After your airport greeting, transfer to your hotel. Your Tour Director hosts a Welcome Reception at 6:30 pm. 

Your full-day exploration on one of the world’s most beautiful drives takes you southeast along the Atlantic seaboard past the 12 Apostles, Hout Bay, and Chapman’s Peak. Stop at the Cape of Good Hope, first rounded in modern times in 1488 by the Portuguese in their attempt to establish trade in the Far East and still a significant landmark for sailors today. Also visit Boulder Beach, home to thousands of African penguins. Lunch today is fine dining with drinks overlooking False Bay. 

Choose from two sightseeing options today. The first option is to take a cableway up Table Mountain for spectacular views from the summit. Then head out to the scenic Cape Winelands, which comprises the Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl valleys. Visit two renowned vineyards and sample their wines. A sumptuous regional meal lunch is included along the way. Or you can choose to board a ferry to Robben Island, once used as a prison for many political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela. Your tour is led by a former inmate before returning back to Cape Town. After lunch, board the cableway to the summit of Table Mountain followed by a drive through some of the city’s diverse neighborhoods.

Fly to Kasane, Botswana via Johannesburg. Here you are transferred to the Chobe River where tender boats escort you to board the Zambezi Queen. This afternoon, enjoy the view as you settle in on the river before a Welcome Cocktail and Dinner on board the vessel. 

This morning embark on a boat safari to explore the Chobe River’s spectacular game viewing. Then journey back to the Zambezi Queen for lunch and time to relax on board. Later today, enjoy a slightly different version of a river safari aboard a special double decker barge which allows you to venture into the southern channels. This excursion offers you an unusual viewpoint to observe hippos and elephants in their natural habitat. 

Join a full-day safari of Chobe National Park in open-top 4x4 vehicles. Chobe National Park is home to one of the most dense populations of wildlife in Africa. Be on the lookout for elephants, giraffe, zebra, sable, warthog, and cape buffalo. Prides of lions, hyenas, and more rarely cheetahs are normally visible along the way. Lunch includes a delicious picnic served up under the trees. 

This morning, enjoy an unforgettable visit to a typical African village to experience the local culture firsthand. Spend time with the children of the village as well as its elders and learn about their day-to-day life. After lunch on board, you can choose your afternoon activity including an afternoon safari by boat, bird watching, or fishing. Tonight your crew hosts an African-themed dinner complete with singing and dancing. 

Transfer to legendary Victoria Falls, one of the greatest natural wonders on earth. Spend the afternoon exploring the town or experience one of the many activities offered at your hotel. This evening travel back in time aboard a historic steam train and jaunt onto the iconic Victoria Falls Bridge. The sweeping views are unforgettable and with five-star service you can enjoy cocktails and appetizers along the way. Dinner follows at the hotel.

Join a local guide for a tour of remarkable Victoria Falls, more commonly referred to as the smoke that thunders. The afternoon is free. Relax and enjoy the amenities and grounds of your iconic hotel, walk into town for a little shopping, or take an optional outing. Tonight, embark on a private and festive Sundowner cruise complete with drinks and tapas, along with music. 

Fly to Johannesburg and check into the Fairlawns Boutique Hotel. Enjoy a leisurely evening. (B)

Head out this morning for a fascinating look at Johannesburg and the rich history it has to share, from colonialism to apartheid, and finally democracy. Get an in-depth look at Soweto, the center of the uprising against the apartheid state. Walk the footsteps of Nelson Mandela and explore the colorful neighborhoods. Also, visit the Apartheid Museum. Enjoy a delicious “township” lunch along the way. 

This morning fly to the Greater Kruger National Park, where you are transferred to a private game lodge, luxurious Tintswalo Safari Lodge. Later, set out on an afternoon game drive in search of the country’s “Big Five” and other native wildlife. Tonight, enjoy your first dinner at the lodge.

Begin your day with an early morning game drive. Your open-air vehicle is the perfect means to explore this private game reserve, located just a stone’s throw from the game-rich Kruger National Park. The rest of the morning can be spent enjoying the facilities at your lodge. The afternoon brings another game drive deep into the bush, where you may encounter South Africa’s top predators: cheetahs, hyenas, and lions. 

Enjoy two exhilarating game drives today, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, as well as ample leisure time to relax and enjoy your game lodge accommodations. Tonight, after dining with your fellow travelers, the evening is yours to read, socialize, or simply gaze up at the stunning star-filled African sky.

Early this morning, have your final game-drive before returning to the lodge for breakfast. Afterwards, transfer to the airport for your flight to Johannesburg for your connecting flight home. Please do not schedule onward flight before 4:30 pm.