Bryn Mawr College

Your journey begins as you board your South African Airways overnight flight. (Meals Aloft)

Often called Jo'burg, Johannesburg is the country's largest city and financial center with ultra modern skyscrapers and a bustling way of life. It is the city of gold, as its claim to fame is the gold that was discovered close-by. Upon arrival at the Johannesburg International Airport today, you will be met and escorted to your nearby hotel within walking distance, the Southern Sun – a great, relaxing place to begin your journey into South Africa’s capital city. Relax in comfort in the attractively furnished lounge or take a refreshing dip in the outdoor pool. Fitness enthusiasts can enjoy a workout in the hotel gymnasium, equipped with the latest gym equipment Shops, cinemas and banks are a short distance away. Overnight at THE SOUTHERN SUN OR TAMBO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HOTEL. (Meals Aloft)

Today you will fly to Maun, Botswana, where upon arrival you will board your light aircraft for your flight to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve – one of the most remote and unspoiled experiences on the African continent. At over 20,000 square miles this reserve is one of the largest in the world. The abundance of herbivores and their prey is perfectly complemented with lush green landscapes, floral displays and beautiful skies. At this time of year these verdant flatlands are alive with aggregations of gemsbok, springbok and blue wildebeest. As a result of these populations on the fossil riverbeds, predator concentrations are also high and sightings of the almost mythical black-maned Kalahari lions are complemented with some of the best cheetah viewing in Africa. Wild dog and leopard are seen on occasion and black-backed jackal, bat-eared fox also occur. Other mammal possibilities include southern giraffe, steenbok, red hartebeest, and the charismatic ground squirrels. Your home for the next two nights will be in the rustic 12-tented camp situated in a remote part of this productive and diverse protected area. The camp is beautifully situated on a low sandy ridge fringing a typical Kalahari pan. Guided wildlife drives and walks will unlock the fascinating wildlife treasures found in this wonderful area. Overnights at the KALAHARI PLAINS CAMP. (All Meals Daily; C/P)

Board your light aircraft once again for your flight to one of the world’s most distinctive regions, the Okavango Delta – earth’s largest inland water systems. Its headwaters start in Angola’s western highlands, with numerous tributaries joining to form the Cubango River, which then flows through Namibia (called the Kavango) and finally enters Botswana, where it is then called the Okavango. Millions of years ago the Okavango River used to flow into a large inland lake called Lake Makgadikgadi (now Makgadikgadi Pans). Tectonic activity and faulting interrupted the flow of the river causing it to backup and form what is now the Okavango delta. This has created a unique system of water ways that now supports a vast array of animal and plant life that would have otherwise been a dry Kalahari savannah. The Banoka Bush Camp is situated in the Khwai Community Concession in a private area in the north eastern parts of the beautiful Okavango Delta. Accommodation consists of ten tented units with en-suite facilities. The main camp area boasts a lounge as well as a dining area offering beautiful views. The camp is named in honor of the River San, or Banoka, ancestors of the Khoi and the earliest settlers of the Okavango Delta. The magnificent location of Banoka Bush Camp offers fantastic wildlife viewing opportunities. The narrow Khwai Channel is home to large mammals such as hippo and crocodile with buffalo and red lechwe grazing along the fringe. Elusive roan antelope often come to the river to drink. Mopane woodland and permanent water attract large numbers of elephants to the area. Larger predators include lion, wild dog and spotted hyena and birdlife found here is just as varied thanks to the wide array of habitats. Some 450 bird species can be seen in the area. Overnights at BANOKA BUSH CAMP. (All Meals Daily)

