South Africa, Zambia and Mauritius - A Perfect Safari/ Beach Itinerary

Day 1

Depart at 1920 from London’s Heathrow Airport on the British Airways flight BA255 travelling in Business Class to Lusaka.

Days 2 and 3

Arrive at 0630 and connect with a scheduled flight departing at 0800 to Livingstone. On arrival at 0900 you will be met and transferred to the Royal Livingstone Hotel where you stay for two nights (bed and breakfast).

The Royal Livingstone, on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls brings a new level of luxury and sophistication to this world-famous region. This comfortable modern, well equipped hotel is an excellent base from which to see the waterfall and enjoy the many activities on the river and around the Falls.

The bedrooms are two-storey clusters inspired by the grand estate houses of a bygone era. Each cluster comprises ten en-suite air-conditioned rooms with private balconies and terraces that offer spectacular views of the Zambezi river and beyond.

Each room offers a quiet retreat from the ruggedness of Africa, with large shaded verandas and open spaces cooled by swirling fans and tall shutters. The travellers bar and lounge is a place where guests can relax under thatched shade, decorated in greens, creams and ebony. There is a large pool and the restaurants are very good, serving international cuisine.

While you are at Victoria Falls, you can enjoy a wide range of activities, including flights across the waterfall by helicopter and light aircraft, white water rafting, canoeing, sundowner cruises and safaris. Guests can also walk to the mile wide waterfall, which can be viewed from several vantage points along the network of pathways.

Days 4 to 6

In the late morning you will be returned to Livingstone Airport where you board a scheduled flight departing at 1300 to Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport. Arrive at 1440 and connect with a further scheduled flight departing at 1600 to Cape Town’s International Airport. On arrival at 1810 you will be met and transferred to the Cape Grace Hotel where you stay for three nights in a luxury double room (bed and breakfast).

The Cape Grace is quite simply one of the finest hotels in Africa, set in a superb private position on Cape Town’s Victoria & Alfred Waterfront with views towards the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the immense flat-topped expanse of Table Mountain to the other. The atmosphere at the hotel combines genuine warmth and friendliness with a very high standard of service and efficiency and while you are here the hotel will be pleased to arrange any excursions in and around Cape Town, either on a private or shared basis. Surrounding the hotel is the Cape Waterfront complex with entertainment, shops and attractive restaurants in an area which is safe to wander around during the day and in the evening.

The Cape Grace is privately owned and not part of a large chain and this is reflected in the comfortable elegance of the furnishings and décor of the rooms, suites and public areas. There are eighty one spacious luxury rooms, ten superior rooms which have balconies with fine views, and eighteen luxury loft rooms which are a located on the top floor, each with terrace and access to their own private lounge facilities. In addition, there are ten suites and two penthouses.

The hotel has a library and lounge, two restaurants and a bar, and on the top floor a fully equipped spa and heated swimming pool. Guests also have complimentary access to a conveniently located health club.

In 1652, Jan van Riebeeck sailed into Table Bay on the north Cape Peninsula and laid the foundations of South Africa’s oldest settlement, Cape Town. Three hundred and fifty years of history have been preserved in much of Cape Town’s architecture, which combines attractively with the more functional demands of the 21st century.

The Houses of Parliament, National Gallery, Museum and Planetarium are all within ambling distance of elegant shopping malls and colourful markets, which entice shoppers to browse and buy everything from souvenirs to African art, gems and antiques. In the last ten years, the restoration of the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront dockland area evokes images of 19th century seafaring activities and provides a superb setting for an array of cafes, restaurants and bars. From here, you can take boat trips round the harbour and out across Table Bay.

Dominating the city’s skyline and flanked by Devils Peak is the looming mass of Table Mountain, and visitors should not miss the opportunity to ascend Table Mountain by cable car. The view of the City and the south Atlantic from the summit is quite magnificent.

There is a wide range of excursions and activities in and around Cape Town including visits to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was held prisoner, visits to Townships where you can enjoy lunch and exposure to Africa’s vibrant urban culture. To the south lies the scenic Peninsula with its attractive sandy bays and pretty little towns. There are remote penguin colonies which can be visited by boat and canoe, and from July to November you can set off further afield in search of southern right whales. The more adventurous can even go looking for sharks in special “caged diving” facilities.

An hour’s drive to the east of Cape Town lie the Cape Winelands where you find beautiful undulating scenery covered in ancient vineyards and fruit orchards. There are literally dozens of ancient wineries, many of which are open for tastings and lunch and which have magnificent estate houses. For the golfer there are several beautifully maintained championship golf courses, and the attractive little towns of Paarl, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are each worth a visit.

