One of the most culturally and geographically diverse places on earth, South Africa, fondly known by locals as the 'Rainbow Nation', boasts 11 official languages, and its inhabitants are influenced by a fascinating mix of cultures. Discover the gourmet restaurants, impressive art scene, vibrant nightlife, and beautiful beaches of Cape Town. Enjoy a local braai (barbecue) in the Soweto township, browse the bustling Indian markets in Durban, or sample some of the world's finest wines at the myriad wine estates dotting the Cape Winelands. Some historical attractions to explore include the Zululand battlefields of KwaZulu-Natal, the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, and Robben Island, just off the coast of Cape Town. Above all else, its untamed wilderness is astonishing: wildlife roams freely across massive unfenced game reserves such as the world-famous Kruger National Park.
Cape Town is a city like no other – a vibrant melting pot alive with creativity, colors, sounds and tastes. Take in a view from above by riding the cable car to Table Mountain or check out the tiny cell Nelson Mandela was kept in on Robben Island. Visit the V&A Waterfront near your hotel, a place for shopping or just hanging out to watch the world go by. Breathtaking natural scenery, long standing cultural heritage and world-class wine production estates characterize an area known as the Wine Lands where you will can taste the wines of the region. Drive through gorgeous scenery and hamlets on the way to Cape Point, the Cape of Good Hope, a rocky coastline seafarers have respected and feared for hundreds of years. Please check your itinerary for inclusions.
Botswana is well known for having some of the best wilderness and wildlife areas on the African continent. With almost 40% of its land area devoted to national parks, reserves and wildlife management areas you can travel through many parts of the country has the feeling of moving through an immense Nature wonderland. The first – and most lasting impressions – will be of vast expanses of uninhabited wilderness stretching from horizon to horizon, the sensation of limitless space, astoundingly rich wildlife and bird viewing, night skies littered with stars and heavenly bodies of an unimaginable brilliance, and stunning sunsets of unearthly beauty. Experience here the stunning beauty of the world’s largest intact inland Delta – the Okavango; the unimaginable vastness of the world’s second largest game reserve – the Central Kalahari Game Reserve; the isolation and other-worldliness of the Makgadikgadi – uninhabited pans the size of Portugal; and the astoundingly prolific wildlife of the Chobe National Park. Botswana is the last stronghold for a number of endangered bird and mammal species, making your safari experience even more memorable, and at times you will feel simply surrounded by wild animals.
The amazing foresight of Chief Moremi created one of the world's most famous reserves, conserving part of the Okavango Delta and the plains to its east. The reserve covers more than 4871 square kilometres of pristine wilderness, and the varied terrain includes savannah, winding waterways, and thick forest. This diversity supports an incredibly wide spectrum of wildlife, ranging from large herds of buffalo, wildebeest and zebra, to the rare sitatunga and lechwe antelope, and lion, cheetah and packs of wild dog in the open grasslands. The birdlife is prolific and includes most of the 550 bird species recorded on the Botswana national bird list.
Lying in the middle of the largest expanse of sand on earth the Okavango Delta is one of Africa’s most amazing, sensitive and complex environments supporting a spectacle of wilderness and wildlife. Unique as one of the world’s few inland deltas, the placid waters and lush indigenous forests offer a safe haven for innumerable bird and wildlife species. The Okavango Delta offers a number of activities for the visitor; game viewing, birding and fishing are all on offer. One can experience this magical world of islands and waterways from land, air and water. Highlights include the elusive Sitatunga antelope which has found refuge in this pristine wetland ecosystem, while birds such as the African fish eagle, Pel's fishing owl and many others provide a spectacular display.
As previously described
