Africa Journey
Senegal, South Africa, and Zambia
April 22 - May 6, 2021
Day 1
Arrive Dakar
Arrive in Dakar, Senegal.
A local representative from our international travel agency will meet us on arrival and transfer us to our hotel for check in. After check in, we depart for a sightseeing tour of Dakar. Visit Independence Square, the museum of black civilisations, the Kernel Market, with its colourful flowers, fruits, fabrics, clothing and souvenirs.
From there we drive through Soweto Square to see the National Assembly and the main museum and Institut Fondemental d'Afrique Noir (IFAN) which houses an amazing collection of masks, statues and musical instruments from West Africa.
Return to the hotel after the tour.
Note: The Dakar City tour will only be possible for flights that arrive in the morning.
Accommodation: Radisson Blu Hotel
This sophisticated, modern resort on the tranquil Cape Verde Peninsula boasts an address in the elegant Fann Corniche neighborhood. The 241 guest rooms and fully equipped apartments of this stylish accommodation are characterized by their contemporary design and superb amenities, including individual climate control and Free high-speed wireless Internet.
Day 2
Goree Island, Dakar
After breakfast, we will transfer to the ferry terminal. Here we board a ferry to the infamous Goree Island.
This 20-minute ferry ride takes us back in time over 200 years. Goree Island was once the depot and departure point of millions and millions of Africans shipped into bondage to the Americas. At the slave house, we listen the curator narrate 3 to 4 centuries of black slave trade as it happened in West Africa.
After we offer prayers to the memories of our ancestors who perished in the door passage, we tour the island with stops at the Women's Museum. The tour will include a lecture delivered by the curator on the theme '300 years of slave trading in West Africa.
Return to our hotel after the tour.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3
Pink Lake, Dakar
After breakfast, we check out of our hotel. Today, we will visit the phenomenal Pink Lake.
Track the last lap of the famous rally Paris/Dakar by 4x4 buggies and stop to meet hundreds of men and women mining the salt from the rose coloured lake.
If time permits, we will visit a Fulani village and experience African lifestyle first hand. Later in the day, transfer to the airport for our flight to Cape Town.
Note: This flight is not included. It will most likely be an overnight flight arriving in CPT the next day.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4
Arrive Cape Town, South Africa
On arrival in Cape Town, a local representative will meet us on arrival and transfer us to the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation
Victoria and Alfred Hotel
History and modern luxury merge to create ageless beauty at the Victoria & Alfred Hotel, which was built in 1904 as the North Quay Warehouse. This iconic establishment was named after Queen Victoria and her son, Prince Alfred, who played an intrinsic role in the establishment of the Breakwater Basin, now the V&A Waterfront.
The hotel is located in the very heart of this internationally acclaimed destination and is a sophisticated retreat amid the buzz. It offers some of the most enviable views of Cape Town Harbour, Table Mountain and the slick city that stretches out at the foot of this Natural Wonder. Shopping in Cape Town is steps away from our hotel and offers some beautiful crafts and clothing.
Day 5
Cape Town Tour, Table Mountain
After breakfast we will enjoy a half-day orientation tour of Cape Town. Drive past the country's oldest building, the Castle, and a short distance away, the Company Gardens, both historically fascinating and well conserved. Our drive continues past the Parliament Buildings, City Hall and the Slave Lodge; we'll sense the depth of history via their distinctive architecture. Colonial then changes to colorful, as we move up the cobblestoned hills to the Malay Quarter, and marvel at the ice-cream colors of the quaint Bo-Kaap homes.
Take the cable car up to the summit of the legendary Table Mountain [from where we'll be able to see [at right] to the end of the world, including the city and surrounding layout of this southernmost tip of Africa. [The photo at the right was taken on a previous trip of a group led by Ruth Bridges.]
Return to the hotel after the tour and the remainder of the day is at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6
Cape Town - Winelands Tour
Today after breakfast, we will take a full day Winelands Tour and visit the exquisite little town of Franschhoek and the charming university town of Stellenbosch. It is surrounded by the vineyards of the Cape Winelands and the mountainous nature reserves of Jonkershoek and Simonsberg.
