WELCOME TO SOUTH AFRICA

For the first time traveller to the African continent, the Republic of South Africa is a good place to start. With an amazing diversity of landscapes, a compelling history, plentiful wildlife, friendly peoples, and a modern infrastructure, one can see a great deal with ease and comfort. Diversity, in the broadest sense, is the primary theme around which we build our 14-day itinerary of this fascinating region. You’ll get a taste of Colonial Africa with our excursion to Victoria Falls, and a wonderfully wild sense of safari life in Botswana and Kruger Park, and you’ll soak in the good, the bad and the ugly of South Africa’s storied past, and marvel at the promise of the ‘Rainbow Nation.’

ITINERARY IN BRIEF

Day 1 • Arrive in Johannesburg, South Africa, the "Place of Gold”.

Day 2 • Tour Soweto and the excellent new museum dedicated to the victims of the 1976 Soweto Uprising. Visit the extraordinarily powerful Apartheid Museum en route to Tshwane (previously Pretoria). Return to Joburg.

Days 3-5 • We spend three nights next to one of the world's most spectacular natural sights, Victoria Falls. Exciting day trip to Botswana’s Chobe National Park and visit an authentic African village.

Day 6 • Fly back to Johannesburg.

Day 7 • Fly to Lowveld Region and transfer to our luxury lodge in the African bush. Afternoon game viewing drive.

Days 8-9 • Full days of game viewing in the vicinity of Kruger National Park.

Day 10 • Fly to Cape Town, one of the world’s most isolated and beautiful cities.

Day 11 • We tour Cape Town: the Houses of Parliament, the Malay Quarter with its narrow streets and minarets; and visit the South African Museum. We continue around the Cape Peninsula and the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Cape Point.

Day 12 • Gondola trip to the top of Table Mountain, one of South Africa's most famous landmarks. Continue to Stellenbosch, South Africa's second oldest settlement, and one of the area's many wineries for a cellar tour and tasting.

Day 13 • At leisure in Cape Town.

Day 14 • Departure from Cape Town.

INCLUSIONS Accommodation Internal transportation Breakfasts and most dinners Sightseeing and entrance fees Tips for hotel, porters, drivers Transfers (Land/Air) Services of a Tour Leader

EXCLUSIONS Lunches and some dinners Drinks Items of a personal nature Air departure taxes/fuel surcharges Visa fees (if applicable) Transfers (if early/late) Transfers (if Land Only) Tour Leader gratuities

OUT FACTOR

We’re not sure if Desmond Tutu had pride colours in mind when he dubbed South Africa the “Rainbow Nation,” but the description is probably even more apt today than he anticipated at the time. South Africa, and by extension several locales bordering, have become major gay destinations since the abolition of Apartheid and advent of one of the world’s most progressive and inclusive constitutions in 1994. Johannesburg has a lively local scene, while Cape Town’s rapidly-expanding gay amenities, encouraged by tourism, belie it’s relatively small size.

Classic
Three and four-star hotel based, "soft adventure" trips that concentrate on the culture, history, and natural attributes of our destination. Though these are not "active" trips as such, you should be prepared for full days with some early starts and some walking on uneven surfaces through villages, cities, and archaeological sites.

Level 1
No particular physical activity is involved other than town/city walks and short walks to dinners and sites of interest, some of which are large.

PLEASE NOTE

This itinerary is correct at time of publishing. We reserve the right to make changes as necessary due to reasons beyond our control.