Saga Holidays has put together a 26-night adventure combining Kenya, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Ethiopia in a single ?Ultimate Africa? trip.
The tour begins in Kenya with a three-night stay in the Masai Mara Reserves, where guests experience six included game drives. Next stop is Botswana for a two-night stay in Chobe National Park, where the highlight is a game drive in search of elephants ,followed by a sundowner dinner cruise on the Chobe River. The tour then crosses the border into Zimbabwe for a two-night stay in Victoria Falls, with an included cruise along the Zambezi offering the chance to spot hippo and crocodiles.
On day ten, it?s all aboard Rovos Rail's vintage train for a three-night, all-inclusive journey to Zimbabwe's largest reserve, Hwange National Park. The train crosses the border into South Africa and arrives in Pretoria for a two-night stay, with an optional excursion to Soweto. Another stop sees a pause at Kimberley to visit the 500m wide Big Hole and the Diamond Mine Museum.
The journey also takes in Cape Town, as well as Franschhoek in the winelands beneath the Drakenstein mountains, with time for wine tasting at Neetlingshoff and a visit to Stellenbosch Museum. Cape Peninsular and Boulders Beach, home to colonies of African penguins, are also on the itinerary before a three-night stay in Cape Town with time to board the revolving cable car up Table Mountain and visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens on an optional excursion.
A series of short flights awaits, firstly to Addis-Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia and on to Gondar and the fortress-city of Fasil Ghebbi, while another flight takes guests for a two-night stay in Lalibela to view the medieval rock-hewn churches, including the cross-shaped church of Bete Giyorgis (St George), plus the monolithic cave churches. On return to Addis-Ababa there?s the chance to visit Merkato market, one of the largest in Africa, before an overnight flight home. S
tuart Douglass-Lee, holiday creator for the operator, said: ?With the upturn in interest in Africa and the increasing thirst of the over 50s for longer holidays, I have created the ultimate trip, visiting sights on many people?s bucket list that combines adventure with luxury travel. If I had never visited Africa before this would be the holiday for me.?
The 26-night itinerary leads in at ?6,899 departing from Heathrow on May 11, 2017. A choice of departure dates are also available until October 2017, with some dates offering the same itinerary but in reverse. Prices include a VIP door-to-door chauffeur service, flights, five nights on Rovos Rail, 24 breakfasts, 13 lunches and 20 dinners, all drinks on the train, porterage at hotels, a tour manager, optional travel insurance and additional cancellation rights, or a discount if passengers have their own insurance.
For details call 0800-414383 or visit saga.co.uk/africa
