Independent South African Sojourn With Victoria Falls
Day 1 ARRIVE IN CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA Welcome to South Africa! Your hotel is available for mid-afternoon check-in.
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Day 2 CAPE TOWN
•Start your private guided sightseeing with a cable-car ride up Table Mountain for stunning views over the “Mother City.”
•Nature calls during a your visit to Boulders Beach where a colony of endangered African Penguins greet you with their unique sound.
•At Cape Point Nature Reserve, stop at the Cape of Good Hope for photos and memorable views where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. Then on to Cape Point, for a funicular ride to the steps of the old lighthouse.
•Enjoy lunch at a famed local restaurant and taste local beer. On your return journey, skirt the rocky coastline as you ascend Chapman’s Peak Drive, one of the most spectacular drives in the world.
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Day 3 CAPE TOWN
•Enjoy a full day at your leisure.
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Today’s I-Time Tips
Enjoy a full day at leisure for your own discoveries. Perhaps explore the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, take an excursion to the stunning Cape Winelands for wine tasting, or go whale watching in nearby Hermanus (June-November).
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Day 4 CAPE TOWN–GREATER KRUGER NATIONAL PARK AREA
•Fly to the Greater Kruger National Park area and transfer to your lodge in a private game reserve, home to an abundance of wildlife including the famed “Big 5”—lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and Cape buffalo.
•Set out on your first game drive this afternoon in an open-air, 4-wheel-drive safari vehicle.
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Day 5 GREATER KRUGER AREA
•Learn about this special ecosystem from the professional Ranger as you view wildlife up close on morning and afternoon game drives. Beyond the “Big 5,” you’ll have the chance to see kudu, giraffe, hippo, cheetah, spotted hyena, bushbaby, and more!
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Day 6 GREATER KRUGER AREA
•Embark on your morning game drive before returning to your lodge for breakfast. Your afternoon game drive concludes with a sundowner drink as the sun sets over the bushveld!
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Today’s I-Time Tips
Take advantage of the lodge pool, relax with a book, or enjoy a drink at the bar.
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Day 7 GREATER KRUGER AREA–JOHANNESBURG
•Enjoy one last game drive this morning before flying to Johannesburg.
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Today’s I-Time Tips
Settle in to your hotel or explore Mandela Square with it’s shops and restaurants.
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Day 8 JOHANNESBURG
•Today’s private guided sightseeing tour starts with a visit to the Apartheid Museum to learn of the history of South Africa before delving into the apartheid years.
•In Soweto (South Western Township), the largest township in the country, visit Mandela House and see the neighborhood that was home to Nobel Peace Prize winners Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela. Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant before transferring back to your hotel for time at leisure.
Please note: The Apartheid Museum is not open on Monday or Tuesday. A visit to Constitution Hill Museum will be provided in it’s place.
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Day 9 JOHANNESBURG–VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE
•Today, fly to Zimbabwe, home of awe-inspiring Victoria Falls.
•A cruise on the Zambezi River affords you a wonderful opportunity to photograph wildlife and a spectacular Africa sunset. Yes, drinks and canapés are included!
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Day 10 VICTORIA FALLS
•Feel the thunder on your private guided walk along Victoria Falls, where you will learn the history of the falls and hear fascinating details about the surrounding flora and fauna.
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Today’s I-Time Tips
Soar high above the falls on an optional helicopter ride or visit a local village.
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Day 11 VICTORIA FALLS–JOHANNESBURG Your vacation ends with a flight back to Johannesburg. Schedule departing flights after 7:30 pm.
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Kruger National Park
This enormous and magnificent park is one of the most popular public game parks in the world. Its density of permanent game is unrivalled with hundreds of different species; 507 birds, 336 trees, 147 mammals, 114 reptiles, 49 fish and 34 amphibians! Sighting the "Big Five" has become a quest for many people on safari, and Kruger National Park has more than its fare share of these, with an estimated 1,800 lion, 9,125 elephant, 25,000 buffalo, unknown number of leopards and 2,300 black and white rhino. These animals became the 'Big Five' because they are the five most dangerous animals to hunt - when injured they attack! There are plenty of other fascinating animals and birds in the African bush.
Johannesburg
Johannesburg's contrasts are some of the most extreme in the world; poverty-stricken and overcrowded Alexandra is surrounded by some of the richest suburbs in South Africa, and downtown hundreds of homeless struggle to survive around the Stock Exchange. The contrast between suburb and township is mirrored nationwide, but is more extreme here because of the intense wealth of many of the suburbs, and the sheer size of the townships and their satellite squatter camps. Yet the city as a whole continues to suck in people and skills from all over the country, making it the financial, commercial and cultural powerhouse of South Africa.
