South Africa Honeymoon Safari + Victoria Falls & Beach Getaway - 2021

On arrival in Cape Town International Airport and after clearing Customs & Immigration you will be met and transfer to Kensington Place where you will stay for four nights. Enjoy the rest of your day at leisure. 

Kensington Palace is located in the leafy Cape Town suburb of Higgovale and is situated below Table Mountain. The hotel offers eight spacious suites that feature Wi-Fi access, a television and private outdoor terrace that overlooks the city and its harbour. Guests can enjoy delicious meals at the onsite restaurant as well as unwind with a refreshing drink at the bar. The hotel also offers a lush quiet garden and an intimate outdoor swimming pool.

After breakfast you will be met and transfer for your Private Full Day Classic Peninsula Tour.

Highlights

• Travel through many famous coastal suburbs of the Cape and traverse one of the world’s most spectacular passes – Chapman’s Peak.
• Visit the African penguin colony at Boulders Beach as well as the Cape fur seal colony on Duiker Island (weather dependent).
• Catch a glimpse of Southern right whales (seasonal) off the Cape’s longest beach.
• Spot wildlife in the Table Mountain National Park, and explore the rocky coastline, the Cape fynbos vegetation and the south-westernmost point of Africa – Cape Point – and its lighthouse.
• Stroll through world-famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens at the foot of Table Mountain.
• Lunch at an a la carte coastal restaurant (own account).

We make our way along the Atlantic seaboard passing Sea Point, Bantry Bay and Clifton. Bakoven and Llandudno, with their ghostly shipwrecks, are also fantastic sights on the way to the fishing village of Hout Bay, where we board a boat to view the Cape fur seal colony on Duiker Island (weather dependent). From here we navigate the 114 curves of 600m high Chapman’s Peak Drive. Enter the Cape of Good Hope section of the Table Mountain National Park with its unique Cape fynbos vegetation and home to birds like African black oystercatchers and Cape sugarbirds as well as to very special fauna including Cape mountain zebra, bontebok (both endemic) and the charismatic Cape baboon. Climb (or ride the world’s first environmentally friendly funicular) to the famous Cape Point Lighthouse to capture the magical vistas of False Bay. After lunch (own account), we visit Boulders Beach to see the penguins, and then head home through the naval village of Simonstown and over scenic Boyes Drive, taking in the views of the fishing harbour at Kalk Bay and the seaside havens of St James and Muizenberg. To round off your day you can take a stroll through Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens on the slopes of Table Mountain.

After breakfast you will be met and transfer for your Private Full Day Classic Winelands Tour.

Highlights

• Taste some of South Africa’s finest wines in the beautiful Boland region.
• Visit wine estates according to your preferences.
• Lunch at one of the many classic, award-winning restaurants (own account).
• Explore the rich history and culture of towns such as Stellenbosch and gastronomic Franschhoek.

Depart the city for the Winelands in the nearby Boland Mountains for a leisurely exploration of historic towns, liquid delights, gastronomic wonders and home-grown hospitality. Wine estates visited will vary according to client preferences, but the tour generally includes the region’s major wine producing areas of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek, and there are chances aplenty en route for tastings of world-renowned reds and whites, as well as Cap Classiques – South Africa’s answer to “Champagne”. Lunch at one of the many classic, award-winning restaurants in the area (own account). Natural and historic heritage abounds in this area and your tour may take in sights like the Afrikaans Language Monument with its panoramic Boland views. Idyllic Franschhoek, nestled in a valley settled by French Huguenots in 1688, is a delight for antique lovers and gastronomes (the town boasts some world-famous eateries). Stellenbosch, South Africa’s second-oldest town, provides another glimpse of classic 17th-century Cape style, with a chance to browse quaint Dorp Street and the many museums, galleries and shops of this lovely university town.

Day at leisure to explore on your own.

Perched between the ocean and the mountain, with a national park as its heart, there is nowhere like Cape Town. Cape Town, the “Mother City”, is the oldest city in South Africa and has a cultural heritage spanning more than 300 years.

The unique topography of the region makes it easy to orientate oneself as long as you remember that with Table Mountain behind you and Robben Island before you, you are facing north, looking across Table Bay and up the west coast of Africa.

It is in Cape Town that the Rainbow Nation really covers the spectrum. Between beautiful Cape Dutch homesteads, traditional dancers with painted faces performing in the streets, the smell of spicy Malay cooking and the taste of a well-made wine, this city will fill your senses.

