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East Meets South: Africa’s Iconic Highlights & Wildlife

Price Starting at $18,795.00

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Dive into adventure on this whirlwind tour of Africa’s most iconic sights and experiences. From the wilds of the Maasai Mara to the crashing, crystalline waters of Victoria Falls, on to the sprawling verdant winelands, and the bustling major cities of modern Africa, this is an experience that will uncover the many facets of life on this mysterious continent. Buckle up for game drives in some of the most beautiful parks in the world, where sightings of the “Big Five” are simply a part of day to day living. Here you’ll witness lion, giraffe, Cape buffalo, rhino, elephant, impala, and many, many more incredible animals. Alongside expert guides with endless insight into local culture, indigenous life, and more, this is the opportunity of a lifetime to truly immerse yourself in a different world.

Degree of Difficulty –    

Board your flight to Kenya, arriving the next day in Nairobi. You will be escorted to your hotel for an evening at leisure. Start the next day at the Karen Blixen House, the former home of the Danish Baronness, and author of the book Out of Africa. Continue to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust at the edge of Nairobi National Park, a nursery and rehab center for orphaned elephants, as well as rhino and occasionally zebras and other wildlife. Hand-feed the rare Rothschild’s giraffes at the AFEW Nature Center near Giraffe Manor and shop at the Kazuri Bead Factory, founded by Lady Wood, widow of the founder of the Flying Doctor Society Michael Wood. Your welcome dinner will be at the Carnivore Restaurant for a delicious Kenyan nyama choma. THE RESIDENCES AT KAREN.

(Meals Aloft; Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Prices vary by season and package. Please inquire by phone at (800) 627-1244 or email info@classicescapes.com for more information and a pricing estimate.

Maximum group size: There are no major restrictions on size as most of the properties are larger luxury lodges and hotels. For the post extension, Imbali only has 12 rooms.

YOUR JOURNEY INCLUDES:
  • Roundtrip flights between Nairobi and Maasai Mara.
  • Flights between Livingstone/Kasane/Victoria Falls
  • Flight between Cape Town/Johannesburg/Skukuza/Johannesburg on the post extension.
  • Superior accommodations throughout as indicated or similar.
  • All meals while on safari. Other meals as specified.
  • All wildlife viewing by land cruisers, driven by a naturalist driver/guide; all touring in cities in deluxe motor coaches.
  • Specialist guide with a minimum of 10 travelers – one in East Africa, and a different one in Southern Africa.
  • Water in vehicles and during meals.
  • All applicable hotel and lodge taxes and gratuities for baggage handling.
  • All park entry fees and sightseeing as specified.
  • Complimentary baggage tags and passport wallet.
  • Emergency evacuation insurance.

Kenya is located on the Equator. The temperature, therefore, does not vary too much. During our summer months – their winter (June through August) it is about 10 degrees cooler, but days will be warm and can reach 80’s and evenings can be cool and can drop to the 40’s in the higher elevations. The rainy season is in April/May (long rains) and November (short rains). However, it does not rain every day, or all day, and rainstorms are quickly followed by brilliant sunshine which makes for incredible photographic opportunities. Wildlife viewing is good year-round; however, the migration of zebra and wildebeest follow this cycle:

    • January-March – southern sector of the Serengeti in Tanzania
    • April-June – central Serengeti in Tanzania
    • July – western corridor of the Serengeti in Tanzania
    • August-October – northern Serengeti and mostly into Maasai Mara in Kenya
    • November-December – returning back to Serengeti in Tanzania and making their way to the southern sector

Botswana can be visited year-round. June-August is Botswana’s winter and the mornings and evenings can be quite cold, the water levels are at their highest, and it is generally considered high season. However, the off-peak season also offers spectacular wildlife viewing and the pricing is best during that time of year.

At Victoria Falls, the water levels are high January-July on the Zambian side and diminish after that. For best viewing of the Falls, we recommend that travelers visit the Zimbabwe side between August and the end of the year – this tour can very easily be arranged at an additional cost if staying at the Zambian side of the Falls.

No matter when South Africa is visited, it is a stunning country and one is sure to delight in its offerings. South Africa is affected by the waters surrounding the country on three sides, and thus there’s variation in the weather pattern depending on what part of the country visited. In Cape Town, the winter months (June-August) are mild and changeable; this is also the time when most of the rainfall occurs in the Cape. Summer months (January-March) around Cape Town are generally dry. During the summer months at Kruger (December-March,) there can be sporadic rainfall in the form of quick thunder showers, but wildlife viewing is superb no matter when visited. April through August represent the winter months in Southern Africa which in turn means very little rain in most of the country, except for the Cape. South Africa is incredible to visit, particularly the Cape, during the Spring, when the wildflowers are in bloom – generally mid-August through September. Marine enthusiasts should consider visiting between June and November when the Southern Right Whales congregate in the waters.are high January-July on the Zambian side and diminish after that. For best viewing of the Falls, we recommend that travelers visit the Zimbabwe side between August and the end of the year – this tour can very easily be arranged at an additional cost if staying at the Zambian side of the Falls.