Southern Africa Family Journey: In Search of the Big Five

Welcome to Cape Town–your arrival transfer to the hotel is included. Check in and get excited to meet your fellow travelers during a welcome meeting this evening where all families can bond before the Journey ahead.


Exclusive inclusions: Activity - The adventure begins tonight. Feel free to explore before your welcome meeting, but make sure you’re back in time to meet the group. Check for the meeting time on the welcome note at the hotel. After introductions, your Expedition Leader will review the details of your tour. Please note that normal check-in times apply at our start hotels, but you can usually store your luggage for the day if you arrive early.Transport - You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure.Accommodation - Southern Sun Waterfront

This morning, set out on a daylong tour of the Cape Peninsula, a rocky headland jutting into the Atlantic Ocean. Begin at the spectacular Chapman's Peak Drive, which snakes its way along the Atlantic. Then visit the notorious Cape of Good Hope—where many an unfortunate ship met its watery doom during the Age of Exploration—and climb up to the lighthouse at Cape Point for fantastic views. Finish the tour at Boulders Beach and watch thousands of African penguins waddle about their business.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Travel to Cape Point to enjoy a stunning vista and visit the penguins at Boulders Beach. Cape Point National Park is filled with varied wildlife. Many different kinds of birdlife, from sea birds to giant raptors wheeling overheard, can be easily seen. In the summer months (November-February) keep an eye out for southern right whales out to sea.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Accommodation - Southern Sun Waterfront

Spend the day at leisure, discovering the charms of Cape Town on a variety of optional excursions. Choose to hop on the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway for a quick ride to the summit, taking in incredible views of the Atlantic seaboard. Pay an eye-opening visit to the Iziko Slave Lodge—a museum devoted to the history of slavery in South Africa. Wildlife lovers can head to the Two Oceans Aquarium to gush over the variety of its marine residents—from adorable clownfish to translucent jellies.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Free_time - Enjoy a day of your leisure in this cosmopolitan and charming city.Accommodation - Southern Sun Waterfront

Fly from Cape Town to the Greater Kruger National Park and settle into your lodge, located at the gateway to the famed wildlife reserve.

Meals included: Breakfast,Dinner

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Accommodation - Sanbonani Resort Hotel

Rise early and climb aboard an open jeep for a safari in Kruger National Park—home to a mindboggling array of large mammals. Spot trumpeting elephants, swaggering lions, graceful giraffes, and perhaps elusive leopards as you ride through this epic wilderness. We'll criss-cross savanna, scrubland, and riverbanks on our daylong excursion, following the tracks of the majestic creatures that inhabit the park.
At over 19,000 sq km (7,500 sq mi), South Africa's Kruger National Park is one of the largest and most impressive animal reserves in the world. With 147 species, Kruger has more species of large mammals than any other park on the continent.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Hop in a 4x4 safari vehicle and get yourself one step closer to the surrounding nature. Be ready to spot elephants, giraffes, hippos, lions, zebras, and many other species in this impressive South African national park.Transport - Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride.Accommodation - Sanbonani Resort Hotel

Venture out on another early morning safari drive, looking for the creatures you didn't get a chance to spot the day before. The afternoon is free to explore the Kruger region as you choose. Relax by the pool at our lodge, or opt to experience the area by zip-line.

Meals included: Breakfast,Dinner

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride.Activity - Hop in a 4x4 safari vehicle and get yourself one step closer to the surrounding nature. Be ready to spot elephants, giraffes, hippos, lions, zebras, and many other species in this impressive South African national park.Free_time - Spend the day relaxing at the lodge or opt to see the area from above by booking the Tree-top challenge or the Aerial Cable trail.Accommodation - Sanbonani Resort Hotel

