Highlights of Southern Africa

Overview

Itinerary at a Glance

• 1 Depart USA
• 2 Cape Town
• 3 Cape Town
• 4 Cape Town
• Optional Excursion: Bo-Kaap Melting Pot Tour with Cooking Class, $195
• 5 Cape Town
• Optional Excursion: Cape Winelands tour (ZAR 1587 purchased locally)
• 6 Cape Town & Victoria Falls
• 7 Victoria Falls
• 8 Victoria Falls & Chobe
• 9 Chobe
• 10 Chobe, Victoria Falls Zimbabwe & Nairobi
• 11 Nairobi/Depart

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Depart USA

• Your exciting journey to Southern Africa begins this as you check in for your overnight flight

Day 2 Cape Town

• Arrive in Cape Town

Radisson RED Cape Town or similar

Full Day Itinerary

Sawubona (welcome)! Arrive today in Cape Town, a beautiful jewel nestled between stunning Table Mountain and a dramatic coastline. This modern, bustling, and vibrant city boasts gorgeous scenery, fabulous restaurants, hotels, and beaches and is bursting with history and culture. Upon arrival at Cape Town's airport, you will be met and transferred to your centrally located hotel. 

Day 3 Cape Town

• Full Day Excursion to Cape Town, Table Mountain and Cape Point

Radisson RED Cape Town or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

In the morning, begin your full-day panoramic city tour of Cape Town, showcasing this vibrant city's scenic and historical highlights. Weather permitting, ascend by cable car to the top of Table Mountain, Cape Town's most striking landmark. Drive by the country's oldest building, the Castle of Good Hope, an imposing 17th-century Dutch fort set against the dramatic backdrop of Table Mountain. Later, drive past secluded coves, beautiful beach towns, and spectacular mountain scenery. Stop at the famous Chapman's Peak. Enter the nature reserve that covers the southern part of the Peninsula, and drive through the unique scenery towards Cape Point. Travel by funicular railway to Cape Point, where you can take in stunning views of the Cape of Good Hope. Later, make a brief stop to visit the African jackass penguins at Boulders Beach.

(If the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway is closed due to maintenance or inclement weather, visit Signal Hill instead)

Day 4 Cape Town

• Day at leisure to explore Cape Town
• Or join an optional tour to experience the culture of Bo Kaap

Radisson RED Cape Town or similar Breakfast

Optional Excursion: Bo-Kaap Melting Pot Tour with Cooking Class, $195

This morning, join a Bo-Kaap "Melting Pot" tour to discover the rich heritage, culture, and cuisine of the Cape Malay people. We visit the Bo-Kaap Museum, the oldest Mosque in South Africa, pass the oldest house, the first farmhouse, and walk past the famous colorful houses. Next, step into an aromatic spice shop to learn about the origins of the spices. Visit a Cape Malay home and learn how to cook an authentic pot of curry, fold a spicy samosa and knead, spin, and roll a perfectly flaky roti. Enjoy tasting your delicacies together with your host as a finale to your cooking lesson.

(The sequence of visits may be reversed. This optional tour must be pre-purchased.)

 

Day 5 Cape Town

• Day at leisure to explore Cape Town
• Or participate in an exciting optional tour of Cape Winelands

Radisson RED Cape Town or similar Breakfast

Optional Excursion: Cape Winelands tour (ZAR 1587 purchased locally)

This morning, head to the premier wine-producing regions of Paarl, Franschhoek, and Stellenbosch through the heart of the Cape Winelands. Visit the town of Franschhoek, passing the impressive Huguenot Monument. Experience breathtaking views from the historical Taal Monument in Paarl, one of the Cape's first farming districts. Stellenbosch is world-renowned for making some of South Africa's premier wines. Enjoy a tour of this historic town with its well-preserved architecture, pop into some of the local stores and markets, and enjoy some fine wines as you enter a renowned wine estate.

Day 6 Cape Town & Victoria Falls

• Transfer to the airport for your flight to Victoria Falls
• Remainder of the day at leisure

A'Zambezi River Lodge or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Upon arrival and after customs formalities, your local guide will greet you. Check into your lodge and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

Day 7 Victoria Falls

• Guided Tour of the Falls
• Sunset cruise on the Zambezi River

A'Zambezi River Lodge or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

This morning enjoy a guided tour of the falls. You'll soon discover why this UNESCO World Heritage Site is considered one of the greatest natural wonders—and the world's largest curtain of falling water! Located at the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia, Victoria Falls consists of numerous falls separated by islands in the river below. The Zambezi River spills more than 2 million gallons of water per second over the Bakota Gorge, creating multiple rainbows and an awe-inspiring display of raw power unrivaled by other natural wonders. The tremendous roar of the water and the ever-present cloud of spray give the falls their local moniker, "Smoke that Thunders."

Later today, have the opportunity to witness a breathtaking sunset while enjoying a cruise along the Zambezi River. Be on the lookout for hippos, monkeys, elephants, and crocodiles that frequent the waters and the surrounding areas.

Day 8 Victoria Falls & Chobe

• Transfer to Botswana
• Enjoy your first boat safari on the Chobe River

Cresta Mowana Safari Resort & Spa or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, depart Zimbabwe and cross the border into Botswana. Check into your lodge, located on the banks of the mighty Chobe River. The river sustains many animals who often come down to the river to replenish themselves. Enjoy a sunset river boat safari that graciously explores the Chobe River and introduces guests to the various animals and bird species that frequent it.

