Gay 2Afrika, a leader in suprisingly affordable travel to Africa, offers this twelve day luxury vacation package visiting Cape Town, Sun City, Johannesburg and Victoria Falls. Each airline, accommodation as well as on-site ground operators were selected for their gay friendly faciliities, dedication and excellent service levels.
This twelve day luxury journey departs daily
DAY ONE Using Gay 2Afrika's excellent U.S. add-on faires, you board a flight from your hometown, bound for either New York JFK or Atlanta's Hartsfield Airports. There you'll board your South African Airways flight bound for Cape Town. Sit back and enjoy the superior in-flight service on your overnight flight to Cape Town. (In-Flight Meal)
DAY TWO Upon arrival in Cape Town, you will be met by a representative of Gay 2Afrika and transferred to your luxury accommodation, The Table Bay Hotel, where you'll stay for five nights.
The Table Bay Hotel, located on Cape Town's Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, straddles the antique breakwater and is an architectural masterpiece, capturing the essence of the enchanting Cape, the Victorian elegance of yesterday, combined with the contemporary design of today. It is in perfect harmony with the backdrop of Table Mountain, the historic working harbor and the yacht bay.
Readers of the authoritative United States edition of Conde Nast Traveler have voted Sun International's Table Bay Hotel on the Cape Town Victoria & Alfred Waterfront the best hotel in Africa and the Middle East yet again.(In-Flight Meal)
DAY THREE Today you will take a city sightseeing tour. You'll go to Kloof Nek and the magnificent Table Mountain. Ascend to the summit (weather permitting) in the new revolving cable car. See wild flowers and the famous "Siver Tree". Marvel at a birds-eye view of Cape Town and its beaches. On a clear day you'll see a panaromic view including Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned and Cape Point. Later you'll descend from the Upper Cableway station to an awaiting motorcoach. (Add-on fare for ascent of Table Mountain).
Continue the drive to the city center past landmarks such as Castle of Good Hope and City Hall. Down Adderley Street you'll see St. George's Cathedral, the Anglican Diocese of Nobel Peace Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and visit the South African Museum, noted for its natural history and anthropology collection.
You will visit the Company Gardens and the Malay Quarter (also known as the Bo-Kaap) which means "Above Cape" because of its location up against the slopes of Table Mountain. In the early 18th century, thousands of slaves from Java, Ceylon and other Far Eastern regions were brought to Cape Town. After slavery was abolished, their descendants, known as the Cape Malay's, settled here.
Later you proceed around Table Bay to the Milnerton Lighthouse from where you can see Table Mountain from the same perspective as the early settlers did when they sailed into Table Bay. (Breakfast Included)
DAY FOUR Bring your camera and plenty of film for you’re headed for the Cape Point at the south western tip of the Cape Peninsula, where you will enjoy the most spectacular views in the world.
The drive along the peninsula is just as inspiring, passing steep mountains', secluded coves and sweeping beaches, as well as villages and fishing communities. En route, you’ll enjoy a delicious lunch [for own account].
Today’s tour begins with a scenic drive along the Atlantic coast, passing through the cosmopolitan suburbs of Sea Point and Camps Bay with glorious views of the Twelve Apostles, part of the Table Mountain range. You’ll continue to the fishing village of Hout Bay, one of Cape Town's best-kept secrets. Here there is an option to take a short boat trip to Duiker Island to view the Cape Fur Seals, which inhabit the island. From Hout Bay you travel to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, comprising over 17,300 acres of indigenous fauna and flora.
Here you can see a variety of wildlife that includes baboons, rhebok, Cape Mountain zebra, bontebok and the elusive eland. The reserve is also one of the world's largest breeding grounds for tortoises. Bird-watchers, too, will find many fine species to observe.
The majestic coastline offers drama worthy of being called "Nature's Greatest Show."
You’ll be able to see the union of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and may even feel the brisk wind that is dubbed the "Cape Doctor" for its presumed curative powers. Following the coastline along False Bay, you’ll return to Cape Town by way of the Simon's Town naval base, where you visit the Penguin colony at Boulders Beach, Fishoek fishing village and Muizenberg Mountain.
Before your return to Cape Town, You’ll stop at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens for a short walking tour of these beautiful gardens.
You return to Cape Town, passing the University of Cape Town, Rhodes Memorial and the Groote Schuur Hospital where the world’s first open-heart transplant was conducted by Dr. Christian Barnard.
DAY FIVE While South Africa's fertile valleys are world famous for their crisp white and classic French-style red wines, the area is also a treasury of rustic beauty and sprawling estates shaded by giant oak trees. Your drive today will include the country's principal wine routes of Paarl, Stellenbosch and Franschoek, with a stop en route for lunch [for own account].
Your day starts with a visit to Paarl where you will be struck by the beauty of the Valley, the pristine blue sky, the rolling vineyards and the Pearl of Paarl set high above the valley. Paarl made headlines when President Mandela was released from the Victor Verster prison, on the outskirts of the town, to freedom and the start of the new South Africa. You enjoy a wine tasting and cellar tour at one of the local estates.
