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A Maasai warrior walks across the African bush

Golden Trails of Africa

Example 17 Day Cruise aboard Zambezi Queen
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Start this 17-day voyage with an overnight stay in Johannesburg. Then off to Kasane, Botswana to board the luxurious Zambezi Queen, which takes you down the Chobe River in elegant accommodations. Enjoy two nights at Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Journey to Tanzania by way of Nairobi to begin your East African safari. Your safari days include game drives in world-famous Serengeti National Park, the drama of Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park, Treetops’ private 87,000-acre game concession, as well as a safari excursion to Lake Manyara National Park. In the evening, retire to one of four Tanzania safari lodges.
Safari in AFricaThe sun sets over Kruger National ParkAfrican PenguinA cheetah scouts for preyA herd of elephants of all sizes make their way across the valley.Nelson Mandela Square, JohannesburgCape TownA Maasai warrior walks across the African bush
Highlights
  • Take a game drive through Chobe National Park in search of wildlife
  • Visit Kasenu Village & experience the local culture first hand
  • Tour remarkable Victoria Falls, one of the greatest natural wonders
  • Explore the Serengeti for a chance to see the great wildebeest migration
Activities
Places Visited
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Arrive in Johannesburg, South Africa

Welcome to Africa! Upon arrival you are met by a guide and escorted to your hotel. Enjoy the night to relax, as tomorrow morning your African journey begins.

Day 2: Embark the Zambezi Queen | Kasane, Botswana

After breakfast, fly to Kasane, Botswana and board the elegant Zambezi Queen on the Chobe River. Later this afternoon, enjoy the riverside scenery before your Welcome Cocktail and Dinner on board.

Day 3: Chobe River

This morning embark on a boat safari to explore the Chobe River’s spectacular game viewing. Then journey back to the Zambezi Queen for lunch and time to relax on board. Later today, enjoy a slightly different version of a river safari aboard a special double decker barge which allows you to venture into the southern channels. This excursion offers you an unusual viewpoint to observe hippos and elephants in their natural habitat.

Day 4: Chobe National Park

Join a full-day safari of Chobe National Park in open-top 4x4 vehicles. Chobe National Park is home to one of the most dense populations of wildlife in Africa. Be on the lookout for elephants, giraffe, zebra, sable, warthog, and cape buffalo. Prides of lions, hyenas, and more rarely cheetahs are normally visible along the way. Lunch includes a delicious picnic served up under the trees.

Day 5: Kasenu Village

This morning, enjoy an unforgettable visit to a typical African village to experience the local culture first hand. Spend time with the children of the village as well as its elders and learn about their day-to-day life. After lunch on board, you can choose your afternoon activity including an afternoon safari by boat, bird watching, or fishing. Tonight your crew hosts an African-themed dinner complete with singing and dancing.

Day 6: Disembark | Victoria Falls

  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Dinner
Transfer to legendary Victoria Falls, one of the nature’s greatest natural wonders. Settle into your hotel and spend the afternoon exploring the town or experience one of the many activities offered at your hotel. This evening you have a special cocktail reception aboard an iconic steam train followed by dinner

Day 7: Victoria Falls

  • 1 Breakfast
Join a local guide for a tour of remarkable Victoria Falls, more commonly referred to as the smoke that thunders. The afternoon is free for independent activities. Relax and enjoy the amenities of your iconic hotel, walk into town, or perhaps take an optional outing including a helicopter ride or wildlife trail walk. Tonight, embark on a private and festive Sundowner cruise complete with drinks, tapas and music. 

Day 8: Victoria Falls | Johannesburg

After breakfast, a flight to Johannesburg brings you to the largest city in South Africa. After arriving at your hotel, settle into your suite and relax in the park-like setting. Before dinner, gather for an informative discussion on the day-to-day life of the South African bushmen in the Kalahari Desert.

Day 9: Johannesburg

Head out this morning for a fascinating look at Johannesburg and the rich history it has to share, from colonialism to apartheid, and finally democracy. Get an in-depth look at Soweto, the center of the uprising against the apartheid state. Walk in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela and explore the colorful neighborhoods, parks and squares of Soweto. A visit to the Apartheid Museum is also on the agenda. Enjoy a delicious “township” lunch along the way. 

Day 10: Arusha, Tanzania

Fly to Arusha, via Dar es Salaam, Tanzania where you are met by a guide at Kilimanjaro Airport and transfered to the Arusha Coffee Lodge. The lodge provides a peaceful and calming retreat before you start your Tanzanian safari.

Day 11: Arusha | Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

Enjoy a scenic drive to Tarangire. Take an afternoon safari drive, followed by a visit to a Masai village. Spend two nights in a tree house that rests on the branches of thousand-year-old marula and baobab trees overlooking Treetops’ private reserve. 

