South Africa - Zimbabwe - Botswana African Adventure 2 - Itinerary
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Day 1: Arrival in Cape Town Welcome to Africa! You will probably arrive in Cape Town in the evening, and you will be met at the airport by our chauffeur, who will assist you with your luggage and transfer you to the hotel. The Commodore Hotel is a modern luxury property at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town's cultural center, with a variety of shops, restaurants, and entertainment. The hotel offers superb service and excellent cuisine in a friendly environment and most rooms have wonderful views of Table Mountain, Table Bay, or Signal Hill. Your evening today will be free to rest after your long flight, or you can enjoy the hotel's pool and gardens or take a stroll on the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Day 2: Kirstenbosch Gardens - Groot Constantia Vineyards We'll start our exploration of Cape Town with a tour of the amazing Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens to learn about the unusual examples of South African flora and fauna. With over 3,500 species, it is regarded as one of the finest botanical gardens in the world, and with the backdrop of Table Mountain, its setting is equally phenomenal. There are remarkable floral shows throughout the gardens and an exhibit of iconic Zimbabwean stone sculptures accentuates the botanical displays. Our next we will stop will be Groot Constantia, South Africa's oldest wine estate, for a tasting of the regional wine varietals as well as a wine and chocolate pairing session. In the evening, we'll celebrate our upcoming adventure with a welcome dinner on the waterfront, where we'll get to know each other and share in the anticipation of our upcoming adventures. Day 3: Table Mountain - The City Tour of Cape Town Today, we'll further explore Cape Town, starting with a trip up the photogenic Table Mountain by cable car (weather permitting) to admire the stunning views over the city, the Atlantic, the Indian Oceans, and the southern tip of Africa. After the descent, we'll spend the day touring the historic center of Cape Town. We'll stop by the City Hall, where Nelson Mandela made his first public speech after his release from prison, and we'll see the country's oldest colonial building, The Castle of Good Hope. We'll pass Charly’s Bakery, of the Food Network Show fame, before learning about the history of District Six en route to the Company Gardens, the Slave Lodge, the Houses of Parliament, and St. George’s Cathedral. Colonial then changes to colorful, as we move up the cobblestoned hills to the Malay Quarter, enveloped in spicy aromas and lined with colorful Bo-Kaap homes. In this historic cultural center, we will try our hands at folding our own Indian samoosas. We'll end the day with a visit to the District Six area of the city to learn more about the history of community "resettlements" during the era of Apartheid. In the evening, we'll experience the vibrant African culture through an interactive drumming session and Africa's varied culinary traditions presented at a colorful dinner at the African Gold Restaurant. Day 4: Winelands: Stellenbosch and Franschhoek This morning, we'll set out to explore the picturesque vineyards and stately wine estates of Stellenbosch and Franschoek, as we tour the famous Winelands region with its heavenly scenery, exemplified by the breath-taking views from the historical Huguenot Monument. While South Africa's fertile valleys are famous for their crisp white and classic French-style red wines, the area is also a treasury of rustic beauty and sprawling estates shaded by wisterias and giant oak trees. Our drive today will follow some of the country's scenic wine routes, as we take in the beauty of the valleys, the pristine blue sky, and the rolling vineyards founded in 1688 by French immigrants fleeing the Huguenot religious persecution in Europe. We'll first stop at the Wemmershoek Elementary School to meet with the students and teachers, and learn about the challenges facing the educational system in the country. Then we'll continue with the exploration of the Winelands, stopping to enjoy wine and cheese tastings at two different wine estates and an elegant al fresco, wine-inspired lunch. We'll enjoy a wine cellar tour, where we’ll follow the process of winemaking, and we'll have a chance to savor and learn about the wines. On the way back to Cape Town, we'll stop to visit the lovely little town of Franschhoek, then we'll wind our way over the Helshoogte Mountain Pass to the charming university town of Stellenbosch. Day 5: Cape of Good Hope After breakfast, we'll depart on a full-day Cape Peninsula tour to see for ourselves how this spectacular southern tip of Africa became known as the 'Fairest Cape'. We'll drive past the pristine beaches of Camps Bay, Clifton, and Llandudno, with some of the hottest real estate in the world, to the quaint and atmospheric Hout Bay, a crayfish fishing harbor, where we'll take a scenic Seal Island cruise. Then, it's on to the Cape of Good Hope, where we'll ride the funicular to a spectacular viewing point looking down to where the Indian and the Atlantic Oceans meet. The sea and mountain views here are both breath-taking and heart-stopping, home to mountain zebras, baboons, elands and ostriches, and the magnificent blooms of Cape flora, and where the two oceans, each of distinctly different color, meet. After lunch with a breathtaking view of the oceans, we'll continue along the coastline to the beautiful Boulders Beach, where we'll take a stroll among a colony of African penguins, before today's last stop at an old European settlement of Simon's Town, before returning to our hotel in the late afternoon. Day 6: Flight to Victoria Falls - Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River Today, we'll leave Cape Town and take a morning flight to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. On arrival, we'll transfer to the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, our home for the next two nights. Set high on a plateau, which forms a natural boundary to the unfenced Zambezi National Park, and just minutes from the majestic Victoria Falls, the lodge's design is inspired by traditional African crafts: hardwoods, thatch, and the vibrant African colors. Each bedroom has its own balcony, air-conditioning, and modern bathroom. From the Buffalo Bar, Makuwa-Kuwa Restaurant, the pool deck, and even from the balconies, we can enjoy views of the on-site waterhole which attracts a wide variety of game: elephant, buffalo, impala, and kudu. After getting some rest, we'll meet in the afternoon to celebrate our arrival in Zimbabwe with a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River to enjoy sundowner drinks, as we watch hippos and crocodiles surface close to the boat and the memorable spectacle of the African setting sun. In