plenty of small companies who could arrange a great holiday

Aren't the elephants beaten in Sri Lanka? I've never been because I had a friend who booked for a week and left immediately, she said it was the "biggest shithole".

Other friends photographs looked amazing though so not sure what to think.

We've done safaris in South Africa, Kenya and Namibia on far less than your budget (less than half) but that was booking everything ourselves.

Maybe take a look at booking it yourselves, you'll get so much more for your money. The quotes I got from travel agents for my honeymoon were eye watering, I booked it myself with better accommodation and a better itinerary for much less. We went to Bali and Tokyo. It's really not difficult to plan yourself with Booking.com and Skyscanner.

Perhaps Kenya? Flights to Mombasa are maybe around 1.5k for 2 people depending on your dates. An all-inclusive resort in Diani Beach for around £140 a night (we stayed at Boabab Beach Resort which was fab). You could do a 3 day safari in Tsavo National Park.....I just had a quick Google and I see Viator do a private safari for 2 people for £1200 including accommodation, meals and transfers. You'll probably find cheaper prices if you book direct with local companies. You're looking at around £4k all in and meals and drinks are covered at the resort.

That's just a sample itinerary but I could have an amazing holiday anywhere in the world for my husband and I on a £7k budget.

@Holidayqueen1 We also visited St Lucia, I'll never forget the amazement (and terror) of seeing 2 huge hippos wandering through the town one evening.

No, they aren't beaten. They are just living their best lives in nature reserves. Possibly you are thinking of somewhere else as I also really wouldn't describe it as a shithole. It's incredibly beautiful and very clean everywhere we went anyway. The elephants are in reserves along with a lot of other beautiful animals. Obviously not the same as an African safari but still very beautiful. There are a lot of eco type destinations and experiences (just avoid the turtle hatcheries as those aren't ethical)
Op, you could tag on the Maldives if the budget stretches ... classic honeymoon destination

Hey Op@HoneymoonHelpThankYou have a look at ‘towandertheworld’ on Instagram. She does bespoke holidays and currently advertising a safari / other honeymoon destinations. Definitely take a look!

We used Freedom Destinations for our honeymoon to Australia. They specialise in Australia, America, Africa and Asia I believe. Really good service throughout

Ive just had a wander on Google earth, I don't know exactly where my friend went so I'll hold judgement. She's really well travelled so something must've been off.

Also googled the elephant "sanctuaries" I was thinking of and there has been some mistreatment of the animals also. Not all but choose wisely.

OP - you can do the safari easily on your budget.

www.naturaltoursandsafaris.com/kenya-safaris/diani/tsavo-east-amboseli-parks-3-day-road-safari

Good reviews here. And use Expedia, all inclusive prices at the Baobab

@smashinggrapes Isn't that the exact same holiday that a poster a few posts up just suggested? Right down to the same resort and same National Park?

We paid 6k 10+ years ago. We got cheap (£500 each) flights to Nairobi and had to book the safari ourselves with a local tour operator. We couldn’t afford a lodge/glamping we stayed in a tent. That included 10 days at the main parks in Kenya and Tanzania then a domestic flight to Zanzibar and accommodation in a hostel then a beach hut for 4 nights. What I’m trying to say is I don’t think £7k will cover what you’d like to do, I couldn’t do it like that now but didn’t mind in my 20s. Trailfinders is a good first port of call to get an idea re budget.

Yeah it is. It was that pp that made me search as I was surprised at the low flight costs tbh.

If you have a quick search for safari near Mombasa, Google throws up 3 recommendations, that link had the best reviews. Expedia featured the resort near the top too.

Wouldn't touch Kuoni with a disinfected barge pole.

Exoticca if set on Safari. I’ve been to Peru and Costa Rica with them

https://www.exoticca.com/uk/tours/safaris/6201-cape-kruger-victoria-falls

Thailand ? You could travel around a bit.

Thank you so much everyone for being so kind and helpful. We’ve had a promising chat with Trailfinders and referenced the places mentioned here to see what they can do with our budget.

Thank you!!

@HoneymoonHelpThankYou
I think you will struggle for the budget. We always use a specialist wildlife company. Trailfinders will put together something for you but they are unlikely to have detailed knowledge of what animals are where. And when! This matters. When are you intending to go? General travel agents are ok for general travel but not for a specialist holiday.

I also meant to say that booking yourself is difficult. You might be ok in South Africa but are you going to drive yourself? Book internal flights? (Not sure your budget will
run to that). Don’t even think about it!