15 Days An African Extravaganza Tour Package

Duration: 15 Days / 14 Nights
Priced From: $5,945 pp.dbl.occ.
Dates: Jan - Nov

Itinerary

Day 1 Fly USA to   Dubai

Please note international air from the USA has not been included in the package price.

Day 2 Fly Dubai to Nairobi

On arrival at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Kenya's capital is cosmopolitan, lively, interesting and pleasantly landscaped. Its central business district is handily compact and it's a great place to tune into modern urban African life.

Originally little more than a swampy watering hole for Masai tribes, Nairobi grew with the advent of the railway and had became a substantial town by 1900. Five years later it succeeded Mombasa as the capital of the British protectorate. Today it's the largest city between Cairo and Johannesburg. 

Like most cities, Nairobi has its crowded market, trading and transport areas, its middle class/office workers' suburbs and its spacious mansions and flower-decked gardens for the rich and powerful. The first is an area full of energy, aspirations and opportunism where manual workers, exhausted matatu (minibus) drivers, the unemployed, the devious, the down-and out and the disoriented mingle with budget travelers, whores, shopkeepers, high-school students, food vendors, drowsy security guards and those with life's little illicit goodies for sale. Centrally located, it's called River Road, and even if you're not staying in the area it's worth a look. 

Often touted as the birthplace of humanity Nairobi has artifacts galore in some very classy museums. If you'd prefer to look at exhibits that aren't stuffed there are plenty of rhinos, snakes and giraffes roaming in parks around the city - some you can even feed! 

Day 3 Fly Nairobi to Samburu

You will be collected from your hotel, and transferred to the airport for your flight. On arrival at the Samburu Airstrip, you will be met by representatives from your accommodation and transferred in a game viewing vehicle to the lodge.

Located just north of the equator in the rain-shadow of Mt. Kenya, this Heartland includes parts of Mt. Kenya National Park and Samburu National Reserve, plus extensive ranch and communal lands. Important elephant migration corridors exist in this Heartland, as well as northern specialty species like reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, beisa oryx and gerenuk. Free-ranging lions, hyenas and leopards live along side avifauna, wild dogs, Grevy's zebra and black rhinoceros. Intact wet montane forests, dry cedar forests, Loroki plateau grassland, acacia-grassland and the Ewaso Nyiro River are part of the Samburu Heartland.

Day 4 Tour – Full Day Samburu National Reserve

Enjoy a full day in the reserve with morning and afternoon game viewing. The Samburu

National Reserve - a lava plain with steep-sided gullies and rounded hills – is physically dramatic with the great Ololkwe table mountain in the background.

The central feature of the reserve is the winding and looping Ewaso Nyiro River. On either side of the river, a green ribbon presents a gallery of forest acacia, doum palm and Tamarind, which act as host to a multitude of birdlife. Some of Kenya's rarer species like the long-necked gerenuk, Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, beisa oryx and blue-shanked Somali ostrich can be seen here.

Day 5 Fly Samburu to Masai Mara

This morning you will be transferred to the Samburu Airstrip for your departure flight. On arrival in the Masai Mara, you will be met by a representative from your accommodation and transferred to the camp with a short game drive en route.

Masai Mara will fulfill the expectations of any visitor searching the African landscape and it is often said that no trip to Kenya would be complete without a visit here. An impressive feature is the annual migration of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle from the plains of the Serengeti that cross the Tanzanian border and rivers to reach the Mara’s lush grasslands. Apart from the seasonal migration, game viewing is excellent year round and birdlife is as profuse as wildlife.

Afternoon Game Drive in the Masai Mara

This afternoon, enjoy a game drive in the Masai Mara. You will return to your lodge before sunset.

Day 6 Tour – Full Day Masai Mara National Reserve

Enjoy a full day in the Mara with two game drives included. This reserve is situated to the west of Nairobi, on Tanzania's northern border - it is the extension to the larger Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. The Masai Mara offers wonderful scenery and an abundance of big game. It is perhaps the only region left in Kenya where the visitor may see animals in the same super-abundance as existed a century ago.

It is a reserve of breathtaking vistas, panoramas of vast rolling plains, hills and woodland groves, well watered by the lovely Mara River which bisects the Reserve from north to south.

The Mara is home to the largest population of lions in Kenya, these magnificent beasts spending most of the day sleeping in the shade of acacia trees. Vast herds of buffalo, zebra and wildebeest roam the plains. Impala, gazelle, giraffe and hartebeest grace the landscape, and the cautious topi may also be seen standing sentinel on earth mounds on constant look-out of predators.

The waters of the Mara River are home to crocodiles and pools of hippo, the acacia woodlands and riverine forests favoured by leopard and elephant, and the open savannah and dry bush areas play host to the plains' game and their attendant predators such as lion, cheetah, hyena and jackal.

Day 7 Fly Masai Mara to Nairobi

Today you will be transferred back to the Masai Mara Airstrip for your departure flight to Nairobi.

On arrival at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Kenya's capital is cosmopolitan, lively, interesting and pleasantly landscaped. Its central business district is handily compact and it's a great place to tune into modern urban African life. Originally little more than a swampy watering hole for Maasai tribes, Nairobi grew with the advent of the railway and had became a substantial town by 1900. Five years later it succeeded Mombasa as the capital of the British protectorate. Today it's the largest city between Cairo and Johannesburg.

