Southern Africa Highlights, South Africa

Itinerary

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Cape Town

Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer is included.

Hotel: None

Cape Town

Begin the day with an exploration of vibrant Cape Town, wandering through the multicultural Bo-Kaap neighborhood. Then enjoy an exclusive guided tour of Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, named by National Geographic Travel as one of the world’s 10 most magnificent gardens. Later, stop by Boulders Beach to see the resident population of African penguins, and continue to the Cape Point lighthouse and the Cape of Good Hope, the southwesternmost point in Africa.

Meals: Breakfast,

Hotel: None

DAY 3

Cape Town

Enjoy a day of leisure in Cape Town, choosing from a variety of optional activities. Hike up iconic Table Mountain or hop on a cable car to the summit, taking in extraordinary views of the city and the Atlantic seaboard. Or explore the Cape Winelands, visiting the historical city of Stellenbosch, touring wine estates with expert guides, and indulging in a variety of tastings and pairings.

Meals: Breakfast,

Hotel: None

DAY 4

Cape Town/Johannesburg

Fly to Johannesburg, then take a guided tour of Soweto township. Soweto was an important center of South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement and home to its leader, Nelson Mandela. Visit the Mandela House Museum and learn about this painful chapter in the country’s history. In the evening, enjoy a traditional South African braai (barbecue) with your fellow travellers.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Hotel: None

DAY 5

Johannesburg/Greater Kruger Area

Set out towards Kruger National Park via the magnificent Panorama Route, one of the world’s most picturesque drives. Make stops at the dramatic Blyde River Canyon and Bourke's Luck Potholes, and take in panoramic views of the forest-covered valley from the God's Window viewpoint. Continue to our tented camp near Kruger National Park and savour a delicious South African dinner in a boma.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Hotel: None

DAY 6

Kruger National Park

Rise early and climb aboard an open jeep for a full-day safari in Kruger National Park—home to an extraordinary array of large mammals. Spot elephants, lions, giraffes, and perhaps elusive leopards as we explore this breathtaking wilderness of savanna and scrubland. Return to our lodge in the evening, where you can take some time to relax on the deck and enjoy the nocturnal sounds of the bush.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Hotel: None

DAY 7

Greater Kruger Area/Karongwe Private Game Reserve

Travel to the Karongwe Private Game Reserve, a pristine wildlife sanctuary located in the Greater Kruger area. Meet with a researcher from the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Cheetah Metapopulation Project—a program funded in part by National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative—and learn about efforts to protect the region’s cheetahs and other carnivores. The researcher then joins us for a wildlife-viewing excursion through the reserve.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hotel: None

DAY 8

Karongwe Private Game Reserve

Spend the day exploring Karongwe on morning and afternoon safaris with our local guides. Search for buffaloes, elephants, leopards, lions, and rhinos—Africa's famed "big five"—as we drive through the shrublands of the bushveld. Back at camp, relax on deck or take a walk around the grounds.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hotel: None

DAY 9

Karongwe Private Game Reserve/Johannesburg

Embark on one last safari this morning, keeping a lookout for Karongwe’s iconic inhabitants. Then head back to the city, where you’ll enjoy dinner in our local guest house.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Hotel: None

DAY 10

Johannesburg/Windhoek

Fly to Windhoek and transfer to your hotel. Enjoy free time to explore the Namibian capital this afternoon.

Meals: Breakfast,

Hotel: None

DAY 11

Windhoek/Sesriem

Set off from the Namibian capital towards Sesriem, the gateway to jaw-dropping Namib-Naukluft National Park. Drive past red-hued desertscapes, stark camel thorn trees, and dramatic curved dunes while keeping an eye out for the astonishing creatures that call these arid lands home—the oryx, springbok, jackal, hyena, and more. Settle in to our lodge and relax poolside, watching a fiery crimson sunset over the desert.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Hotel: None

DAY 12

Sesriem

Embark on a thrilling excursion into one of Africa’s largest national parks aboard a 4x4. Explore the Namib desert, the oldest desert in the world; and venture to the massive dunes at Sossusvlei and the white clay pan of Deadvlei. Capture dramatic images of dead camel thorn trees against a backdrop of orange dunes and a crisp blue sky. Then visit the Sesriem Canyon, a natural gorge carved out by the Tsauchab River over millions of years.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Hotel: None