This morning’s flight takes you to your home for the next two nights Xigera Camp (pronounced keejera), situated in the heart of the Okavango on Paradise Island, within the Moremi Game Reserve. The camp consists of ten luxuriously furnished walk-in tented rooms, each with en-suite facilities and outdoor showers. All rooms are raised off the ground and are built within a shady grove offering superb views of the floodplain to the east of camp and its attractive waterhole that is frequently visited by lechwe. Meals are taken in the dining room overlooking the main river, which along with the pub and lounge is under a thatch roof. You may also choose to take a beautifully prepared picnic onto one of the nearby islands for a more secluded and intimate experience. Activities focus mainly on mokoro (small, dugout canoes) rides through the quiet waterways, as well as short walking safaris. You may get lucky enough to get good views of the elusive sitatunga antelope along the way – with its webbed feet, the sitatunga seems to walk on water. Drives are also offered (if water levels are low enough) as well as boat trips on the river (if water levels are high enough). Game drives are best here in the summer months. Birding in the area is excellent, with Pels Fishing Owl, Slaty Egret and Wattled Crane amongst the many species of birds regularly sighted. One very unique feature that Xigera offers is the footbridge in front of the camp. It is the only way predators can cross from island to island without having to swim. A "long-jump pit" has been built with soft sand, which each animal is forced to walk over when they use the bridge. Every evening the sand is raked smooth. Each morning guests are able to read the "newspaper" and see what animals have walked through camp. Almost every night lion, hyena and leopard stroll through camp. Overnights at XIGERA CAMP. (All Meals Daily)

Enjoy a last wildlife run this morning and a hearty breakfast before flying back to Johannesburg via Maun where you connect with your South African Airways overnight flight to the U.S.A. (B, Meals Aloft)

This morning you land in the USA and connect with your flight home, bringing with you the memories of all the wonderful sights of Southern Africa. (Meals Aloft)

Your journey begins as you board your South African Airways overnight flight. (Meals Aloft)

Upon arrival at the Johannesburg International Airport you will connect with your flight to Cape Town, South Africa’s “Mother City”. Upon arrival, you will be met and escorted to your hotel. The provincial capital, Cape Town, is a sophisticated city with plenty to see and do, particularly around the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront area, where delightful buildings of the Cape Dutch and Victorian-era architecture have been restored as shops, restaurants, museums and pubs, as the busy water traffic of the docks goes on unabated.

The Aquarium is within easy walking distance from your hotel, and well worth a visit. If interested in shopping, the area has a larger shopping plaza and numerous fine shops. Cape Town, which faces north across Table Bay, has thrived from its birth, first as a Dutch settlement in 1652 when Jan van Ribeeck established it as a supply station for ships of the Dutch East India Company, and later, under the British as a port supplying ships with food and fresh water from the perennial mountain streams.

Your home for the next four nights will be at Winchester Mansions, situated on Cape Town's Platinum mile and overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. This exclusive, privately-owned 4 star hotel sets itself apart among other hotels in and around Cape Town with its spectacular beachfront location, stylish elegance and personalized service. Each of the 51 guestrooms and 25 suites has been exquisitely furnished by one of Cape Town’s leading interior designers. All rooms and suites have stocked mini-bars, satellite television including international channels, direct dial telephones, tea & coffee making facilities, hairdryers, electronic safes and beautifully furnished bathrooms with separate walk in showers. All rooms have air conditioning. Each elegantly appointed room or suite has breathtaking views of either the Atlantic Ocean or historic Signal Hill. After your long flights, Winchester Mansions is a welcome retreat. Overnight at WINCHESTER MANSIONS. (B)

Your luxury motorcoach takes you on a breathtaking coastal drive to the Cape of Good Hope. You are surrounded by spectacular mountains, rugged shorelines, and the blue sea below. See Devil's Peak, Lion's Head, Table Mountain and the Twelve Apostles. Pass quaint seaside towns as you continue to Cape Point where the stormy waters of the Atlantic meet up with the calm waters of the Indian Ocean. At Cape Point, climb the steps or ride a funicular to the top where you can explore a lighthouse, enjoy the views or even indulge in a bit of shopping.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, and continue to Boulders Beach where the African (Jackass) Penguins can be seen – also known as the Black-footed Penguins. Return to Cape Town in the evening, where you have another chance to discover one of the numerous restaurants that Cape Town has to offer Overnight at WINCHESTER MANSIONS. (B,L)