Day 8 Fly Nairobi to Johannesburg

Fly on board South African Airways to Johannesburg. Upon arrival at Johannesburg Airport, you will be met by our representative who will transfer you to your hotel.

They came from far and wide to strike it rich when gold was discovered in Johannesburg in 1886, and the “City of Gold” still pulsates with entrepreneurial energy. Take a tour into the fascinating, horrifying, humbling and inspiring events from the dark days of ‘whites only’ privileges through to Nelson Mandela’s historic release from prison. Documentary pieces of film, texts, sound clips and live accounts recapture life in the old South Africa.

Day 9 Fly Johannesburg to Livingstone

Please meet our representative in the lobby of your hotel for your transfer to Johannesburg Airport. Fly on board British Airways to Livingstone Airport. Please note that US Citizens require a visa on entering Zambia. These visas may be obtained on arrival, or may be arranged prior to departure from the States. Please ask for further details.

On arrival at Livingstone Airport, you will be met by our representative and transferred by road to your hotel.

As the home of Victoria Falls and the surrounding Zambezi region, Livingstone has become the tourist heart of Zambia and is rapidly becoming known as the ‘adventure center’ of Southern Africa. Various adrenalin sports are on offer as well as unmatched scenery of breathtaking proportions, astonishing Zambezi sunsets, and many other leisure options to engage the outdoor connoisseur. The name Victoria Falls was originally coined by explorer and missionary, David Livingstone. But the local people, both in Zimbabwe and Zambia, refer to Victoria Falls as “Mosi-oa-Tunya” which means “The Smoke that Thunders”. 

Due to the relentless mist above the Falls created by the downwards plummet of millions of gallons of water a small rainforest has actually developed. Livingstone itself is a typical African town with an easy going charm that despite its growth has managed to preserve some of its colonial character and many buildings from the first decade of the century are still in use. The town offers ample activity so why not take a microlight over this stunning region, canoe above the Falls, or whitewater raft below them.

Day 10 At leisure, Livingstone

Of course you could also make time for the second highest bungee jump in the world from Victoria Falls Bridge. For an adventurous but adrenalin free alternative explore the Mukuni Village and Maramba Market which provide for a fascinating opportunity to observe traditional daily life, or even participate in an amazing Elephant Back Safari. History buffs will find Livingstone historically alive with an environment that has remained unchanged since the beginning of time.

Day 11 Livingstone to Chobe

This morning you will be transferred by road to the jetty, where you will board the speed boat which will take you across the river to Chobe. On arrival in Kasane, you will proceed through passport and custom formalities before transferring to your accommodation.

Day 12 Day Dedicated to Game Activities

Enjoy morning and afternoon wildlife activities.

Day 13 Fly Kasane to Livingstone

This morning you will be transferred by road to Kasane Airport for your onward bound flight. On arrival at Kasane Airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to your charter plane which will take you to Livingstone Airport. Please note that on arrival at Livingstone Airport, you will have to go through passport control. You will also need a visa to enter Zambia, which should be obtained in the United States prior to traveling. Please ask for further details.

Fly Livingstone to Cape Town (Via Johannesburg)

Fly on board British Airways to Johannesburg. Please note that on leaving Zambia, you will have to pay a departure tax of US$20 per person. This money must be paid in US currency and must be paid in cash.

Fly on board British Airways to Cape Town. On arrival at Cape Town Airport, you will be met by our representative and transferred by road to your hotel.

Day 14 Tour – Full Day Cape Peninsula

See for yourself how this spectacular southern tip of Africa became known as the ‘Fairest Cape’. The tour begins with a stroll through the famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Then drive past the pristine beaches of Camps Bay, Clifton and Llandudno - currently the hottest real estate in the world - to Hout Bay, a functioning harbour and heart of the local crayfish industry (optional Seal Island cruise, time permitting). 

Drive along the breathtakingly scenic Chapman’s Peak Drive, around the Altantic Seaboard.  After a stop for lunch (own account), it’s on to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and its scenic viewing point.  The spectacular sea and mountain views are reason enough to make the 66km trip from Cape Town.  Amid the rocky landscape - home to mountain zebra, eland and ostriches - blooms magnificent Cape flora. 

Continue along the coastline to the beautiful Boulders Beach where you can sit among a colony of penguins. Our last stop is the naval port of Simon’s Town, the country’s third oldest European settlement.

Day 15 Tour – Full Day Winelands Tour

Escape to the beauty and tranquility of the Paarl, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch Winelands. Our first stop is the Afrikaans Language Monument, perched on Paarl Rock, which offers sweeping views of the surrounding area.

We then continue onto wineries of well-known estates, to sample wines of merit, before visiting the Huguenot Monument and Museum in Franschhoek, to discover the origins of this world renowned wine producing region. 

Lunch in one of the many fine restaurants in either Franschhoek or Stellenbosch (own account). Don’t miss the world-famous 19th century-style general dealer in Stellenbosch’s Dorp Street - Oom Samie se Winkel.

Day 16 Fly Cape Town to USA

Please meet our representative in the lobby of your hotel for your transfer to the airport in Cape Town for your onward flight to the USA (via Dubai).

Day 17 Arrive USA

Hotels

Nairobi

• Nairobi Serena

• Samburu Serena Safari Lodge

• Mara Serena Lodge

• Michelangelo

• The River Club

• Chobe Chilwero

• The Commodore

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