Victoria Falls
The town of Victoria Falls is a pleasant place, created for visitors. There are hiking routes and rental bicycles. There are also trinket shops, selling everything from cheap T-shirts to antique African musical instruments. Carvings of masks and animals are a tradition around the area (as is the bargaining required to purchase them for a reasonable price). The Victoria Falls Hotel, a short walk from the falls, still operates in full colonial splendor and should be seen even by those not staying there. Visit Crocodile Ranch and Craft Village - a fascinating glimpse into Zimbabwean culture. Visit Livingstone, just across the border in Zambia— more than just a tourist town and more character than Victoria Falls. Another appealing side trip is to Chobe National Park, in neighboring Botswana. Chobe is one of the finest game parks in the world.
Cape Town
Cape Town is southern Africa's most beautiful, most romantic and most-visited city. Few urban centers anywhere can match its setting along the Cape Peninsula spine, which slides like the mighty tail of the continent into the Atlantic Ocean. By far the most striking - and famous - of its sights is Table Mountain, frequently mantled by clouds, and rearing up from the middle of the city to provide a constantly changing vista to the suburbs below. Table Mountain is the city's solid core which divides the city into distinct zones with public gardens, wilderness, forests, hiking routes, vineyards and desirable residential areas trailing down it's lower slopes.
Excursions
Cape Town City Tour - Half Day
Cape Town City Tour - Half Day
Your guide will discuss the city's abundance of sightseeing possibilities and will tailor make your day's activities according to your individual interests and preferences. This affords you the advantage of total flexibility while still maintaining the expertise of a qualified guide. We first make our way to the to the lower cable car station on the slopes of Table Mountain, where (weather permitting) we make the short and comfortable ascent to the top of the mountain by cable car. The panoramic view of the sea and city from the summit is magnificent. Then begin the tour of historic Cape Town. Whether you are interested in visiting the traditional tourist attractions, indulging in a personal passion, or simply exploring the 'Mother City' as a local, Cape Town has more than enough diversity to cater to your personal preference.
Your half day tour includes two entrance fees as well as the return Table Mountain Aerial Cableway ticket. After your tour, you will be dropped off at your hotel.
Three Hour Cruise
Three Hour Cruise
The Inala Antares proudly awaits you in Cape Town, ready to take you first class on a journey of a lifetime. With its Italian styling, trendy interiors, quality construction techniques and performance it has been specially designed to meet your tastes and requirements.
Your day will start with a luxury transfer from your hotel providing you with a concierge service to help you orchestrate the perfect few hours on board the Inala.
Experience an exquisite Cape Town sunset with Table Mountain and the 12 Apostles as a backdrop as you cruise in pure luxury on board (weather depending on the day) otherwise in Table Bay towards the Bloubergstrand beaches.
The Inala is a 57ft Princess design, luxury motor yacht, moored in front of the Cape Grace Hotel V&A Waterfront. Your three hour cruise includes the famous Clifton beaches, with panoramic views of Table Mountain and the 12 Apostles in elegance and luxury. Clifton bay is on the way to Hout Bay and is the ideal place to spend a few hours at on board, enjoying the sun and a swim in the cool water.
Whale Watching Tour - Full Day
Whale Watching Tour - Full Day
Your Whale watching excursion will either be done in Hermanus or Gansbaai, based on the best sightings & weather conditions over your period of travel.
The whale watching trips can also afford you the possibility to see: Great white sharks, Bryde's whales, Humpback whales, Southern giant petrels, Cape gannets and Dolphins, making these whale watching trips not just magical but rewarding too, and are sure to capture everyone's imagination.
Your return to shore will depend on the sightings for the day, which may result in a late lunch. Your guide will discuss the best restaurant options with you based on your preference and logistics. An A la Carte lunch including soft drinks & non-premium brand drinks and house wines is included in your tour.
Time permitting you may have the opportunity to walk along the coastal paths in Herma-nus where during whale season (mid June to mid November) whales may be seen playing close to the shore. You will be dropped off at your hotel in the late afternoon.
Cape Point Sidecar Tour - Full Day
Cape Point Sidecar Tour - Full Day
Your guide will discuss your individual interests and preferences and tailor make the day's routing and sightings accordingly. All sidecars are decommissioned military bikes used during World War II, which has been restored and fully refurbished.
You will be supplied with retro leather jackets, helmets, goggles as well as a complimentary bandana. Depending on your interests you will be visiting all the iconic attractions such as Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Chapmans Peak Drive, Cape of Good Hope (including the Cape Point Funicular ticket) and the Boulders Penguin Colony.
Stop for lunch at a popular local restaurant including local wine and refreshments. Top off the day with a scenic coastal drive back to your hotel. After your day's touring, you will be dropped off at your hotel for your evening at leisure.
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