DAY 13

Sesriem/Swakopmund

Continue by road through changing desert landscapes towards the coastal city of Swakopmund. Look out for roaming zebra, kudu, springbok, and oryx on the way, and take a break in the quirky town of Solitaire before heading into the countryside. Here, we meet a local for a 4x4 drive through the desert, learning about the survival strategies of bushmen who lived in this inhospitable area thousands of years ago. We also search for the smaller wildlife that has managed to survive here, such as snakes, geckos, spiders, and an array of insects.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Hotel: None

DAY 14

Swakopmund

Enjoy a free morning in Swakopmund, getting a taste of the town’s unique Afro-German culture; or opt to go sandboarding in the Namib desert. This afternoon, take a tour of Mondesa township with a local guide, learning about its people and history. Visit the local market for an introduction to traditional foods such as wild spinach, mopane worms, and dried sardines or kapenta. Stop by an arts and crafts shop; chat with the locals; and round off the day with dinner and a performance at a cozy family-run establishment.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Hotel: None

DAY 15

Swakopmund/Palmwag

Make your way to Twyfelfontein—Namibia’s first UNESCO World Heritage site—to see some of Africa’s largest concentrations of petroglyphs. Marvel at these remarkable engravings, carved by prehistoric hunter-gatherers and depicting rhinos, elephants, and ostriches, as well as human and animal footprints. Then continue to our lodge on the Palmwag nature reserve in northwest Damaraland.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Hotel: None

DAY 16

Palmwag/Etosha National Park Area

Enjoy a relaxed morning at our lodge or opt for a guided walk in the Palmwag reserve, home to many rare, desert-adapted species. In the afternoon, travel towards Etosha National Park, arguably Namibia’s most spectacular wildlife sanctuary. Settle into our lodge, located outside of the park.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Hotel: None

DAY 17

Etosha National Park Area

Spend a full day on safari in Etosha National Park, where open grasslands converge on a massive salt pan. Etosha harbours some of the largest populations of lions, elephants, and endangered black rhinos in the world, so keep your camera on the ready as you explore in your open vehicle. Enjoy lunch at one of the park’s rest areas, where you can also take a swim; and sit back and watch all manner of creatures—including hundreds of species of birds—flock to the nearby watering hole.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Hotel: None

DAY 18

Etosha National Park Area/Windhoek

After breakfast, visit the Cheetah Conservation Fund, a global research and education center founded by National Geographic Grantee Dr. Laurie Marker. Tour the facility to learn about the important conservation and community outreach work they do to protect the world’s fastest land animal, and enjoy a talk by one of the researchers. Then head out on a drive through the grounds to meet some of the center’s rescued and rehabilitated cheetahs. Continue to Windhoek for our final evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Hotel: None

DAY 19

Windhoek/Victoria Falls

Catch a flight to the town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, named after one of the most powerful waterfalls on Earth. Visit a nearby village and go grocery shopping in the bustling market. Then sit down with a local family for dinner, helping your hosts prepare a traditional Zimbabwean meal using the ingredients you picked out, and hear stories about local life and culture.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Hotel: None

DAY 20

Victoria Falls

Set out for a tour of magnificent Victoria Falls. Scottish explorer David Livingstone named them after Britain’s Queen Victoria, while their older, indigenous name is Mosi-oa-Tunya—“the smoke that thunders.” Opt to embark on a thrilling white-water excursion on the Zambezi River; soar above the roaring falls in a helicopter; or take a day trip to wildlife-rich Chobe National Park.

Meals: Breakfast,

Hotel: None

DAY 21

Victoria Falls

Depart at any time.

Meals: Breakfast,

Hotel: None

Inclusions

Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens Guided Tour, Cape Town Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Carnivore Conservation Experience, Karongwe Private Game Reserve Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Mondesa Township Walk, Swakopmund Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Cheetah Conservation Experience, Windhoek Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Zimbabwean Family Dinner, Victoria Falls Your Foodie Moment: Traditional South Africa Braai (Barbecue), Johannesburg

Arrival transfer

Orientation drive of Cape Town

Excursion to Cape Point and Boulders Beach

Soweto tour

Panorama Route scenic drive

Kruger National Park and private nature reserve wildlife safari drives in open vehicles

Sossusvlei desert excursion

Desert excursion with a local

View the Twyfelfontein ancient petroglyphs

Full-day open-vehicle wildlife safari drive in Etosha

Tour of Victoria Falls

Internal flights

All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

Not Included

Additional 5% GST

International Flights and VISA fees

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Dates and prices

Start date

24 Jan 2022

End date

13 Feb 2022

11+ Spots left

21 Days / 20 Nights

~~$8,306~~

$7,099

Zimbabwe,Namibia,South Africa