We meet up at our Sydney Airport Hotel in preparation for our morning flight to South Africa. Spend time in fellowship and get to know fellow travellers as we share our first Group Dinner.

Overnight: Sydney

4 NIGHTS

Our African odyssey begins with a morning check-in for our flight to Johannesburg and then on to Cape Town.

We arrive into beautiful Cape Town late in the evening to check-in to our hotel. Our hotel is superbly located close to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and offers views of Table Mountain, the bustling harbour of Table Bay and across to Robben Island.

Overnight: Cape Town

From the late 16th century the magnificent harbour of Table Bay was a regular provisioning stopover for ships rounding the Cape of Good Hope en route to the Indies. In 1652 the Dutch East India Company established Cape Town as a permanent settlement and a short orientation tour will help explain the history of this beautiful city.

Overlooked by the dramatic Table Mountain you can’t really say you’ve been to Cape Town until you’ve stood on top of this 1086m-high natural wonder.

A cable car ride to the top lets us take in the stunning surrounds of the Table Mountains National Park and glorious views across the city and harbour.

Nestled at the foot of the mountain are the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, considered amongst the most beautiful in the world. More than 7000 of Southern Africa’s 22,000 plant species are grown here and amongst the many themed gardens you will also find significant remains of Van Riebeeck’s Hedge, the wild almond hedge planted by Jan van Riebeeck in 1660 to form the boundary of the Dutch outpost.

Enjoy an afternoon at leisure to relax or wander the beautiful V & A Waterfront precinct, one of Africa’s most visited cultural and historical hubs. Tonight, we will enjoy dinner in one of the V & A’s local restaurants.

Overnight: Cape Town

Simon’s Town is one of South Africa’s oldest towns, situated on the Western Cape it is known for its rich maritime history, gorgeous beaches and marine wildlife that includes a colony of African penguins at Boulder’s Beach. We visit these adorable locals, one of the smallest penguin species, who are often known as “jackass” penguins due to their donkey-like bray.

Situated at the south western tip of Africa, the Cape Point Nature Reserve is one of the most pristine and unspoiled places on earth. With its dramatic cliffs, pristine beaches, and breathtaking views, the reserve is truly a sight to behold – keep an eye out for ostrich, antelope, and whales.

There is also an option for a level 3.5km walk to the Cape of Good Hope; offering spectacular 360-degree views this is the most south westerly point on the African continent and you’ll get to look down on stunning Diaz Beach along the way. A day filled with the glory of God’s creation.

Overnight: Cape Town

Within picturesque Table Bay sits the notorious Robben Island; used over the centuries as a prison, a leper colony and a military base, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, best known as the place where Nelson Mandela served 18 of his 27 prison years. Confined to a small cell, sleeping on the floor with a bucket for a toilet, Mandela was forced to do hard labour in a quarry and only allowed one visitor a year. This will be an emotional experience as we are guided around the maximum-security gaol by an ex-political prisoner and you stand in Mandela’s tiny cell.

Learn about the atrocities of the apartheid system of the Nationalist government and the role that leaders like Nelson Mandela played in the fight for freedom and democracy over oppression and racism.

We return to the mainland and travel to the picturesque Cape Winelands, one of the most beautiful regions in South Africa. We stop in Franschhoek, to visit the pretty local church, built in the distinctive Cape Dutch style. This area was named after the French Huguenots who fled to the Cape after religious persecution in 1688; they brought with them knowledge of viniculture and settled to make wine.

Stellenbosch is the second oldest town in South Africa and where we learn more about the region’s history and taste some of its best wines.

We top off a memorable day with a delicious dinner inspired by various African cuisines from all over the continent. Before dinner, enjoy an exciting drumming class and learn the African beat of the djembe drum. While dining, witness enthralling song, dance and music displays as well as extraordinary Malian puppet shows.

Overnight: Cape Town

4 NIGHTS

We fly this morning to Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city, known as “The City of Gold” due to its origins as a gold-mining settlement. The sprawling township of Soweto borders the city’s mining belt in the south and it is famous for its role in abolishing apartheid; in 1955 it was the location where 3 000 people came together to adopt the Freedom Charter on which the South African Constitution is now based.
Our famous tour guide Queen Malefane will give us the Soweto Experience as she leads us through the township and its turbulent history. See the homes of Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu and visit the Regina Mundi Church where, on 16th June 1976, protesting students sought refuge from police’s bullets and teargas canisters. The police followed the students into the church, firing live ammunition that damaged the marble altar and crucifix and we will see the bullet holes still visible in the church ceiling and marble stand. The Hector Pieterson Museum gives background to the 1976 Soweto uprisings and is named after the 12-year-old boy shot dead during the student protests, one of the more than 170 school children who were killed.

We end our day at Ellis Park Stadium, a place that transcended sport when recently elected President Nelson Mandela embraced what was seen as the last bastion of the apartheid era, Rugby Union. The Springbok’s victory at the 1995 World Cup became an historic and uplifting moment that brought the entire population of South Africa together and was later immortalised in the film, Invictus.

Overnight: Johannesburg

The Sterkfontein Caves were formed in dolomitic limestone over millions of years and are UNESCO World Heritage listed; this is one of the most significant archaeological sites in the world with fossilised remains of ancient forms of animals, plants and most importantly, hominids.

