Cape Town, Cascades, African Dream & Vic Falls
11 Nights

Day 1:

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Departure

Touch down on the inviting tarmac of Cape Town International airport, where a Flame of Africa will be waiting to welcome you to Cape Town, South Africa! He will then arrange smooth transfer to the Commodore Hotel, an elegant and stylish four-star hotel located in one of the top tourist destinations worldwide.
The Commodore is located in the V&A Waterfront and offers its guests sweeping views of the majestic Table Mountain, beautiful Cape Town Harbour and historic Robben Island. Its luxurious comfort is only enhanced by its fine dining. It’s the perfect hotel, in the perfect city.

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Day 2

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Begin your day with a sumptuous breakfast at the Commodore.

The full day tour of Cape Point and the Peninsula Experience begins promptly at 08h30. Travel the Atlantic Seaboard, via Sea Point, Clifton and Camps Bay, pausing at the quaint Hout Bay – a village poised on the coastline, boasting a picturesque fishing harbour engulfed by towering mountain views and enticing beach sand. Your tour will continue via Chapman’s Peak, one of the most awe-inspiring coastal drive worldwide, along to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. Pause for breath at the Cape Point, where the Atlantic Ocean is said to kiss the Indian Ocean. You will then move on to historic Simons Town, a village with charming Victorian architecture, a naval base and a large penguin colony at the beautiful Boulders Beach. Boulders Penguin Colony is home to a growing colony of the vulnerable African Penguin. Wooden walkways allow visitors to view the penguins in their natural habitat and there is also a new information centre. A lunch stop is made at a nearby restaurant.
End the day with a visit to the well-known Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. The Garden includes 5 of South Africa’s 6 different biomes and is world-renowned for the beauty and diversity of the Cape Flora it displays, as well as for the magnificence of its setting against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. The tour ends at 17:30, where you will be escorted back to your hotel. Dinner for guests own account.

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Day 3

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Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before your collection for your Full Day Winelands tour. Head off to the heart of South Africa’s wine industry. Explore Stellenbosch and walk down the canal-lined avenues, in the shade of giant oak trees and beautifully preserved historic buildings. Travel over the Helshoogte Pass to the town of Franschhoek, historically dating back to the 17th century when the French Huguenots arrived. Billed as the Gourmet Capital of South Africa, this charming town, in a most picturesque valley, retains a French Huguenot style. Enjoy a wine tasting before taking time to enjoy the fabled culinary skills of the Franschhoek chefs at one of the many award-winning restaurants. Onward to Paarl, one of the Cape’s first farming districts. The town is set at the foot of the cluster

of remarkable granite domes from which it takes its name. Return to the bustle of city life after an enthralling day in the

countryside, arriving back at the hotels at approximately 17:30.

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Day 4

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After an early continental breakfast to end your Cape Town adventure, you will be transferred to Cape Town International Airport for your flight to Victoria Falls.

Just around midday, as the sun reaches its highest point of orbit, your plane will touch down on the gently steaming airport tarmac. A Flame of Africa representative will be on hand to transfer you by vehicle from the Victoria Falls airport cross border to Botswana’s Kasane Immigration where you check out of Botswana and board a small private boat for the onward river transfer via Namibian immigration and on to the CroisiEurope lodge. Along the way enjoy and observe the numerous bird species living among the flooded flat lands, with even a glimpse of a few hippos or crocodiles basking in the sun! Our friendly staff await your arrival and will settle guests into your luxury lodge ideally located on an island created by one of the tributaries of the Zambezi River. Dinner is served and the night spent at the lodge enjoying absolute tranquillity within the heart of Africa

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Day 5

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Typically, guests are whisked away in open game viewing vehicles on a full-day safari to explore the Chobe National Park which is home to more than a quarter of Africa’s elephant population. Enjoy lunch on the “floating restaurant” in the middle of the river where the views of the surrounding nature are unparalleled. Afterwards, small private boats sail off on the Chobe River all the way to Sedudu Island and its marshes, returning to the island lodge where dinner and your lodge once again await.

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Day 6

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Join the guides for a trip to authentic villages on Impalila Island, Namibia, to discover the traditional Namibian houses, culture and customs, after which lunch is served at the lodge. Guests can then enjoy some tranquil leisure-time at the lodge, taking advantage of the bungalow’s own private pool and river frontage, or join guides on a discovery of the Zambezi River using small private boats. Dinner is again served at the lodge and that night a local expert will tell of the traditions of this island.

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Day 7:

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Guests depart from the lodge for the Kasane Airport where they board small private aircraft for a short flight between Kasane and Kariba over the stunning panoramas of Lake Kariba with its amazing changing landscapes. From Kariba airport, the transfer is a short road trip to board the African Dream. After settling into the private cabins, guests enjoy lunch on-board as the African Dream sets sail across the lake. Stretching over 140 miles (200km) in length and spanning a distance of approximately 25 miles (40km) at its widest point, the lake will reveal its many secrets and unique features created when the water rose to flood once fertile flat-lands, hills and forests of the old Zambezi Valley. Dinner is enjoyed aboard after which guests retire to their cabins.

