THE SOUTH AFRICA  EXPERIENCE

Namukelekile – 'welcome' to South Africa.

Day 1 – Departure

Depart today on board your South African Airways overnight flight to Johannesburg.  (Meals Aloft)

Day 2 – Johannesburg

Upon arrival at the Johannesburg International Airport this afternoon, you will be met and escorted to your hotel. Often called Jo'burg, Johannesburg is the country's largest city and financial center with ultra modern skyscrapers and a bustling way of life. It is the city of gold, as its claim to fame is the gold that was discovered close-by. Enjoy sometime on your own to get acclimated. ACCOMMODATIONS: D’OREALE GRAND HOTEL (D)

Days 3/4/5 –Maun/Okavango Delta – Stanley’s Camp, Botswana

Today you will fly to Maun, Botswana, where upon arrival you will board your light aircraft for your flight to one of the world’s most distinctive regions, the Okavango Delta – earth’s largest inland water systems. Its headwaters start in Angola’s western highlands, with numerous tributaries joining to form the Cubango River, which then flows through Namibia (called the Kavango) and finally enters Botswana, where it is then called the Okavango. Millions of years ago the Okavango River used to flow into a large inland lake called Lake Makgadikgadi (now Makgadikgadi Pans). Tectonic activity and faulting interrupted the flow of the river causing it to backup schedules, accommodations and prices are accurate at the time of writing. They are subject to change and form what is now the Okavango Delta. This has created a unique system of water ways that now supports a vast array of animal and plant life that would have otherwise been a dry Kalahari savannah. Stanley’s Camp is situated in a private community concession, on the southern tip of Chief’s Island bordering the Moremi game Reserve. This intimate luxury camp is set under an amphitheater of Ebony and Sausage trees, in a seasonal section of the Okavango Delta, where the floodwaters usually arrive in June.  The large dining and lounge areas are under a Bedouin style canvas canopy with open-sides, enhancing the ever changing views over the floodplains. The 8 tented rooms are privately set apart from each other, with individually interior design and furnished in a 19th century antique Colonial elegance. The carved wooden beds sport top quality linens and the en-suite bathrooms are privately screened off. All the tents are cooled by traditional ceiling fans and wide doors which open onto the private wooden decks, enticing you to relax in lazy hammocks. Being on a private concession, you are able to track nocturnal animals on exciting night drives, or enjoy the gentle pace of the mokoro excursions and the walking safaris. Passing game, especially large herds of buffalo, can be seen from the sun deck at the rim-flow pool and all the stories of the day are shared around the open campfire. One of the highlights of this Camp allows you to experience a day in the life of an elephant, at an interactive level. Your stay at Stanley’s includes all meals, local drinks, laundry, daily game activities and park fees. Diverse ecosystems of the Delta make for a wonderful array of wildlife, including elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, and cheetah, as well as most other species of wildlife associated with Africa.. Activities include day and night wildlife drives in open 4x4 vehicles as well as nature walks. This is not a water activity camp. Wildlife seen here includes elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard and cheetah. Wild dog are among the major wildlife attractions of the area. You should also see zebra, reedbuck, red lechwe, impala, and all the plains species. Night drives can be very rewarding, giving you rare opportunities to view animals such as civet, serval, genet, pangolin, porcupine and aardwolf. ACCOMMODATIONS: STANLEY’S CAMP (B, L, D)

Day’s 6/7- Okavango Delta/Chobe Chilwero

Board your light aircraft once again for your flight to Chobe Chilwero.