Day 12: Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

Enjoy a full day of activities including game drives and a sunset drive in the bush. The meals at Treetops are also their own unique experiences to be enjoyed. 

Day 13: Tarangire | Ngorongoro, Tanzania

Drive to Lake Manyara National Park for a game drive and picnic lunch. Then on to the renowned Ngorongoro Manor.

Day 14: Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

Enjoy a full day of exploration of the Ngorongoro Crater. Once a gigantic volcano, it is the largest intact caldera in the world and shelters one of the most beautiful wildlife havens on earth. A picnic hamper lunch is served on the crater floor. After lunch, explore more of the crater before heading back to the Manor for evening cocktails, dinner, and an overnight stay. 

Day 15: Ngorongoro | Serengeti, Tanzania

After breakfast, transfer to Manyara Airstrip for your Serengeti flight. Upon your arrival, enjoy a game drive en route to the luxurious camp where your lunch is served. This afternoon, it is time for another drive. 

Day 16: Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Today you have two game drives exploring the vast Serengeti, one in the morning and another after lunch. It is not possible to say with any accuracy where the Great Migration of the Wildebeest is located at any one time. There are a number of determining factors; however, one can be assured that if there is a good chance of seeing it, then this can be accomplished from the Pioneer Camp or Migration Camp. 

Day 17: Serengeti | Arusha, Tanzania | Return Home

  • 1 Breakfast
This morning take your final safari drive. Then transfer to the airstrip for your flight back to Arusha. Lunch is served in the gardens of the lodge before your final transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport. Do not schedule onward flights before 6:00 pm. 

Ship/Hotel

Zambezi Queen

The Zambezi Queen

Zambezi Queen

With a design specific for safari river cruising on the Chobe River, the 28-passenger Zambezi Queen offers a sophisticated onboard experience designed to maximize animal sightings.
Relax on the Zambezi Queen
Relax on the Zambezi Queen
Zambezi Queen

Arusha Coffee Lodge

Arusha Coffee Lodge

Enjoy an aromatic and sensory experience at the luxurious Arusha Coffee Lodge. Hidden amongst one of Tanzania’s largest coffee plantations, the Arusha Coffee Lodge is the perfect place to begin or end an African safari or Mount Kilimanjaro climb as well as explore how coffee is processed from the bean to your coffee mug. The lodge is located in the city of Arusha, which lies in the northern highlands of Tanzania, beneath the twin peaks of Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro. From coffee pickers harvesting the crop to the delightful smells of the morning brew diffusing from the main Plantation House as breakfast is being prepared, Arusha Coffee Lodge is full of sensory experiences that revitalizes the body and soul for the adventures and excitement that lies ahead.
Arusha Coffee Lodge

Tarangire Treetops Lodge

Tarangire Treetops Lodge's spacious rooms.

Tarangire Treetops Lodge

Childhood dreams turn to reality when you arrive to Tarangire Treetops Lodge and see tents perched above the game rich lands of Tarangire National Park, tucked into the canopy. 20 tree-houses offer expansive space and uninterrupted views of Tarangire plains from a private balcony. Enjoy your private en suite bathroom, with double showers, wrap up in a luxurious bathrobe and enjoy the view from your lofted vantage point.
A view of the tree house style lodge at Tarangire Treetops Lodge
Enjoy the sunset from the open porch at Tarangire Treetops Lodge
Enjoy an outdoor meal on the plains.

Serengeti National Park - Hotels

Elewana Serengeti Pioneer Camp - Aerial View

Elewana Serengeti Pioneer Camp

Seronera Airport is 25 km away. Located in South Central Serengeti - Tanzania - (within the Moru Kopjes area), Serengeti Pioneer Camp is ideally situated to offer superlative access to the annual migration and the ‘Big 5’ with sweeping views overlooking Moru Kopjes, Lake Magadi, and the endless plains.
Ang'ata Serengeti Camp

Ang'ata Serengeti Camp

In Seronera, the center of the Serengeti, ideal for Safaris in all regions of the National Park. Located in a beautiful setting with a view on the plains and valleys and surrounded by wildlife.
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&Beyond Serengeti Under Canvas

&Beyond Serengeti Under Canvas

&Beyond Serengeti Under Canvas is a luxurious semi-permanent tented camp that moves around the Serengeti bringing guests within range of the massive herds of the Great Migration.
Look for zebras on a game drive

More Serengeti National Park Hotels

The seemingly boundless plains of Tanzania's Serengeti offer explorers a chance to witness top predators like lions and leopards and their prey up close on game drives and hikes that capture the true nature of a safari expedition. In addition to full immersion in the heart of Tanzanian nature, you may spend time with the Maasai indigenous people.

Serengeti National Park - Campsites

Serengeti Mara River Camp

River Camp is located 1/2 kilometer from the Mara River with a view of the river valley. River Camp is an excellent location during July–November for the wildebeest river crossings. It is also a wonderful destination in the green season, with abundant resident wildlife and fewer tourists.
Lahia Tented Lodge Aerial view

Lahia Tented Lodge

Explore Serengeti Ecosystem from Lahia Tented Lodge, situated on top of a hill with 360-degree views of the spectacular landscape. The premises include an area to relax with comfortable sofas, an outdoor and indoor restaurant, and a swimming pool. Every evening a campfire is lit, and guests can enjoy the sunset with drinks and appetizers. Weather permitting, dinner will be served outside under the stars.

Mara Kati Kati Tented Camp

Mara Kati Kati is a mobile camp strategically situated in the north Serengeti, ideal for exploring the Mara Ecosystem. Immerse yourself in nature in this bush camp.
Look for zebras on a game drive

More Serengeti National Park Campsites

The seemingly boundless plains of Tanzania's Serengeti offer explorers a chance to witness top predators like lions and leopards and their prey up close on game drives and hikes that capture the true nature of a safari expedition. In addition to full immersion in the heart of Tanzanian nature, you may spend time with the Maasai indigenous people.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Hotels

Exterior of the lodge

Ndutu Safari Lodge

Ndutu Safari Lodge is located in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the Serengeti eco-system. It's 34 stone cottages are nestled under a canopy of giant acacias, have views of Lake Ndutu and are in a great spot to explore swamps, woodland, soda lakes and the Serengeti short grass plains.
Rhino Lodge

Rhino Lodge

Eco-sensitive in materials, and low impact in architectural style, the Rhino Lodge offers guest comfortable lodging on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. Twenty-four en suite rooms, each with private verandahs, are simply adorned to shift focus to the natural surroundings of the area. Watch as elephants, zebra, and other local animals wander through the grounds.
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andBeyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge situated in the hillside

&Beyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge

Perched above the Ngorongoro Crater, andBeyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge offers travelers a luxury stay just minutes from the famous Crater.
A herd of zebras quench their thirst at a watering hole.

More Ngorongoro Conservation Area Hotels

Johannesburg - Hotels

Pool Area

Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge

Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge blends into its natural setting, offering an Amani Spa, gym, boutique South African wines, and a sunken fire-pit lounge. The luxury suites include private plunge pools for guests to enjoy thrilling safaris, gourmet cuisine, and warm African hospitality within a uniquely designed environment.
Protea Hotel OR Tambo Airport

Protea Hotel OR Tambo Airport

The Protea Hotel OR Tambo Airport is in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is just minutes away from the airport and has an aviation theme. There are 3 room types, a fitness center, a swimming pool, a restaurant and you can watch planes take off and land from your window.
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Fairlawns Boutique Hotel

The award-winning Fairlawns Hotel has been a benchmark for luxury boutique hotels in Johnnesburg almost 20 years, offering guests and unique and exclusive sanctuary during their visit to Johannesburg. Nestled outside the exciting business areas of Sandton, Woodmead, Sunninghill and Rivonia, the Fairlawns is a well-kept secret that balances proximity to these thriving cities with peace and tranquility.
The sun sets over Kruger National Park

More Johannesburg Hotels

Some of the world's best safaris depart from the "City of Gold" known as Johannesburg in South Africa. Once you've explored this modern metropolitan city, set out to Kruger National Park to spot the Big Five on a safari game drive and relax at your luxury safari lodge. You can also dive deeper into the heart of Africa on a Chobe River cruise!

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Suite B
Upper Deck, 215 sq feet. Private bath facilities, separate sitting area, balcony.
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Suite A
Upper Deck, 235 sq feet. Private bath facilities, separate sitting area, balcony.
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Luxury Suite
Upper Deck, 300 sq feet. Private bath facilities, separate sitting area, balcony.
Included
  • 16 Breakfasts, 10 Lunches, 13 Dinners
  • 16 Nights Accommodations
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
  • Onboard Entertainment 
  • Bottled water replenished daily
  • Personalized service from a highly trained Cruise Manager during both cruise and land programs
  • Beverages: Unlimited fine wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner.
  • Beverages: Unlimited sparkling wine and fresh juice with breakfast
  • Personal headset for excursions. 
  • Captain’s Welcome Cocktail and Gala Dinner
  • Knowledgeable guides
  • Internet and Wi-Fi access
  • Sip & Sail Daily Cocktail Hour with complimentary wine, beer, spirits and soft drinks
Excluded
  • Gratuities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Flight costs (please request a quote)
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • Passport and Applicable Visa Expenses
  • Laundry 
  • Port Fees

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