12 Days Legends of Southern Africa | Cape Town, Namibia & Victoria Falls

Arrive in Cape Town

On arrival in Cape Town, South Africa, you will be welcomed by your Aquella Travels’ Tourist Guide and transferred to your hotel, situated at the iconic V & A Waterfront.

On the way, you will enjoy an orientation tour of the city, as well as a trip up to the summit of Table Mountain by cable car. Check in at The Commodore Hotel, relax, settle in and enjoy the rest of your evening at leisure. Dinner will be enjoyed at one of the fine restaurants nearby.

Cape Peninsula Tour

Today you will experience one of the most scenic drives in the Cape, the Cape Peninsula.

Enjoy a scrumptious breakfast and depart for Hout Bay. The views in this sociable village are mesmerizing as Hout Bay is set in a fold of sea-lapped mountains that look out across the Atlantic Ocean. From the harbor, you will embark on a 45-minute boat cruise to Seal Island to view a huge fur seal colony. The extremely skilled skipper will guide the boat to almost touching distance of the thousands of seals feeding and playing in the stunning turquoise waters. Leaving Hout Bay behind, embark on a breath-taking drive, known as the Chapman’s Peak Drive; arguably the most scenic drive in the world! The road leads to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Cape Point. Inside the nature reserve we visit Cape Point, where the stormy waters of the Atlantic are met by the calming influence of the Indian Ocean. On our way back to Cape Town a visit is also made to Boulders Beach, an ideal vantage point to watch the local colony of African penguins that call this beach their home.

Cape Winelands

We leave Cape Town behind and take a 40-minute drive to the Cape Winelands.

The Cape Winelands of the Western Cape are one of the big draw cards to South Africa that manage to effortlessly combine the beauty of ripening vineyards, Cape Dutch manor homes and excellent cuisine (and of course award-winning wine) in valleys surrounded by indigo mountains. The towns of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are within easy reach of Cape Town and are some of the oldest towns in the country with a rich history and culture. We will visit a total of 3 wine estates before we make our way back to Cape Town.

Cape Town to Walvis Bay

After breakfast, head to the Cape Town International Airport.

From here you will fly directly to the town of Walvis Bay, situated on the coast of Namibia. On arrival, you will be met by your Aquella Travel tour guide and transferred to The Strand Hotel, situated in Swakopmund. Sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and the Namib Desert on the western coast, Swakopmund is one of those great traveler stops along the African road. This is Namibia’s adventure capital and a surreal colonial remnant and is also the ideal place to start your exploration of the Skeleton Coast and Namib Desert. This is a city with as much personality as it has sea frontage and it retains a strong German flavour – from its cobbled streets and picturesque buildings to typical German restaurants and pubs serving German cuisine. This is also one of the much cooler destinations in Namibia, with its moist sea air, mist and rain sometimes surprising you in the Desert. The rest of the day can be spent at leisure

Living Desert Tour

Today you will be part of one of the most spectacular experiences on this whole tour.

Tommy’s Living Desert Tour makes for a jaw-dropping excursion. He will show you a barren piece of desert right in front of you. You will not see one living creature, but to your amazement, Tommy will dig out geckos, spiders, snakes, chameleons, legless lizards and many more. Tommy will show us how plants and small animals survive the unforgiving desert climate, and how they attain water for life. He will also explain the reason for the variety of dune colors and at the end of the tour, you will experience a ‘roaring’ dune if the weather plays along. This is an experience not to be missed! The rest of the afternoon is spent at leisure and you will have the opportunity to partake in activities on offer in the area at your own expense.

Walvis Bay

Depart with your guide after breakfast and head for Walvis Bay. Walvis Bay is the principal port of Namibia and is situated on the west coast of southern Africa.

The special attraction of Walvis Bay is the large natural lagoon with its overwhelming abundance of seabirds – with innumerable flamingoes and pelicans among them. Every year they are joined by 200,000 migratory birds. Head to the harbour for an exciting catamaran trip in the protected lagoon area of Walvis Bay, where the water is calm and abundant with birdlife. Experience the thrill of dolphins leaping out of the water alongside the boat and seals boarding the boat. While on board enjoy fresh oysters and cold champagne on the calm waters of the Walvis Bay lagoon. We return to Swakopmund in the afternoon and you have the rest of the day at leisure to spend as you wish.  

Swakopmund to Sossusvlei

Check out after breakfast and enjoy a relaxed, scenic drive to the Namib Naukluft Park, located in the Namib Desert.

Situated at the entrance gate to the Namib Naukluft Park, Sossusvlei Lodge offers luxury accommodation, world-class dining and direct access to the towering red sand dunes, the famous pan of Sossusvlei, the scorched black trees of Dead Vlei and the remarkable depths of the Sesriem Canyon. The Sossusvlei Lodge Adventure Centre provides a range of activities to make your stay even more enjoyable and exciting.