Today you will venture off on a full day expedition to the wine lands region situated below the spectacular Boland Mountains only 50 minutes from the city. Discover the internationally acclaimed vineyards of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franshhoek on the Western Cape, along a most scenic route. You will visit the historic estate of Boschendal with some of the most brilliantly preserved Cape Dutch buildings in the Cape, and its collection of priceless period furniture. Overnight at WINCHESTER MANSIONS. (B,L)

Today you will visit the settlement of Khayelitsha, on the Cape Flats. Khayelitsha means "new hope" and was established in 1984 during the tribal war outbreak in informal settlements. Like many other townships, it was created during the apartheid era as a dormitory area for the working class. Today residents continue to face challenges of HIV/AIDS and poverty in post-apartheid South Africa.

Get a feel of what Cape Town is all about by taking the cable car to the top of Table Mountain, the signature of this city, easily one of the most recognizable mountains. This tour is very dependent on the wind factor, as well as the clouds.

Your day draws to a close as you visit one of the most symbolically significant and moving sights in South Africa, Robben Island. For nearly 400 years, Robben Island was a place of banishment, exile, isolation and imprisonment. It was here that rulers sent those they regarded as political troublemakers, social outcasts and the unwanted of society. In 1997 Robben Island became a National Museum and National Monument. The Museum is a dynamic institution, which runs educational programs for schools, youths and adults, facilitates tourism development, conducts ongoing research related to the Island and fulfills an archiving function. It was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. Tours are conducted by former prisoners of Robben Island, who bring to life this South African heritage, which speaks of heroic endurance and triumph of the human spirit in the face of enormous hardship and adversity.
Overnight at WINCHESTER MANSIONS. (B,L)

The day is at your own leisure to relax or take advantage of the excellent shopping opportunities nearby. Later today, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back to Johannesburg to meet up with the group arriving from the USA this evening. (B)

Bid farewell to the rest of the group returning to the USA today and get set for a new adventure as you fly to Kasane where you will cross by ferry to Zambia and continue by vehicle to Livingstone, located on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls. At more than twice the size of Niagara Falls it’s no surprise that Victoria Falls are among the Seven Wonders of the World. Mosi-oa-Tunya – The Smoke that Thunders, derived from the towering column of spray when the Zambezi River runs high, is the name that Zimbabwe's local people have given to this awesome natural phenomenon. The name is probably more appropriate and descriptive than "Victoria", which has a far too calm and composed ring to it to do justice to the masses of thundering, swirling water of these spectacular falls. But all Dr. David Livingstone probably thought of when he named the falls after his Queen in 1855 was his royal duty. Five separate falls make up this incredible spectacle that plunges more than 300 feet into a sheer-sided chasm which separates Zimbabwe from Zambia. The awe-inspiring abyss is spanned by a 1905 Edwardian bridge which links the two countries and many adventurers now use to bungee jump. The masses of water plunging down the falls and into the gorge below originate from the mighty Zambezi River that meanders through more than 1,677 miles of African countryside.

Your visit will include a tour of the falls on the Zambian side. An afternoon sundowner cruise on a private boat will be a highlight as you glide along the Zambezi River, watching hippos snort, elephants drink on the riverbank, monkeys jump from branch to branch, birds fly overhead or pose for a photograph on the branches, and much more. Enjoy your gin and tonic, cool beer, or drink of choice, and see a panoramic sunset as the sun dips below the horizon, painting the whole area in unbelievable colors of brilliant reds, yellows, purples and mauves.

Overnights at the DAVID LIVINGSTONE SAFARI LODGE AND SPA. (B Daily)

Last chance to photograph the incredible Falls, visit the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park which also features rhino, or shop at Livingstone, before transferring to the airport for your flight to Johannesburg. Here, connect with your overnight flight back to New York on South African Airways. (B, Meals Aloft)

This morning you land in the USA and connect with your flight home, bringing with you the memories of all the wonderful sights of Southern Africa. (Meals Aloft)