The bells of St George’s Cathedral alternate with the plaintive tones of the muezzin calling the faithful to prayer. Visitors give a startled jump, and Capetonians calmly glance at their watches, when the noon gun booms above the city – a relic from the days of sail when sea captains had to check their chronometers.

It has the top five national attractions in South Africa, all of which should appear on every visitor’s itinerary all year round. These include a visit up Table Mountain, either by cable car or manually climbing up routes of varying degrees of difficulty; and the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, internationally acclaimed as one of the great botanical gardens of the world.

The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, one of the city’s main tourist attractions, offers the visitor a unique shopping and holiday experience on a scenic working harbour. Currently undergoing expansion, the complex features shops, restaurants, launch areas for short cruises and a variety of entertainment for those who flock through it by day and night.

Looking further offshore, visitors can take a boat ride to Robben Island, the former home of Nelson Mandela and several other political prisoners who fought against the apartheid government. Visitors to the island are taken on a tour of the old prison complex, as well as to a museum on the island.

You will never be bored in Cape Town. Table Mountain offers some of the best climbing in the world, and it’s right here in the city. The surfing is fantastic; the diving is cold but good. You could go mountain biking, or go sea kayaking – you may see whales or penguins.

A great thing to do on a full moon summer’s night is to walk up Lion’s Head before dark, watch the sun set on one hand and the full moon rise on the other and then walk down in the silvery light.

If the wind is right, you could fly off Lion’s Head with a qualified tandem para-glider pilot, and land on the beach in time for sun downers. If all this sounds too gung-ho for you, don’t worry. You can shop till you drop at Cavendish, Canal Walk or the Waterfront. There is lots of live music, art exhibitions, museums, plays and even opera, ballet or symphony concerts on all year round.

Enjoy your last day in Cape Town exploring the Cape region further. We can discuss the option of several alternative tours to fill your time. 

After breakfast you will be met and transfer to Cape Town Airport for your scheduled regional flight to Victoria Falls Airport, Zimbabwe. On arrival and after clearing Customs & Immigration you will be met and transfer to Victoria Falls Safari Club where you will stay for two nights.  

Located just 4kms from Victoria Falls, and situated within the magnificent grounds of the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge resort.

The Safari Club comprises 16 Club Rooms & 4 Club Suites. The luxurious rooms have uninterrupted views of the unspoilt bushveld and spectacular sunsets. All rooms have three-quarter beds that can be converted into king beds. There are 2 sets of interleading Club Rooms and 2 sets of Club Suites interleading into Club Rooms. Room facilities include: complimentary mini bar which is re-stocked daily with local beer and soft drinks, house wine and bottled water, digital safes large enough to hold laptop computers, international multi sockets, beverage station including Nespresso machine, LED lighting, gauze screens and sliding glass doors opening out onto a private balcony, complimentary WiFi, and air-conditioning. The Club Suites offer the same facilities as the Club Rooms, but also include a spacious adjacent sitting room.

The Safari Club has its own Club Lounge, and offers a butler-style service, complimentary afternoon tea and pastries served 15h30 to 16h30, complimentary sundowners and canapés served from 17h30 to 18h30 and a complimentary shuttle service to the Victoria Falls, town centre and markets. Light meals are available from 11h00 to 21h30 and bar service from 11h00 till late.

After breakfast this morning, you will be collected and taken on a  private Tour of Victoria Falls.  Later on this afternoon, you will be collected and taken on a scheduled sunset cruise.  The sunset cruise is on the Zambezi River, above the Victoria Falls.

After breakfast you will be met and transfer across the border to Livingstone International Airport for your scheduled regional flight to Mpumalanga Airport. After clearing Customs & Immigration you will connect with your scheduled charter flight to Ngala Airstrip. On arrival you will be met and transfer to &Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge where you will stay for three nights. Arrive in time for an afternoon game viewing activity.  

andBeyond Ngala Safari Lodge is situated in Ngala Private Game Reserve, which shares an unfenced boundary with the world-renowned Kruger National Park, South Africa’s largest wildlife sanctuary and one of the biggest game reserves in the world. A spectacular diversity of wildlife moves through this immense wilderness, including breeding herds of elephant, leopard, spotted hyena, giraffe, large buffalo herds and white rhino. With its name meaning lion in Shangaan, the local language, Ngala lives up to its promise, supporting several large prides of these powerful cats. African wild dog can also be spotted moving through the reserve.

