AFRICA – 12 DAYS 11 NIGHTS

September 11-23, 2024

SOUTH AFRICA, CAPE TOWN, HERMANUS, TIMBAVATI RESERVE (SAFARI), VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE

$3995 (per person, double occupancy) including 11 nights accommodations (with 3 days/3 nights all-inclusive safari), airport transfers, 2 dinner shows, and 3 excursions

Not included: international flights (approx. $1400) domestic flights (approx. $700), optional excursions and meals

Deposit: $1400 – reserve international flights

DAY 1: US to Cape Town

DAY 2: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

Today, you head to one of the most beautiful cities in the world – Cape Town. 

There is so much to do and see in Cape Town!  Resting at the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet, situated between the slopes of the iconic Table Mountain, the scenic city of Cape Town is in a class of its own. Cape Town boasts a rich culture, vibrant nightlife, cosmopolitan atmosphere, extraordinary architecture, breathtaking landscapes, and extraordinary natural wonders. With its bustling harbor, world-class beaches, top-notch vineyards, and mountainous surroundings brimming with diverse flora and fauna, Cape Town consistently captivates the hearts of all who visit.

When you land in Cape Town, you will be transferred to your hotel. You will have time to rest, spend some free time, and shop at the V&A Waterfront.

Hotel: Cape Town

DAY 3: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

Choose from these optional tours or enjoy free time in Cape Town.

Optional Tour: Cape Peninsula Tour to see Cape of Good Hope and the penguin colony. 

Optional Tour: Cape Peninsula Tour to see Cape of Good Hope and the penguin colony (with E-bikes)

Optional Tour: Shark Cage Diving

Optional Tour: Cape Winelands 

Hotel: Cape Town

DAY 4: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

MORNING TOUR (INCLUDED): Table Mountain and Cableway

Choose from these optional tours or enjoy free time in Cape Town.

Optional Tour: Cape Peninsula Tour to see Cape of Good Hope and the penguin colony. 

Optional Tour: Cape Peninsula Tour to see Cape of Good Hope and the penguin colony (with E-bikes)

Optional Tour: Shark Cage Diving

Optional Tour: Cape Winelands 

Hotel: Cape Town

DAY 5: CAPE TOWN, ROBBEN ISLAND

Robben Island is an island in Table Bay, 4 miles west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, north of Cape Town, South Africa. It takes its name from the Dutch word for seals (robben), which translates to Seal(s) Island.

Robben Island is roughly oval in shape, 2 miles long and 1 mile wide. It was fortified and used as a prison from the late-seventeenth century until 1996, after the end of apartheid.

Political activist and lawyer Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on the island for 18 of the 27 years of his imprisonment before the fall of apartheid and the introduction of full, multi-racial democracy. He was later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and was elected in 1994 as President of South Africa, becoming the country’s first black president and serving one term from 1994–1999.

Robben Island is a South African National Heritage Site as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

ROBBEN ISLAND TOUR (INCLUDED): Robben Island

Free time in the afternoon

DINNER SHOW (INCLUDED): Evening Gold Restaurant Show offers an authentic African experience. So much more than just an African restaurant, a night at GOLD is an immersive experience that will take you on a 14-dish taste-safari paired with traditional Mali puppets and entertainment.

Hotel: Cape Town

DAY 6: HERMANUS

Situated just 80 miles from Cape Town and built between the beautiful shores and cliffs of Walker Bay, Hermanus has grown from a small seaside resort town to become possibly the best-known place for whale watching in the world. This town is also famed for its natural scenic beauty, long stretches of pristine beaches, and excellent variety of restaurants, cafes and bars. Today, Hermanus is more than just a popular holiday destination and offers visitors all kinds of activities, both energetic and relaxing. Visitors can explore the Old Harbor Museum, which comprises the charming fisherman’s village, the old harbor, and the Whale House Museum; hike through the nearby Fernkloof Nature Reserve, and sample an array of top-quality wine along the famed Hermanus Wine Route.

This morning you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the town of Hermanus. The drive is beautiful and you can stop for photos along the way. Hermanus is the whale watching capital of the world.  Your hotel overlooks the sea and is within walking distance of the main town.

Optional Tour: Whale Watching Tour

Hotel: Hermanus

DAY 7: HERMANUS-HOEDSPRUIT, SOUTH AFRICA (SAFARI)

You will be picked up from Hermanus and transferred to Cape Town Airport to catch your flight to Hoedspruit. When you land in Hoedspruit, you will be collected and transferred to our Safari Camp for your 3 nights on safari.  Located in the Mpumalanga Province, the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve shares a fenceless border with the world-renowned Kruger National Park. This magnificent 60 000 hectare reserve is best known for its two very rare white lions discovered here in the 1970s, which gave this destination its name. Meaning ‘the place where something sacred came down to earth from the heavens’, the park lives up to the hype with its enthralling African savannah, abundant wildlife, and friendly people. Visitors have the opportunity to see 40 mammal species, 360 bird species, and the famous Big Five (lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo). Enjoy a wide array of activities including daytime safaris, guided night game drives, bush walks, and excellent bird watching.

