We’re straight into the action, arriving in Victoria Falls. Here you’ll experience your first taste of the real Africa we’ve come to see. Explore Victoria Falls, one of the seven wonders of the natural world, and see your first African sunset on a sundowners cruise on the mighty Zambezi River, a prelude of things to come. Experience ‘glamping’ at its nest and the magical sights and sounds of the African bush in Botswana's unique Okavango Delta. We go in search of Africa’s ‘big five’, elephants, buffalos, the elusive leopards, the endangered rhinos and the ‘king of the jungle’, the mighty lion. We hope you can join us on our Wild Africa Experience, showcasing Southern Africa and all its beauty.

“Travelling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller. ” - Ibn Battuta

25 AUGUST - 14 SEPTEMBER • 21 DAYS

NEW ZEALAND – SINGAPORE transit Singapore

Day 1 We depart New Zealand this morning bound for Zimbabwe with an overnight stay at Singapore’s Changi Airport to assist us in arriving in the best condition possible.

SINGAPORE – JOHANNESBURG – VICTORIA FALLS three nights Victoria Falls

Day 2 We arrive in Zimbabwe, and the World Heritage Site of Victoria Falls. For the next three nights we’ll be staying right at the footsteps of ‘Mosi Oa Tunya’, or ‘The Smoke That Thunders’. Late afternoon sit back and relax as we cruise the Zambezi River aboard the Lady Livingstone. Spot elephants and other game coming down to the riverbank to drink against the backdrop of the setting sun over sundowners and canapés, a fitting start to a great adventure.

Day 3 The Devils Cataract, Boiling Pot, Danger Point, Horseshoe and Rainbow Falls highlight a spectacular display of nature’s power. Our knowledgeable guide will recount the history of the falls, from their formation and their discovery by Dr Livingstone, to present day. The lush rainforest surrounding the falls is a perfect habitat for a large number of bird species including sunbirds, fire finches, paradise flycatchers and kingfishers to name a few, as well as vervet monkey, baboons and bush buck. This afternoon why not call in at the Grand Old Lady, the Victoria Falls Hotel for a cocktail or high tea and experience the atmosphere of a bygone era.

Day 4 Our last day in Vic Falls is yours to do as you please. There are many optional trips that can be arranged from lion encounters, helicopter flights over the falls, elephant safaris, horseback riding bush safaris, rhino encounters and more. A visit to Victoria Falls isn’t complete without a stop at the souvenir and curios market. Here you’ll find something totally African, big or small to remind you of our wonderful journey.

VICTORIA FALLS – KASANE – OKAVANGO DELTA three nights Okavango Delta

Day5 This morning we transfer by road to the Zimbabwe/Botswana border crossing. At Kasane we embark on a scenic flight by light plane to the Jewel of the Kalahari, the Okavango Delta. Our lodge is located deep in the heart of the Okavango, where you will experience glamping at its best in the immense beauty and vastness of Africa’s largest inland water systems, a unique habitat for many species of animals and birds.

Days 6-7 The Okavango’s unique ecosystem allows for a diverse spectrum of wild life, including impala, tsessebe, buffalo, wildebeest, elephant, zebra, sitatunga, lechwe and waterbuck. Lion, cheetah and packs of wild dogs hunt the open grassland shadowed by hyenas on the look-out for an easy meal. We view the game by comfortable motorized boat, Mokoro (traditional dug-out canoe – optional) and guided bush walks under the supervision of expert guides and trackers.

OKAVANGO DELTA – KASANE – CHOBE NATIONAL PARK three nights Chobe

Day 8 Today we transfer to our Safari lodge situated on the banks of the Chobe River. The lodge offers a variety of activities including morning and late afternoon game drives and sunset river cruises to witness the largest concentration of elephant herds on the planet.

