SAFARIS

African Splendour

The adventure begins in Cape Town at the gracious Mount Nelson Hotel or a similarly lovely venue. South Africa’s “Mother City” will open her arms and reveal her many delights during your stay here, including a spectacular cable car ride up Table Mountain, from where you see the beauty of Cape Town sparkling beneath you.

During a two-day visit, you tour the winelands outside of town where some of the world’s finest vintages are grown, and visit Cape Point Nature Reserve where the cool currents of the Atlantic meet for the first time with the warmth of the Indian Ocean. Another delightful surprise awaits at Boulders Beach where you visit with a colony of penguins that have made Cape Town their home against all odds!

Then you fly to Victoria Falls and check into the magnificent Royal Livingstone or Victoria Falls Hotel, just the right settings for the astounding sight you have come so far to see. Here the mighty Zambezi River races over a mile-wide cliff and thunders over 300 feet downward, casting its spray high into the glorious African sky. After you have recovered your breath, explore the river on a Sundowner Cruise, enjoying a far more tranquil stretch of her waters.

Leaving behind the beauty of Southern Africa, you embark next on the East African leg of the adventure, traveling into the heart of big game country.

In Nairobi, Kenya, you are welcomed by Felix and Jane Pinto and share a meal at their home on Lavington Hill or at their country residence, Ideal Farms in Karen. Always a warm and congenial gathering with fine food and good conversation, you feel as though the Pintos are already lifelong friends.

After a sound evening’s rest, you begin the safari with an introductory briefing by your Safari Director, along with an insightful lecture by Maasai Elder and renowned Safari Guide, Rakita. Then you are off to Tanzania’s Lake Manyara. This gem of a park is known for its amazing tree-climbing lions, high density of elephants and tremendous birdlife, as well as flamingos and hippos in the lake. And here you have the remarkable experience of a Bush Walk, absorbing the sights and the sounds of Africa at close proximity.

The journey continues to the Ngorongoro Crater, an astonishing natural caldera spanning over 100 square miles with perhaps the best game viewing in all of Africa. Stunning vistas combine with the drama of the wildlife to take your breath away.

The vast expanse of the legendary Serengeti is next, where you find yourself in the very heart of the migration corridor, a path traveled by nearly every species known to man. The park, quite literally, teems with wildlife — over three million large mammals roam the plains with at least 35 different species of plain-dwelling animals. Myriad game drives will be devoted to an in-depth exploration of this natural wonderland.

After two heady days in the Serengeti, you fly to the Maasai Mara where exceptional events await. Here you visit a Maasai village, glimpsing the lives, homes and social structure of these proud and ancient people. And for the pinnacle of the journey, you surrender to the pleasures of sundowners in the bush, high upon a hill with endless savannah views and a bonfire to warm the night air. In the Mara, your accommodations evoke the safaris of yesteryear with two nights under canvas in a luxurious tented camp.

The sojourn ends in Nairobi, witnessing the Africa of today as it mingles with the Africa of legend. As you bid farewell you recall the old adage, “You may leave Africa, but Africa will never leave you.”

Trip Details

Day 1: United States
Board an international flight this evening bound for South Africa.

Day 2: Cape Town
Following an afternoon or evening arrival, you settle happily into the city’s grande dame hotel, the Mount Nelson, set in nine acres of lush gardens, reclining elegantly at the foot of Table Mountain. The balance of the day is to relax and enjoy the surroundings. A sound rest tonight prepares you for tomorrow’s adventures.

Day 3: Cape Town
A full-day tour explores this dramatically beautiful city, including a spectacular cable car ride up Table Mountain, offering a splendid view of Cape Town. Then it’s off to the Cape Point Nature Reserve of Flying Dutchman fame, and the fabled Cape of Good Hope, revealing dramatic and beautiful panoramas along the way.

