Tailor-made safaris and travel to Southern Africa

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SAMPLE ITINERARY 4

The Royal Safari

Day 1

Arrive at Cape Town International Airport under your own arrangements. You will be met by a representative of our local partners and transferred by private vehicle to the Cape Grace Hotel.

Days 1-5

Spend four nights at the Cape Grace Hotel in a Luxury Room (including breakfast, luxury private transfers within a 10km radius including local beaches and the city center, unlimited use of the Hot Spa area: steam room, sauna, rain & body shower and mineral spa bath, daily Cape history & wine presentation Morning tea & coffee served with a wake-up call, transfers & access to nearby Health Club: fitness classes, squash & tennis courts and 25 meter indoor pool, cafe complet served every morning: tea & coffee and pastries from 05h00 to 11h00 in the library, Port & Sherry served every evening from 17h00 to 23h00 in the library, secure parking in private, underground car park, 24 hour internet access in the state-of-the-art Communication Center).

Day 2

Today you will be collected from your hotel for a half day private tour of the Khayelitsha Township, with lunch and entrance fees included.

Depart your hotel for a 20 minute drive to Khayelitsha on the Cape Flats. Khayelitsha means "new home" and was established in 1984 during an outbreak of tribal violence in the K.T.C and Crossroads informal settlements. Like many other townships, it was created during the apartheid era as a dormitory area for the black working class.

Upon arrival you will meet Vivian Zilo, the founder of the Iliso Care Society, which she established in Khayelitsha in 2005. The purpose of the organization is to fight poverty, encourage community empowerment, organize workshops for youth, and provide safety and care for orphans, vulnerable children, and the elderly.

Your time in Khayelitsha will be spent meeting residents and learning about the work that Vivian does. The visit provides insight into life in a South African “township” and the challenges and successes of the Khayelitsha area.

Day 3

This morning you will be collected from the Cape Grace Hotel for a full day private tour of the Cape Winelands, with lunch and entrance fees included.

You will be collected at your hotel by a driver and registered guide, for a full day exploration of the Winelands region, nestled below the spectacular Boland Mountains about 50 minutes drive from Cape Town. The tour will focus on the Cape's "wine route" towns of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek. Guests will taste the "fruits of the vines" and enjoy the charm and hospitality of this unique area.

Wine estates visited on the tour vary and are selected after discussing personal preferences. Examples of those visited are Uitkyk, Warwick, Moreson, Mont Rochelle for fine red and white wines and Glen Carlou for wine and cheese tastings.

Lunch is enjoyed a la carte at one of the many excellent restaurants in the area.

The tour will take you to the historic estate of Boschendal, boasting some of the most beautifully preserved Cape Dutch buildings and period furniture in the Cape. This estate offers insight into how the early Cape settlers lived.

Another stop will be Franschhoek, a small town nestled in the "Valley of the Huguenots," where the French first settled in 1688. There, one can visit the Huguenot Memorial and Museum. You will have a chance to stroll through this charming country town with its lovely antique shops and gardens.

Stellenbosch, the second oldest town in South Africa, will also be visited. Highlights are a drive down Dorp Street, with its beautiful Cape Dutch houses, and a visit to the museum, which highlights the different architectural styles in the Cape from the 17th century. There are also many shops and galleries to explore.

At the end of the day, you will be returned to your hotel.

Day 4

This morning you will be collected from the Cape Grace Hotel for a full day private tour of the Cape Peninsula and Table Mountain, with lunch and entrance fees included.

The tour begins with a scenic drive along the Atlantic Seaboard coast passing the seaside suburbs of Sea Point, Bantry Bay and Clifton. You will stop along the way to enjoy magnificent views of the Twelve Apostles along the Atlantic coast side of Table Mountain, and the beach of Camps Bay. Continue to Hout Bay, a charming little village and fishing harbour, where you will board a boat for an excursion to see the mass of Cape Fur Seals on Duiker Island (weather dependent).

Departing Hout Bay, the drive continues along one of the finest scenic coastal drives the in world. Between June and November there is the chance that guests may sight whales along the coastline. These are mainly Southern Right Whales that come into South African waters to mate and calve.

The tour continues on to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve where your guide will drive off the main road to the untouched area of Olifants Bay. There is a herd of endemic Bontebok living on this side of the reserve and you may see them on the beach and in the surrounding "fynbos", South Africa's magnificent indigenous floral vegetation. Interesting bird species include the African Black Oystercatchers and Avocets as well as endemics such as the Cape Sugarbird and Protea Canary, as well as various Sunbirds. Guests may enjoy a picnic lunch here (otherwise at one of the restaurants along the coast).

