Zimbabwe and South Africa Tour
On this tour you will survey the dazzling terrain from atop Table Mountain, roam the Cape Winelands, stopping for a private tasting, take a sundowner cruise along the Zambezi River and travel to world-class game viewing in Mala Mala Game Reserve.
Days 1-2: USA or Canada/Cape Town, South Africa
Board your flight to Cape Town. Upon arrival in this breathtaking harbor city — dominated by flat-topped Table Mountain — an A&K representative meets and transfers you to your luxurious waterfront hotel on a private quay near the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. Its central, residential marina serves as a backdrop to the city’s main entertainment and dining district.
Day 3: Cape Town
Wind your way through the scenic, shrub-dotted landscape to Table Mountain; ascend to its sky-high plateau by cable car (weather permitting) for dazzling views of city and sea. Afterward, visit the home of a local resident in the Bo-Kaap area for a traditional Cape Malay tea. Listen as your hostess describes growing up in the charming quarter, where bulbous minarets rise above cast iron-detailed buildings and cobblestone streets lead to pretty squares.
Afterward, take time to wander through the tranquil, lush Company Gardens, continuing to the pentagonal Castle of Good Hope. Built by the Dutch East India Company as a maritime refreshment station, it later became the center of military life in the Cape.
This evening, gather with fellow travelers for a festive welcome dinner.
Day 4: Cape Town/Stellenbosch
Explore the stunning Cape Peninsula and Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, home to rare bontebok, chacma baboon and several endemic plant species not found elsewhere. Ride the funicular to the great pinnacle at blustery Cape Point, which presides over treacherous reefs, sandy beaches and an untold number of shipwrecks below. During the winter months, you may also see southern right whale. Visit a colony of endangered African penguin at Boulders Beach.
Spend the remainder of the day at leisure at your luxurious vineyard hotel.
Day 5: Stellenbosch
Set out this morning to explore the Cape Winelands, flanked by the “Hottentots Holland” mountain range. As you discover Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, take time to sample award-winning wines and privately tour a cellar at a renowned wine estate.
Return to your hotel for an afternoon at leisure.
Day 6: Cape Town/Nelspruit/Mala Mala Game Reserve
Fly via Nelspruit to the privately owned Mala Mala Game Reserve, bordering — and left open to — wildlife-filled Kruger National Park. Prior to your first game drive, receive a briefing on the history of Mala Mala and the Sabi Sands area by a professional, knowledgeable game ranger. This afternoon, set off in search of the “Big Five” and a wide variety of other species.
Day 7: Mala Mala Game Reserve
Spend the day immersed in the bush, during early morning and late afternoon game drives in open vehicles. You may also participate in a ranger-guided, walking safari — an exhilarating way to view wildlife at ground level. At dusk, search for nocturnal animals — who set out to hunt — during a night game drive.
Day 8: Mala Mala Game Reserve/Johannesburg
After a morning game drive, fly to the Gold Rush city of Johannesburg, where the evening is at leisure.
Day 9: Johannesburg/Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Fly to Victoria Falls and transfer to your hotel, taking time to settle in. Later, partake in a leisurely sundowner cruise on the Zambezi River, appreciating how the setting sun sets the landscape ablaze with color. This evening, attend a farewell dinner.
Day 10: Victoria Falls/Johannesburg/USA or Canada
Take a guided walking tour of breathtaking Victoria Falls, viewing its thundering waters that crash over a basalt fault line. Then, explore the surrounding rain forest; teeming with bird life, it also shelters species that include bushbuck, monkey and baboon. The falls have also become a center for adventure sports enthusiasts, who come from around the world to go whitewater rafting through gorges or bungee jump from its bridge. Later, board a flight to Johannesburg and connect to your home bound flight.
Day 11: USA or Canada
Arrive today at your destination.
See our article on Africa Experiences