Sossusvlei and Dead Vlei

You will rise before dawn for you day excursion to the iconic Sossusvlei and Deadvlei as well as Sesriem Canyon.

We enter the Namib-Naukluft Park at sunrise, while the temperature is still mild and when the dune contrasts are at their best. You will travel in open 4×4 safari vehicle, with your own specially trained guide who will share all his knowledge of the area, animals, plant life and much more with you. Regular stops are made on the spectacular ±60 kilometer drive through the dune corridor down to the Vlei to gain information or take in the vistas. At Dune 45, we make a stop to view the world’s most photographed dune. Further along, a gradual 1,6 kilometer round-trip guided walk up to Dead Vlei is a must for the healthy visitors. The more energetic have the opportunity to climb to the upper ridge of Big Daddy Dune, one of the highest dunes in this area! We spend time exploring Sossusvlei before returning to the lodge in time for lunch. After lunch you will make your way to Sesriem Canyon. Explore the remarkable depths of Sesriem Canyon. Our experienced guides will share the history behind this magnificent natural canyon carved by the Tsauchab River. After a busy day dinner will be enjoyed at the lodge

Explore Sossusvlei

Today you will have the day at leisure to spend as you wish.

Other activities on offer here include:

• Hot-air balloon safaris – highly recommended, with a champagne breakfast included.
• Sunset drives in the nature reserve
• Helicopter flights
• Quad-bike rides
• Nature walks  

Sossusvlei to Naankuse

After breakfast, check out and make your way to the capital of Namibia, Windhoek.

We pass by Windhoek and check in at Na’ankuse Lodge, just outside the city. Located only thirty minutes from Windhoek International Airport amongst camel thorn trees, riverbeds, and a stone canyon, the Naankuse Lodge is perfectly situated to end your stay in Namibia. The N/a’an ku sê Foundation is a charity dedicated to conserving the landscapes, cultures and wildlife of Namibia. Originating as a small wildlife sanctuary nestled in the Namibian bush, N/a’an ku sê is now a world-famous conservation organisation. The N/a’an ku sê Foundation Wildlife Sanctuary provides a safe haven and second chance for countless injured, orphaned and conflict animals. On arrival, check in and relax before departing on a 2-hour sunset drive. Enjoy a bush drive with our experienced guides, before stopping off at a hidden sunset viewing deck where drinks will be served. Lose yourself in our incredible Namibian sunset, and then keep an eye out for our nocturnal animal friends on your leisurely drive back to the lodge.

Naankuse In-depth

Arguably one of the tour highlights; enjoy breakfast with the founder of the Naankuse Foundation, Marlice Van Vuuren, before you are escorted on a cheetah walk. Enjoy time with our habituated big cats, in the hands of an experienced and knowledgeable guide. Simply not to be missed! This activity leaves the lodge every morning at 08:00, lasts approximately two hours.

Next, enjoy a Behind the Scenes Tour – Follow in Marlice’s footsteps and get an intimate view of the workings of a wildlife reserve and sanctuary. On this in – depth activity you will gain insight into the real N/a ’ an ku s ê world and the inner workings of sanctuary life and the myriad of animal species currently being cared for. Enter the riveting world of research carried out at N/a ’ an ku sê, and gain intimate knowledge into the field of human – carnivore conflict mitigation. Become smitten with our gorgeous sanctuary orphans and bond with the baby baboons (there’s nothing like it). After dinner, our nature guide will take you to the Naankuse Ancient San Skills Academy, where you will join the San Bushmen around their evening fire and listen to their traditional stories about the stars, animals, galaxies, and the universe. They might even entertain you with a few traditional dances and singing! This is a great way to experience the Namibian bush at night and share in a little piece of San tradition.

Windhoek to Victoria Falls

After breakfast, check out and make your way to Windhoek Airport for your flight to Victoria Falls.

On arrival you will be met by our experienced ground crew and transferred to your hotel, Victoria Falls Safari Lodge. Check-in, relax and unwind and enjoy something to eat and drink before you will be transferred to the Zambezi River for your sunset cruise. Snacks and drinks are included, and you may see elephants, crocodiles and hippos.

Explore Victoria Falls

Enjoy a scrumptious breakfast before you depart on a guided tour of the majestic Victoria Falls.

Guests will be accompanied through the rainforest, on the edge of the Falls, and your guide will give you a brief history of the Falls as well as detailing the flora, fauna and other points of interest. Raincoats are provided when needed to protect you against the spray from the Falls. You will make your way along the designated path which takes you to the various 16 viewpoints along the edge After your guided tour the rest of the day will be spent at leisure enjoying any of the other activities on offer here. Lunch can be enjoyed at your hotel. In the evening, get ready for a culture-focused dinner & drum show at The Boma Restaurant. This is an unforgettable combination of entertainment and four-course dining and is highly recommended.  

Departure

After breakfast you have the morning at leisure before you will be transferred to the airport in Victoria Falls for your flight back to Johannesburg, remembering all too well the amazing experience you had the last 14 days.