19-Nights The Ultimate Luxury African Safari - Tailormade Journeys — CALL

Itinerary Details

1 Arrive Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town is a cosmopolitan tapestry of life, culture, and diversity where art and design studios imbue the atmosphere with a hip, creative vibe, all overlooked by towering Table Mountain.

Make your way to the top of Table Mountain via cable car to take in an inspiring panorama of the city. Proceed to the colorful and distinctive Bo-Kaap neighborhood for a walking tour. The city is yours to explore as you like this afternoon.

Cape Point unfurls around you as you journey past the white sand beaches at the base of the towering Twelve Apostles Mountain Range, along Hout Bay with its bustling fishing harbor and over the famous Chapman’s Peak Drive. Explore the stunning Cape Peninsula and Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, home to rare bonteboks and chacma baboons. Ride the “Flying Dutchman” funicular to the great pinnacle at blustery Cape Point. At Boulders Beach, visit its raucous colony of endangered African penguins. Take some free time to explore on your own. Escape to the charming beachside town of Muizenberg, famed for its colorful beach huts, and test your mettle at surfing under the expert guidance of your instructor. After getting to grips with wipeouts and cutbacks, tuck into a light lunch at the lively Hout Bay Market, before heading out on a small boat to Seal Island, where you will plunge into the Atlantic and snorkel with the playful colony of Cape fur seals.

Forever shapeshifting beneath the sun, the Okavango Delta is Africa's mercurial wonder, a flooded paradise where rivulets run like cheetahs, oxbow lakes lie still and serene, and islets come and go with the tides. Widely regarded as one of the premium destinations for game viewing, the delta itself is a patchwork of cool clear streams, lagoons, floodplains and forested islands. In the dry winter season, vast numbers of wildlife flock to where the floodwaters infiltrate the delta, providing one of the natural world’s most spectacular sights. Upon touch down at the local airstrip, journey overland to your A&K Sanctuary lodge, with the remainder of your day free for relaxing or taking part in wildlife viewing activities.

Heed the call of the delta with morning and evening game drives in a custom-built vehicle, accompanied by an experienced guide, before relaxing with a refreshing drink in the lodge’s well-stocked library. Explore this one-of-a-kind riverine ecosystem known for its grassy plains, seasonal waterways and islands that are home to a vast number of animals, including hippos, lions, elephants, buffaloes, wildebeest, cheetahs and many bird species. Season permitting, no visit to the Okavango would be complete without a ride in a mokoro (dugout canoe), a serene yet thrilling immersion in the wild, ever-shifting landscapes of the delta. Later, set out on a guided walking safari, led by an armed ranger, that takes you on foot amid the home turf of countless species of animal, insect and birds. Cap off your day with a delectable dinner back at your lodge.

On your final day in the Okavango, choose the activities you like best. Set off on a morning game drive and take in the fresh smell of the river and the bush, returning to your lodge for a freshly prepared breakfast, or maybe just laze around the lodge. In the late afternoon, you may opt for any activity offered by your A&K Sanctuary. You may also choose to soar over Botswana's Tsodilo Hills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with 26,000-year-old rock art, on a breathtaking helicopter excursion, available for an additional fee. Draw your exciting, romantic safari adventure here to a charming close with dinner under the starlit African night sky, serenaded by a chorus of nocturnal wild residents.

Travel to the Moremi Game Reserve, the predator capital of the delta, with its vast network of lagoons, channels, palm islands and floodplains. Arrive at Chief’s Camp, an A&K Sanctuary, set within this extraordinary wetland wilderness. This afternoon, venture into Moremi Game Reserve on your first game drive or take in the views from your private deck.

Explore Moremi Game Reserve, often called the “Predator Capital of Africa” for its exceptional concentration of hunters and plains game. Morning and afternoon drives reveal a rich variety of wildlife, from big cats and plains dwellers to resident and migratory birds. Between outings, return to camp for time to relax in the heart of the delta.

Spend another day immersed in the Okavango Delta’s watery landscapes. Set on a naturally elevated island, your lodge offers an ideal base as seasonal waters rise around it. Explore by land and, conditions permitting, by mokoro, taking in the remarkable spectacle of wildlife shaped by this ever-changing environment.

Livingstone pulses with the raw energy of the Zambezi River and the thunderous roar of Victoria Falls. Colonial architecture, characterized by Victorian-style buildings with wide verandas, gabled roofs and intricate woodwork, contrasts with the vibrant local markets and the surrounding untamed wilderness. Touch down and settle into your elegant treehouse suite, relaxing to the sounds of the river and nearby wildlife.

Venture out from the heavenly surrounds of Sussi & Chuma’s treehouses, nestled among majestic ebony trees, to embark on a private tour of both the Zambia and Zimbabwe sides of Victoria Falls. Dr. Livingstone named the awesome cataract for his queen but locals had long since dubbed it Mosi-Oa-Tunya — “The Smoke That Thunders”— in honor of the smoke-like mist cast up by the mile-wide Zambezi River’s epic 354-foot plunge.

Set off on a game drive with Sussi & Chuma’s expert guides deep into Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park to observe its [MJ7.1]wildlife. Follow endangered white rhinos on foot, remaining at a safe distance, as part of a 4x4 safari. Depending on the season, take part in a catch-and-release fishing expedition by small motorboat on the Zambezi River, guided by highly skilled professionals. Afterward, come ashore for a sunset cocktail to toast your rousing experiences here.

Fly to Nairobi, capital of Kenya, the country where Geoffrey Kent pioneered the luxury adventure. Touch down, settle into your hotel and relax in preparation for your forthcoming adventure across the Kenyan plains.

Fly to Amboseli National Park, home to prolific herds of elephants. Spanning 150 square miles of Kenyan savanna, woodlands, wetlands and ephemeral lakebed — with Mount Kilimanjaro’s distinctive profile as its centerpiece — this iconic park also harbors giraffes, zebras, cheetahs, lions and hundreds of bird species. Settle into your Maasai-inspired luxury lodge, located on a private concession adjoining the park. This afternoon, head out across the dusty plains on your first game drive.

Watch elephants and other wildlife such as Cape buffalo, wildebeest, hippos and hyenas up close. Head out this afternoon to seek out more of East Africa’s natural wonders. Keep a timeless safari tradition with a refreshing cocktail in the bush.

Revel in one more day tracking wildlife in Kenya, perhaps to capture that idyllic photo of the park’s elephants backdropped by snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro or catch a glimpse of a cheetah bolting after its prey. Look to the sky as well to observe any of the 400 species of birds living here, such as African fish eagles, flamingos, pelicans and grey crowned cranes. Later, toast your incredible safari journey over dinner under Africa’s glittering night sky.

Bordering Tanzania in Kenya’s southwest, the Maasai Mara is named after its ancestral inhabitants and the dotted appearance of its acacia-studded plains. Its golden savannas, riverine forests, low-lying mountains and sheer cliffs are best known for hosting one of the most extraordinary events on the planet: the Great Migration, in which over two million wildebeest and zebra arrive from the southern Serengeti between August and October. Year-round, though, the reserve supports a range of wildlife, from hippos, crocodiles, lions and hyenas to elephants and eagles.

Head out to spot the reserve’s world-famous wildlife. Patient tracking may lead you to leopards dozing from acacia branches or elephants guarding their calves from prowling lions (in season).

After your final morning game drive, devote the afternoon to relaxing on your veranda, watching hippos gather at the camp’s private stretch of the Mara River.