Day-by-day itinerary

• Day

  01

  Cape Town, South Africa

  Welcome

  Touch down in Cape Town, South Africa! Once through customs and immigration you'll receive a warm VIP Welcome from Born Free Safaris host. Most international flights arrive in the evening, you will be escorted directly to your hotel and assisted with check-in.
  
  Cape Town is a fabulously diverse and vibrant city, from its beautiful natural scenery to its colorful Cape Malay arts district. With Table Mountain rising behind the city skyline, Cape Town is undeniably one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is surrounded by verdant valleys, magnificent coastlines and stunning granite mountains. The city is abundantly endowed with rich historical "Old World" ambience, heightened by Victorian buildings, cobble-stoned squares, mosques, and Cape Dutch architecture.
• Day

  02

  Cape Town

  Table Bay, City Highlights

  This morning your introduction to the Cape region will be from the top of Table Mountain. Ascend via rotating cable car for views of the city, coast, surrounding mountains and across the water to historic Robben Island.
  
  Discover Cape Town up-close on your private tour with expert guide. Each city tour is designed to your interests but top sites include the colorful Cape Malay art district, Greenmarket Square, public buildings, House of Parliament, City Hall, and The Cape Castle.
  
  Born Free's Concierge Service will be more than happy to assist in making dinner recommendations and reservations. Top restaurants require reservations with deposit months in advance.

  Breakfast

  Special Optional Activities
  White Shark Cage Dive from $245
  
• Day

  03

  Cape Peninsula & Historic Towns

  Penguin Beach, Stellenbosch

  Your private guide will pick you up after a leisurely breakfast for a full days tour of the Cape Peninsula. This is the most spectacular coastal drives in South Africa. Granite peaks, spectacular bays and charming coastal villages will highlight today's sites.
  
  Travel over Chapman’s Peak, stopping at the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Cape Point. Visit Boulders and Foxy Beach, the home to African penguins. Head through charming fishing villages stopping for a sea side lunch and then visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens during blooming season. South Africa has many indigenous species such as the magnificent protea, orchids and the African Daisy.

  Breakfast / Lunch
• Day

  04

  Cape Region

  À la carte Touring

  Spend today on your choice of "À la carte" touring. You'll select from a range of excursions that are already included in the price of the trip. Discuss your interests with a Born Free Safaris Specialist who will then create your personalized private tour.
  
  Ideas for À la carte Touring:
  
  1) New Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African art.It exhibits cutting-edge twenty-first art from featured artists from all of Africa.
  
  2) Private Full Day Historic Stellenbosch & Franchhoek featuring the wine country. Spend the day with your professional guide roaming through the regal granite peaks, small towns and wine estates. The area is dotted with Cape Dutch architecture. Stops will be made as you please at art galleries, for wine or brandy tastings, time to stroll through the historic towns.
  
  3) Half Day Ferry Trip and touring of Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned.
  
  4) Visit to the philanthropic Uthando Community Project, an amazing collection of innovative, inspiring and fun community development projects and charitable organizations across a broad spectrum of sectors.

  Breakfast

  Special Activities:
  Shark Cage Diving
  Get safely and exhilaratingly up close to these beautiful creatures of the sea. Cost from $245 per person.
  
  Wine Enthusiast Tour
  featuring a sommelier guide. Cost from $175 per person.
• Day

  05

  Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

  This morning board your intercontinental flight north to Victoria Falls. Your hotel lies within walking distance of the Zambezi River or shuttle depending on your selected hotel.
  
  The waterfalls are known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya (the smoke that thunders). There's a magic about the area with the towering columns of spray when the river is high, the thunder of the falling water, and the deep dark gorges. The falls are 5,604 feet wide, the largest curtain of water in the world! Late afternoon visits can sometimes give you views of the rainbow that often arches over the canyon.
  
  In the late afternoon, relax on a a Sunset Cruise down the Zambezi River.

  Breakfast / Dinner
• Day

  06

  Victoria Falls to Kenya

  David Livingstone was the first European to visit the area and named the falls after Queen Victoria. Your guide takes you on a scenic path through the rain forests where you will get to the best vantage points of both the Zimbabwe and Zambia sides. Approach the heart-pounding views of Devil's Cateract and Knife Edge Bridge. The sound is loud as the water plunges 310 feet over a mile-wide gorge.
  
  Small boat day trip on another segment of Zambezi. This time for a bit of possible wildlife and bird viewing. If you keep your eyes peeled you may get to see lurking crocodile or hippo. The area is also a birders paradise, with numerous jewel like birds as well as mighty fish eagles.
  
  Today would be a great time to take an optional helicopter flight over the falls.
  
  Tonight, take a late flight direct to Nairobi. Upon arrival, you are met and escorted to your hotel.

