South Africa, Botswana & Kenya

‘Welkom' to Cape Town, a city completely different to anywhere else in Africa. Established in 1652 with the arrival of Dutch settlers, the city is surrounded by superb beaches and majestic mountains, including the incredible Table Mountain. Apart from Cape Town's stunning natural features, the city is blessed with a laid-back ambience that meets with the approval of bohemians and holidaymakers alike. Cape Town is renowned for its great food and wine and has been named by some as the best food city in the world. Meet your tour guide and fellow travellers for a welcome drink this evening.

This morning is free for you to enjoy and explore at your leisure. This afternoon, we take a cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain (weather permitting), South Africa's most iconic landmark. Table Mountain towers over the city and is the country's most photographed attraction. It takes only 5 minutes to ascend by cable car and once atop, we'll be rewarded with spectacular views over the city, beaches and across Table Bay to Robben Island. Tonight, we enjoy a group welcome dinner at GOLD, a unique African-themed restaurant with a Cape Malay and African menu as well as djembe drumming.

Discover the region's best on a picturesque sightseeing tour today. This morning we travel along the scenic Chapmans Peak as we make our way towards Cape Point, the most south-westerly tip of the African continent. We'll also discover the Cape of Good Hope before returning to Cape Town via Simon's Town and Boulder's Beach. Here, a colony of African penguins, also known as Jackass penguins, have established themselves since the 1980s. The penguins bray like donkeys (hence their name) and from just two original breeding pairs, there are now over 2,500 penguins on this beach. The evening is free to relax or for some last-minute shopping at the V&A Waterfront.

This morning we make our way to Stellenbosch. Located in the heart of the wine region, Stellenbosch dates to 1679 and is the second-oldest town in South Africa. This university town is surrounded by the vineyards of the Cape Winelands and the mountainous nature reserves of Jonkershoek and Simonsberg. The town's oak-shaded streets are lined with cafes, boutiques and art galleries. Cape Dutch architecture gives a sense of South Africa's Dutch colonial history, as do the Village Museum's period houses and gardens.

Special Experience: Take a gourmet Cape cuisine walking tour, through local shops while learning the town history of Stellenbosch. Our next stop is Glen Carlou Wine Estate, where we will enjoy some local tastings, with fantastic views of the Drakenstein Mountains in the background.

We will transfer to the airport today, for our flight to the Kruger region, where we will continue to Nkambeni Private Concession. A place of unspoilt wilderness, Nkambeni is home to a spectacular array of wildlife, including the ‘Big 5' – lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffaloes. Whilst on safari, ensure you wear layers, as it can be quite cool in the early hours but can warm up as the sun rises. Make sure you also have your binoculars handy when game driving to enhance your wildlife spotting experience. We'll have lunch at the lodge before exploring the reserve on an afternoon game drive.

Our day is devoted to viewing the abundant wildlife found in this beautiful park on morning and afternoon game drives. We will meet early this morning for tea and coffee before heading off on a thrilling morning game drive. The rugged terrain of the park creates several unique ecosystems to discover. We'll explore in open 4WD safari vehicles with an experienced ranger before returning to the lodge for breakfast and lunch and to allow some free time in between searching for game.

We bid farewell to South Africa and fly to Maun, gateway to the incredible Okavango Delta. Once in Maun, we board a light plane to fly into the Delta. Be sure to look below during the flight for spectacular bird's-eye views. The Okavango Delta is a gloriously vast inland river delta filled with crystal clear waters that spread across the Kalahari Desert, making it Africa's largest wetland wonder. The delta is a haven for wildlife and photographic safaris in northern Botswana. This afternoon we'll head out on an exciting game activity before dinner at the lodge.

We cruise along the delta in a mokoro canoe. Admire the scenery and birdlife as one of the world's richest ecosystems is bathed in morning light. Mokoro canoes were traditionally made from the trunks of straight, large trees. Modern mokoro canoes, however, are typically made from fibreglass.

We'll return to the lodge for lunch before enjoying another fantastic game activity. We might see African buffaloes, hippos, giraffes and wildebeest!

After an early morning search for game, we'll travel to the airstrip for our flight to Kasane. From here, we'll make our way into famous Chobe, the third largest national park in Botswana. Chobe is home to the highest elephant concentration on earth and is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular national parks in Africa. The riverine forests and floodplains support an abundance of game species, which in turn attract predators such as lion, leopard and hyena.