Here, you’ll spend the next two days on wildlife drives and boat activities. You can relax and marvel at the plethora of wildlife, birdlife and plant species, or you can explore and view the wildlife right in front of your fabulous lodge. World renowned for its wildlife, Chobe is known as a symbol for so many of the things that are unusual, exciting and interesting in Botswana. It is the second largest park in Botswana, and the first declared national park. It can be divided into four main focal points; Chobe River front with floodplains and teak forest, Savuti Marsh in the west, the Linyanti swamps in the northwest, and the hot, dry hinterland in between. Your destination will be the Chobe River front, and your accommodation will be close to the town of Kasane, the heart of a road network which gives access to Zambia, Zimbabwe and to the Caprivi Strip of Namibia. The park covers a wide variety of country; riverine forest, floodplain, periodic marsh, mopane and miombo woodland as well as a few rocky outcrops. Such a diversity of habitats implies a wide variety of wildlife, which ranges from water animals such as hippo, crocodile, otter and fish, to forest and dryland species such as elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and eland. In all areas predators abound – lion, leopard, cheetah and hyena are plentiful. In the open grasslands of the pans, one can find the rare oribi and occasional reedbuck. Puku, an antelope associated with this park, can often be seen in herds around the edge of the river. The Chobe River is also well known for its magnificent bird viewing, with over 400 different species, ranging from eagles to kingfishers and from Marabou Storks to bee eaters. Occasionally, Carmine Bee eaters build colonies in the sand banks of the floodplains where they nest in their thousands. There are over 90 species of fish in the local waters.  A major feature of Chobe National Park is its overabundance of elephant often seen at the river front bathing in the water. Vast numbers of elephant come down to drink in the late afternoons and it is possible to see as many as one thousand of these magnificent animals. The Chobe elephant comprise part of what is probably the largest surviving continuous elephant population, covering most of northern Botswana and northwestern Zimbabwe. Botswana's elephant population is currently estimated at around 120,000, which has built up steadily from a few thousand in the early 1900s and has escaped the massive illegal off take that has decimated other populations in the 1970s and 1980s. These elephants are migratory, making seasonal movements of up to 124 miles from the Chobe and Linyanti Rivers, where they concentrate in the dry season, to the pans in the southeast of the park, to which they disperse in the rains. Along with elephants may spot buffalo, giraffe, zebra, lion, cheetah and leopard as well as over 400 species of birdlife. In the evening enjoy a sundowner as you are entertained by the local elephant and hippo. The Chobe Chilwero lodge offers silver service, gourmet meals and fine wines against the backdrop of mesmerizing African sunsets and sunrises over the river. The main lounge area has a strong authentic African design and décor with deep orange and mustard textures, opening out to the rolling lawns and the split-level swimming pool, with the river beyond. The 15 thatched cottages each have their own private garden where guests can sip cocktails, or enjoy a private dinner served under the African sky. The rooms are calm and spacious and the en-suite bathrooms have inside and outside showers and freestanding bath tubs placed at the window. All the cottages are air-conditioned and have ceiling fans, in-room safes and mini bars. The sitting areas are comfy spaces, tastefully dotted with African artifacts, creating a true private safari cottage feel. Visitors to this region enjoy game drives and river cruises to view the largest elephant populations in Africa. There is also an environmentally friendly Spa with vichy showers, hydrotherapy, plunge pool an one of the treatment rooms is elevated in the treetops. ACCOMMODATIONS: CHOBE CHILWERO LODGE (B, L, D)

