South Africa & Victoria Falls

Upon arrival, you will be met by your driver and transferred to your hotel. Later you will enjoy a welcome Dinner at
the Butcher Shop or Similar.

Overnight: The Catalyst Hotel or Similar

(Meals: D)

Today you depart on your Ultimate Johannesburg and Soweto day tour. This tour involves some walking, and you need to wear comfortable shoes. Johannesburg: The tour starts with a guided tour of Constitution Hill, a living museum that tells the story of South Africa’s journey to democracy.

Soweto: The tour continues through the South of Soweto where you will visit the Apartheid Museum, see iconic places like the FNB Stadium, which was built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the Diepkloof area with its famous “Matchbox” houses and the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital (the 3rd largest hospital in the world with 3200 beds and over 6700 staff members). Next is the colorful Soweto Cooling Towers, a prominent landmark in Soweto. The tour of Soweto South ends at Walter Sisulu Square aka Freedom Square in Kliptown where 3000 people gathered in 1955 to adopt the Freedom Charter, which is now the basis of our Constitution. From here we continue to the Regina Mundi Church, played a pivotal role in the struggle against apartheid in the second half of the 20th century. Since political meetings in most public places were banned, the church became the main place where Soweto people could meet and discuss. Continue to Hector Peterson Monument in Orlando West and enjoy a guided walking tour up to Vilakazi Street. Our next stop being the vibrant Vilakazi Street. This is the most famous street in Soweto and is the only street in the world to have had two Nobel Peace Prize winners as residents – Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. The tour includes entry to Apartheid Museum, Regina Church and the Mandela House Museum. Traditional lunch in Vilakazi Street. Overnight: Catalyst Hotel or Similar (Meals: B.L).

After breakfast and check out formalities drive to Lesedi Cultural Village for a cultural experience, dancing, drumming, storytelling, village tour. Lesedi is home to various African Tribes, to learn more about their culture. After buffet Lunch (included) continue and drive to Pilanesberg National Park. Check in and relax at the hotel before enjoying a sunset guided game drive in 4×4 Safari Trucks in search of the Big-5 and other games. Enjoy a Boma dinner in the bush before returning to the lodge for overnight. Overnight: Bakubung Bush Lodge Overnight: @ Bakubung Bush Lodge or Similar (Meals: B,L,D).

Early morning wakeup call and embark on a morning Guided Game Drive in a 4X4 Safari trucks in search of a game that may have eluded us thus far. Return to the lodge for breakfast. Check out and road transfer to Johannesburg. Arrive at OR International Airport for our flight to Cape Town Upon arrival to Cape Town, you will be met by your driver and guide and transferred to your hotel. EXPERT TIPS Note that all local flights include 1 piece of checked luggage weighing no more than 44lbs and 1 piece of hand luggage weighing no more than 15lbs per person. Excess luggage is at your own expense and can be paid for on check-in at the airport. Overnight: Rockefeller Hotel or Similar (Meals: B).

Depart to Kayelitsha and visit a Primary School and follow a program that will last for an hour. Return to Cape Town and embark on a City Tour including Table Mountain (weather dependent) and Bo-Kaap. Our city tour concluded with a Robben Island guided tour. Robben Island served as a place of banishment, isolation and imprisonment. Today it is a World Heritage Site and museum, a poignant reminder of the road that had to be walked to the newly democratic South Africa, Return to the hotel and fresh up. Before hosted family dinner at Bo-Kaap Family Restaurant. Overnight: Rockefeller Hotel or Similar (Meals: B,D).

After breakfast at the hotel, you will be met by the guide for a full day Cape Peninsula Tour. This tour encapsulates the best that the Cape has to offer, an awe- inspiring tour of the headland known as Cape Point. Magnificent beaches, breathtaking views, historic and picturesque coastal villages are to be seen along the way. The Cape Peninsula is one of the world’s most scenic areas and stretches from the city center to Cape Point. We travel along the Atlantic Seaboard via Sea Point, Clifton, and Camps Bay, stopping at a Llandudno look-out point before continuing to Hout Bay, a quaint village and fishing harbor with magnificent mountain views and beach. On through Chapman’s Peak, one of the world’s most breathtaking coastal drives, to Cape Point and the Good Hope Nature Reserve, which has magnificent fynbos vegetation, birdlife, endemic antelope species and zebra, historic lighthouses, and shipwrecks. Cape Point is perceived to be the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. We go on to historic Simon’s Town, a village with charming Victorian architecture, where we stop for at a local seafood restaurant. After lunch, we will visit the penguin colony at beautiful Boulders Beach. Our route back to the hotel takes us through the fishing village of Kalk Bay and Muizenberg. Dinner tonight is at your leisure and own expense. Overnight: Rockefeller Hotel or Similar (Meals: B,L).