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Day 8:

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At sunrise, the cruise is underway again passing through the rare and mysterious landscapes of Lake Kariba where drowned trees still reach skywards from the azure-blue depths. Small private boats are used to explore the Gache Gache River and its unique wildlife. Gliding along its meandering course exploring unspoiled bays, islands and inlets, one will be amazed by the magical spirit of Kariba. The min-cruiser will return for lunch and that afternoon, African Dream sails through one of the most impressive gorges to be found at Lake Kariba, the Sanyati Gorge, mooring at sundown for the second night aboard.

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Day 9:

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The cruise then sails in the morning on a safari to explore the area around Matusadona National Park. Bordered by the Sanyati and Ume Rivers, this 540 square mile (1,400km²) untouched wilderness is home to numerous animal species such as elephants, lions, hippos, crocodiles, buffalos as well as hundreds of bird species, among which the legendary African Fish Eagle, the majestic Yellow-billed Stork, or the Black Heron with its interesting hunting method.. If lucky, a sighting of a big cat or two and even rare cheetah could be possible! The history of the park is closely linked with that of the lake: during the construction of the dam, the rising floodwaters threatened the valley’s wildlife, many of which could not swim to higher ground. Operation Noah, an initiative which rescued over 6,000 animals including large cats, plains game and even rhino, was undertaken by authorities. The animals were moved to Matusadona where they are protected within the National Park today. Lunch is served on board as the ship sails along the shoreline and guests will have the opportunity to learn more about the creation of the Lake, its inhabitants as well as its ecosystem. Dinner is served on board once again as guests spend their last night aboard the African Dream.

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Day 10:

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At sunrise, an early start will see African Dream set sail towards Kariba to disembark and journey to the airport. On the way, a tour of the gigantic Kariba Dam Wall which was created in 1955 to form Lake Kariba is undertaken. Today, the dam generates hydro-electric power for Zimbabwe and its northern neighbour, Zambia. Visitors get to discover the history and legends surrounding the creation of the lake, including the tale of NyamiNyami, the river god, before flying to Victoria Falls on board private aircraft.

Arrive at Victoria Falls Airport where you will be met and transferred to Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, a sunset-facing lodge with spectacular views over the Zambezi National Park, including a wildlife-rich waterhole offering opportunities to view elephant, buffalo, kudu and other game, as well as a variety of birds including marabou storks.

At 15h30, you will be conveyed to the mighty Zambezi, where you will board the pontoon to enjoy a two-hour sunset cruise. There is no river that entices and mesmerises quite like this one, and its charm soon draws all who sail on her into an ethereal nether world of fiery sunset colours, African greens revealing the incredible river wildlife, and grey-blue streams of river water. All senses are heightened and delighted, especially when the boat draws close to the legendary spray of the Falls. Please bring a light jersey as well as your camera for the many photographic opportunities aboard. This cruise does include finger snacks, beer, wine, local spirits, and soft drinks for added enjoyment.

Enjoy dinner this evening at The Makuwa Kuwa restaurant

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Day 11:

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Breakfast will be served early, to accommodate an 08h00 collection for a two-hour guided tour of the awe-inspiring Victoria Falls. No photograph or video clip can adequately reveal the reality of these Falls – which reach their zenith toward May every year. Prepare to overwhelm all five senses as you walk along the wet and paved paths, smell the sounds of the cascading water, hear the intermittent calls of the exotic birds as they dart in and out of the vibrant vegetation, tantalising you with flashes of colour. This is truly Nature’s supreme masterpiece and the sheer power of the Falls will inspire and humble every visitor. Look out for the Big Tree, and various points of historic interest pointed out by your Guides, who will also provide fascinating detail of the flora, fauna, bird and wildlife that surround your Vic Falls experience. Raincoats will be provided where needed, and Guides are equipped to assist clients with photographic opportunities along the tour.

From this multi-sensory experience, guests will then be provided with an afternoon of leisure to either relax and enjoy the comforts of their hotel facilities; or engage in the many optional Victoria Falls activities available for tourists.

At 19h00, you will be escorted to the famous, traditional Boma Dinner, a three-hour long experience that will leave you replete and engorged with exotic flavours! Be prepared for far more than an ethnic culinary experience, as the dinner provides guests with a truly cultural experience, beginning with a Shona and Ndebele greeting which invites you to engage in the hand washing ceremony. The meal is preceded by a sampling of potent tribal beer and snacks.

The excellent cuisine includes a variety of game dishes as well as traditional dishes peculiar to the Zimbabwean culture. Each course enjoyed under the spectacular African night sky is enhanced by a feast of unending entertainment which ranges from traditional dancers, to a Sangoma, or storyteller, an expert in local folklore and heritage. You may also opt to have your fortune told by the all-knowing local fortune teller.

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Day 12: Return

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Linger in this magical African world awhile before departure and enjoy a leisurely breakfast before preparing for your onward journey. One of our representatives will be on hand to facilitate the transfer to Victoria Falls airport for your onward journey.