Tucked under a canopy of mopane and tamboti trees, andBeyond Ngala Safari Lodge boasts 21 classic thatched cottages, including a spacious family suite. Each ensuite cottage, with private veranda, exudes a romantic colonial ambiance with nostalgic safari memorabilia throughout. The gracious family suite accommodates four guests and includes a private swimming pool and the use of a private vehicle. The Lodge’s sparkling swimming pool and sundeck overlook a natural riverine woodland, ideal for avid birdwatchers. Hearty breakfasts and delicious lunches are served in the dappled shade of an enormous weeping boerbean tree. Upon their return from exhilarating evening drives, guests are welcomed by Ngala’s warm, hospitable staff and a banquet set in the elegant candlelit courtyard or an African feast in the open-air traditional boma. The Lodge’s spacious thatched bar, dining and sitting areas are open to the warm breezes of the inviting African bushveld.

Enjoy twice daily game viewing activities. 

Enjoy early morning and late afternoon game drives that continue after nightfall. andBeyond’s professionally trained guides will ask you about your favourite wildlife and will do their best to ensure that your preferences are met, whether it is tracking a particular species or spending more time enjoying each sighting and getting to know the habits of the animals. They will also tell you about the vegetation of the region and will explain the behaviour of the animals that you come across. In some cases, the guides will be able to identify individual animals and let you know about their history and habits. andBeyond Ngala Private Game Reserve is home to all of the Big Five, but is particularly well known for its large prides of lion and occasional sightings of wild dog, as well as large herds of elephant and buffalo. Venture out in search of leopard or lion sleeping off the exertion of the hunt from the night before.

Nature Walks 

Accompanied by your ranger, enjoy an interpretive nature walk, around the lodge, where you learn more about the intricacies of the African bush, from discovering fascinating flora and reading animal tracks with your guide to meeting smaller wildlife up-close.

Game Viewing Walk

Experience the thrill of tracking animals on foot, as you engage all your senses to discover a world where each sound, scent and bent blade of grass has a meaning. Led by an expertly-trained ranger and tracker team, a tracking walk offers the chance to track and view certain Big 5 animals on foot. Done in such a way that the animals never know that you are there, tracking walks ensure an undisturbed natural experience of their lives, while ensuring safety, as they never feel threatened by your presence. An unparalleled way to experience Africa, a Tracking Walk is a uniquely &Beyond mix of the excitement of tracking big game and gaining an understanding of one’s place in the natural order.

Enjoy your last full day of game viewing activities. 

Optional activities (additional cost will apply): 

Ngala Treehouse Experience

Experience the romance of Africa under a blanket of stars in the luxurious Ngala Treehouse, a remote, yet safe retreat in the middle of the reserve, far from Wi-Fi and artificial light. The treehouse features two sleep levels including a covered and weatherproof space with a king-size bed, hot running shower and flushing toilets. An elevated sleep-out platform allows you to slumber al fresco under a retractable screen. Enjoy sundowner drinks and snacks on the upper deck, a picnic and midnight treats. Completely off the grid, this treehouse promises luxury and comfort while offering the most exclusive wilderness experience.

Cocooned in natural bush surrounds, this 4-level treehouse features two sleep areas: level 3 is covered and weatherproof, with a king-size bed, and level 4, a sleep-out platform under a retractable awning. Toast the sunset. Enjoy a starlit picnic dinner. You’re assured of an intimate wilderness experience, completely off the grid, themed in luxury and exclusivity.

Surrounded by home comforts, a stocked bar and a selection of midnight and breakfast snacks, you could be forgiven for thinking you were in a lodge. However, your night at Ngala Treehouse is essentially an overnight wilderness experience that complements your stay either at &Beyond Ngala Tented Camp or Ngala Safari Lodge.

Cascades and Canyon Spectacular 

This spectacular helicopter flight takes off from Hazyview, near the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. Soar over cascading waterfalls and along the escarpment to God's Window, with its panoramic views, and on to the Blyde River Canyon. Land at a magnificent viewpoint to enjoy a delicious picnic. After your flight, you will be taken back to your game lodge.

After breakfast you will be met and transfer to Ngala Airstrip for your scheduled charter flight to Mpumalanga Airport. You will then connect with your scheduled regional flight Vilanculos Airport, Mozambique. On arrival and after clearing Customs & Immigration you will be met and transfer to Santorini Mozambique where you will stay for three nights. Enjoy the rest of your day at leisure. 

Santorini Mozambique, commands panoramic bay views from its private, elevated position.

