Itinerary Details
Swain Destinations: Classic Southern Africa In-Style
Day 1 Welcome to Cape Town, South Africa
You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. The afternoon is at leisure to soak up the atmosphere of Cape Town and the waterfront area.
South Africa’s “Mother City” is indescribably beautiful, steeped in fascinating history and pulsating to a heady African rhythm. Indeed, few urban centers anywhere can match its setting along the mountainous Cape Peninsula spine, which slides into the Atlantic Ocean. A ride in a cable car to the top of Table Mountain, a ferry journey to Robben Island, or a meandering tour through the Winelands will leave you in no doubt that this place is an absolute highlight on any vacation to Africa. South Africa boasts incredibly good weather, gorgeous scenery and fantastic beaches and is one of the most diverse and enchanting countries in the world. Exotic combinations of landscapes, people, history and culture offer visitors a unique and inspiring experience.
One&only Cape Town
Meals: B
Day 2 Cape Town City Tour
This morning you will enjoy the ultimate 'Mother City' experience, designed to orientate and give you a full-color insight into the extraordinary magic of Cape Town. Explore iconic buildings, snatches of its history, and experiences unique to this City. First up, it's the cable car to the summit of the legendary Table Mountain (weather permitting) and from there, you'll be able to see to the end of the world, including the City and surrounding layout of this southernmost tip of Africa. Visit the country's oldest building, The Castle (closed Sundays), and a short distance away, the Company Gardens, both historically fascinating and well conserved. The drive continues past Parliament Buildings, City Hall and the Slave Lodge, and you'll sense the depth of history via their distinctive architecture. Colonial then changes to colorful, as you move up the cobblestoned hills to the Malay Quarter, and marvel at the ice-cream colors of the quaint Bo-Kaap homes. This afternoon is at leisure to explore Cape Town’s Waterfront or enjoy the facilities at the hotel.
One&only Cape Town
Meals: B
Day 3 Cape Point Full Day Tour
Today you will explore the Cape Peninsula, named by early explorers as the 'Fairest Cape'. Traveling along the Atlantic seaboard past some of the most beautiful beaches in the world you arrive at the Cape Point Nature Reserve, where you are able to ride the Funicular to the viewpoint where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet. The Cape Peninsula is the thin finger of land in the southwestern most corner of Africa with the city of Cape Town at its head. As you travel south towards Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope, the land gets narrower until the great Indian and Atlantic Oceans combine into one vast southern ocean, with nothing beyond except Antarctica. On leaving the Nature Reserve, proceed to Simonstown, where you stop for lunch (for your own account), as well as a short stop at Boulders Beach. Nestled in historic Simon's Town in South Africa, Boulders Penguin Colony is part of the Cape Peninsula National Park. Almost 3000 African (jackass) penguins, so called because their call resembles the bray of a donkey, reign supreme amidst rounded rocks and fish-filled False Bay. These endangered, flightless birds are free to roam the seas and return to their private haven - Foxy Beach at Boulders. Make your way back to the city where your full day tour comes to an end.
One&only Cape Town
Meals: B
Day 4 Cape Winelands Tour
The Cape Winelands are amongst the most scenic in the world. A visual feast of lush green valleys, rugged mountains, fine cuisine, and world-class wine producing estates make up the Cape Winelands. Its many historic wine estates, characterized by classic Cape Dutch-style buildings with distinctive gables and thatched roofs, and massive vineyards, date back centuries. Wine estates are bordered by: the Hottentots, Holland; the Franschhoek Mountains; and in the North, by the Wemmershoekberg. The most popular and well-known are Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl. The Cape Winelands offers some of the finest wine tasting experiences, spend the day exploring premier wine estates and wines against a backdrop of magical landscapes.
One&only Cape Town
Meals: B
Day 5 Cape Town to Okavango Delta, Botswana
Depart Cape Town this morning by flight for Botswana which is home to the largest inland delta in the world.
