Itinerary

Day 1:
(Fri.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2:
Arusha, Tanzania. (Sat.) Welcome to Africa! Look forward to a journey through majestic, unspoiled landscapes to fabulous game reserves where the Dark Continent’s incomparable wildlife is protected in its natural habitat. Arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport. Arusha Town is located exactly halfway between Cairo and Cape Town and your hotel tonight is the Arusha Coffee Lodge situated in the midst of one of the coffee plantations. (D)

Day 3:
Arusha-Ngorongoro. (Sun.) Drive to GIBBS FARM to learn how coffee is grown, processed and roasted, and marvel at the beautiful gardens. Visit the AXWESSO IRAQW CULTURAL HOME, followed by lunch. Dinner and overnight at the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge. (FB,L,D)

Day 4:
Ngorongoro. (Mon.) The NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA, part of the Serengeti ecosystem, is certainly one of the most famous natural splendors in the world. The caldera, 2,000 feet below the rim and covering 102 square miles, hosts an unbelievable variety and density of wildlife. Especially exciting is the fact you are nearly guaranteed to observe the rare and threatened rhino. Enjoy a half-day crater tour, returning to the lodge for lunch, then an afternoon visit to a Maasai village. (FB,L,D)

Day 5:
Ngorongoro-Serengeti. (Tues.) Excursion to OLDUVAI GORGE where, in the earlier part of the 20th century, archaeologists Dr. Louis and Mary Leakey made one of the most important finds relating to the evolution of mankind. Lunch at Serengeti Sopa Lodge then enjoy an afternoon game drive. Return to Serengeti Sopa Lodge for dinner and overnight. (FB,L,D)

Day 6:
Serengeti. (Wed.) Another day in fabulous SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK. Morning game drive. Return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation. Late afternoon game drive. (FB,L,D)

Day 7:
Serengeti-Lake Manyara. (Thurs.) This morning, drive to Lake Manyara Serena Lodge, perched on the edge of the Rift Valley with fantastic views of LAKE MANYARA below. After lunch, take an afternoon game drive in this small but attractive park, squeezed between the lake and the steep rim of the Rift Valley. Its most striking feature is a dense forest populated by baboons, impalas, giraffes, elephants, and a myriad of other creatures. With luck you will shoot a picture of a tree-climbing lion, then view the Simba River, populated by hippos and bird life. (FB,L,D)

Day 8:
Lake Manyara-Tarangire. (Fri.) After breakfast depart for Tarangire National Park in time for lunch at your lodge. Afternoon game drive. Return to Tarangire Sopa Lodge for dinner and overnight. (FB,L,D)

Day 9:
Tarangire. (Sat.) Start the day with a morning game drive in TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK. Return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the late afternoon, embark on another game drive. (FB,L,D)

Day 10:
Tarangire-Arusha. Homebound Flight. (Sun.) Arrive in Arusha in time for lunch. Afternoon tour of ARUSHA TOWN. You will have a day room at the Arusha Coffee Lodge until 6 p.m. After dinner transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport for your homebound flight. (FB,L,D)

Day 11:
(Mon.) Your homebound flight arrives today.

Dates & Prices

LAKE MANYARA:
Game viewing in the national park

SERENGETI:
Game viewing in the Serengeti

OLDUVAI GORGE:
See the archaeological site and visit the museum Lecture by local expert

NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA:
Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for game viewing

GIBBS FARM:
Visit the coffee plantation and Axwesso Iraqw Cultural Home

TARANGIRE:
Game viewing in Tarangire National Park

ARUSHA:
City sightseeing

NOTE:

• Carefully maintained safari four-wheel drive vehicle; maximum six tour members per vehicle; experienced driver/game spotter
• Check with your travel agent for the latest passport, visa, and health requirements for Tanzania. It is prudent to consult your physician regarding taking anti-malaria pills. As some East African roads and game park trails can be quite bumpy, we do not recommend this tour to people with serious back problems.
• For a good performance, it is customary to reward your safari guide and your driver/game spotter with a gratuity of aout US$4 to US$5 each per day and tour member. All arrangements in Tanzania are under the management of Ranger Safaris.