the evening, our traditional Boma dinner will include African entertainment, dancing, and drumming practice. Partially open to the African skies and sheltered by the indigenous Gusu forest, Boma Restaurant offers a unique African experience that delights the senses with the tastes, sights, sounds, and smells of Africa around an open fire. Day 7: Chobe National Park, Botswana Today, we'll take a short drive to the Chobe National Park in Botswana, the gateway to a truly unique African wildlife experience. The second largest national park in Botswana, Chobe National Park has one of the greatest concentrations of game found on the African continent. Its uniqueness is in the abundance of wildlife with an exciting variety of large mammals and bird species and is renowned for having the highest concentration of elephants in Africa. On arrival at the park, we'll enjoy a boat safari on the Chobe River, while listening to the chorus of the hippopotamus lounging in the river. We'll watch a glorious scene unfolding itself: large herds of elephants, often with the tiniest frolicking calves, kicking up dust as they wait their turn at the water’s edge to drink; frighteningly large crocodiles sunning themselves on the banks of the river, mouths agape, teeth terrifying. After delighting in all of the animal sightings, we'll take a break for lunch at one of the traditional Botswana lodges with a gorgeous view over the river. In the afternoon, we'll take a game viewing drive in an open jeep, following the route along the Chobe riverfront, with the greatest abundance of wildlife in the park, providing unique game viewing and photo opportunities. In the evening, we'll return to Zimbabwe and enjoy a relaxing dinner at the lodge's restaurant. Day 8: Victoria Falls Experience - Flight to Johannesburg This morning, we'll take a guided tour of the magnificent Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. The walking safari will take us through the spectacular rainforest, where we'll be able to view the Victoria Falls in all their magnificence: the cataracts, Dr. Livingstone's statue and a wide variety of birds and plants. In the afternoon, there may be time to visit the local market to admire the advanced craftsmanship of local wood and stone carvers, before our transfer to the airport for a flight to Johannesburg. On arrival, we'll check into the InterContinental Johannesburg O.R.Tambo Airport Hotel. With its tastefully decorated rooms, great service and all the necessary amenities to ensure a comfortable stay, the hotel is the perfect place to rest and get a good night's sleep before our adventures in Kapama and the Kruger National Park. Day 9: Flight to Kapama Private Game Reserve In the morning, we'll leave Johannesburg to fly to Hoedspruit, a short drive from our incredible safari lodge: The Southern Camp in the Kapama Private Game Reserve in Limpopo Province. The safari lodge consists of luxury accommodations, designed with elements of traditional African decor and modern amenities. Each room has a large modern bathroom, individual air-conditioning, fans, and a private game viewing patio. The lodge boasts unique African art, with beautiful mosaics adorning the walls. The main lodge is constructed of dark African hardwoods, a teak deck surrounds the swimming pool, there is also the African Boma Restaurant, fully stocked wine cellar, and a bar. Breakfast is a full English style buffet, while lunch and the afternoon tea include a wide range of savory specialties and cakes. The morning and evening safaris are conducted on the greater Kapama Private Game Reserve ensuring that we have a superb safari experience. The game drives offer excellent photo opportunities of Africa’s most amazing animals, including the "Big Five" - Lion, Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo and Leopard. Beyond the day and night game drives, there are daily guided safari bush walks. After arriving at the lodge, we'll enjoy lunch, then head for our first game drive in the afternoon. Additional activities will also be available: spa treatments, elephant back safaris, the Endangered Species Centre which focuses on the conservation of rare, vulnerable and endangered animals, particularly cheetah conservation. Day 10: African Safari During our stay at the Kapama Private Game Reserve, we'll enjoy two game drives (safaris) every day: one in the early morning and another one in the afternoon and in the evening. This is when the animals are the most active. The game drives are conducted in the unspoiled bush and savannah wilderness and will allow us to see the animals in their natural environment. The Southern Camp Kapama Private Game Reserve Lodge is in the area adjacent to the Kruger National Park, where the "Big Five" - Lion, Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo and Leopard - are prominent. While seeing big game is always exhilarating, there are many other smaller species that are also captivating, including nearly 350 species of birds recorded on the reserve. After our early morning game drive, we'll enjoy a full breakfast and spend the rest of the day at leisure, before heading out in the late afternoon for another game drive. A variety of completely different species can be seen on the night drive, giving us a chance to see any animals we may have missed during the day. After our safari adventure, we'll return to the lodge and freshen up before enjoying a sumptuous dinner. Day 11: African Safari Today, we'll have another chance to experience the exciting morning and afternoon game drives. After our early morning safari, we'll enjoy a full breakfast and relax at the lodge. The best place to kick back and enjoy the feel of Africa is under the umbrellas surrounding the pool. This is also a prime vantage point for game viewing, as it overlooks a small, permanent waterhole just beyond the lodge's perimeter, attracting various antelope species, elephant, and buffalo. Later in the afternoon, we'll enjoy another game drive, stopping for a sundowner drink to watch the sun set over the distant peaks of the Drakensberg Mountains, as we await the nocturnal animals of the bush to come out. We'll return to the lodge to freshen up before celebrating our adventures and new friendships with a farewell dinner around the African Boma fire. Day 12: Flight to Johannesburg After an early morning game drive to track the animals that may have eluded us so far, followed by breakfast, we will have some time to relax, before our transfer back to the Hoedspruit Airport for our scheduled flight to Johannesburg. On arrival at Johannesburg's Oliver Tambo International Airport, you will connect with your departing international flight, taking with you the best memories of your time in Africa.
Cape Town | The Table Mountain | Cape of Good Hope | Savannah | Safari | Wine in South Africa | Victoria Falls | Zambezi River | Shona Art | Botswana | Safari in Botswana | Books & Movies |