The Okavango Delta in Botswana is the largest freshwater wetland in Africa; in Botswana's arid and unforgiving bush it's an oasis where you'll find one of the greatest concentrations of wildlife in Africa – and the beauty is that it is basically a year-round destination for safaris. It is one of the last remaining unspoiled wilderness areas of Africa. The Delta is fed by the floodwaters of Central Africa and covers an area of some 16000 square kilometers. These waters fan out into the Okavango Delta forming a wetland system of beautiful palm-fringed channels, lagoons and islands that support a wealth of fauna and flora alike. Vumbura Plains North is a luxury camp situated in a private concession in the extreme north of the Okavango Delta. The concession, which is leased from the neighboring community, includes a wide variety of habitats, diverse wildlife and an enormous traversing area of 60,000 hectares.
Wilderness Vumbura Plains
Meals: B, D
Day 6 Wildlife Activities at Vumbura Plains
Spend the day enjoying the activities at Vumbura Plains. Vumbura Plain offers both land and water activities, principally nature viewing in varied habitats in open 4x4 vehicles, nature walks, mokoro trips and boat excursions. Whilst exploring the spectacular ecology of this area, one can enjoy close-up viewing of lion, leopard, elephant, cheetah and buffalo along with all the plains game. Situated in the extreme north of the Okavango Delta in what is known locally as the Kwedi Reserve, the vegetation ranges from open floodplains to dense mopane bushveld - offering spectacular game viewing and birding opportunities all year round.
Wilderness Vumbura Plains
Meals: B, L, D
Day 7 Okavango Delta to Linyanti Wildlife Reserve
Today you will transfer by light aircraft to Kings Pool located in the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, a private reserve in the northern part of Botswana, on the western boundary of Chobe National Park.
Wilderness Kings Pool
Meals: B, L, D
Day 8 Wildlife Activities at Kings Pool Camp
The Linyanti Wildlife Reserve has abundant wildlife in a wide variety of species, but is most noted for its very large elephant population which can reach enormous densities during the dry winter months. Thanks to a range of habitats, Kings Pool offers spectacular wildlife viewing, whether on land or water, while the luxuries of the camp itself round off the safari experience.
Wilderness Kings Pool
Meals: B, L, D
Day 9 Okavango Delta to Livingstone, Zambia
Transfer to the airport for your onward flight. On arrival at Livingstone Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Zambia is well known for the Victoria Falls; locals call this phenomenon “Mosi-oa-tunya”, “The smoke that thunders”.
Livingstone offers an ample array of activities, so why not take a microlight over this stunning region, canoe above the falls, or whitewater raft below them? Of course, you could also make time for the second highest bungee jump in the world from Victoria Falls Bridge. For an adventurous but adrenaline free alternative explore the Mukuni and Maramba cultural villages which provide a fascinating opportunity to observe traditional daily life.
Royal Chundu
Meals: B, L, D
Day 10 Activities at Royal Chundu
From tranquil to thrilling, Royal Chundu offers a Zambezi river adventure to satisfy all. Whether you choose to simply lounge around the comfort of the lodge or want to explore more of what Zambia has to offer, the activities team is ready to arrange the perfect day for you.
Choose from a morning (sunrise), afternoon (sunset) nighttime or full day birding safari. These safaris are tailored to individual requirements. Royal Chundu is renowned amongst the professional angling fraternity for its superb fly fishing and has become the venue of choice for the serious fisherman while offering an exciting introduction for the novice. Enjoy an exhilarating canoe trip along the Katombora rapids. Ahis village tour is highly recommended and gives guests a rare opportunity of interacting with the villagers in a truly authentic environment where everyone continues with their daily activities. Or enjoy a Walking tour of the iconic Victoria Falls and rain forest including a stopover at the curio stalls. Enjoy your day with a cruise down the beauty of the Zambezi as the sun sets in the African sky.
Royal Chundu
Meals: B, L, D
Day 11 Depart Livingstone
Transfer to Livingstone Airport for your international flight to Johannesburg and then onward home.
Meals: B