Upon arrival, you will have lunch then embark on an afternoon game drive with a personal safari guide and tracker.  It will last for 3+/- hours, with a stop somewhere for sundowners. You will return to the lodge in the dark, with a spotlight to look for nocturnal animals.

Hotel: Hoedspruit Safari Camp

DAY 8: SAFARI, TIMBAVATI NATURE RESERVE

The morning game drive starts at sunrise. You will be woken up before sunrise for morning tea and light breakfast before the game drive starts. Then you are off for 3 hours to find as many animals as possible before they all find trees to hide under in the heat of the day.

When the game drive returns to the lodge, you will be served a big cooked breakfast. Then it is chill time. You can sit by the pool, read a book, take a nap and just absorb being out in the bush.

Again, the afternoon game drive will start around 4:00 pm, after high tea. It will last for 3+/- hours, with a stop somewhere for sundowners. You will return to the lodge in the dark, with a spotlight to look for nocturnal animals.

It is possible to do a game walk in the morning instead of a game drive. This must be requested before you arrive and is subject to conditions. If it has rained recently, or the bush is too dense, or lions are near camp, the bush walk will not take place.

Hotel: Hoedspruit Safari Camp

DAY 9: SAFARI, TIMBAVATI NATURE RESERVE

The morning game drive starts at sunrise. You will be woken up before sunrise for morning tea and light breakfast before the game drive starts. Then you are off for 3 hours to find as many animals as possible before they all find trees to hide under in the heat of the day.

When the game drive returns to the lodge, you will be served a big cooked breakfast. Then it is chill time. You can sit by the pool, read a book, take a nap and just absorb being out in the bush.

Again, the afternoon game drive will start around 4:00 pm, after high tea. It will last for 3+/- hours, with a stop somewhere for sundowners. You will return to the lodge in the dark, with a spotlight to look for nocturnal animals.

It is possible to do a game walk in the morning instead of a game drive. This must be requested before you arrive and is subject to conditions. If it has rained recently, or the bush is too dense, or lions are near camp, the bush walk will not take place.

Hotel: Hoedspruit Safari Camp

DAY 10: HOEDSPRUIT – VIC FALLS, ZIMBABWE

This morning, you will try to get one last game drive in before your departure. You will then say goodbye to the wonderful staff at the Safari Camp and head to Hoedspruit Airport to catch your flight to Victoria “Vic” Falls, Zimbabwe.  Upon landing at Vic Falls Airport, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your accommodation for the next 3 nights. Victoria Falls is a hub of great activities, such as sunset cruises, helicopter flights, bungee jumping, and more. 

Victoria Falls is one of the world’s most impressive waterfalls. It is set on the magnificent Zambezi River which creates the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. These spectacular falls can be easily visited and viewed from the Zimbabwean side. Considered to be the world’s widest waterfall, Victoria Falls measures over an impressive one mile in width. The small town of Victoria Falls, which lies adjacent to the waterfalls, serves as a great base from which to explore the many attractions this area of Zimbabwe has to offer. The surrounding area provides a wide range of adrenaline-filled activities for adventure lovers. Visitors can look forward to an array of wonderful activities including scenic flights, micro lighting, white water rafting, bungee jumping, kayaking, and once-in-a-lifetime expeditions into the incredible Chobe National Park.

This is your day to visit the mighty Victoria Falls (entry fee INCLUDED). With your KAZA visa, you can go to both the Zimbabwean and Zambian sides of the Falls. You will also have plenty of time to visit the market, or do any of the fun activities that grab your attention. If you think the Falls look impressive from the ground, imagine how they must look from the air.

Hotel: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

DAY 11: VIC FALLS, ZIMBABWE

Choose from the following optional tours or take some free time to see the animals in their natural habitat.

Optional Tour: Zambezi River Cruise

Optional Tour: African Village Tour

Optional Tour: Chobe Safari Tour

Optional Tour: Vic Falls by Helicopter

Hotel: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

DAY 12: VIC FALLS, ZIMBABWE

Choose from the following optional tours or take some free time to see the animals in their natural habitat.

Optional Tour: Zambezi River Cruise

Optional Tour: African Village Tour

Optional Tour: Chobe Safari Tour

Optional Tour: Vic Falls by Helicopter

DINNER SHOW INCLUDED – The Boma – Dinner & Drum Show is non-stop entertainment from the moment you are ceremoniously dressed in your “chitenge” (sarong), to the traditional dance performances, face painting, a fortune teller, and more, to the renowned interactive drumming show. The four-course feast begins with a shared starter platter followed by soup from the campfire, a selection of salads and vegetarian dishes, a braai (barbecue) buffet featuring game meats and stews, and an array of desserts.

Hotel: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

DAY 13: VIC FALLS – US

This morning you will depart from Victoria Falls to head back home to the US