Days 8/9 - Chobe/Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Drive to Victoria Falls today. At more than twice the size of Niagara Falls it’s no surprise that Victoria Falls are among the Seven Wonders of the World. Mosi-oa-Tunya – The Smoke that Thunders, derived from the towering column of spray when the Zambezi River runs high, is the name that Zimbabwe's local people have given to this awesome natural phenomenon. The name is probably more appropriate and descriptive than "Victoria", which has a far too calm and composed ring to it to do justice to the masses of thundering, swirling water of these spectacular falls. But all Dr. David Livingstone probably thought of when he named the falls after his Queen in 1855 was his royal duty. Five separate falls make up this incredible spectacle that plunges more than 300 feet into a sheer-sided chasm which separates Zimbabwe from Zambia. The awe-inspiring abyss is spanned by a 1905 Edwardian bridge which links the two countries and many adventurers now use to bungee jump. The masses of water plunging down the falls and into the gorge below originate from the mighty Zambezi River that meanders through more than 1,677 miles of African countryside. An afternoon sundowner cruise on a private boat will be a highlight as you glide along the Zambezi River, watching hippos snort, elephants drink on the riverbank, monkeys jump from branch to branch, birds fly overhead or pose for a photograph on the branches, and much more. Enjoy a drink and see a panoramic sunset as the sun dips below the horizon, painting the whole area in unbelievable colors of brilliant reds, yellows, purples and mauves. Enjoy a visit to an authentic native village to see how the local people live. You will be escorted by your English-speaking village guide, seeing a culture and ways of life that remains virtually unchanged through the ages. View their daily rituals, from the women cooking and mending their huts, to the artistic woodcarvings created right in front of you by the village artisans. Children scatter about and you are welcome to mingle and take photographs. Long after you’ve left, this cultural visit will remain with you, as you’ll feel as though you’ve experienced a different part of Africa, quite essential if you’re to understand the complexity of this continent. Overlooking the mighty Zambezi River and some of its islands, under a shady canopy of jackal berry and water berry trees lays Toka Leya, your accommodation for the next two nights. The islands in front of camp are intriguing and part of the braided channel of the Zambezi with some rapids, a main channel and fringing dense vegetation. The camp consists of 12 safari-style tents, each en-suite with a view of the magnificent Zambezi River and some of its islands. The camp's dining and bar area is set beneath a shaded canopy of trees overlooking the River and a swimming pool. Victoria Falls Hotel is situated on a world heritage site overlooking the magnificent Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. This gracious 1904 colonial-style hotel, with its distinctive white walls, red roof tiles and high ceilings, is set on a terraced garden of rolling lawns, tropical foliage and fountains. The grand Livingstone Room is known for fine dining and dancing, while the Jungle Junction Summerhouse offers causal buffets and ethnic entertainment. Stanley's Terrace is a perfect outdoor setting for snacks, high teas and cocktails overlooking the famous Victoria Falls Bridge. The 161 rooms and suites epitomize the romance of travel in their rich traditional Colonial style, with many original finishes and fittings. All the rooms are air-conditioned and have satellite TV, safety deposit boxes, bar bridges and coffee and tea stations. The dressing rooms have trouser presses and hair dryers and the en-suite bathrooms boast the typical black and white tiles, free standing Victorian bath tubs and separate showers. The king or twin beds are mostly four poster, surrounded by dark woods and heavy drapes, with plenty of space for sitting areas and writing desks. The grounds are adorned with the bygone features of floodlit, all-weather tennis courts, a large rectangular freshwater swimming pool and a quaint chapel, privately set away from the main building. Make use of the massage, beauty and hair salon, the gift shops, the business centre and internet lounge as well as the babysitting services. The spectacular Victoria Falls and the enchanted rain forest is an easy 10 minute walk away. ACCOMMODATIONS: VICTORIA FALLS HOTEL (B, L, D)

Day 10/11/12 – Victoria Falls/Hwange National Park

Leave Victoria Falls today driving to Hwange National Park located in the northwest corner of Zimbabwe, approximately one hour south of the Mighty Victoria Falls. The park was named after a local Nhanzwa chief, and it is the largest Park in Zimbabwe occupying roughly 14 650 square kilometers. The area used to be the royal hunting grounds to the Ndebele warrior-king Mzilikazi and it was set aside as a National Park in 1929. This is an area of great beauty, comprising salt pans, acacia scrub and wide open grassy plains, supporting great herds of buffalo and elephant, all the "big five" and excellent birding. The park has numerous facilities including an airport, petrol stations, good roads and a range of accommodation options. See massive herds of buffalo, elephant and zebra. Travel by 4 x4 open vehicles, or on foot to see sable and roan antelope, impala and gemsbok.  Predators are abundant, including lion, wild dog, cheetah, African wild cat, leopard, Black-backed jackal and brown hyena.  If you are a birdwatcher keep your eyes open for Red-billed Francolin and Yellow-billed Stork, African Hawk Eagle and Black Sparrow hawk. The Hide Safari Lodge is situated within the Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe’s largest game reserve and the countries north western border with Botswana. The main area is a double volume “A” Frame building with the dining room and sun lounge downstairs and the main lounge and viewing deck upstairs, all offering uninterrupted views of the plain and the waterhole. The lounges are relaxing spaces, filled with welcoming leather and teak and the dining room is adorned with African art and a very social 22 seater teak wood dining table. The 10 East African styled tented rooms have canvas walls and roofs, which are set on concrete slabs and shaded by large thatch structures. The twin or king beds are surrounded by solid Zimbabwe Teak furniture and the en suite bathrooms have free standing baths, outside showers and plenty of vanity space. All the tents open out to private verandahs overlooking the waterhole.

