14 Day Cape Town, Winelands, Kruger and Victoria Falls - PS5

A top end photographic safari tour which explores the highlights of Southern Africa. The tour visit the countries of South Africa and Zambia. This tour is dedicated to providing the discerning traveling party with the finest Southern Africa has to offer in terms of service and lodgings.

Some time spent in Cape Town is followed by a visit to the Cape Winelands before enjoying a safari experience in the Sabi Sand private game reserve and then traveling on to the explore the mighty Victoria Falls.

Tour Information Tour Price: Available at the bottom of the price list page Tour Starting Date: Any date specified by clients Tour Starting Point: Johannesburg Tour Ending Point: Johannesburg Flights Included: Johannesburg to Cape Town one way Cape Town to Kruger Mpumalanga one way Kruger Mpumalanga to Livingstone one way Livingstone to Johannesburg one way What is Included: Accommodation as specified in the itinerary Services of a registered guide/resident rangers Meals as specified in the itinerary Tourism levy All applicable taxes All land transportation in air conditioned vehicles All activities and entrance fees to places mentioned in the itinerary All park fees if applicable What is Excluded: International airfare Personal and medical insurance Activities not specifically stated in the itinerary Drinks Gratuities Meals not specifically stated in the itinerary Detailed Itinerary Day 1: Cape Town Guests are transferred to O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg for a flight to Cape Town. Guests will be met upon arrival at Cape Town International and will be transferred to their hotel. Cape Town is set in an area which is regarded as one of the most beautiful regions in the world. The impressive presence of Table Mountain, flanked by the Devil's Peak and Signal Hill, stands proudly above the city. Beautiful white sandy beaches along a peaceful coastline frame the Cape Peninsula, which is famed for its unique floral kingdom, bountiful rivers, and magnificent countryside. During the afternoon guests will be taken by cable car up the picturesque Table Mountain where they will enjoy a spectacular view of the Cape Peninsula, Robben Island and Lions Head. Then it's back to the Cape Grace Hotel which is generally regarded as the finest hotel in Cape Town. The hotel has won the small luxury hotel of the world award. Overnight: Cape Grace   Meals: Dinner   Day 2: Cape Town After a lavish breakfast guests will be taken on a breathtaking drive, known as Chapman's Peak Drive. This drive hugs the near-vertical face of Chapman's Peak from Hout Bay to Noordhoek. Cut out of the face of the mountain between 1915 and 1922, the road was at the time regarded as a major feat of engineering. The road leads to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Cape Point. In the nature reserve we visit Cape Point where the stormy waters of the Atlantic are met by the calming influence of the Indian Ocean. On the return journey to Cape Town we visit the towns of Simonstad and Muizenberg which are set along the shores of the Indian Ocean. On the way to Cape Town a visit is also made to Boulders Beach an attractive secluded haven, which comprises a tumble of huge round rocks on a sandy shore. The boulders are an ideal vantage point for watching the antics of the colony of mainland-based African penguins. Overnight: Cape Grace   Meals: Breakfast, Dinner   Day 3: Cape Town For nearly 400 years Robben Island was a place of banishment, exile, isolation and imprisonment. It was here that rulers sent those they regarded as political troublemakers, social outcasts and the unwanted of society. The most well-known of political prisoners was former president Nelson Mandela who was imprisoned by the apartheid government. We travel to the island by ferry. The island is a living museum reached by a return boat trip leaving from the waterfront (half an hour each way). It is a World Heritage Site and a guided tour around the museum by an ex-inmate is an experience not to be missed. The afternoon is spent relaxing on the V&A Waterfront before enjoying a sunset cruise in Table Bay. Overnight: Cape Grace   Meals: Breakfast, Dinner   Day 4: Cape Town First on the agenda are the oldest gardens in South Africa, namely the Company Gardens. It was established in early 1652 by Jan van Riebeeck as a vegetable garden originally closer to the coast. In a bid to plant in more fertile soil and on ground sheltered from the wind, he moved his garden with its northern boundary on Wale Street, and this is where it stands today. The large public park and botanical garden is home to a rose garden, Japanese garden, fish pond and aviary. We then visit the Cape Town Castle and the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Kirstenbosch is nestled at the foot of Table Mountain and includes a large, indoor greenhouse exhibiting plants from a number of different regions, including savanna, fynbos, karoo and others. Outdoors, the focus moves to plants native to the Cape region, highlighted by the beautiful collections of proteas. Some time is then allowed for lunch before visiting the District Six Museum District Six named after the Sixth Municipal District of Cape Town, was established in 1867. Originally established as a mixed community of freed slaves, merchants, artisans, laborers and immigrants, District Six was a vibrant center with close links to the city and the port. By the beginning of the twentieth century, however, the history of removals and magnetization had begun. The first to be 'resettled' were black South Africans, displaced from the District in 1901. As the more prosperous moved away to the suburbs, the area became the neglected ward of Cape Town. The museum will offer insight into the history of the area. Overnight: Cape Grace   Meals: Breakfast, Dinner   Day 5: Cape Winelands Breakfast is followed by a forty minute drive to the Cape Winelands where we devote some time to exploring the town of Stellenbosch. Stellenbosch was founded by Simon van der Stel in 1679. The town became known as The City of Oaks due to the large number of oak trees that were planted to line the streets. Upon completing our tour of the town we visit two of the famous wine estates situated in the area. The first wine route was established in the 1970's. Today various wine routes offer visitors the opportunity to taste more than 260 different wines. From Stellenbosch the tour makes the short drive to hotel situated a stone's