Day 4: Cape Town
The area’s famed vineyards, home to some of the world’s finest vintages, are on the agenda today. You enjoy a tour and sumptuous lunch at one of the wine estates and stroll quaint colonial Dutch villages. This lyrically lovely region, with vistas of majestic mountains, lush vineyards and whitewashed Cape Dutch homes, will leave you breathless.

Day 5: Victoria Falls
This morning you enplane for Victoria Falls, connecting in Johannesburg. In the afternoon you check into either the magnificent Royal Livingstone Hotel (Zambia side of the Falls) or the old world Victoria Falls Hotel (Zimbabwe side). From both hotels you hear the roar of the plummeting torrents and see cascades of billowing mist. Lunch is served on the hotel’s stunning veranda and the afternoon is at leisure, delighting in the views and the hotel’s delightful amenities.

Day 6: Victoria Falls
Breathtaking! This morning you tour the Falls, stopping at various vantage points to marvel at one of mother nature’s most dazzling spectacles. A scenic flight over the Falls is also included. The day ends with a sunset cruise along the upper Zambezi, the perfect venue to enjoy “sundowners” and watch elephants and giraffes drink at the water’s edge.

Day 7: Johannesburg
You fly to South Africa and find yourself absolutely enchanted with the accommodations at the Westcliffe Hotel, evocative of a sprawling Mediterranean village cascading down landscaped gardens with lush greenery, fountains and panoramic views over the leafy suburbs.

Day 8: Nairobi
Another hop on the plane and you touch down in Nairobi, Kenya, where your home will be the celebrated Norfolk Hotel. This evening Jane and Felix Pinto invite you for cocktails and dinner at their home. The Pintos take great pleasure in meeting all of their travelers and delight in counting them as friends.

Day 9: Lake Manyara
You depart by air to Lake Manyara via Arusha where mahogany forests, marsh, grass, scrubland and over 350 species of birds populate this magnificent tangle of vegetation. On the afternoon game run you seek the famous tree-climbing lions, a sight not as rare as you might think. Charming rooms at the Lake Manyara Serena Lodge and a superb dinner await.

Day 10: Lake Manyara – Ngorongoro Crater
A Bush Walk is a magical way to begin the day in Manyara. Your guide is busy every minute pointing out animal tracks, flora, fauna and birdlife. Then you’re off to Ngorongoro Crater where your lodge, the stunning Ngorongoro Serena, is spectacularly situated on the rim of the caldera, revealing an awesome panorama below.

Day 11: Ngorongoro Crater
Descend into the giant crater of this extinct volcano and spend the morning tracking animals. This magnificent natural amphitheatre contains the largest concentration of animals in all of Africa, including a high density of lions and thousands of flamingos inhabiting an alkaline lake. Because the grass is short, game is easily spotted. The ever-changing mood and tenor of this great caldera will endlessly hold your attention.

Days 12-13: Serengeti National Park
Returning to the Manyara airstrip, you fly to the Serengeti, the jewel in the crown of Tanzania, located deep in the heart of the famous migration corridor. Its far-reaching plains of endless grass, tinged with the twisted shadows of acacia trees, have made it the quintessential image of a wild and untarnished Africa. After two days of intensive game runs you will be passionate about this land. Your lodgings are at the exquisite Kirawira Tented Camp, the epitome of classic safari camp luxury and a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

Days 14-15: Maasai Mara
The journey continues by air across the tapestry of East Africa to Arusha and Nairobi, where you pause for a lunch before continuing by air to the Maasai Mara. And here, once again, you find the Africa of your imagination — a pristine wilderness of haunting beauty, arcing vistas and sea of richly rolling grasslands. And here, your splendid expedition reaches a grand finale with Bush Cocktails on the plains and a visit to a Maasai village. Two glorious days and nights are enjoyed in the cosseted comfort of Intrepids or Governors tented camps.

Day 16: Nairobi – Europe
Having traversed the African continent from the Cape to Kenya, you return by air to Nairobi. You may wish to visit an AmericaShare project this afternoon or revisit a favorite site. The international flight departs this evening.

Day 17: Europe – United States
You arrive in Europe and connect to homebound flights.