Day 9 Chobe

• Morning game drive in Chobe
• Afternoon boat safari on the Chobe River

Cresta Mowana Safari Resort & Spa or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

After an early wake-up call, head out for your first game drive in Chobe National Park. Today is a safari lover's dream with over 75 species of mammals in the area surrounding your lodge, including the abundance of elephants in the adjacent Chobe National Park. The park has some of the largest concentrations of game on the African continent, including giraffe, buffalo, lion, leopard, cheetah, and bushbuck. Return to the lodge to rest and enjoy lunch.

This afternoon, head out on another boat safari for another chance to spot more wildlife and witness the beauty of the African sky as the sun sets.

Day 10 Chobe, Victoria Falls Zimbabwe & Nairobi

• AM game drive in Chobe
• Depart for Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and stop for lunch
• Transfer to Victoria Falls International Airport for your flight to Nairobi
• Arrive in Nairobi

Hilton Garden Inn or similar Breakfast & lunch

Full Day Itinerary

Set out for your final game drive early this morning. Afterward, return to the lodge for breakfast and to freshen up. Transfer to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, and enjoy lunch before continuing to Victoria Falls International Airport for your flight to Nairobi. Later this evening, arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. After completing arrival formalities, collect your luggage, be met by our representative, and transfer to your hotel.

Day 11 Nairobi/Depart

• Visit the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphans' Nursery
• Stop at the Kazuri Bead Factory Store
• Feed the giraffes at the Langata Giraffe Center
• Transfer to the airport for your overnight return flight

Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, visit the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphans' Nursery, where young orphaned elephant babies are hand-raised until they are released back to their natural habitat in the Tsavo National Park. Here they can mingle freely with the wild community. Continue to the Kazuri Bead Factory Store, where the guide will explain the hand-making process. Kazuri, which means "small and beautiful" in Swahili, began in 1975 as a tiny workshop experimenting with making handmade beads. The factory is located on part of the former Blixen estate. Its founder, Lady Susan Wood, started with two Kenyan women and soon discovered that many other women in the villages around Nairobi, primarily single mothers, were in great need of regular employment.

Later, visit the Langata Giraffe Center, established to protect the endangered Rothschild's giraffe. Several warthogs roam freely with the giraffes. Guests may feed the giraffes from a raised feeding platform. Afterward, return to the hotel to freshen up before your departure.

Bid farewell to Nairobi as you transfer to the airport for your overnight return flight, arriving in the USA the following morning.

 

*Note: Visiting Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage requires advanced booking with limited tickets available per day and has become increasingly difficult to secure advanced tickets. A visit to Nairobi Animal Orphanage, located just outside the Nairobi National Park, will be substituted should Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage be unavailable.

Hotels

Radisson RED Cape Town

Proposing a unique lifestyle experience within Silo district, the Radisson RED Hotel V&A Waterfront Cape Town is the first of its kind, focusing on art, fashion and music to connect people.  The hotel features a rooftop sun terrace and views of the sea.  Free high-speed Wi-Fi is available throughout the property.

More information

A'Zambezi River Lodge

First Class

The A’Zambezi River Lodge enjoys a wonderful location on the banks of the Zambezi River, within the protected Victoria Falls National Park and just minutes away from Victoria Falls town and the mighty falls themselves. The lodge features an African-style design, complete with thatched roofs blending into the natural environment. Other nearby attractions include a championship 18-hole golf course and fascinating Crocodile Sanctuary.

More information

Cresta Mowana Safari Resort & Spa

First Class

Cresta Mowana Safari Resort & Spa is situated on the banks of the Chobe River in Botswana. It is one of southern Africa’s sustainable tourism destinations where luxury exists in harmony with nature, providing a unique location from which to explore the magical wonders of untamed Africa. The resort offers a 9-hole golf course and fully equipped Clarins Spa. The Mowana Spa's state of the art facilities include four private treatment rooms complemented by a raised deck overlooking the Chobe River on which open air pampering sessions are highly recommended. Adjacent to the spa is their fully-equipped gym.

More information

Hilton Garden Inn

First Class

The Hilton Garden Inn Nairobi Airport is a 175 room hotel with a convenient location close to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The hotel features complimentary Wi-Fi, a 24 hour business center, a heated rooftop swimming pool, fitness center, complimentary self-operated laundry.

More information

In the unlikely event that a particular hotel is not available, a similar or better hotel may be substituted.

Reviews & Photos

Trip Details

• What should I know before I go? We've compiled a comprehensive checklist, including information on how to pay your balance due, flights & transfers, packing & luggage, and more.
• Do I need a visa or other documents? Are there any entry requirements? Travel visas are required for this package. Please review the visa & entry requirements.
• Can I make changes to my trip? Want to upgrade your seats? Stay a few extra days? Something else? Just ask!
• Can I bring my kids? Are there any age restrictions? To book this package, you must be 18 or older. Your traveling companions must be 8 or older at time of travel.
• Should I purchase travel insurance? Yes! We recommend you purchase travel insurance to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. For your convenience, we offer a plan provided by Travelex Insurance Services.
• What's the fine print? Review the terms & conditions for this package.
• What should I know about Kenya? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.
• What should I know about South Africa? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.
• What should I know about Zimbabwe? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.
• What should I know about Botswana? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.

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