Luxury Tour and Safari - Southern Africa, Classic and Elegant ULSA05

Personal Highlights:

• Romance and luxury on a steam powered train from Pretoria to Victoria Falls. Forty eight hours of sublime indulgence on Rovos Rail
• Cruising the Zambezi River at Victoria Falls
• Having your four poster bed moved on to your private deck for a starlit sleep in the Okavango Delta
• Seeing Elephants and Hippos close up from your own private “Mokoro” or dugout canoe in the hands of a capable guide
• Luxury in the Winelands at Grande Roche Hotel

Day 1 Depart USA

Your adventure begins as you depart the USA bound for South Africa and arrive in Johannesburg the following evening.

Day 2 Arrival in Johannesburg, Transfer to Pretoria

Upon your afternoon arrival in Johannesburg you will be met by your guide and personally escorted to your hotel, Illyria House, which is situated in Pretoria, South Africa's Capitol. This spectacular boutique hotel will offer a classic and elegant welcome to South Africa. After check in, you will have dinner followed by a good night's sleep.

Day 3 Boarding Rovos Rail

After a leisurely breakfast, you will be transferred to Rovos Rail's private station close to your hotel where you begin your two day journey to Victoria Falls. Started in the 1980's, old railroad cars were totally refurbished to their original splendor, pulled by steam engines and offering a truly unique and elegant way to see Africa. Soon after departure you are invited to a fabulous lunch in the elegant dining car. In the afternoon you can rest in your suite or join fellow passengers in the club car or the open observation car at the rear of the train.

Day 4 Enjoying the Good Life on Rovos Rail

You have the whole day to enjoy the passing scenery and the excellent service on board.

Day 5 Rovos Rail, Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls

After an early breakfast you disembark from the train for an early morning game drive in Hwange National Park. Upon completion of the drive you return to the train where a delicious brunch awaits you. You spend the rest of the afternoon in the club car until the train pulls in to Victoria Falls and youy are transferred to our hotel, which is located on the Zambian side of the falls overlooking the Zambezi River and within sight and sound of the falls.

Day 6 The Zambezi River and the Okavanga Delta

This morning you will take a boat ride on the Zambezi River to share what Dr. Livingstone must have experienced as the first European to set eyes on the falls. After your river trip you will drive to Kahane in Botswana where your charter flight will take you to Baines camp located in the Delta.Upon arrival you are transferred to your luxury safari camp.

Day 7 The Okavango Delta

Millions of years ago, rain would fall on the mountains in what is now called Angola creating a river that would flow through what is now Namibia into present day Botswana where it would flow into a large lake. The earth's crust shifted and blocked the flow of water to the lake which dried up and became the Makgadikgadi pans. Each year as the rains fall in Angola they flow into what is now called the Okavango Delta one of the world's largest inland water systems.The Delta is home to a wide variety of big game including elephant, buffalo, giraffe, hippo, lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog. Today you have the opportunity to view the game either in open-sided vehicles or on the water in Mokoros which are dug-out canoes "poled" by your guide and allowing eye level viewing of the animals particularly elephants and hippo.

Day 8 Exploring the Okavango

This morning you have an early game drive or you have the option of participating in an elephant interaction where you get to walk with ,and get to know, these magnificent creatures. During the heat of the day, you can swim in the pool or lounge in the hammock on your private balcony. This evening a game drive precedes an exclusive bush dinner.

Day 9 Okavango Delta to Cape Town Via Maun

After breakfast you will transfer to Maun for your flight to Cape Town. Upon your evening arrival in Cape Town you will be met by your guide and personally escorted to your hotel which is located on the Atlantic Coast and is considered by many to be the best hotel in Cape Town With only 11 bedrooms the property offers superb service and the rolling lawns down to the sea are stunning. This evening you will enjoy a waterfront dinner in one of Cape Town's trendiest areas.

Day 10 Exploring the Cape Peninsula

After breakfast, your driver will pick you up for a full day tour of the Cape Peninsula. Before you leave, the chef will consult with you to determine your preferences for dinner and will then match your requests with the best produce in the markets that day. You head south and following the Atlantic coastline as you visit the seaside towns of Hout Bay and Camps Bay. After lunch you traverse Chapman Peak Drive and Table Mountain National Park before ending up at the Boulders Penguin colony. This evening you enjoy your custom dinner at the hotel with superb views over Bantry Bay.

Day 11 Touring the Winelands

East of the city lies the heart of the South African wine industry since the 16th Century. The three main towns in the areas are Paarl, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. You will visit each town and taste some of the local wines and enjoy a vineyard lunch. You will spend the evening at a delightful hotel located on the outskirts of Paarl where you have a chance to enjoy a delicious dinner with the appropriate wines.

Day 12 The Garden Route and The Knysna Lagoon

The drive along the south western coast line is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world. Although you could reach your next destination in a day, to do so would deprive you of the chance to admire these scenic wonders. You are driven out of the city taking the N2 road cutting across the Overberg before approaching the coast. At the town of George, you will take a detour north to visit the Ostrich farms around Oudtshoorn. You return to the coast and soon reach your hotel located overl;ooking Knysna Laggon. You have a chance to walk the charming gardens before a dinner overlooking the lagoon.

Day 13 Knysna to Gorah Elephant Camp

You have the chance to relax this morning enjoying a leisurely breakfast before heading to your next destination. You will be heading east with the Tsitsikamma Forest to your left and the Indian Ocean to your right. Your hotel has packed you a picnic lunch which you enjoy at an appropriate scenic spot along the coast. After lunch you follow the coast before moving inland to the Gorah Elephant Camp where you arrive in time for an afternoon game drive.

Day 14 A Day with the Elephants

After an early cup of tea or coffee you set off for a morning game drive as the animals begin their search for breakfast.Although the reserve is large, the rangers keep in constant communication so the chances of seeing game, especially elephants during the drives are very good.You return to camp for breakfast and the chance to avoid the midday heat. In the afternoon you go out for another game drive followed by " sundowners" and a candlelit dinner.

Day 15 Gorah, Port Elizabeth and a Return to the USA

You are driven to Port Elizabeth where you board the flight to Johannesburg airport to connect with your return flight to the US.

Day 16 Arrive in the USA

You arrive back in the USA at breakfast time.

Services Included

• All air transportation as part of the program offered including private and charter aircraft. (On those programs requiring private aircraft flights, you will be limited to 33lbs of luggage which can be stored in the safari luggage which we provide to you. Additional luggage will be stored for you for the rest of your trip. In the private camps, daily laundry is available (and, in most cases included).
• Luxury rail travel as indicated
• Superior Rooms at the properties indicated in the accommodations area (We reserve the right to substitute a property of equal quality in advance of departure should the designated hotel be unavailable)
• On Safari, only private camps are used and include all meals and all game viewing in most camps, house beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks (indicated on itinerary)
• Private Transfers to and from the airport at destination
• All meals as indicated on the itinerary by B=Breakfast, L=Lunch and D=Dinner
• Private guides for city explorations and private driver/guide while traveling.
• Baggage handling at all hotels and camps
• All applicable taxes and service fees

Services Not Included

• International airfare (round-trip from hometown departure gateway to destination)
• Beverages with included meals (unless otherwise indicated on itinerary page)
• Any meals not indicated on the Itinerary page
• Items of a personal nature e.g. minibar, film, postcards etc.
• Gratuities to Guides and Driver/Guides (we provide suggested guidelines for your selected destination in your pre-departure material)
• Any passport or visa fees or government departure taxes (It is the traveler’s responsibility to secure the latest information regarding passports and visa requirements)

 

Available Year Round