Days 9-10 Enjoy spectacular views of elephant along with giraffe, kudu and various species of antelope who rely on Chobe’s life giving water. Experience close-up views of hippo, crocodile and monitor lizards. See many species of birdlife including bee catchers, varieties of kingfishers, herons, stalks and egrets. Our early morning and evening game activities provide us with the best opportunity to observe the activities of predators such as lion, leopard, wild dog and more. If the rigours of life on safari are catching- up with you why not recharge your batteries and treat yourself to a sleep-in and delicious buffet breakfast. Relax in a comfortable deck chair with a good book and take in the panoramic views and activities over the Caprivi floodplain where grazing buffalo, elephant and antelope are only a glance away.

CHOBE NATIONAL PARK – VICTORIA FALLS – JOHANNESBURG one night Johannesburg

Day 11 Following a hearty breakfast we farewell Botswana and transfer to Victoria Falls Airport. This afternoon we fly to Johannesburg where we have an overnight stop.

JOHANNESBURG – HOEDSPRUIT – KRUGER NATIONAL PARK three nights Kruger

Day 12 This morning we fly from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit, gateway to Kruger National Park. On arrival we’ll be met by our hosts and transferred by safari 4x4 vehicles to our wonderful bush lodge. Late afternoon we enjoy a game drive, before relaxing over dinner. Kruger is one of Africa’s largest game parks covering an area of 19,485 square kilometres. Our lodge is a private reserve on 13,000 hectares that shares an open boundary with Kruger, allowing animals to move freely between the reserve and park. The reserve is a sanctuary for the rare and endangered rhino which are being decimated throughout Kruger by poaching.

Days 13-14 Over the next two days we’ll enjoy early morning and evening safaris in open top Land Rovers. There’s a diverse variety of animal and plant species in the reserve including herds of wildebeest, zebra, various antelope species, giraffe, hippo and Africa’s ‘Big Five’, elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and buffalo. The variety in game viewing times affords us the best opportunity to see some of Africa’s greatest ‘hunters’ when they are generally most active.

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK – HOEDSPRUIT – CAPE TOWN four nights Cape Town

Day 15 After our final morning game drive, our Kruger experience comes to an end. We bid farewell to our hosts and with indelible memories and photos to match, depart for Cape Town. Arriving Cape Town late afternoon, we’ll be transferred to our hotel located in the city centre on the Victoria and Albert Waterfront. The evening is yours to relax and enjoy the vibrant surroundings of the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront.

Day16 Today begins with an orientation tour of the city including a ride on the revolving cable car to the summit of iconic Table Mountain for panoramic views over the city and surrounds. We visit Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, acclaimed as one of the great botanic gardens in the world, with over 7,000 indigenous plant species, many endangered. We’ll also see the Castle of Good Hope built by the Dutch East Indies Company in 1652, the oldest surviving colonial building in South Africa. We see Cape Town’s City Hall where Nelson Mandela made his inaugural speech to the people of South Africa upon his release from prison 12 February 1990.

Day 17 We begin the day with a scenic drive along the Atlantic Coast en-route to Cape Peninsula, and the southernmost point on the African continent. We pass by the Twelve Apostles continuing on to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, home to a variety of wildlife. Keep your eyes peeled for migrating humpback whales, baboons, Cape Mountain zebra, rhebok, bontebok and the elusive eland. The reserve is also one of the world’s largest breeding grounds for tortoises and is home to an abundance of birdlife. We return to Cape Town via False Bay calling in at Simon’s Town naval base to see the penguin colony at Boulders Beach.

Day 18 Today we explore South Africa’s famous wine region, where we enjoy some beautiful wines during the course of the day. Our first stop is Paarl. It was here on 11 February 1990 Nelson Mandela was finally released from prison and to freedom. We continue on to the beautiful village of Franschhoek, framed by a backdrop of the majestic Franschhoek and Drakenstein Mountains. Following lunch and a wine tasting we make our way to Stellenbosch, South Africa’s second oldest town, founded in 1679 and displaying a gracious blend of 18th century Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian architecture.

CAPE TOWN – JOHANNESBURG – SINGAPORE – NEW ZEALAND transit Singapore

Days 19-21 Sadly the sun sets on our African adventure and we depart Cape Town late morning bound for New Zealand with a transit stop en-route in Singapore. We arrive back in New Zealand full of memories of time spent with new found friends, experiences beyond expectation and a greater appreciation for this incredible part of the world.