The tour then continues to the tip of the Cape Peninsula, from where you can walk (or ride the funicular) to the lighthouse at Cape Point. From this vantage point, you will enjoy spectacular views of False Bay and the tumultuous meeting point of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. You then proceed to the Cape of Good Hope, the most southwestern point of the African continent.

Leaving the reserve, you proceed along the False Bay coastline to Boulders Beach, home to the only penguins found on the continent of Africa, the African Jackass Penguin. You continue on through historic Simonstown, South African naval headquarters, and return to Cape Town over Boyes drive with views of the fishing village of Kalk Bay and the seaside towns of St James and Muizenberg.

At some point during the day, you will be transferred to a cable car, which will take you up Table Mountain (weather permitting). From the top of the mountain, you will enjoy spectacular views over the city of Cape Town, Table Bay, and the Cape Peninsula. If weather prevents the cable car from operating, your guide will take drive you up Signal Hill, from where you will also enjoy breath-taking views.

Day 5

This morning you will be collected from the Cape Grace Hotel and transferred by private vehicle to Cape Town International Airport. Check in for your scheduled flight to Johannesburg. Connect with your scheduled flight to Maun. You will be met and transferred by light charter aircraft to Abu Camp.

Days 5-8

Spend three nights at Abu Camp in a Tented Room, on a fully inclusive basis (including accommodation in luxury custom-built tents, each with own bathroom en-suite; all activities - elephant safaris, game drives, night drives, guided walks, mekoro safaris (seasonal); all meals, snacks, teas and coffees, soft and alcoholic drinks; the services of trained staff, guides and professional elephant handlers; and daily laundry service).

Day 8

Today you will be collected from Abu Camp and transferred by light charter aircraft to Kasane Airport. From Kasane you will be transferred by light charter aircraft to Livingstone Airport. You will be met and transferred by vehicle to the Royal Livingstone Hotel.

The Royal Livingstone Hotel is a five star hotel located on the Zambian side of the Victoria Falls within a 46-hectare wildlife park. The architecture of this property can best be described as refined colonial. It draws its inspiration from the grand estate houses still found in Zambia. Large shaded verandahs and deep, relaxing spaces cooled by swirling fans and floor to ceiling shutters grace its interiors from the midday sun.

The 173 guest rooms are in two-story clusters, each air conditioned with a private balcony or terrace. They are welcoming and inviting and are the essence of luxury and comfort with their fine crisp linens and full range of luxurious personal amenities. There is an á la carte restaurant which opens onto spacious verandahs.

The resort also has a boma (reed enclosure) crafted in the traditional Zambian manner with seating for up to 350 people. Activities available include visits to the Victoria Falls, white water rafting, bungee jumping, sundowner cruises, game drives, bird-watching and bicycle excursions.

Days 8-9

Spend one night at the Royal Livingstone Hotel in a Luxury Room, with breakfast included.

Day 9

Today you will be collected from the Royal Livingstone and transferred by vehicle to Livingstone Airport. You will be met and transferred by light charter aircraft to Skukuza Airport. From Skukuza you connect by light charter aircraft to Singita Lebombo Lodge.

Days 9-12

Spend three nights at Singita Lebombo Lodge in a Suite, on a fully inclusive basis (including accommodation, all meals and teas; all game activities; services of a professional guide and tracker; laundry; all local spirits, beers and soft drinks, as well as selected wines; and the mini bar).

Day 12

Today you will be collected from Singita Lebombo Lodge and transferred by light charter aircraft to Johannesburg International Airport. From this point you will depart under your own arrangements.

Rough Cost - 2010

From around $17,775 to around $18,640 per person sharing.

Rate Includes

Accommodation as specified, Meals as specified, Ground transportation and excursions as noted, Park and entrance fees for lodges/camps inside national parks, Intra-Africa flights as specified, All government and airline taxes.

Rate Excludes

International flights to and from southern Africa; Drinks (unless otherwise specified), Items of a personal nature, Gratuities, Laundry (unless otherwise specified), Meals other than specified, Excursions other than specified, Flights other than specified, Medical, cancellation and baggage insurance, Visa fees and departure taxes (where applicable).

** PLEASE NOTE: These rates are given as guidelines, and will differ depending on factors such as the time of the year that guests travel, the number of guests travelling, and the class of airline seats available. All rates are subject to change at the discretion of the properties/operators, and due to currency fluctuations, unforeseen increases in fuel prices, increased airline prices, or any future government imposed taxes.

To find out more about this sample itinerary, or to start creating your own itinerary, call toll-free on 1-888-227-8311 or email us at info@classicafrica.com