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Itinerary - In Brief
Itinerary - Detailed
Day 1:
Depart Home City
You board your international flight bound for South Africa.
Day 2:
Cape Town
A seamless airport arrival has been arranged by the Micato Safaris Tour Escort, who also accompanies you to one of Cape Town’s ultra-deluxe hotels, the Table Bay or Cape Grace. The stylish Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is virtually at your doorstep and a stroll around the shops and cafes is a lovely introduction to South Africa.
Day 3:
Cape Town
With a magnificent view of the ocean, we enjoy breakfast at the hotel before heading off to explore the Cape Peninsula area on a full-day tour. Views of both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans are breathtaking as we drive along the coastline en route to the fabled Cape of Good Hope. At Cape Point we ascend by funicular for a memorable view of the union of two oceans…and some say that the ghosts from centuries of shipwrecks also inhabit these shores! Then to historic Simon’s Town with its charming Victorian architecture and surprising penguin colony found at Boulders Beach. And tonight, a very special event awaits us. Micato travellers are welcomed to cocktails and dinner at the home of a prominent Cape Town couple—Micato’s hosts in South Africa—who share their local knowledge, favorite places and, best of all, warm hospitality. A guest speaker will also be on hand to lecture on topics of relevance to the new South Africa.
Day 4:
Cape Town / Winelands
Not only are South African wines world-renowned, but the vineyard region—a mere forty-five minutes from Cape Town—is lyrically lovely. Hence your time today is spent in elegant pursuits...visiting wine estates, touring a winemaker’s private cellar and enjoying tastings of vintage private stock. And, naturally, an inspired gourmet lunch at one of the vineyards. You also tour the charming village of Stellenbosch, with its streets of Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian buildings seemingly untouched over the centuries. Your return drive through the lush countryside—steeped in history, dotted with gabled, whitewashed houses and surrounded by dramatic mountains—concludes in Cape Town at your splendid waterfront hotel.
Day 5:
Cape Town / Rovos Rail
While only a short trip to the railroad station in Cape Town, it is a genteel step back in time. The golden age of rail travel—a magic and romance all but lost to the modern world—endures exclusively today aboard Rovos Rail. The experience is luxurious and grand, matched perhaps only by the celebrated Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. Rovos Rail is comprised of twenty superbly restored coaches, many dating back to the halcyon days of railtravel in the 1920s, replete with plush furnishings, fine wood paneling and period decor. The heart and soul of Rovos Rail is, of course, its vintage steam locomotives that not even the Orient-Express can claim. Dining aboard Rovos Rail is a singular pleasure as well, with world-class cuisine served in opulent style. The train calls this evening in Matjiesfontein and you stroll this picturesque village.
Day 6:
Rovos Rail
Following an old pioneering trail arved out of the African bushveld, he train travels past winelands, through mountains and along the scenic Hex River Valley. Astonishing views are everywhere, but especially from the Observation Car at the end of the train with its large panel windows and magnificent open-air balconies. Your deluxe cabins offer twin or double beds with en suite bathrooms and sitting areas, decorated with the elegance that one would expect from the world’s most luxurious train. Today you stop in Kimberley, DeBeer’s diamond boomtown. A tram ride takes you through town to tour the diamond museum.
Day 7:
Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve
At midday you quit the legendary train in Pretoria and board light aircraft bound for the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, one of the most luxurious locales for wildlife-viewing in Southern Africa, set beside the famous Kruger National Park. You will soon see that Sabi Sabi enchants guests by giving them a highly unique experience in the midst of the African bush. The ambience of lavish surroundings in concert with the excitement of days in the open veld creates life-enhancing experiences. Indeed, the Sabi Sabi experience seems to be exceptional enough to cater even to royalty! In addition to myriad celebrities, renowned peacemaker Nelson Mandela, Their Royal Majesties King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain, as well as King Harald and Queen Sonya of Norway have experienced the golden joys of Sabi Sabi. Get ready for a safari fit for a king!
Days 8-9:
Sabi Sabi
Sabi Sabi is also distinguished by its award-winning food, fine wines and superb accommodations. There are three lodges here—the romantic Selati Lodge, the spirited Bush Lodge and the dramatic, award-winning Earth Lodge. The lodges’ striking atmospheres range from the evocative "Out of Africa" feel to the classic African safari mood to a modern African Renaissance of sorts. All three lodges are equally dazzling and create a cocoon of comfort for discriminating guests in the wilds of the South African savannah. So, as you set out into the bush with your trusty ranger and Shangaan tracker each day to contemplate, question and learn about the native flora, fauna and life in the bush, you can look forward to revisiting a sanctuary of sumptuous delights come evening!
Day 10:
Sandton
One long, last look over the savannah and you board your flight to the trendy "new" Johannesburg. Glance at any glossy travel magazine published within the last year or so and you’ll probably land on an article about "Jo’burg," the new epicenter of style and culture in Africa. Better still, your accommodations in the tony enclave of Sandton are at the deluxe Michelangelo Hotel, conveniently connected to the city’s smartest shopping mall.
Day 11:
Victoria Falls
This morning you fly to Victoria Falls and settle into the spectacular Royal Livingstone Hotel on the Zambia side of the Falls. The hotel stretches luxuriously along the banks of the Zambezi River, a series of colonial-style buildings with deep verandas, set amidst lush trees and plants—the ideal place to curl up with a book from the well-stocked library, recalling the halcyon days of travel during the British Empire. Or relax on a sunbed at the pool located on a deck reaching into the river. This evening, the Zambezi calls to you and you surrender to its tranquil beauty aboard a sunset cruise with a cool drink in hand.
Day 12:
Victoria Falls
One of the seven natural wonders of the world, the grand Cascade of Victoria Falls simply astonishes every traveller. Rainbows shimmer in a veil of mist, orchids and lilies bloom in the rainforest, butterflies flutter through the glade, the curtain of water roars and the utter power of nature is awe-inspiring. There are so many inviting paths to explore on your tour, including viewpoints above the cataracts, the gorges and the footbridge. For the boldhearted, you can take an exhilarating aerial tour, "The Flight of Angels," soaring high over the Falls. And for those who may prefer a more serene setting for contemplating the view, the deep wicker chairs of the hotel’s lovely garden terrace always beckon. Afternoon high tea or the famed Livingstone cocktail, together with the spectacle of the Railway Bridge enveloped in mist, will entice you to linger. As the sun sets over the Zambezi tonight, you listen one last time for the calling of birds, snorting of hippos and trumpeting of elephants. And you recall the majestic sights of Southern Africa that you've witnessed.
Day 13:
Johannesburg / Return Home
An additional morning of splendid isolation before winging your way back to civilization. Homebound flights await you in Johannesburg this evening.
Day 14:
Home City
Today, arrive back in your home city.
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