The park is divided into four distinctly different eco systems: Serondela, with its lush plains and dense forests in the Chobe River area in the extreme north, the Savuti Marsh in the west, the Linyanti Swamps in the north-west and the hot, dry hinterland in between. Later today we'll look out for game during our cruise along the Chobe River. A multitude of incredible wildlife species can be found along its banks, enjoy the calming serenity as we watch the sun sink into the horizon.

Before breakfast, we take our first open air safari in this amazing national park. The large concentration of elephants that reside here during the dry season (June to October) congregate along the fertile flood plains of the Chobe River. Other game species found within the park and along the banks of the river include large herds of buffalo, puku, lechwe, bushbuck and kudu. Major species such as lion, leopard, wild dog, sable and roan antelope are also encountered in many areas of the reserve. After lunch, we'll head out on another game activity to experience a different scene as the sun begins to set and the park is bathed in the perfect dusk light.

This morning we cross the border from Botswana to Zimbabwe during our transfer to Victoria Falls.

Victoria Falls, also known as the ‘Smoke that Thunders', is suggested to be the world's biggest waterfall at 1.7-kilometres-wide and 110-metres-high. The noise of the falls can be heard from 40 kilometres away, while its spray and mist can be seen from 50 kilometres.

Victoria Falls is located on the mighty Zambezi River, which forms the international border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. David Livingstone is believed to have been the first European to discover the waterfall in November 1855 and named it in honour of Queen Victoria.

Later this afternoon we'll embark on a private sunset cruise along the Zambezi River.

Victoria Falls is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and we are set to explore them on foot this morning. Our walking discovery will take us to various vantage points from which to view this natural phenomenon. Facing the Zambian side, each viewing point affords a different perspective of the falls, one providing a view of the Victoria Falls Bridge, others taking you through the jungle and some even allowing you to peer right over the edge. Witness the spray and rapturous thunder of the falls.

Millions of tonnes of water tumble over the ridge into the deep narrow gorge, where the Zambezi River continues its eastward course some 110 metres below towards the Indian Ocean. The rest of the day is free to enjoy at leisure. Why not visit the Elephant Walk Markets? This is a great place to find some unique items from local artists and craftsmen. Or if you would rather treat yourself, you could indulge in High Tea at The Victoria Falls Hotel. This evening we'll farewell Southern Africa on a beautiful dinner cruise on the Zambezi River.

Optional Excursion: Victoria Falls Helicopter Tour - After take-off you will fly out over the Victoria Falls where your pilot will fly left- and right-hand circuits over the falls in both directions. Continuing the flight downstream over the Batoka Gorge, experience the natural beauty of this awe-inspiring dramatic feature, following the mighty Zambezi as it carves its way between steep cliffs. Includes return transfers from your Victoria Falls hotel. Excludes Park Fees and Government Fees of $15pp US, which are to be paid locally to the operator. 12 minutes – from US $150 pp / 25 minutes – from US $290 pp (minimum of 3 participants)

Discover the history of Victoria Falls Bridge during an informative and exciting bridge walk. We'll transfer to the airport for our flight to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. Nairobi is the largest city between Cairo and Johannesburg. Although it is just south of the equator, it enjoys spring-like weather year round – warm during the day and cool at night. It is a modern city, yet its main avenues blaze with colour from tropical bushes and vines.

Less than 100 years ago, there was a river in an empty wilderness where Nairobi now stands. Despite health hazards and the ever-present danger of wild animals, Nairobi was established by 1907 and quickly grew. It also attracted world attention as the centre of big-game safaris for the rich and famous - perhaps the most famous was the safari of Teddy Roosevelt, who needed 500 porters to carry supplies.

Today we visit two of Kenya's great conservation projects, beginning with the Daphne Sheldrick's animal orphanage at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. For over 25 years, Kenyan-born Daphne Sheldrick lived and worked alongside her husband David, during which time they raised and successfully rehabilitated many wild species. Daphne Sheldrick's involvement with wildlife has spanned a lifetime. She is now a recognised international authority on the rearing of wild creatures and is the first person to have perfected the milk formula and necessary husbandry for infant milk-dependent elephants and rhinos.

We then visit the AFEW Giraffe Centre, an important conservation initiative created by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife. Here we can get up close whilst feeding the giraffes from an elevated platform. We enjoy a visit to the Karen Blixen Museum - the former residence of famous novelist Karen Blixen. The house contains many of her original pieces along with some exhibits donated by the makers of the film, ‘Out of Africa'.