After breakfast, head to Chimp Eden for an encounter with our closest relatives in the animal world. Run by the Jane Goodall Institute of South Africa, Chimp Eden is the first and only chimpanzee sanctuary in the country, and harbors more than 30 rescued chimps. Legendary ethologist and National Geographic grantee Dr. Jane Goodall devoted her life to the study of chimpanzee behavior; at Chimp Eden, we'll get an opportunity to see rescued chimps living in a safe and secure sanctuary and learn why Jane was so captivated by them when she first began her research in 1960. Later, settle in for the drive to Johannesburg, arriving in the evening.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - Chimp Eden, run by the Jane Goodall Institute South Africa as the first and only chimpanzee sanctuary in South Africa. This is a home for orphaned and rescued chimps as well as those displaced from their natural habitats in other parts of Africa. Tour the facility and visit viewing areas for two different 'camps' where a guide will introduce you to the chimps and tell you about their history and behaviour. If you're lucky, you'll get to see baby Amari, who is just a few years old.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Accommodation - Zebra Country Lodge

Step back millions of years in time on a visit to the Cradle of Humankind, where the fossils of some of our earliest known human ancestors were discovered. Here, National Geographic Explorer-at-Large Lee Berger excavated the Homo naledi, a recently defined species of hominin. Descend into the otherworldly Sterkfontein Caves, where the remains of “Mrs. Ples” and “Little Foot”—both more than two million years old—were found; then venture to the Maropeng Visitors Centre to gape at the actual skeletal remains and embark on an immersive journey through the evolution of our species. This evening, feast on a traditional South African braai (barbeque).

Meals included: Breakfast,Dinner

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - Just north of Johannesburg, the Cradle of Humankind is a UNESCO World Heritage site where some of the oldest hominin fossils ever have been found. Some date back as far as 3.5 million years. Visit the Sterkfontein Caves where “Mrs Ples”, a 2.1-million-year-old Aus­tralo­p­ithe­cus skull, and “Lit­tle Foot”, an almost com­plete Aus­tralo­p­ithe­cus skele­ton that is more than 3-mil­lion years old, were both found. Then, spend time at the Maropeng Visitors Centre, where you can see fos­sils, view stone tools that are up to one mil­lion years old, and follow a self-guid­ed, inter­ac­tive tour of the centre.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - Enjoy a spread of grilled meats, vegetables, homemade salads, and the opportunity to taste some of delicious South African flavours as you become acquainted with the Kruger area.Accommodation - Zebra Country Lodge

Catch a flight to Zimbabwe and check in to your hotel. Set out with a local guide for a tour of Victoria Falls, one of the largest waterfalls on Earth. Scottish explorer David Livingstone named them after Britain's Queen Victoria, while their older, indigenous name is Mosi-oa-Tunya—“the smoke that thunders.” You can hear the falls' mighty roar from up to 24 miles away; and standing at one of the cascade's overlooks, you'll be drenched by its powerful spray.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.Activity - Head out for an unforgettable experience at Victoria Falls. Explore the rainforest and learn about the geology, history, and local legends of this world wonder. After your immersion, get up close to the falls and discover the beauty of “the smoke that thunders.” Be sure to have your camera ready!Accommodation - Explorers Village Lodge

The day is free to explore Victoria Falls and its surroundings. Embark on a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River; or embark on a canoeing excursion on the river. You can also take a day trip to Chobe National Park in Botswana to seek out its resident elephants. This evening, celebrate your journey with fellow travelers at a farewell dinner featuring a performance of local music and dance.

Meals included: Breakfast,Dinner

Exclusive inclusions: Free_time - With so much to see and do in Victoria Falls, we wanted to make sure that you had some time to take it all in. Feel free to relax or try optional activities like a helicopter ride, a full-day excursion to Chobe National Park, and a sunset cruise. Your Expedition Leader has more ideas if you need them. Just ask!Activity - Join your group for a traditional Boma dinner under the stars. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the drummers and dancers throughout the evening as you reminisce about the fantastic adventure you've had with new found friends.Accommodation - Explorers Village Lodge

Depart at any time.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Not ready to leave? Your Expedition Leader can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.