ACCOMMODATIONS: THE HIDE SAFARI CAMP (B, L, D)

Day 13 – Hwange/Victoria Falls/Johannesburg

Drive back to Victoria Falls Airport where you will board a flight to Johannesburg. Enjoy the afternoon at your leisure. ACCOMMODATIONS: D’OREALE GRANDE HOTEL ( B)

Day 14/15/16/17 – Krueger National Park

A charter flight takes you from Johannesburg to Timbavati.

Timbavati Private Nature Reserve is situated on 53 000 hectares of private land, adjoining the Kruger National Park. Since 1962, the Timbavati Association has been dedicated to conservation and this “big five” reserve is now characterized by strong lion, leopard and cheetah populations, as well as large herds of buffalo, wild dog and elephant. Timbavati is the birth place of the famous white lions, only known to occur in the Timbavati region.  In 2006 a resident pride gave birth to two white cubs for the first time in many years. The area is famous for sightings of buffalo, lion, leopard, rhino and elephant. Kings Camp Private Game Reserve is situated in the bio-diverse Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, lying on the western boundary of the greater Kruger National Park. A family owned lodge, it has 17,000 hectares of traversing land and a charming, relaxed feel to it. The informal living areas include a thatched viewing deck overlooking an active waterhole, while the lounge and bar are open to views of the African bushveld. A generous pool, with views over the plains towards the waterhole is set in well manicured lawn, while the lodge also has a gym and small spa. The 10 spacious thatched suites portray a strong Colonial influence in their décor, with an emphasis on the romance of the era. Each suite has air-conditioning, mini-bars, private verandahs and sizeable en-suite bathrooms with Victorian baths, as well as indoor and outdoor showers. Your stay at Kings Camp includes all meals, local drinks and two game drives a day, as well as return transfers from the airstrip.

Day 18 – Krueger National Park/Johannesburg

Return to Johannesburg today where you will have a day room. This evening you will be transferred to the airport for your overnight flight back to Washington D.C.. ACCOMMODATIONS: D’OREALE GRAND HOTEL (D)

Day 19 – Home

This morning you land in the USA and connect with your flight home, bringing with you the memories of all the wonderful sights of Southern Africa. (Meals Aloft)

PLEASE NOTE: Schedules, accommodations and prices are accurate at the time of writing. They are subject to change.

    YOUR TRIP INCLUDES

• International air Washington/ Johannesburg/Washington
  

• All flights between the camps.
  

• Superior accommodations throughout as indicated or similar.
  

• ·All meals while on safari. Other meals as specified in itinerary.
  

• All wildlife viewing by private 4X4 open vehicles, driven by professional driver/guides.
  

• Laundry and all local beverages during safari in Botswana except for Champagne and imported spirits.
  

• Specialist guide will escort the group throughout Southern Africa with a minimum of 8 passengers.
  

• Complimentary bottled water in vehicles throughout.
  

• All applicable hotel and lodge taxes and gratuities for baggage handling.
  

• All park entry fees and sightseeing as specified.
  

• Baggage tags and passport wallet.
  

    NOT INCLUDED

• U.S. Departure taxes and Airport Security fees
  

• Passport and visa fees and service charges for obtaining visas. No visas are required for South Africa, or Botswana.
  

• Gratuities to driver/guides and other conveyance attendants.
  

• Excess baggage charges levied by airlines.
  

• Meals and beverages, other than specified.
  

• Laundry, other than specified and other items of a personal nature.
  

• Personal and baggage insurance.
  

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