Stunning scenery awaits as we drive north through rich farming areas. We cross the equator to the semi-arid landscape of Shaba National Reserve, famous for its spectacular game viewing. Shaba National Reserve is located by the banks of the Ewaso Ng'iro River in the northern part of Kenya. The river attracts a lot of wildlife thanks to its shady trees, so the likelihood of seeing a diverse range of wildlife here is even higher. We arrive in time to enjoy lunch at our lodge. An afternoon game drive will introduce us to some of the unique animals in this area, including the reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra and the Somali ostrich.

An early start today for our morning game drive across Shaba's beautiful, rugged landscape. We'll search for lion, buffalo, leopard and the famous 'red elephants of Samburu' - named for the red dust that coats their hides. We return to our lodge for breakfast and some downtime before taking another game drive this afternoon.

Aberdare National Park is our destination today. Consisting of an isolated volcanic range, the Aberdares is roughly 160 kilometres long, north of Nairobi and cover a vast 766 square kilometres. Forming part of the eastern rim the Great Rift Valley and with peaks soaring up almost 4,000 metres high, it is an amazing sight to behold. We begin today with a visit to a Samburu Women's UNITY village.

Here we will learn about ‘a day in the life' of a Samburu woman and her children. The UNITY village was formed to help them live in peace, creating a safe place to raise families and start new, independent lives that are free from oppression, abuse and other inequities. We'll also visit the Nanyuki Spinners and Weavers, where women are trained in the craft of spinning and weaving. Here they are empowered to earn a sustainable living. Upon arrival at Aberdare National Park, we are transferred to our quirky ‘Ark' accommodation. Here, we'll enjoy the afternoon at leisure to gaze out over the floodlit waterhole, watching the wildlife bask in this beautiful setting.

Today we will travel to Lake Nakuru National Park, part of the UNESCO Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley. We will arrive at the national park in time for lunch, before an afternoon game drive, exploring the region. Lake Nakuru is one of the Rift Valley's soda lakes and its abundance of algae attracts the huge numbers of flamingo that famously line its shore – providing a great photo opportunity if you are lucky enough to witness this natural spectacle.

This morning we'll leave a positive mark on the environment by participating in a special tree planting ceremony at our lodge. We then continue to Lake Naivasha, which is the highest and one of the most beautiful lakes that form part of the Great Rift Valley. Taking its name from the Maasai word En-aiposha, meaning ‘heaving' or ‘to and fro', the water is well-known to be turbulent in the afternoons. A popular spot for British flying boats of the 1930s, it was also the home of Joy Adamson, conservationist and the author of ‘Born Free'. Before lunch we'll experience a boat safari on Lake Naivasha, in search of its residents which include over 400 bird species and numerous pods of hippo.

We'll enjoy afternoon tea at the famous Elsamere Conservation Centre, located in Joy's former house. The museum contains a collection of her paintings and artefacts as well as memorabilia from the ‘Born Free' film, with photos documenting Joy and George Adamson's work. We then return to our lodge for dinner.

After an early breakfast, we depart for the Maasai Mara, one of the world's finest game reserves. The landscape of the Maasai Mara is characterised by wide open plains and rolling grasslands, dotted with the occasional tree. The Maasai Mara flows into the Serengeti, making it one of the biggest reserves in the world.

Special Experience: Enjoy a Swahili cooking class at Sarova Mara Game Camp, first exploring the in-house herb and vegetable garden. We'll then head out on a late afternoon game drive. Elephant, giraffe, eland, wildebeest, zebra and gazelle are plentiful here and commonly sighted. With a bit of luck, we may also spot a lion or cheetah.

An early start this morning for a game drive to enjoy this beautiful landscape as the sun rises over the savannah. We'll return to the lodge for breakfast and lunch, with some time to relax. Later we'll head out on one last safari before a special farewell bush dinner.

Optional Excursion: Maasai Mara Balloon Safari – This morning, enjoy an amazing experience as you take a balloon ride over the Maasai Mara. This is probably one of the most scenic views you will ever experience as you depart at dawn and float, suspended in a basket beneath a canopy while viewing the sights of the mighty Maasai Mara and its wildlife. On landing, you'll be provided with a delicious bubbly-style bush breakfast. 3 hours – from US $450pp.

A light plane flight from the Maasai Mara will take us to Nairobi, where we are then transferred to the international airport to board our flight to Australia. Today marks the end of our incredible adventure across Africa. We hope you leave with fantastic memories!