Itinerary

Day 1:
Fly to Africa. (Sat.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2:
Arrival in Cape Town, South Africa. (Sun.) Welcome to a land so vast and diverse that its inhabitants proudly call it “A World in One Country.” Check into your hotel, and tonight at 6 p.m. meet your Tour Director and traveling companions.

Day 3:
Cape Town. Excursion to Wineland Area. (Mon.) Discover the spectacular wineland area. See the city center of Paarl, founded by Dutch settlers in the late 17th century, and admire the surrounding countryside, mountains, and vineyards. Continue to the tiny village of Franschhoek for a visit of the HUGUENOT MEMORIAL MUSEUM, where you learn how French refugees brought the art of wine-making to South Africa. Lunch in the ancient university town of Stellenbosch, where you can stroll along oak-lined streets and admire gracious mansions built in the distinctive Cape- Dutch style. In the afternoon visit the OLDEST SOUTH AFRICAN WINE CELLARS at Spier Winery, where you will have the opportunity for a WINE TASTING. Then time to visit a CHEETAH ENCLOSURE, established to save the great cats from extinction. Return to Cape Town. This evening enjoy a welcome drink followed by dinner. (FB,D)

Day 4:
Cape Town. (Tue.) Sightseeing on the Cape Peninsula starts with a drive through the country’s “Mother City,” the historic gateway for European settlers. Via the fishing port of Fish Hoek proceed south to the CAPE OF GOOD HOPE NATURE RESERVE. The panoramic view from Cape Point is simply breathtaking! Backtrack to the naval port of Simon’s Town for lunch at a waterfront restaurant. This afternoon, visit the glorious KIRSTENBOSCH BOTANICAL GARDENS. The rest of the day is free. Your Tour Director will have suggestions for things to do. (FB,L)

Day 5:
Cape Town–Arniston. (Wed.) This morning is free to do some shopping, visit museums, or simply relax. In the afternoon drive through panoramic Sir Lowry’s Pass. Continue to the city of Caledon, known for its seven springs (six hot, one cold). Finally, reach the southernmost tip of Africa, Cape Agulhas, where the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans meet. Overnight in Arniston. (FB,D)

Day 6:
Arniston–Knysna. (Thu.) Depart on the first leg of the beautiful Garden Route. At Mossel Bay’s MARITIME MUSEUM see a replica of the frail vessel used by the Portuguese explorer Bartolomew Dias on his first trip around the Cape of Good Hope in 1488. Also noteworthy: the Post Office Tree, St. Blaize Lighthouse, and the rocky tidal pools. Via Robinson Pass to the green valley of Oudtshoorn. Visit an OSTRICH FARM to learn about its breeding program. The more adventurous have a chance to test their riding skills on the back of one of these giant birds. Then via the Outeniqua Pass, continue through deep Kaaimans River Gorge to your hotel in the unspoiled coastal area of Knysna. (FB,D)

Day 7:
Knysna. (Fri.) Cross the Knysna Lagoon by ferry, the mouth of which is guarded by two huge sandstone cliffs known as "The Heads." Land at the FEATHERBED NATURE RESERV E, where you take a trailer-train to the lookout point on the Western Head. After lunch under milkwood trees, time at leisure in pretty Knysna. Back to your hotel in time to enjoy the tranquillity and scenic splendor of its surroundings. (FB,L)

Day 8:
Knysna–Durban. (Sat.) Set off for the scenic second leg of the Garden Route. Proceed past the resort towns of Plettenberg Bay and Nature’s Valley to TSITSIKAMMA NATIONAL PARK, famous for its natural beauty. Enjoy the unspoiled forests and rocky shore as you head for Storms River Mouth, where you see the impressive yellowwood Big Tree. Fly to Durban from Port Elizabeth. (FB,D)

