There’s a good reason so many people go to Africa on honeymoon or to propose to their partner. The heady combination of stunning natural beauty, intriguing history, faded glamour and absolute luxury make it an irresistible destination for lovers. And if exclusive retreats and private air tours get your heart racing, this is the destination.

Is there anything more romantic than spending the night in a four-poster bed, surrounded by gauzy white curtains, under the canvas of a 1920s explorer-style tent? At Singita Sabora Tented Camp in Tanzania, that’s how you’ll spend night. And after a long day on safari, you can indulge in a candlelit couples massage in the privacy of your own suite.

If you prefer sleek, modern design, the dramatic, light-filled suites of Singita Lebombo will be more to your taste. Inspired by the eagles’ nests built into the cliff face of the riverbank, the 15 loft-style suites appear to be floating between water and sky. Spend the night on a private, elevated wooden deck with nothing between you and the stars but a mosquito net.

And for the ultimate private game spotting experience, take to the skies above the Okavango Delta with a helicopter safari. Guided by a local environmentalist, you’ll have a birds’ eye view of the ever-changing landscape, huge herds of elephant, wallowing hippo and lions sprawling in the sun.

The most majestic animals in the world are found in Africa and adventurous travellers don’t have to see them from behind a glass window. You can walk in the footsteps of lions, rub shoulders with silverback gorillas or ride on horseback alongside herds of zebra. It’s a chance to truly be at one with the animals.

Uganda’s Virunga Mountains and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are home to the majority of the world’s critically endangered mountain gorillas. Small groups will trek through lush jungle in search of the gorillas, led by expert guides who know their movements. There are no fences within the park, so you’ll come face to face with these huge primates. A truly humbling and awe-inspiring experience.

If you’re looking for a genuine ‘access all areas’ vehicle, then it’s hard to go past a horse. Horseback safaris in the Okavango Delta let you ride through wetlands, across sandy plains and through dense forest without ever having to dismount. The wildlife won’t be afraid of another animal and may let your horses graze right alongside them.

Zambia is the home of the walking safari and the guides are some of the best in Africa. You will find yourself tucked away in the undergrowth just metres from a pride of lions or perched on the bank as hippos wallow in the river. At the same time, a walking safari allows you to appreciate the little things that you would normally miss, like the delicate curling flowers of a mimosa plant or the gentle buzzing of a dragonfly.

To see the wonders of Africa through the eyes of a child is an extraordinary experience, so a family safari is something very special. Many high end tour companies and hotels throughout the continent specialise in families, so you can expect extra amenities, customised itineraries and expert guides who will ensure that toddlers to teens have the time of their lives.

Mkombe’s House Lamai is the only true private house on the Serengeti and it has been designed specifically for families. It sleeps up to four adults and six children in chic African style. All meals are planned with the in-house chef, meaning lots of flexibility for fussy eaters, and it’s well stocked with essentials like high chairs, cribs and car seats. A private guide can organise activities like game drives and safari walks around the family’s needs, or they can simply spend their days relaxing by the pool in their own African home.

At Somalisa Acacia bush camp in Zimbabwe, every aspect of the safari experience is tailored around families. There’s no age restriction (which is rare) so children of all ages can enjoy game drives and nature walks with dedicated ‘child specialist’ guides, or watch buffalo, elephant, kudu, zebra, giraffe and lion drink from the camp’s private watering hole. Special tents have separate wings for parents and children separated by covered walkways and there’s a swimming pool for an evening cool down.

Adventurous families who want to be in the thick of the action will be at home at the Serengeti Safari Camp, a mobile pop up camp that follows the annual Great Migration. There are just six tents (including one specially designed for families) that move through the Serengeti to be as close as possible to the animals. It’s a one of a kind experience combining the thrill of genuine wildlife camping with a touch of luxury.

At the end of a celebrated working life comes the limitless potential of retirement, and there’s no better way to spend it than travelling. Retirement brings the freedom and the finances to take that trip of a lifetime. But it may also bring some physical limitations, so it’s a good idea to look at some new ways of experiencing a luxury African safari.

Water is the lifeblood of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, so exploring the wetlands in a traditional mokoro dugout canoe is a special experience. The canoes sit very low to the waterline and glide serenely through the reeds, propelled by a boatman standing at the stern. Because the boats are almost completely silent, you’ll be able to drift right by elephants or the rare sitatunga antelope feeding in the shallows. They won’t even know you’re there.

From low to the ground to high above it, a sunrise hot air balloon safari over the Masai Mara in Kenya moves at a similarly sedate pace. Viewing the plains from above gives you a sense of the immense scale of the place, while providing incredible wildlife spotting opportunities. It is one of the best ways to search for the rare black rhino, with less than 40 remaining in the park.

At night, return to your luxurious tented suite on the edge of the Rift Valley at the Angama Mara. If the setting looks familiar, it’s because some of the loveliest scenes from Out of Africa were filmed right here. The tents have one huge glass wall for views stretching for miles over the Masai Mara, some 300m below.

Sometimes, you can’t go past the classics. If you have a limited time in Africa or are wanting to tick off something from your childhood bucket list, then these are the safaris for you. They are the quintessential African safari experience, guaranteed to provide those dream wildlife sightings, stunning landscapes and absolute luxury.

Almost half a million elephants roam across sub Saharan Africa and these lumbering giants are one of the continent’s most iconic sites. In the Masai Mara, a classic jeep safari will take you within metres of a herd, happily munching grass or splashing in the shallows of a watering hole.

South Africa’s Kruger National Park is one of the largest and most famous reserves in Africa, and is also one of the best places to see lions in the wild. More than 1,600 roam within the park’s borders, stalking big game through waving grasslands or padding happily along the paved road right in front of a jeep. Try a night safari to see these apex predators on the hunt.

The Great Migration is the single largest movement of herd animals in the world and where there are wildebeest, antelope and zebra, there will be predators. After a long and lean wet season, cheetah are out in force to take their pick from the migrating herds. Watching the world’s fastest land animal stalk and capture its prey is at once breathtaking and brutal. On the Serengeti, nature is indeed red in tooth and claw.