Days 7 to 10

In the morning you will be returned to Cape Town’s International Airport where you board a scheduled flight departing at 1000 to Kruger’s Mpumalanga Airport. On arrival at 1235 you will be met and transferred twenty minutes by light aircraft to Londolozi’s Founders Camp where you stay for four nights (inclusive of meals and activities).

Londolozi Founders Camp is one of South Africa’s finest safari lodges, situated on the prime Sabi Sands Game Reserve, bordering the Kruger National Park. On this reserve the open savannah, woodland and riverine bush supports an amazing range of wildlife. There are large herds of elephants, buffalo and giraffe, many types of antelope ranging from timid impala to great kudu with their great majestic curved horns. Prehistoric looking rhinoceros can be found, while in the rivers there are hippopotamus and crocodiles. Londolozi is also an excellent place for spotting predators - lion, leopard and cheetah are all regularly seen.

Founders Camp comprises just five chalets and one suite, set in thickly forested bush overlooking the Sand River. Each of the chalets is beautifully designed and air conditioned with large beds, elegant furniture and en suite bathroom with bath, shower and twin hand basins, while outside is a large viewing deck.

The guides at Londolozi are among the best in South Africa with great knowledge and love of this exciting reserve. They will take you game viewing by open vehicle, during the day and at night, when you might spot nocturnal creatures such as aardvark, civit and leopard, with a spot light and they will also take you on walks where the guide will be armed, demonstrating his amazing tracking skills and give you an opportunity to enjoy the excitement of feeling Africa under your feet, learning a huge amount about the bush as you go.

Founders Camp has a good sized swimming pool and there is a covered lounge area. You will find the standard of cuisine and management excellent.

Day 11

In the morning you will be returned by light aircraft to Kruger’s Mpumalanga Airport where you board a scheduled flight departing at 1425 to Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport. On arrival at 1530 you will be met and transferred to the Safari Club where you stay for one night (bed and breakfast).

An oasis of calm just four minutes from Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport, the Safari Club offers superior accommodation and warm hospitality. Opened on the 1st November 2007, with seventeen luxury en-suite rooms for the safari traditionalist, designed for both the foreign and local traveller in Southern Africa.

The Safari Club is privately owned and run by renowned hotelier Emile Muller, offering his guests a true African experience on the doorstep of Southern Africa’s gateway.

Every room has been carefully decorated to a specific area eg. Kalahari room, Etosha room, Okavango room etc. There are a number of lounges for relaxation as well as a bar, breakfast room and a newly installed swimming pool for those hot summer days. The bar theme has been dedicated to the famous Nguni cattle and covered with beautiful memorabilia.

Days 12 to 15

In the morning you will be met and returned to the airport where you board flight BA6399 departing at 0900 to Mauritius. On arrival at 1510 you will be met and transferred to Le Telfair where you stay for four nights (half board).

Le Telfair is a superb five-star property located on the south west corner of Mauritius, occupying a beautiful site with a 2km beach frontage and luxurious tropical gardens. The hotel is adjacent to its own 3500-acre nature reserve where you find birds and small mammals including deer.

Le Telfair accommodates guests in twenty very spacious two-storey plantation style villas, each having between six and eight rooms and suites, all of which are constructed and furnished in light shades of wood to a very high standard and with attractive light-coloured décor. The hotel has a very large pool and a separate children’s pool, an 18-hole championship standard golf course, floodlit tennis court and a spa.

The 2km long beach leads to a large turquoise lagoon and you can enjoy the full range of watersports including waterskiing, wind surfing, sailing, fishing, snorkelling and many more. The property has five restaurants including one at the golf club, another beside the pool and another in an attractive 18th century ‘chateaux’ which is a five minute buggy ride away from the hotel and where you can enjoy fine dining.

The hotel’s rooms are elegantly furnished with dark timber floors, cream-coloured walls and mahogany furniture and floor-to-ceiling French windows open wide onto a veranda, which in the case of most rooms face the sea. All rooms have individually controlled air-conditioning, safe, tea & coffee making facilities and satellite TV. The superior rooms are 54m² with a 12m² balcony. There are eight senior suites, which have a bedroom and a separate private dining room and lounge area, a DVD/CD player and an area of 81m² with a 23m² terrace.

Day 16

In the morning you will be returned to the airport where you board flight BA122 departing at 0915 travelling in Business Class to London’s Heathrow Airport, arriving at 1805 (local time).