Day 9:
Durban–Zululand. (Sun.) Start the day with an orientation tour of Durban, the bustling port city with a strong oriental accent. View the Da Gama Clock and City Hall, drive along the Golden Mile, and stop at the colorful Indian market to smell the scent of exotic herbs and spices. Mid-morning departure for ZULULAND, locale of the TV series Shaka Zulu. This afternoon learn about the exploits and traditional way of life of southern Africa’s most warlike tribe. Taste home-brewed beer and authentic Zulu fare, and witness rousing, athletic dances. Overnight in a Zulu-style beehive hut, modified to include all modern comforts. (FB,D)

Day 10:
Zululand–Swaziland. (Mon.) Full-day scenic drive through the sugar cane fields and thornveld of Natal, and the tiny Kingdom of Swaziland. Before visiting the Swazi capital of Mbabane, take your time to hunt for unique African souvenirs in the Ezulwini Valley market. Spend the night at Pigg’s Peak, where William Pigg discovered gold in 1884. (FB,D)

Day 11:
Swaziland–Kruger National Park. (Tue.) North across the Swaziland border into the South African province of Mpumalanga. Now for the highlight, Kruger National Park, Africa’s oldest and most famous game reserve covering 8,000 square miles of low country between the Crocodile River in the south and the Limpopo in the north. Cross the Crocodile River at Malelane Gate and settle into an exciting game-watching routine as your coach slowly makes its way to a pleasant lodge on the western fringe of the park. (FB,D)

Day 12:
12 Kruger National Park. (Wed.) Dawn and morning outings in an open four wheel drive vehicle in Kruger National Park. Of the hunter’s “big five,” elephant, buffalo, rhino, and lion are quite common here, while even the much more elusive leopard may venture into open ground for you. Spot crocodiles and hippopotamuses in the riverine areas. Zebras, giraffes, odd-looking wildebeests, and dainty gazelles are easy prey for your camera. Then return to the lodge for an afternoon at leisure. You may want to join an experienced guide for an optional afternoon game drive. (FB,D)

Day 13:
Kruger National Park–Mpumalanga. (Thu.) Morning dedicated to the scenic wonders of the Drakensberg: sweeping views from God’s Window; gushing Lisbon Falls; and spectacular 16-mile Blyde River Canyon. Finally, inspect BOURKE’S LUCK POTHOLES, an amazing system of cylindrical cavities sculpted by river erosion. Time for lunch and sightseeing at Pilgrims Rest, a perfect replica of a mining town during the late 19th-century gold rush period. Late afternoon arrival at your overnight hotel. (FB,D)

Day 14:
Mpumalanga–Johannesburg. (Fri.) Head west towards Pretoria, South Africa’s jacaranda-adorned administrative capital. Your orientation tour features the Union Buildings and the massive Voortrekker Monument commemorating the Boers’ epic Great Trek, and the Kruger House, the former residence of nationbuilding statesman “Oom Paul” Kruger. Then a visit to MELROSE HOUSE, venue of the signing of the peace treaty which ended the bitter Anglo-Boer War. Upon arrival in Johannesburg, the country’s prosperous industrial and commercial center, enjoy an orientation drive of the city. Tonight a farewell dinner to celebrate the success of your South African adventure. (FB,D)

Day 15:
Johannesburg–Homebound Flight. (Sat.) If your flight leaves late, your room may be available until 6 p.m. (FB)

Day 16:
Homebound Flight. (Sun.) Your homebound flight arrives today.