From Paarl, you continue north-west to the beautiful village of Franschoek, near the Drakenstein Mountains founded in 1688 by French immigrants fleeing the Huguenot religious persecution in Europe. A memorial in the town commemorates the arrival of these early settlers who helped develop the wines sought after by Napoleon, Bismarck and royalty such as Edward V11, the Prince of Wales. Here you will stop for lunch and another tasting on an estate.
You'll then head to Stellenbosch, the second oldest town in South Africa and the historic heart of the country's wine region. In 1679, Dutch East India Company governor Simon van der Stel, recognized the fertility of this long valley on the banks of the Eerste River, as perfect for vineyards. The rest is history, which has been carefully cultivated in this town. A gracious blend of 18th-century Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian buildings is evident on Dorp Street, where massive oaks still shade original water furrows.
The heart of South Africa's wine industry, Stellenbosch is a place of great beauty and culture that's steeped in South Africantradition. The Stellenbosch Wine Route is arguably the country's most famous, and the Stellenbosch Wine of Origin area includes 106 cellars - most of which are open to the public. Enjoy wine tasting and wine buying and you'll sip more than our great South African wines - you'll taste our South African way of life.
Next, you head to one of the well-known wine estates of the area for our final wine tasting before returning back to Cape Town. (Breakfast)
DAY SIX At the top of every overseas visitor’s list is Table Mountain; it provides a majestic backdrop to the vibrant, friendly “Mother City” and can be reached by an ultra-modern cableway. You can enjoy the natural flora whilst on one of many walks and trails in Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and surrounding mountains. Explore the fascinating museums and historical buildings of the Bo-Kaap and District Six, where you will discover the rich and diverse cultures that shape the city. Then there are the famous sandy beaches of Camp’s Bay and Clifton. Robben Island, too, is a must, and it can be reached from the V&A Waterfront, a bustling harbor filled with a vibrant mix of shops, restaurants, and outdoor entertainment. These three days are yours to enjoy however you please.
Remember that we have a wide variety of optional tours available to select from to enhance your Cape Town stay. (Breakfast)
DAY SEVEN This morning you will be transferred to Cape Town International Airport for the departure of your onward flight to Sun City Airport in the North West Province.
Deep in the rugged bushveld, in the heart of an ancient volcano, lies the world's most unique resort. The internationally acclaimed Sun City.
The Resort has a unique heartbeat and an African rhythm of its own and is unlike any other Resort destination in the world. This is pure fantasy where your every desire is met. There are four world-class hotels including the magnificent Palace of the Lost City that glitters like a jewel beneath the African sun, brilliant in its rain forest surroundings and luxurious in its detail and design.
Adjoining Sun City is the beautiful Pilanesberg National Park, which will delight game viewers as it is a malaria free zone and home to the Big 5.
The extraordinary Sun City Resort is internationally recognized as the ultimate African Experience. Well-known on the international golf circuit for the incomparable Nedbank Golf Challenge and famous for the Lost City, fabled to be the ruins of a glorious ancient civilization, which celebrates and resurrects the legends of a mystical past in its glorious architecture and myriad entertainment features.
The austere surrounds of the Pilanesberg embrace the Sun City Resort which glitters like a jewel in a platinum setting. It's First Class all the way! From sizzling entertainment, to one of the world's most exciting water parks, to a world-class casino, the Sun City rhythm beats its own drum.
The Sun City Resort is set in the stark ruggedness of the North West Region of South Africa, and is surrounded by mountains and the untamed majesty of the African bushveld. It is a wedge-shot away from the Pilanesberg National Park, where elephants, rhinos, lions and antelope roam freely.
Your accommodation for the following two nights, The Palace of the Lost City at Sun City is one of the most enticing travelers' destinations in the world and a tribute to man's imagination and revered for its art and architecture. Fabled to be the royal residence of an ancient king, it is truly one of the 'Worlds Leading Hotels". The Palace of the Lost City at Sun City lavishes its guests with 5-star service, and is luxurious in every facet of its fabulous architecture and décor.
Surrounding the hotel is a 25 hectare botanical jungle. The jungle is threaded with meandering paths, cascades, lakes and pools and a variety of water-borne adventure rides. (Breakfast)
WANT TO FEEL ESPECIALLY PAMPERED?
Gay 2 Afrika's ever evolving mission is to bring their customers the finest of product at the best fares. Please note that you can tailor-make this journey into the ultimate luxurious experience by substituting the flight from Cape Town to Sun City with an overnight experience on South Africa's luxurious Blue Train. Talk to your eDIRP Travel Specialist about lengthening your stay and including a night of indulgence at fares approximately 30% lower than what the Blue Train company sells the product for.
DAY EIGHT You’re up early this morning to great the awakening African bushveld on a safari game drive in the Pilanesberg National Park.
The Pilanesberg National Park is almost perfectly circular for it comprises the area of a 1200 million years old volcano crater with a small lake in the centre. This very scenic terrain lies in the transition zone between Kalahari and Lowveld, and both types of vegetation are found here.
The Pilanesberg National Park was opened in 1979.