Franschhoek is a town in South Africa's Western Cape with centuries-old vineyards and Cape Dutch architecture. The Huguenot Memorial Museum and neighboring monument honor the area's French settlers, who arrived in the 17th and 18th centuries.
We take a cellar tour and enjoy two wine tastings. We will also be able to purchase wine to take back home!
Return back to the hotel after the tour and the remainder of the day is at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7
Cape Town - Robben Island
Today we take a tour of Robben Island. We will board a boat cruise from the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront to the famous Robben Island. A cruel home of our Nelson Mandela for so many years, it's a highly charged and emotional moment when we visit the site of his suffering and realize how far South Africa has come from those days. For nearly 400 years, Robben Island, about 12 kilometers from Cape Town, was a place of exile and imprisonment where rulers sent those they regarded as outcasts and troublemakers. Since 1997 Robben Island has been a museum acting as a focal point of South African heritage.
Return to the V & A Waterfront, where the remainder of the day is at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8
Drumming & Dinner at Gold's Restaurant
After breakfast, the day is at leisure. This evening enjoy Interactive drumming and a Welcome Dinner at Gold's restaurant.
Gold Restaurant is a unique African restaurant in the heart of Cape Town. An evening here begins with a djembe drumming session, followed by a hand-washing ceremony and afterwards, you will tuck into the set 3-course meal consisting of 14 'taster dishes'. This dining experience can best be described as a taste safari that will transport you from Table Mountain to Timbuktu. This culinary experience is accompanied by a unique interactive traditional entertainment.
Roundtrip transfers are included.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 9
Cape Town-Kapama Game Reserve
Early this morning, we will be transferred to the Cape Town airport for our flight to Hoedspruit. On arrival, we transfer to the Kapama Game Reserve.
Kapama Private Game Reserve is an African Eden. Sweeping across more than 32,000 acres of savannah and riverine forest, Kapama represents a piece of Africa as it used to be. With the Drakensberg mountains in the distance and iconic Kruger National Park to the east, Kapama has distilled the finest wildlife safari offerings for the enjoyment of guests. As part of the greater Kruger area, vast herds of buffalo, elephant and antelope are resident on Kapama, along with plentiful predators. The iconic and most dangerous wild animals of Africa - the Big Five - are at home on Kapama, but so too are over 40 other mammal species and 350 different types of birds. Game drives [photo at left taken by Ruth Bridges from her vehicle on a game drive on a previous trip] and bush walks offer fascinating encounters with wildlife, and Kapama offers guests unique African wildlife experiences.
Per day, the following is included: Breakfast; a light Lunch; Dinner; Tea, Coffee with Snacks and Pastries; Local premium Beverages; Two Game Drives in an open vehicle & Guided Bush Walks.
Accommodation: Buffalo Game Lodge
Set among tall, shady trees, with a seasonal river below, Buffalo Camp’s suites are ultra-luxurious tents that consistently delight our guests. Dark wood and leather finishes add a nostalgic air, while oil lanterns illuminating the walkways at night create a wonderfully romantic ambience.
Each luxury tent features en-suite bathrooms and air con, as well as heated blankets for cooler weather comfort. Tea and Nespresso coffee facilities come standard, along with a fully stocked minibar. For peace of mind, there’s a lock-up safe for your valuables, and for our guests from abroad, international plugs for convenience.
Day 10
Kapama Game Reserve: Game Drive
Enjoy a game drive, where it's possible to look up and just a few feet above you see a leopard curled up on a branch of a tree [photo taken by Ruth Bridges from her vehicle on a game drive on a previous trip].
Day 11
Kapama Game Reserve: Bush Walk
Experience the African bush on foot under the guidance of a skilled ranger. Our guide will point out medicinal plants, insects and birdlife along the way, and share traditional tracking skills such as using animal footprints and scat to identify animals.
This truly memorable, authentic and intimate encounter with nature and wildlife is included in the tariffs.
Day 12
Kapama Game Reserve-Johannesburg
This morning, we transfer to the Hoedspruit airport for the flight to Johannesburg.
