iExplore Southern Africa - Luxury Lodges(Trip #53167)

Tour Overview

Play the iExplore South Africa Video
South Africa's sensational mix of miles of unspoilt beaches, vast tracts of game-rich wildlife reserves and wilderness areas, sunny climate and a vibration totally 'African'. Zimbabwe is home to one of the finest natural wonders of the world, the Victoria Falls. Botswana - The Okavango Delta, Savuti, Chobe and Linyanti are just some of the magnificent places that Botswana has to offer for the complete true African Wilderness Safari!

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 01: Cape Town, South Africa
Arrive Cape Town International Airport. Upon clearing Customs and Immigration, you are met by our local representative who will present you with a welcome packet including necessary documentation. Private transfer to your hotel for check-in and balance of day at leisure.
Cape Grace Hotel

Day 02: Cape Town
Breakfast at the hotel. Private half-day Cape Town city tour.

The ultimate 'Mother City' experience - designed to orientate you and give you an insight into the magic of Cape Town featuring; Table Mountain (weather permitting); the Castle - South Africa's oldest building; Company Gardens; a scenic tour past the Parliament Buildings, City Hall and Slave lodge; historic Malay Quarter and colorful Bo-Kaap; ending with a diamond cutting tour.

Transfer to the V&A Waterfront. Enjoy lunch (own account) and join an afternoon Robben Island Tour (scheduled departures from the Clock Tower.)

The infamous Robben Island, whose prison was once home to former South African president Nelson Mandela as well as many other black political dissidents, is now a World Heritage Site and provides stunning views across the bay with Table Mountain as its backdrop. Your tour includes round trip ferry to the island, an island tour and a tour of the prison with a former political prisoner as your guide (3.5 hours including 30-minute ferry transfers each way.)

On return to the V&A Waterfront, you will have a 5-minute (200 meter) walk to your hotel.
Breakfast
Cape Grace Hotel


Day 03: Cape Town
Breakfast at the hotel. Private full-day Cape Peninsula and Winelands tour.

Travel along the Atlantic Seaboard, to Hout Bay. From Hout Bay, travel to Noordhoek and through Ou Kaapse Weg. Proceed to the Cape Point Nature Reserve, where you may opt to ride the Funicular (own account) where you can view the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean. The Cape Peninsula is the thin finger of land in the Southwestern corner of Africa with the city of Cape Town at its head. As you travel south towards Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope, the land gets narrower until you reach the very tip, with nothing beyond except Antarctica.

Continue to Simonstown, for a short stop at Boulders Beach. Nestled in historic Simon's Town in South Africa, Boulders Penguin Colony is part of the Cape Peninsula National Park. Almost 3000 African (jackass) penguins, so called because their call resembles the bray of a donkey, reign supreme amidst rounded rocks and fish-filled False Bay. These endangered, flightless birds are free to roam the seas and return to their private haven – Boulders Beach.

Next, transfer to the Cape Winelands for a tour of the wine region including two estates for wine tasting and cellar tour.

Whether it is its magnificent natural beauty, its rich cultural heritage or its world-renowned wines, the Winelands Region is synonymous with all the best that the Cape has to offer. A 45-minute drive from Cape Town brings you to this area where splendid mountains form a dramatic backdrop to lush vineyards and gabled Cape Dutch homesteads steeped in history. Come experience the hospitality and beauty of Stellenbosch, Paarl, Wellington, Franschhoek and Pniel. The diversity of the Winelands will capture every heart. Follow in the footsteps of our ancestors as you stroll along the oak-lined streets of Stellenbosch, the second oldest town in the country.

Return to Cape Town late afternoon.
Breakfast
Cape Grace Hotel

Day 04: Cape Town – Sabi Sands Reserve
Breakfast at the hotel. Private transfer to Cape Town Airport.

NOTE: Cape Town-Johannesburg-Sabi Sands flight is not included in land price.

Arrive Sabi Sands airstrip. You are met and transferred to your lodge with game viewing en route. NOTE: Flights into Kruger Airport require connecting bush plane flight to Sabi Sands Airstrip or 2-hour land transfer to Sabi Earth Lodge (additional fees apply.)

Nearly 2 million hectares of unrivalled diversity of life forms fuses with historical and archaeological sights – this is real Africa. Kruger National Park and it’s surrounding private game reserves offer a wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa. Unrivalled in the diversity of its life forms and a world leader in advanced environmental management techniques and policies. Kruger is home to an impressive number of species: 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals.

