Southern Africa Elegance

• Itinerary
• Prices & Information

November 6-18, 2008 • 13 Days
Day 1 – Fly from Minneapolis 
Today we fly from Minneapolis to Washington D.C. and connect on our international flight at 5:30 p.m. with  South Africa Airlines  and flies direct to South Africa. Get ready to have a great time as we will be seeing so much and stay in Deluxe and First Class Hotels.

Day 2 – Arrive in Cape Town, South Africa
Afternoon arrival in Cape Town, South Africa’s oldest and most spectacular city. You will be met and escorted to your First Class hotel, located directly on the Atlantic waterfront.

Hotel: Protea Seapoint Hotel

Day 3 – Cable Cars, Table Mountain & Waterfronts 
On this morning’s city tour, ride by cable car to the top of Table Mountain for glorious city and bay views. Descend and travel through the Malay Quarter and the city center toward the Milnerton Lighthouse for a chance to view and photograph mountain vistas from a distance. Sightseeing ends at the vibrant Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, filled with restaurants and cafes, craft shops, and a sprawling mall. Balance of the day is at leisure.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 – Explore Capetown

Sheltered beneath the familiar shape of Table Mountain, Cape Town.  Today we head out into the countryside to Cape Peninsula and admire the breathtaking views at the Cape of Good Hope Natural Reserve.  Drive along magnificent Marine Drive via quaint fishing villages on the Atlantic seaboard, to Cape of Good Hope Natural Reserve where the views are breathtaking!  Lunch is served at famous Black Marlin Restaurant in Simon’s Town, a charming Dutch founded village and naval port.  Later, visit a rare colony of African penguins at Boulder Beach, whose habitat is in these white shark filled coastal waters.  Return along Chapman’s Peak Drive, offering unparalleled panoramic vistas of the Atlantic Ocean.  Stop at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens’ boasting 500 acres of astonishing landscapes.  Enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5 – Wineland Region Tour

Another very special optional day tour is to Aquila Private Game Reserve. After driving through the scenic Winelands region, you will arrive in Aquila for a thrilling game drive, this time not in a national park but in a private game reserve.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6 – Depart Capetown for the Mighty Victoria Falls

This morning, fly via Johannesburg to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. You will be met and transferred to your deluxe hotel. In the afternoon, take a guided walking tour of mighty Victoria Falls, also known as “The Eighth Wonder of the World.”  The Zambezi River plunges more than 300 feet into the Zambezi Gorge, often creating rainbows in the spray. It is nearly twice as wide and twice as high as Niagara Falls. At sunset, enjoy refreshments aboard R & J Tour’s private Sundowner Cruise, on the Zambezi River. Keep your eyes open on this safari cruise for crocodiles, hippos, and other wildlife!

Hotel: Victoria Falls Safari Lodge

Included Meals: Breakfast, Sunset Cruise Refreshments

Day 7 – Zambia National Park & Livingston Museum
After breakfast, cross by motorcoach the famous bridge spanning the Zambezi River and enter the nation of Zambia. Here you will take a guided walking tour through Zambia National Park to view the Falls from a different perspective, as well as visit the Livingston Museum. In the afternoon, return to Victoria Falls and enjoy an afternoon of leisure.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Day 8 – Morning African Elephant Ride
Today will be an experience you will long remember.  Take a morning walking tour into Zambezi National Park before learning all about the African elephant from your guide. Then climb onto a special seat atop an  African elephant for a lumbering stroll through the bush in search of wildlife … it’s the ultimate African wildlife experience!  This afternoon is at your leisure.  You may opt to visit the local African village, take a night safari, ride a helicopter above the Falls, or visit the historic Victoria Falls Hotel. Your own hotel, the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, cited in both Conde Naste and Travel & Leisure magazines as one of the top lodges on the continent, has a private watering hold that attracts animals during the day and night!

Included Meals: Breakfast

Day 9 – Botswana Safari Cruise on Chobe River
Cross the border to Botswana. Proceed to your Superior First Class Lodge. In the afternoon, embark on a safari cruise down the Chobe River! Return to the lodge for dinner.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10 – Big Five Safari Drive
Botswana is Africa’s nature paradise and is still relatively undiscovered. Chobe National Park has great herds of elephants and buffalo, as well as three other members of the Big Five: lions, leopard, and rhino. This morning, take an exciting game drive in an open vehicle. Return to the lodge for lunch, then cross the Chobe river to visit Impalia Island on Namibia’s Captiva Strip. A fourth safari on the Chobe River, an area that attracts bird and animal life, will conclude the day.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11 – Safaris to Sophisticated Johannesburg

Enjoy an early morning game drive in open vehicle. Return to the lodge for breakfast, then transfer to the airport and fly to Johannesburg, South Africa ’s legislative capital. You will be met and transferred to your First Class hotel. Celebrate at our farewell banquet tonight!

Hotel: Balalaika Sandton Hotel

Included Meals: Dinner

Day 12 – Morning Tour of Soweto & Afternoon flight

Tour  Soweto, from its thriving business environment of today to its historical importance as a residential township in the time of the apartheid. View the homes of Archbishop Desmund Tutu and Winnie Mandela as well as Freedom Square and the Hector Pieterson memorial.  This afternoon, transfer to the airport for your flight back home. 

Included Meals: Breakfast

Day 13 – Return home at about 6:30 am to Dulles

Return home today with memories of a once in a lifetime trip to Africa!