11 Days - Classic Escorted Tours

Victoria Falls, arguably Africa’s greatest natural wonder, with often overlooked Botswana and incredible Cape Town, what a tour! There is something almost haunting about Africa and everyone should visit it at least once during their lives. Its sense of vastness and isolation, whilst at the same time a unique closeness to nature, leaves an indelible mark on its visitors and on this incredible three-country tour, you see some of the very best it has to offer. We see one of the finest natural wonders on the planet, the amazing Victoria Falls as well as one of its most naturally beautiful cities, Cape Town, with its surrounding fertile Winelands, plus we visit one of the world’s finest and least visited game reserves, all set in the beautiful countries of Botswana, Zambia and South Africa. Our tour starts in Zambia, adjacent to the spectacular Victoria Falls, or as the locals call it - ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’, the Smoke that Thunders! It may be a cliché, but the falls really do take your breath away and it is at places such as this, that visitors realise just how powerful Mother Nature really is. The statistics are awesome: three times as long as Niagara and twice as high, this is the largest single body of falling water in the world! At times of peak flow, the spray rising from the abyss is too thick to even see the foot of the falls, whereas during the dry season (generally Sep-Dec) the more adventurous may be able to walk to the edge of the vast chasm or even bathe in one of the pools next to the rim itself! Nearby Botswana is a wild and beautiful country and remains one of the few places on earth that really is unspoilt – a true wilderness where animals are free to roam and migrate freely along their traditional routes. Botswana’s Chobe National Park, a huge reserve of over 10,500 unfenced square kilometres is renowned for having the greatest concentration of game, particularly big cats, in the whole of Southern Africa, and a safari here is a truly exceptional experience. The Chobe River, an integral part of the ecosystem, allows for superb close-up viewing of a huge variety of animal and indigenous bird species. Fish eagles are common and can often be seen swooping low over the waters, their stillness broken only by families of hippo. But what makes Chobe so special, is that it is home to the world’s largest concentration of elephants, well over 100,000 of them, all protected for over a hundred years. It is a moving and an almost humbling experience to see them inter-acting with each other: playing, bathing and splashing in the blue river, as depicted on countless TV documentaries. Then for a complete contrast, it’s on to South Africa and stunning Cape Town set in a breathtaking location. Backed by ever-present blue skies and the iconic Table Mountain, fringed with white sand beaches and the nearby fertile, seemingly never-ending valleys of the Winelands, it is blessed with a surfeit of world-class natural wonders. South Africa’s ‘Mother City’, Cape Town was the first settlement founded by Europeans and now it’s a lively, cosmopolitan and bustling centre, with superb restaurants and excellent shopping, especially within the tastefully restored Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Explore the Bo-Kaap district, one of the city’s most vibrant quarters with its unique Cape architecture, home to jazz clubs and artisans. Take the revolving cable car to the top of Table Mountain, visit Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for much of his life and visit the Cape of Good Hope - the southernmost point on the African continent. Our tour offers incredible variety: the amazing natural wonder of Victoria Falls, the enthralling safari experiences of Botswana and the sophisticated style of Cape Town. You will return home with some wonderful photographs and incredible memories: an invigorating and uplifting reminder of how wonderfully diverse and beautiful our planet really is.

Highlights

  • Happy by day two or we'll bring you home with a full refund
  • Excellent quality, hand-picked three and four-star hotels, with daily breakfast and five dinners
  • Experience one of the world’s most spectacular natural wonders, the stunning Victoria Falls, with an optional helicopter flight
  • Watch the fire-red sunset over the mighty Zambezi River during our sundowner cruise on the ‘African Queen’
  • Explore Botswana’s vast Chobe National Park, one of the world’s most outstanding game reserves and home to one of the world’s largest elephant herds: the real heart of Africa
  • Stay four nights in cosmopolitan Cape Town, one of the world’s most naturally beautiful cities, with guided tour
  • Full-day tour to the Cape of Good Hope, see where two oceans meet experiencing unique flora and fauna, including Africa’s only penguin colony
  • Tour the Western Cape’s stunning Wineland’s with its manicured scenery of endless vines and unique Cape Dutch architecture plus a visit and tasting at a 300-year old winery
  • This Signature Tour includes all of the above as well as the following:
  • Experience the most extraordinary wildlife up close during a boat safari tour through the Chobe National Park, home to the world’s largest concentration of protected elephants
  • Take in the spectacular views and marvel at the magnificent African sunset, join your fellow travellers for a sundowner drink while enjoying the sights and sounds of Africa.

Inclusions

  • The price of this holiday is per person, based on two people sharing a twin room. Single rooms are subject to availability at the relevant supplement. The price includes eight nights accommodation, including breakfast in three and four-star hotels; half-board basis at Chobe Safari Lodge or Mowana Safari Lodge; 2 lunches in Cape Town; scheduled direct flights to Johannesburg and returning from Cape Town; flights between South Africa and Zambia; all transfers; walking tour of Victoria Falls; sunset Zambezi River cruise; game drive and boat safari in Chobe; full day guided tours to Cape Point and the Winelands including two lunches; porterage of one item of luggage per person; the services of an experienced Riviera Tour Manager.
  • Not included: Zambian visa or Zambian departure tax which is $5 per person payable locally.