In the "Operation Genesis", the largest game resettlement project in the history of South Africa, in the early eighties more than 6,000 animals from other parks were settled there. In 1993 lions from the Etosha National Park in Namibia were introduced to the park, despite grave concerns of the surrounding communities. Since, the lions have been thriving and multiplying in the park.
In the Pilanesberg National Park today live virtually all the animal species of southern Africa, including, lions, elephants, white and black rhinos, buffaloes, leopards, zebras, hyenas, giraffes, hippos and crocodiles. Over 300 bird species were counted.
Back at The Palace of the Lost City at Sun City you are at leisure to enjoy the fine facilities at your fingertips. (Breakfast)
DAY NINE This morning you will be transferred to Johannesburg International Airport for the departure of your onward flight to the Victoria Falls.
You will depart Johannesburg mid-morning. It's a short, comfortable flight to this corner of Africa, where three countries meet at the banks of a mighty river and one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Victoria Falls.
Upon arrival into Victoria Falls International Airport, you are met by a representative of 2AFRIKA and transferred to your hotel in Zambia where accommodation has been arranged for 2 nights in standard rooms with private en-suite bathroom facilities.
David Livingstone explored this land of potent beauty and discovered one of the seven natural wonders of the world. In his footprints, only moments away from the mighty Zambezi River with the dramatic torrent of the Victoria Falls as its natural milieu, a magnificent Resort has been created as a testament to his discovery and in reverence to the splendor of this World Heritage site.
Journey to this magical place and witness the greatest mass of falling water on earth as it plunges down a sheer rock face, spraying its mystical mist hundreds of meters in the air. The awesome Victoria Falls is much closer to you here - literally on the doorstep of The Falls Resort - it feels as if you could reach out and touch it, as it plummets into the chasm far below.
Architecturally, the buildings take their cue from African resonances. The Royal Livingstone Hotel stretches luxuriously along the banks of the Zambezi River and consists of a series of 17 colonial-style buildings, with deep verandas, set amidst indigenous trees and plants. The main hotel is a sequence of thatch-roofed buildings, most African in their influence, and incorporates the lounge, restaurant and bar.
A classic swimming pool visually links the waters of the river with the terraces of the hotel, with a sweeping timber deck planted in the swirling water of the Zambezi.
The reception area is framed by a classic courtyard featuring a fountain and exuding the aroma of herbs from the interior gardens. Overhead, wooden fans cool the charged atmosphere. The resort's deep, shaded verandah offers an uninterrupted view of the Zambezi River and is the ideal place to curl up with a book discovered in the well-stocked library. The lounge is filled with original artwork depicting scenes of David Livingstone's great African adventures.
Only footsteps from the Zambezi River, the rooms and suites offer a tranquil retreat from the unconstrained beauty of their surroundings.
The Royal Livingstone, is a 5-star, 173-roomed luxury hotel. The rooms are two-storey clusters and each cluster comprises approximately 10 en-suite air-conditioned rooms, offering private balconies or terraces. Interior furnishings accentuate the influences of Africa translated into a cultured sumptuousness that reflects the essence of African Bush life. Natural light invades the bathrooms, as the luxurious sized showers allow natural light to filter through a milk-glass window. (Breakfast)
DAY TEN Your Victoria Falls excursion includes breakfast daily, a Zambezi River Cruise as well as unlimited viewing access of the Zambian-side of the Victoria Falls and the craft market. Optional sightseeing opportunities exist and arrangements can be made and paid for on site. The Activity Center at your hotel can make recommendations and assist you with reservations. (Breakfast)
DAY ELEVEN You are at leisure this morning to “wrap-up” your 12-day in the Lap of Luxury Safari.
Do remember that your airline ticket is valid for a stay of up to 6 months in Africa and we encourage you to see other parts of our beautiful home whilst you are there. Your 2AFRIKA safari expert will gently guide you through a variety of options that might appeal to you, and your budget.
WANT EVEN MORE LUXURY? As the perfect ending to an already perfect safari, permit us to tempt you with a visit to the Lion Sands Private Game Reserve.
At Lion Sands Private Game Reserve, the resonance and reverberation of Africa beckons, and inexorably you follow its enchanting call. To think you cannot purchase these riches, the great full moon, the dancing river, the wilderness that embraces all human aspiration.
These are gifts you cannot possess – priceless gifts.
Yet for a time, they can be yours and yours alone.
At the only private game reserve with substantial access to the Sabie River and with exclusive traversing rites, an unequalled experience – uniquely specialized, profoundly intimate, sumptuous yet refined, wild yet sophisticated, gently awaits 2AFRIKA’s customers.
Later today, you'll be transferred to Victoria Falls International Airport for your departure to Johannesburg International Airport for your return flight on South African Airways. (Breakfast & In-Flight Meal)
DAY TWELVE Gently touch down this morning in Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport or New York City's JFK International Airport, then continue your journey home via connecting transportation to your hometown. (In-Flight Meals)
FARE PER PERSON: starting at $3,745.00 + $195.00 tax. Contact eDIRP for more details.