Vilanculos is serviced by daily flights, with the Villa a 20 minute drive from Vilanculos International Airport. The Main Villa offers five sea-fronting, air-conditioned, en suite bedrooms, each with a private patio. The living area, comprising a lounge, TV room, ocean facing deck with martini pool, secluded patios, wind-protected courtyard pool and dining spaces are available. The Chapel is a two bedroom villa, ideal for honeymoon couples. It is ocean facing with its own lounge, kitchen and dining room with a private pool and patio. Villa da Praia our three bedroom villa ideal for 3 couples sharing or families of 2 adults traveling with 4 children. It is ocean facing with its own lounge, kitchen and dining room. A private host will be available throughout your stay. Santorini has a 38 ft Supercat Catamaran and a 27 foot fishing and leisure boat available for charters. Transfers to Vilanculos are included in the tariffs, and a range of water activates are cost inclusive. Local operators provide a range of additional activities and on-site Spa treatments available.

Enjoy days at leisure or exploring the beautiful beaches of Vilanculos. 

Optional activities offered (additional cost will apply):

SCUBA DIVING

The waters around the Bazaruto Archipelago World Heritage Site and National Park are an ecological paradise. At 1400km², it is one of the largest marine conservation areas in the Indian Ocean. Dive Bazaruto are a Padi Certified Dive Centre that offers fantastic diving opportunities in an underwater world ranking alongside Australia’s Great Barrier Reef – the Bazaruto Archipelago.

With sites at a depth of 12 to 30 m and visibility up to 40 m you will find reefs teeming with life, including dolphin, hump back whales, whale sharks, sharks, manta and spotted eagle rays, game fish, green turtles and giant lobster. The endangered dugong of which only a very small number still exist, swim in the shallow crystal clear waters that are also home to starfish, soft and hard corals, anemones, seahorses and an array of beautiful tropical fish. Other dive sites are located on the seaward side of San Sebastian (south of the islands on the mainland peninsular), a point jutting out in line with the islands. From San Sebastian, the mainland curves south west to form a large bay which is protected from rough seas by the point and the islands.

BILL FISHING

The Bazaruto Archipelago is pretty much a year-round fishery. Black Marlin come to spawn along the Bazaruto Archipelago’s coastline between September and January, with numerous catches over 1000lbs – the average catch is 300 – 600lbs. Blue and Striped Marlin are also caught during this time of year.

Big game and heavy tackle fishing is at its best in the summer months between September to April, but sailfish peak in winter between May and September and plugging, spinning, jigging, conventional light tackle game fishing and fly fishing for an array of species is excellent all year round.

Black and Blue Marlin | Sailfish | Wahoo | Dorado | Yellowfin Tuna | Giant Trevally | Queen and King Mackerel | Talang Queenfish | Bonito | Bludgers | Yellowspot Trevally | Green Jobfish

HORSE SAFARI

Vilanculos is renowned for its superb variety of white sand beaches, alluring golden sunsets and tall palm trees. The beach stretches for tens of kilometres allowing riders plenty of opportunities for exhilarating canters and long trots. The views from the towering cliffs overlooking the Bazaruto Archipelago are extraordinary and will be a memory you will never forget.

Mandy Retclaff, the writer of 104 horses owns the beautiful stables a 45 minute drive from Santorini. There are a variety of rides along the coast and inland that cater for beginners to experienced riders.  The spirit of fun and adventure runs deep at Mozambique Horse Safari so saddle up and enjoy a truly unique African adventure on our wonderful horses.

FISHING VILLAGE TOUR

The fishing village ride is a full day adventure with the beautiful horses of Mozambique horse safaris. You will ride out to the village where you eat a traditional Mozambican lunch of maya-a, grilled fish, fresh crab and refreshing coconut water. The local children treat you to a sing-a-long and dance. Some donations of pencils etc are given to the children and 10% of the cost of your safari goes to the village. This activity doesn’t run every day and is subject to availability.

Enjoy your last full day in Vilanculos.

Optional activities offered (additional cost will apply):

KITESURFING

Whether you’re a total beginner or wanting to push your kite surfing skills to the next level, there is a range of courses to meet your needs. Best of all – the kite surfing school will come to you and your lesson will be here on the shores of Santorini.

SCENIC HELICOPTER

Experience the Mozambique Archipelago from above.

Archipelago Charters is the premium provider of luxury helicopter chauffer air service in Mozambique, operating a variety state-of-the-art Eurocopter and Bell helicopters.

While relaxing aboard with the Captain’s full attention, passengers can experience the Archipelago with its scenic wonders. From the elegance of flamingos, the amazing sea life such as Dugongs, crystal clear waters, white sand beaches, beautiful sunsets, golden dunes, historic lighthouses and pristine islands to nature’s art work in the form of ripples in sand and water.

After breakfast you will be met and transfer to Vilanculos Airport for your scheduled regional flight to Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport. Onward you will connect with your scheduled departure flight home.