throw from town. Overnight: Lanzerac   Meals: Breakfast, Dinner   Day 6: Cape Winelands The French Huguenots brought their knowledge of viticulture with them and upon receiving land from the Dutch East India Company many vineyards where established producing, till today, some of the world's finest wines. We spend some time exploring the town of Franschhoek before visiting three local wine estates and sampling the fine wines they produce. Franschhoek is known to be the home of some of the top restaurants in the South Africa and this, together with the strong wine culture, and pristine natural and architectural beauty has made Franschhoek into what many have described the "food and wine capital" of South Africa. The tour returns to Stellenbosch during the late afternoon. Overnight: Lanzerac   Meals: Breakfast, Dinner     Day 7: Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve An early breakfast is followed by a flight from Cape Town to Nelspruit (Kruger Mpumalanga Airport). Guests will be met upon arrival at the Nelspruit Airport and transferred to the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve. The Sabi Sand shares with the Lowveld its atmosphere of adventure and romance inherited from the days of the safari traders, hunters, prospectors and transport riders. The fence between the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve and the Kruger National Park was taken down a few years ago to enlarge the protected area in which the big herds of elephants can roam free. The day will end with an open vehicle game drive. Overnight: Lion Sands Ivory Lodge   Meals: Full Board     Day 8: Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve Two game drives and a bush walk will bring guests close to the famous African Big Five, offering sightings of Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, Elephant and Rhino. Walking through a wilderness area with nothing but a guide and his rifle to protect you is a surprisingly peaceful experience. Once you get over the fear of being in the wild with nothing to separate you from the animals, your senses relax and begin to tune themselves to the immediate smells, sights, and sounds of the South African wilderness. An experience that will live with you a lifetime. Overnight: Lion Sands Ivory Lodge   Meals: Full Board     Day 9: Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve After a morning game drive guests can relax at the pool or make use of the spa facilities on offer at Lion Sands. The lodge also offers an optional tour to a local rural village and community center where guests will learn more about how the locals make their living. Once again the day will end with a late afternoon game drive in the company of your experienced ranger and tracker. Overnight: Lion Sands Ivory Lodge   Meals: Full Board   Day 10: Johannesburg A last morning game drive and breakfast will be followed by a flight from the Mala Mala Airstrip to Johannesburg. Guests will be met upon arrival and will be transferred to their hotel located in Sandton, Johannesburg. Sandton is the financial hub of South Africa and various companies' head offices are located in the area. The late afternoon will be spent at leisure enjoying a drink at one of the fine restaurants found in Mandela Square, or visiting one of the numerous shops in the area. Overnight: Michelangelo   Meals: Breakfast, Dinner   Day 11: Livingstone After breakfast guests will return to O.R. Tambo International Airport (Johannesburg) for a flight to the town of Livingstone. Guests are met upon arrival at Livingstone Airport from where we visit the Livingstone museum en route to the hotel. The town was established in 1905 by the British South African company and bears the name of the famous missionary explorer Sir David Livingston. The Livingstone Museum situated in the town of Livingstone still houses the largest collection of his letters and journals and bears testament to the legacy of this legendary man, who spent more than half his life in Africa. He was devoted to the exploration of the continent and the plight of its people who were at the time still brutally exploited by the slave traders. A glimpse of the thundering Victoria Falls is followed by check in at the hotel where the late afternoon is spent at leisure. Overnight: Royal Livingstone   Meals: Breakfast   Day 12: Livingstone The morning will start with breakfast after which guests will visit the "Mosi oa Tunya" National Park from where different views of the thundering Victoria Falls are enjoyed. The unusual form of the falls enables virtually the whole width of the falls to be viewed face-on from as close as 60 meters as the Zambezi River drops into a deep, narrow gorge. On the way back to their hotel guests will visit the village of Chief Mukuni and his people. Chief Mukuni jointly rules the Victoria Falls region with his queen, Be Dyango. The Mukuni monarch practices a dual kinship system between male and female lineages. Because of this dual rule arrangement which is present even at village level, gender imbalance is on a comparatively small scale in this culture. The visit will give guests a better understanding of how the Chief and Queen manage the lives of approximately 7000 subjects. Overnight: Royal Livingstone   Meals: Breakfast   Day 13: Livingstone The morning is devoted to an Elephant back safari in a wilderness area not far from Livingstone. An experienced elephant minder accompanies each elephant and client. On mounting the elephants, the safari begins – view game whilst riding game, savor the experience of crashing through the African bush atop a gigantic pachyderm. Your safari ends with a short training session and interaction with the elephants followed by a late breakfast or early lunch. Guests then return to the hotel where they are met during the late afternoon for a sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi River. View game coming to the waters edge for a late afternoon drink whilst the setting sun creates a splendid display of color over one of Africa's finest wilderness areas. Overnight: Royal Livingstone   Meals: Breakfast   Day 14: Departure A leisurely breakfast is followed by a transfer to Livingstone Airport and from there a connecting flight to Johannesburg. Guests are met upon arrival in Johannesburg and are assisted in transferring to an international flight back to their country of origin, or alternatively are transferred to any location of their choice in either Johannesburg or Pretoria. Overnight: None   Meals: Breakfast