Dates & Prices

PAARL:
Orientation

FRANSCHHOEK:
Visit the Huguenot Memorial Museum

STELLENBOSCH:
Orientation including a visit to the oldest wine cellars for wine tasting; visit cheetah enclosure

CAPE PENINSULA:
Visit Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve & Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

MOSEL BAY:
Visit the Maritime Museum

OUDTSHOORN:
Visit an ostrich farm

KNYSNA:
Ferry ride across the lagoon and trailer-train ride in the Featherbed Nature Reserve, Tsitsikamma National Park

PORT ELIZABETH-DURBAN:
By air, Note: airport transfers are included if Globus-designated flights are booked

DURBAN:
Orientation tour of the city, including the Indian market

ZULULAND:
Home-brewed beer and Zulu fare tasting

SWAZILAND:
Visit Mbabane, capital of the tiny kingdom

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK:
Game drive in open four-wheel-drive vehicle, Bourke''s Luck Potholes

PILGRIMS REST:
Orientation

PRETORIA:
Orientation including visit to Melrose House

JOHANNESBURG:
Orientation drive

NOTE:
During the dry season (Sept. to Dec.), Victoria Falls may experience water volume problems

 

Itinerary

Day 1:
(Sat.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2:
Arrival in Casablanca, Morocco. (Sun.) After you check into your hotel, there’s time to rest or start exploring Morocco’s pulsating business capital. At 6 p.m. meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner. (D)

Day 3:
Casablanca–Rabat–Meknes–Fez. (Mon.) Follow the infamous Barbary Coast to the imperial city of Rabat, once lair of the corsairs and now the country’s capital. Sightseeing focuses on the Royal Palace and residence of King Hassan II, MOHAMMED V MAUSOLEUM, Hassan Tower, and the fortified KASBAH OF OUDAIAS. Today’s second imperial city is Meknes, with its monumental gates and city walls, known as the unfinished dream of Sultan Moulay Ismail. Visit the impressive OLD GRANARIES and STABLES, which housed up to 12,000 horses, and stop at the Market Square to admire Bab el-Mansour, the finest gateway in North Africa. Continue your journey to Fez. (BB,D)

Day 4:
Fez. (Tue.) Snap pictures of the magnificent entrance to the Royal Palace, drive through the Mellah, the old Jewish quarter, and travel on to beautifully ornate BAB BOU JELOUD, the traditional entrance to old Fez. Today’s highlight is a visit to the labyrinthine FES-EL-BALI, Morocco’s largest medina: follow your Local Guide to exquisite MEDERSA BOU INANIA, admire Nejjarine Square and its fountain, the Karaouiyne Mosque and University, and the Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss. Enjoy a tenmile drive along the panoramic Route de Fez, stopping at its best vantage point. Back to your hotel with time to relax by the pool. Tonight your Tour Director may suggest an optional folklore dinner at a typical Moroccan restaurant. (BB)

Day 5:
Fez–Erfoud. (Wed.) An unforgettable scenic journey through ever-changing landscapes on your way to the mystical deep south. Morning break in the quiet Swiss-style village of Ifrane. Verdant cedar forests give way to volcanic mountains and wind-swept plains as you motor across the Middle Atlas range to Midelt. Pass fortified mud-and-straw villages and spot young shepherds driving their flocks to scant pastures. Descend into the spectacular Ziz Gorges and arrive in Er-Rachidia, an important crossroad once controlled by the French Foreign Legion. Afterwards, the landscape becomes progressively more arid, and you enter a stony desert. On your last stretch to Erfoud, an unexpected and breathtaking surprise: the miraculous and peaceful oasis of Ziz Valley, dotted with palm-fringed towns, fortified strongholds, and scenes of timeless rural life. (BB,L,D)

Day 6:
Erfoud. (Thu.) A short drive takes you to holy Rissani, gateway to the Sahara Desert, where a few bowing date palms recall what was once a luxuriant oasis. For a thousand years this was the principal trading post for caravans from the Niger River, where gold was exchanged for salt and sugar. See the Grand Gateway of the town and the Mausoleum of Moulay Ali Sharif, the first ruler of the Alawite Dynasty. A thrilling experience is the visit to the colorful SOUKS, the desert tribes’ market, where Tuareg, Berber, and Blue People meet and animatedly swap silver jewelry and rugs for vegetables, salt, and other goods, by slapping one another’s hands. Weather permitting, your Tour Director will offer you an exciting optional excursion to the 450-foot-high Erg Chebbi sand dunes for a close-up encounter with the Sahara Desert. (BB,D)