Note: This flight is included.
Johannesburg, often referred to as Jo'burg, is South Africa's largest city, the center of South African commerce and industry as well as the financial capital of Gauteng. Renowned as the City of Gold, Johannesburg is a vibrant city with a vast web of suburbs and townships, with a wealth of things to see and do.
Upon arrival in Johannesburg, we will be transferred to the hotel for check in.
The remainder of the day is at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 13
Johannesburg-City Tour, Soweto
After breakfast, we will take a brief tour of Johannesburg. This includes a drive by Constitution Hill, the Court and the Old Fort Prison; Johannesburg Inner City and the Carlton Centre; the Maboneng Precinct and Houghton.
Soweto, our next stop, is the largest Black residential area in South Africa that has a population of more than 3.5 Million, who despite living in crowded and chaotic conditions, have a tangible sense of community. This tour gives us an opportunity to interact with the local residents of the township and ask questions, such as how life was under apartheid, how life is now, questions on the economy, and on current events.
Visit the Apartheid Museum [at right]. This is a must-see for anyone wanting to really understand and experience apartheid. The exhibits include provocative film footage, photographs, text panels and artifacts illustrating the events and human experiences that are part of the epic saga known as apartheid.
Return to the hotel after the tour and the remainder of the day is at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 14
Johannesburg-Livingstone
Today, we will transfer to the Johannesburg airport for the flight to Livingstone. Note: This Flight is included.
This afternoon (approximately 4 pm) we embark on a relaxing sunset cruise aboard one of the finest boats on the Zambezi, the African Queen. The Zambezi River cruise is a superb way to relax and enjoy the beauty of the river. Servers will top up our drinks as the sun sinks over the water, and we'll be increasingly mesmerized by the exquisite views of the wild African bush. There's nothing quite like it. We float past the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, and it's very likely we might spot crocodiles, hippos, astonishing birdlife, perhaps elephants and whatever else comes down to the riverbank to drink. There are great photo opportunities against often-spectacular African sunsets.
Return to the hotel and the remainder of the evening is at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Royal Livingston Hotel
The Royal Livingstone is located on the Zambian side of the Zambezi River in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, overlooking the Zambezi River and with direct access to the Victoria Falls.
Day 15
Victoria Falls
After breakfast, we will take a morning walking tour of Victoria Falls (Zambian side).
No surprise why Victoria Falls is one of the seven Natural Wonders of the World! You'll understand it instantly as we tour the Zambian side, for there are numerous spectacular vantage points along the width of the Falls, and the sight of this astounding gift of nature, simply takes your breath away. Walk through the permanent, beautifully misty rain forest which flanks the Falls, stopping to marvel at the principal sites as it cascades to the depths below: The Main Falls, Horseshoe Falls, Rainbow Falls, the Boiling Pot, Cataract Island and Livingstone Island. We'll stand and watch, feel and listen to the spray and thunderous noise, as millions of liters of water tumble over the Falls into a series of narrow gorges below.
Return to the hotel after the tour and the remainder of the day is at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 16
Depart for Johannesburg
Today, we will be transferred to the Livingstone airport for our flight to Johannesburg.
Meals: Breakfast
Cost
$ 7,549 (Double/per person)
$10,699 (Single)
Deposit
$1,549 Double
$1,699 Single
Deposit Due November 22, 2019
Balance Due January 22, 2021
Registration
Click the blue registration form button on top right column to download the Registration Form. Send it with your payment to:
Aviva Travel Group
PO Box 1155
Laveen, AZ 85339
Make your check payable to Aviva Travel Group.
OR Send your payment directly from your bank with Zelle to Ruth Bridges@avivatravel@aol.com
OR you may pay by debit or credit card. Fill out your information on the registration form and fax it to Aviva Travel Group at 630-559-8845. You can also email the form to avivatravel@aol.com or call Ruth Bridges at 602-907-5101 with your payment information.
Contact
Ruth Bridges
Aviva Travel Group
PO Box 1155
Laveen, AZ 85339
Home: 602-907-5101
avivatravel@aol.com