After checking in, you will have the opportunity to freshen up and have lunch. Spend some time relaxing, before departing on a game drive late this afternoon. Return to the lodge after dark, for dinner.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sabi Earth Lodge

Day 05: Sabi Sands Reserve
All meals at the lodge. Full day of game viewing activities with your resident safari guide.

Game drives in open landrovers and a professional team of game rangers, offer guests the thrill of close encounters with Africa’s BIG FIVE.

Early morning game drives start with a wake up call between 05h00 and 06h00; tea and coffee is served in the lounge before heading out for your game drive. Leave in time to catch the sunrise & great animal viewing.

Return to camp by 9am and enjoy a hearty breakfast. Join guided walking safaris after breakfast where game rangers offer fauna and flora lectures and magnificent rock art viewing. Each topic is discussed and guests are welcome to set the pace as they wish. There is of course always the good possibility of game viewing on these outings. Lunch and relaxation time is enjoyed until the big game drive starts in the late afternoon. Beverages and snacks are served at a scenic place en route to watch the African sunset.

Once back from the evening game drive, dinner is served at the lodge or in your own room if you wish.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sabi Earth Lodge

Day 06: Sabi Sands Reserve – Johannesburg
Breakfast at the lodge. Morning game drive and return transfer to Sabi Sands airstrip.

NOTE: Sabi Sands -Johannesburg flight is not included in land price.

Arrive Johannesburg Airport. You are met outside baggage claim for private transfer to your hotel.

This afternoon, transfer by private vehicle to the Apartheid Museum. The Apartheid Museum opened in 2001 and is acknowledged as the pre-eminent museum in the world dealing with 20th century South Africa, at the heart of which is the apartheid story. Apartheid was dismantled a decade ago but its horror lives on, in a stark white building in Johannesburg. It is the Apartheid Museum, and it takes visitors on a journey you're unlikely to forget. Inspiring journey from the dark days of 'whites only' privilege, through to Nelson Mandela's historic release. Documented film snippets, texts, sound clips and live accounts recapture life in the old South Africa.
Breakfast
Melrose Arch Hotel

Day 07: Johannesburg – Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Breakfast at the hotel. Return private transfer to Johannesburg Airport.

NOTE: Johannesburg – Victoria Falls flight is not included in land price.

Arrive Victoria Falls Airport. You are met outside baggage claim for private transfer to your hotel.

Afternoon at leisure in Victoria Falls. The hotel has its own private path to the Victoria Falls, which is less than a 10-minute walk away (entrance fee is on own account.) Discover why the Falls is one of the seven natural wonders of the world as you tour the Zimbabwean side, which offers various vantage points along the width of the Falls, to view this natural phenomenon. Walk through the rain forest - a fun experience and quite beautiful. Stop at several vantage pints to view the Main Falls, Horseshoe Falls, Rainbow Falls, the Boiling Pot, Cataract Island and Livingstone Island. Witness the spray and thunderous noise, as millions of liters of water tumble over the Falls into a series of narrow gorges below.
Breakfast
Victoria Falls Hotel

Day 08: Victoria Falls – Chobe National Park, Botswana
Breakfast at the hotel. Scheduled transfer (border crossing en route) to Chobe Chilwero Lodge, located adjacent to Chobe National Park.

Chobe National Park is one of Africa's finest game reserves with a reputation for the highest concentration of elephants worldwide. In Chobe a sunset cruise is a thrilling end to a magnificent day as hundreds of dusty elephants jostle at the river's edge to quench their thirst.

After checking in, you will have the opportunity to freshen up and have lunch. Spend some time relaxing, before departing on a game drive or game viewing activity in Chobe National Park.

Return to the lodge after dark, for dinner.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Chobe Chilwero Lodge

Day 09: Chobe National Park
All meals at the lodge. Morning and afternoon game viewing activities with your resident safari guide.

Spend your day game viewing in the Chobe National Park, a great wilderness area packed with giraffe, bush buck, elephant, lion and leopard. You have the opportunity to enjoy exhilarating game drives in an open safari vehicle, and experience the romance of Chobe River on a sundowner cruise, while enjoying fantastic sightings of both hippo and crocodile.
Breakfast, Lunch,Dinner
Chobe Chilwero Lodge

Day 10: Chobe National Park – Victoria Falls - Depart
Breakfast at lodge. Morning game drive and return scheduled transfer (border formalities en route) to Victoria Falls Airport for your departing flight.

NOTE: Victoria Falls-onward flight is not included in land price.
Breakfast