Tantalize your taste buds and brush up on your wine knowledge on our Full Day Winelands Tour. Enjoy three wine tastings at award-winning wine farms, accompanied by a cheese assortment and cellar tour, an exciting ride on the Franschhoek tram, and a visit to the Drankenstein Prison where Nelson Mandela spent the last part of his captivity. We return to Cape Town to freshen up before our dinner at Gold Restaurant, a celebration of various African cultures with a 14-dish taste-safari. Overnight: Rockefeller Hotel or Similar (Meals: B, L, D).

Free day Overnight: Rockefeller Hotel or Similar (Meals: B).

After breakfast and check out, transfer to Cape Town International Airport for your flight to Victoria Falls. Upon arrival at Victoria Falls, your driver will meet you in the arrivals hall and transfer you to your Lodge where you will spend the next three nights. You can enjoy lunch (own expense) at the hotel, after which your room should be ready for check-in. After lunch and check-in, you will visit a local village to meet the people and learn about their way of life. We have a support program in this area with our local operator handling funds donated by our guests to assist with school fees for some of the kids, clothing, groceries, a water tank and so much more. If possible, we will arrange a visit with the local school too. Tonight, you have an evening of African entertainment and cuisine at The Boma – Dinner & Drum show. Overnight: Azambezi River Lodge or Similar (Meals: B, D) EXPERT TIPS Note that all local flights include 1 piece of checked luggage weighing no more than 44lbs and 1 piece of hand luggage weighing no more than 15lbs per person. Excess luggage is at your own expense and can be paid for on check-in at the airport with South African Airways. You will need to buy a Multi-entry visa for Zimbabwe, payable in cash at the airport.

Today, you will have the opportunity to join an optional Zambezi National Park game drive to learn about the conservation efforts in the area and the impact of conservation and tourism on the lives of the local people. The drive concludes with a bush breakfast on the banks of the Zambezi River. (Departure time TBA). You have time to freshen up at the hotel before heading to the main event – the Falls and everything around it. You start off with a Historical bridge tour and then go for lunch at The Lookout Cafe, overlooking the stunning Batoka Gorge. From here you go on a guided walking tour of the Falls through the rain forest. While it is neither the highest nor the widest waterfall in the world, it is classified as the largest, based on its width of over a mile and height of 350 feet, resulting in the world’s largest sheet of falling water. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes. Tour is concluded with a Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River.

Overnight: Azambezi River Lodge or Similar (Meals: B, L)

Chobe National Park, an hour from Victoria Falls, is home to the world’s largest elephant population. The park is also known for its large pride of lions, huge buffalo herds and you might be lucky enough to spot the elusive leopard. For birds, Chobe is home to over 460 bird’s species. This day trip is divided into two parts: in the morning we have a game viewing boat cruise on the Chobe River, and in the afternoon, we embark on a game drive through the National Park. Dinner for your last night will be at a new restaurant on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River. Overnight: Azambezi River Lodge or Similar (Meals: B, L,D).

After breakfast, you have the morning at your leisure to explore the vibrant village of Victoria Falls on your own, or to sleep in. Note that you will have to vacate your room at 10h00 but can safely store your luggage at the hotel and make use of the hotel’s public facilities till it is time for you to depart to the airport. Your flight is scheduled to land at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo airport around 4pm. Board your international flight on UA back to EWR at 8:00 pm. (Meals: B) EXPERT TIPS Note that all local flights include 1 piece of checked luggage weighing no more than 44lbs and 1 piece of hand luggage weighing no more than 15lbs per person. Excess luggage is at your own expense and can be paid for on check-in at the airport. We will be transferred to Victoria Falls Airport for the flight to Johannesburg where we will take our onward flight home.

Arrival at Newark, EWR Airport at 05:40am