  Safari Specialist Notes: Direct flights to East Africa only run in the early evening. The time we have in the area is enough time to absorb Victoria Falls, especially if you take the Helicopter flight seeing. For more time here, request an additional night at one of the more unique properties such as Gorges, Tongabezi, or Victoria Falls River Lodge.

  Breakfast / Dinner

  Special Activities:
  Scenic Helicopter Tour
  The best way to get the full impact of Victoria Falls is by this stunning 13 minute flight. Cost from $145 per person.
  
  Devil's Pool, Zambia
  This natural pool has been created by erosion on the lip of the falls, where the water is only a few feet deep. This allows guests to sit in the pool and not get swept over the edge. Seasonally available. Cost from $150 per person.
• Day

  07

  Giraffe Center, Elephant Orphanage

  Up early for your introduction to East Africa, a very different experience than South Africa. This is the safari country that you always envisioned.
  
  This morning provides a look into the conservation efforts made by the Kenyans. First stop is African Fund for Endangered Wildlife/Giraffe Center, where local children learn about their precious natural resource, the wildlife. A raised platform will bring you eye level with the friendly giraffes.
  
  After lunch, visit artisan galleries including Matbronze Foundry and Kazuri Beads. Kazuri began as a tiny workshop making colorful handmade ceramic beads and now exports them to a worldwide craft market.
  
  Our last stop is truly a favorite, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. This is a haven for elephant and rhino orphans. The organization is one of the world's most successful elephant rescue and rehabilitation programs. They nurture baby elephants that have been abandoned or orphaned until they are strong enough to be reintroduced into the bush.
  
  At Sheldrick Trust a baby elephant will be fostered in your name.

  Breakfast / Lunch
• Day

  08

  Lake Manyara, Tanzania

  On Safari

  Early 40 minute flight to Tanzania. You are greeted by the Born Free Professional Safari Guide and head out to Lake Manyara National Park. Ernest Hemingway called this “the loveliest place I have seen in Africa.” Head out on a game drive through this 127 square mile park, two-thirds of which is covered by lake.
  
  The highlight of the park’s wildlife is the wonderful hippo population. You’ll also have the chance to see elephant, giraffe, monkeys, impala, tree-climbing lions, and more than 380 species of birds among the park’s five different vegetation zones.
  
  Walk across the Treetop Walkway for a unique view of the forest below with its' colorful birds, monkeys and possibly an elephant making its way to the lake. Stop at a small Maasai village before continuing to Ngorongoro Highlands for overnight.

  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
• Day

  09

  Ngorongoro Crater

  Descend onto the Ngorongoro Crater floor for a day of game viewing. Nearly 10 x 12 square miles in size, it contains an impressive variety of wildlife including lions with black manes, the highly endangered black rhino, herds of wildebeest, zebra, elephants, hippo, and hyena.
  
  The bird life is also prolific, with flocks of pink flamingos on the soda lake, plus other species of water and plains birds. Picnic lunch and an afternoon game drive before heading back to your lodge for Sundowner cocktails, dinner and an evening discussing the day’s events with your fellow travelers.

  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
• Days

  10-11

  Serengeti National Park

  In Search of the Migrating Herds

  The Serengeti is a vast area of just under 12,000 square miles. It is Tanzania's oldest and greatest national park, arguably offering the most exciting game-viewing in Africa.There are great herds of buffalo, groups of elephant and giraffe. There are thousands upon thousands of elands, topi, kongoni, impala and Grant’s gazelle.
  
  Unlike many other safari companies, Born Free Safaris will change your base for explorations to coordinate with the seasons. The Southern Serengeti is best for playing host to the migrating herds from December to March; in June they head towards Grumeti and the Western Corridor. From July - October they are near the far north Kenya border or have crossed into the Mara. Using this as a guideline - there is always great resident game in the Serengeti.

  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

  Special Activity:
  Hot Air Balloon Safari:
  We highly suggest the balloon safari at dawn over the Serengeti with a champagne bush breakfast, from $500 per person.
• Days

  12-13

  Serengeti National Park

  2nd Safari Location

  Spend your days exploring the Serengeti's vast eco-system. The safari will head into the the area of the most potential concentrated game viewing and today we will move to a second base for exploration. Everyday is special and never the same. It is exciting and every turn brings something you have not seen before on safari.
  
  Unlimited game drives with picnic lunches or if you prefer you can return to camp and go back out in the afternoon.

  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
• Day

  14

  Your Journey Onwards

  Flight to Arusha

  Bid farewell to the bush and the friends you’ve made at camp as you are escorted to the airstrip for your flight to Arusha. But the fun is not quite over yet!
  
  Upon your arrival in Arusha you will be taken to lunch. If there is time, you will also be able to relax and buy last minute gifts. Then you will be escorted to the Kilimanjaro airport in time for your international flight home, taking with you the memories of a truly amazing African experience!
  
  "Kwa Heri" (Goodbye in Swahili)

  Breakfast / Lunch