Day 7:
Erfoud–Ouarzazate. (Fri.) Motor along the eastern slopes of the High Atlas mountains to the enchanting oasis of Tinerhir. Follow its lush valley, where crops grow in the shade of date palms, hemmed in by mud-brick villages and barren mountains, to one of Morocco’s most impressive natural sights: the Todra Gorge, also known as the “Grand Canyon of the Sahara.” After lunch, explore its narrowest point, just 33 feet wide, but some 950 feet high, with a crystal-clear river running through it. Drive further west through the Dadès Valley, called “Valley of the Thousand Kasbahs” for its superb and noble fortresses, and “Roses Valley.” Arrive at the resort town of Ouarzazate, famous for its film studios. Before heading to your hotel, time for a visit to the carefully restored TAOURIRT KASBAH, where outstanding views of the fortified town and valley can be seen from the terrace. (BB,L,D)

Day 8:
Ouarzazate. Excursion to Zagora. (Sat.) Enjoy a spectacular full-day excursion to the town of Zagora on the edge of the Sahara Desert. You will be amazed by the contrast of the breathtaking scenery of the Drâa Valley with its palm grove oases, kasbah dwellings, and colorful Berber villages with the surrounding desert. (BB,D)

Day 9:
Ouarzazate–Marrakesh. (Sun.) Pass through picturesque villages surrounded by craggy mountains while motoring towards the 7,414-foot-high Tizi-n-Tichka Pass in the heart of the High Atlas mountains. Each new twist in the road leads to a different, more dramatic landscape. Leaving the pass behind, the landscape gradually changes to a green mantle. Lunchtime arrival in the redcolored imperial city of Marrakesh, situated in an oasis of more than half a million palm trees and surrounded by deep walls. In the late afternoon, enjoy a leisurely CARRIAGE RIDE and a stroll through the exquisite YVES SAINT LAURENT GARDENS. (BB,D)

Day 10:
Marrakesh. (Mon.) Guided half-day sightseeing includes MENARA PARK with its man-made lake and quaint pavilion, BAHIA PALACE, the elaborately decorated 16th-century SAADIAN TOMBS, and Djemaa El-Fna, the palpitating town center dominated by the 222-foot-high Koutoubia Minaret. Afternoon at leisure to catch up on your postcards or bargain hunt in the souks. Tonight an optional excursion not to be missed: the 30-horse fantasia and Moroccan feast “Chez Ali.” (BB)

Day 11:
At Leisure in Marrakesh. (Tue.) Full day to let your senses truly come alive in this magical “pink city” or to just relax at the pool in its enchanting setting of perfumed gardens and exotic plants. (BB)

Day 12:
Marrakesh–Casablanca. (Wed.) Head across farming country towards Casablanca, Morocco’s modern seaport with a strong French accent, recalling scenes from the film starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. Sightseeing focuses on the magnificent United Nations Square, the Arab League Park, Anfa’s residential quarters, the SYNAGOGUE, the CHURCH OF OUR LADIES OF LOURDES, and to top it off, the imposing HASSAN II MOSQUE, built in a breathtaking setting on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Tonight enjoy a farewell dinner celebrating the success of your fascinating Moroccan adventure. (BB,D)

Day 13:
(Thu.) Your homebound flight arrives today. (BB)

Dates & Prices

CASABLANCA
Welcome and farewell dinners; guided sightseeing; visit the Synagogue, Church of Our Ladies of Lourdes, and the Hassan II Mosque

RABAT
Guided sightseeing, visit the Mohammed V Mausoleum and the Kasbah of Oudaias

MEKNES
Guided sightseeing and visit the Old Granaries and Stables

FEZ
Guided sightseeing including Bab Bou Jeloud; visit the Fes-el-Bali Medina and Medersa Bou Inania

ERFOUD
Visit the souks

OUARZAZATE
Visit the Taourirt Kasbah; excursion to Zagora

MARRAKESH
Guided sightseeing; carriage ride; visit Yves St. Laurent Gardens, Menara Park, Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs