Planning An African Safari Journey

A lot To Contemplate Planning An African Safari Journey

We had lots to consider planning an African Safari journey.  We wished to re-visit Cape City and the Stellenbosch wine area in South Africa.  The Rovos Rail luxurious prepare was undoubtedly on our planning want listing.  And we wished to remain in a safari camp for just a few days.  The problem we had was placing all of it collectively in the absolute best approach.  We labored with Tully Luxurious Journey and arrange the proper African journey.

We visited Africa earlier than so we had a bit expertise to assist with the planning.  There have been so many superb issues to see and do on our first go to to Cape City.  A day journey to the Stellenbosch space gave us a fast take a look at this nice wine area however we knew we wished to take pleasure in extra.  

When we visited Africa the primary time, we did 3 nice sport drives – Shimba Hills Park in Kenya, the Huhluwe Recreation Reserve in Richards Bay and the Aquila Recreation Reserve from Cape City.  Many animals had been elusive mid-day when most sport drives had been performed.  However we noticed numerous animals and left with superb reminiscences.  We nonetheless wished the complete safari expertise to see animals of their pure habitat early and late within the day.

On our go to to South America, we deliberate an incredible go to to see the Iguazu Falls.  This set of mighty falls undoubtedly put Victoria Falls in Africa on our journey planning listing.  So once we discovered the posh Rovos prepare went from Johannesburg in South Africa to Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe and Zambia border we knew what we wished so as to add this to our African journey. 

Our Itinerary For This Nice African Journey

With some analysis, we knew what we wished to expertise on our African journey.  Placing the plan collectively bought us an incredible journey for nearly 4 weeks.

Day 1-3:

There was no fast path to get from Toronto to South Africa.  Once we visited Cape City final, we discovered an incredible journey deal and truly skilled flying First Class with Emirates on a route that related by means of Dubai.  The Emirates choice for this journey was simply too costly so we lastly discovered connection choices in Europe.  However the flight to Cape City landed 2 days after we left Toronto with 2 in a single day flights.  The return journey was equally as lengthy however we solely had one in a single day flight.

Day 3-11:

We deliberate 4 days in Cape City, South Africa.  Since we noticed a lot of Cape City on our final go to, there was little we would have liked to see or do.  So we booked sufficient time to get better from the lengthy journey and to regulate to the time zone adjustments.  Suitably refreshed, we then deliberate one other 4 days within the Stellenbosch space for wine tasting.  We knew there was a lot to discover within the charming small cities in that space.

Day 11-13:

After Stellenbosch, we fly to Johannesburg in South Africa for two days.  Now we have a day tour booked for the Maboneng Market and Soweto Tour.

Day 13-17:

From Johannesburg we journey to close by Pretoria to board the Rovos luxurious prepare for 4 days.  We’ll benefit from the luxurious facilities onboard the journey and have a number of day journey stops alongside the path to Victoria Falls.

Day 17-20:

Once we arrive in Victoria Falls, we’re picked up and brought for our first safari keep at Thorntree River Lodge in Zambia for 3 days.  We’ll take pleasure in a number of safari excursions.  And have a helicopter tour deliberate to see Victoria Falls from the air.

Day 20-25:

From Zambia we fly to the Sabi Earth Lodge again in South Africa for 4 days.  This non-public sport lodge is true beside Kruger Nationwide Park.  Extra thrilling sport experiences await us right here.

Day 25-27:

We’re then flown again to Johannesburg for an in a single day keep earlier than we board our flight again to Toronto.  

Planning an African Safari journey bought us such an thrilling itinerary.

Planning An African Safari Journey Began With A Return Go to To Cape City

For this keep in Cape City, we booked 4 nights on the Westin Cape City.  This centrally positioned lodge will probably be a terrific spot to take pleasure in views of the Victoria & Albert Waterfront, Desk Mountain and the entire of Desk Bay.  We’re at all times excited when our Marriott Ambassador Elite standing will get us entry to nice Westin Government Membership Lounges.  

We deliberate to benefit from the facilities on the lodge and chill out after the lengthy journey days to succeed in Cape City.  And we all know it can take just a few days for us to regulate to the time zone.

Fortunately we noticed so many nice issues on our final go to to Cape City.  However we undoubtedly wish to take the cable automobile to the highest of Desk Mountain on this journey.  On our final go to we had been teased with fog on the mountain high.  

Planning an African Safari journey we knew we wished to start out slowly and Cape City was the proper first cease.

Wine Tasting In The Stellenbosch Area

On our first go to to Cape City, we did a terrific day journey to the Stellenbosch area.  We did a bit wine tasting and wandered by means of a number of the native factors of curiosity.  However we knew we at all times wished to return and spend extra time. 

We booked a keep on the boutique Clouds Property.  This beautiful resort is on one of many highest factors of the Helshoogte Move with views of the Simonsberg and Drakenstein mountains.  Clouds Property is a working wine farm and we regarded ahead to seeing the vineyards and wine manufacturing.  Of explicit curiosity was the “Pink” Sauvignon Blanc wine this property was identified for. 

We deliberate to go to the Delaire Graff Property for wine tasting and to take a look at the artwork assortment.  This was the opposite boutique resort we thought of for our keep within the Stellenbosch space.

Now we have just a few different wineries we wished to take a look at and we deliberate to benefit from the small city sights.  Our quick keep in Stellenbosch was one of many issues we wished to incorporate when planning an African Safari journey.

A Fast Look At Johannesburg

After we’re picked up in Stellenbosch, we fly to Johannesburg in South Africa.  Now we have two nights and one full day on the Marriott Melrose Arch Lodge.  Even with such a brief keep we wished to be within the central space of Johannesburg to get a really feel for this metropolis. 

We booked a personal tour for our day in Johannesburg.  Our tour will embody the Maboneng Marketplace for a glimpse of the native meals, artwork and crafts – though we are going to miss the very busy market day.  We may also get a Soweto Tour to go to Hector Pieterson Memorial Museum and the Mandela Home. This can give us an perception into the distinctive historical past of South Africa.  We’re positive our native information will present different native websites of curiosity.  When Tully Luxurious Journey arrange an analogous non-public tour in Buenos Aires it was such a terrific expertise.

On the finish of our African journey, we return to Johannesburg for one night time earlier than we fly residence.  We thought of returning to the Marriott Melrose Arch Lodge however then determined being near the airport would make our closing keep a lot simpler.  We booked the Intercontinental Tambo.  This award-winning luxurious lodge is inside strolling distance of the worldwide airport terminal. So we are going to take pleasure in a quiet and enjoyable day earlier than the lengthy journey residence.

Luxurious And Journey On The Rovos Practice From Pretoria To Victoria Falls

From Johannesburg we head to the Pretoria prepare station and board our Rovos luxurious prepare.  We had been completely happy to get an opportunity to see this iconic prepare station.  We booked a deluxe cabin on the prepare and had been happy we’ve a bathe as a part of our cabin.  Though this could be the smallest area we’ve shared for a number of days in all of our travels!  We all know there are many areas on the prepare to chill out and watch the surroundings go by.

On the primary day we journey by means of Warmbaths (Bela-Bela) which are named for the mineral waters.  And go by the Nylstroom (Modimolle) which is the supply of the Nile River. The prepare travels by the sting of the escarpment the place the Highveld drops off sharply.

On the second day we cross the Limpopo River enroute to Beitbridge and full the border formalities as we cross into Zimbabwe.

On day 3 we journey by means of baobab nation and have a day journey to the Matobo Nationwide Park.  That is the nation’s oldest Nationwide Park.  We go to the Matopo Hills that are a collection of granite kopjes (rock formations) fashioned over 2 billion years in the past.  The earliest inhabitants (the “San”) painted on the partitions of caves and rock shelters.  The particular pigments and pure minerals used have survived each the native local weather and time.  We noticed comparable fascinating rock wall work at Dazu in China! 

On day 4 the prepare travels alongside the jap fringe of Hwange Park.  Now we have one other day tour within the Hwange Nationwide Park.  That is the biggest park in Zimbabwe, protecting about 14,650 sq km.  The park has an enormous number of mammals and birds.  However we hope to see the tusker elephants this park is understood for.  We’re visiting in the beginning of the dry season so the elephants could be much less plentiful.  However we hope that opens up alternatives to see different animals on our sport drive.

Thorntree River Lodge At The Victoria Falls

Our Rovos luxurious prepare journey finishes in Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe facet.  A driver will choose us up on the prepare station and cross into Zambia.  This could give us an opportunity to see Victoria Falls from each views.  A bit like we noticed Iguazu Falls from each Argentina and Brazil. 

Now we have 3 days booked on the Thorntree River Lodge on the banks of the Zambezi River in Mosi-Oa-Tunya Nationwide Park.  Our safari keep consists of a variety of actions.  We are able to select from sport drives in Mosi-oa-Tunya Nationwide Park, rhino monitoring, bush walks, canoe journeys, catch & launch shore fishing and dawn & sundown boat cruises.  We may additionally select from visits to the Simonga Village, the Livingstone Museum or the Maramba & Makuni Markets.  

Day journeys additionally may embody a go to to Zambian and Zimbabwe facet of Victoria Falls.  We pre-booked a helicopter tour to see these nice falls from above.  We realized when visiting the Iguazu Falls {that a} helicopter supplied such a unique perspective on massive waterfall techniques.

Between the very busy excursions and day journeys we plan to benefit from the infinity pool over the river and possibly even chill out within the spa.  We count on every night time to complete with fantastic eating and a few tales across the fireplace within the sunken boma. 

We must always have an incredible and fulsome expertise on the Thorntree River Lodge.  Planning an African safari journey wanted at the least considered one of these nice experiences.  We had been excited to have two on this journey!

Staying By The Kruger Nationwide Park At Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge

After having our first superb safari expertise, we then fly again to South Africa and keep on the Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge for 4 days. The Sabi Sabi Personal Recreation Reserve has 4 completely different lodges positioned within the South-Western part of the Larger Kruger Nationwide Park.  The reserve is positioned on a central plain between two rivers offering an setting that draws all kinds of wildlife.

On the lodge we could have choices to interact in day and night time sport drives in open safari automobiles. There are additionally strolling safaris to discover the bush as a group on foot.  And bush breakfasts and bush picnics for various experiences.  

This luxurious lodge will probably be one other nice method to combine a bit pampering with some superb African adventures.  We had been so glad we bought the chance so as to add this second keep when planning an African safari journey.

Issues To Deal with Planning An African Safari Journey

We at all times did numerous planning for longer journeys.  However when planning an African safari journey we had just a few further issues to contemplate.

Begin Your Planning Early

Once we began to consider a safari journey to Africa, we checked on the lead time for reservations. And had been a bit stunned once we realized that we actually wanted to e book a number of the extra fashionable sport reserves early. And the Rovos Luxurious Practice additionally wanted to be booked nicely prematurely. Our worldwide flights and a few inns had been booked about 4 months earlier than our journey. Planning for issues to do in locations like Stellenbosch had been performed with much less lead time however we did the analysis prematurely of our journey.

So we had our African journey on our journey plans nicely prematurely and deliberate the remainder of our journey 12 months round that.

Itinerary And Transfers

The primary key factor to handle was what we wished to see and on an ideal itinerary.  We had been delighted to have the Africa specialists at Tully Luxurious Journey take our listing and assist with the proper plan.  

With a number of journey between stays and visiting 3 international locations, we would have liked to plan all of the transfers.  We had been completely happy to incorporate all of that in our Tully Luxurious Journey  bundle.  

Excursions

The Rovos prepare portion of our Africa journey included outlined excursions.  However in different spots, we would have liked to determine what to see and do.  Some research prematurely of our journey gave us the knowledge to do most of our decisions as soon as we arrived.

Having visited Cape City and Stellenbosch, we had a good suggestion of the choices out there and we didn’t pre-plan further excursions.  However we made positive to pre-book a very good non-public tour for our day in Johannesburg prematurely.

Each of our safari camps provided a wide variety of choices for excursions and day journeys.  We did a little bit of analysis on what we’d wish to see and do however didn’t make agency choices.  We knew the native specialists would assist us create an ideal expertise tailor-made for us once we arrived.  The one deal with we booked prematurely was the helicopter tour over Victoria Falls.  We felt we may schedule different issues round this tour.

Packing And Baggage Necessities

Packing and baggage at all times required further thought once we did journey journey.  When we packed for Antarctica, we nervous about each excursions in chilly Antarctica and a scorching go to to spots in South America.  That added complexity we didn’t have for our African journey.  

For Africa we would have liked a mixture of costume garments for our luxurious journey and safari trekking gear.  We packed a very good provide of each bug spray and sunscreen.  And included further heat garments once we discovered that night time excursions could possibly be very chilly.  However we additionally had baggage restrictions for the flights inside Africa.  So we packed and re-packed a number of occasions to fulfill the minimal dimension and weight necessities.

Vaccines

Travelling to Africa we knew we would have liked to contemplate vaccines.  Prior journey to Africa, all through China and alongside the Amazon River supplied various vaccinations most of which had been nonetheless lively.  However we nonetheless wanted safety for Malaria in some components of Africa.  And we took Dukoral as a precautionary safety for Cholera and likewise for travellers diarrhea.

Visas

We knew as Canadians we may simply get into South Africa.  However we would have liked to verify on the Kaza visa necessities for Zimbabwe and Zambia.  We had been completely happy the Immigration types had been supplied on the Rovos prepare and we might pay our visa price on a prepare cease.  

Excited Now That We Completed Planning An African Safari Journey

We had been so excited once we completed the planning for an African safari journey. There was heaps to contemplate as we labored with Tully Luxurious Journey  to create the proper itinerary and get all the things organized prematurely.  With all of the planning accomplished, we will chill out and benefit from the expertise of a lifetime.

We’ll attempt to replace our social media channels as we do that nice African journey.  Be sure you observe alongside! 

Another issues we missed planning an African Safari journey?  Do you may have any suggestions for get essentially the most out of this journey?

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