We stop off at the Ngwenya Glass Village to watch talented glass blowers create enchanting African animals, birds and fish from 100% recycled glass that has been collected by the children of eSwatini. Take time to wander and explore the various shops for curios, unique African keepsakes, wire crafts, ceramics, clothing, beadwork and jewellery or relax with a coffee and a variety of delicious treats from the deli.

Overnight: Johannesburg

This morning, we will join locals to worship at St Mary’s, the Cathedral of the Anglican Diocese of Johannesburg. Share lunch and spend time in fellowship with some of the community members to gain a better understanding of the local people and their culture.

This afternoon we will meet up with a local community gospel choir to enjoy a short performance, before enjoying a traditional South African braai (BBQ) in the evening.

Overnight: Johannesburg

Today we have a day excursion to Pretoria, South Africa’s administrative capital. The city lies north of Johannesburg and straddles the Apies River and extends eastward into the foothills of the Magaliesberg mountains.

This area was settled by the Boer (Farmers) or Afrikaners, Dutch-speaking people who migrated by wagon from the Cape Colony into the interior from 1836 onwards, in order to live beyond the borders of British rule. These colonists were commemorated with the Vortrekker Monument, a massive Art Deco granite structure built on a hilltop during the 1930-40s.

We seek a quiet haven in the Pretoria National Botanic Gardens, 76 hectares of pristine natural beauty which is divided in two by a 35-metre-high quartzite ridge, creating 2 totally different botanical worlds.

Enjoy lunch in the garden’s café before visiting Freedom Park Heritage Site & Museum, a museum with a difference. This is an immersive experience that encapsulates the essence of South Africa’s diverse heritage through exhibits, memorials, and symbolic spaces.

Overnight: Johannesburg

2 NIGHTS

Jambo Kenya! (Welcome to Kenya) We fly to Nairobi, Kenya’s colourful capital, where we will stay at the historic and luxurious Sarova Stanley Hotel. Located in the centre of Nairobi the “Stanley” is almost 120 years old and it combines modern comforts with old world charm. On a short city tour we drive past the Parliament and Supreme Court of Kenya and visit the KICC (Convention Centre) which offers a magnificent panoramic view and photo opportunity of the City from the upper level.

Overnight: Nairobi

We are off to the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage this morning for the rare opportunity to get up close to a baby elephant and watch them enjoying milk and playtime. The Orphan’s Project looks after animals aged from a few months to three years and is one of the most successful elephant and rhino rescue programmes in the world.

Learn more about the history and culture of Kenya and East Africa when we visit the celebrated Nairobi National Museum before we drop by the Snake Park to see cobras, puff adders, mambas and the large non-venomous African-Rock python, native only to Kenya. You can hold one if you dare!

After lunch we visit the Kazuri Beads & Pottery Factory, a community project set up in 1975 to support single mothers. Our local guide will walk us through each stage of the artwork, from the raw materials to the final product that is ready to be sold locally or exported. Each product is handmade and unique, a reflection of the individual people who shape the beads, paint them or string them, giving each piece soul as well as beauty.

We tour the former home of the Danish author, Karen Blixen, now run as the Karen Blixen Museum. Blixen is famous for her book “Out of Africa”, which chronicled her life on her beloved Kenyan coffee plantation set “at the foot of the Ngong Hills”. The estate and museum offers a glimpse into the adventurous life of the author as well as Kenya’s colonial past.

Then it’s time to feed some of the exotic, long-necked locals at the Giraffe Centre; set up as not-for-profit this centre aims to educate Kenyan children in the importance of environmental and animal conservation.

Finally, we enjoy a special dinner at the famous Carnivore Restaurant where you can try all types of roasted meat including ostrich and crocodile.

Overnight: Nairobi

2 NIGHTS

We depart for the Maasai Mara National Reserve, an area offering spectacular scenery and plenty of game. After a photo stop at the Great Rift Valley Viewpoint we drive into Maasai Mara, Kenya’s jewel in the crown. One of the most famous and important wildlife conservation and wilderness areas in Africa, Maasai Mara is world-renowned for its exceptional populations of black-maned Mara lions, African leopards, Tanzanian cheetahs and Elephants. It is perhaps the only region left in Kenya where the visitor may see animals in the same super-abundance as existed a century ago and between July and October, the reserve plays host to the Great Migration, one of the most spectacular wildlife shows on earth as over a million wildebeest and zebra move between it and Serengeti in neighbouring Tanzania.

We arrive in time for lunch at our luxury camp on the banks of the Talek River. Take time to relax by the pool and soak up the views before an early evening game drive; animals are most active during the early morning and late afternoon so we may even witness a leopard or a cheetah sprint and make a kill! Be on the look-out for the famous Big Five – the lion, Cape buffalo, the savannah elephant, black rhino and the elusive leopard. Glory in the beauty of God’s Creation as the sun sets on another wonderful day.

Overnight: Maasai Mara Game Reserve

OPTIONAL TOUR

You may wish to start today with an Optional Hot Air Balloon Safari. Suspended in a basket beneath the rainbow-coloured canopy, you’re off for a game-viewing adventure with an entirely different perspective. Apart from the occasional hiss of the burners, a lion’s roar, elephants crashing through the bush, baboons perched in the tips of the trees startled and screeching to see something above them, the flight above the Maasai Mara plains is magically silent.

Hot Air Balloon Safari | Bookings on Tour

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After breakfast we will set out on another full day’s safari – no two game viewing drives are ever the same! The vast savannah grasslands stretch as far as the eye can see and are we may be lucky to see impalas, Maasai giraffes, waterbucks, warthogs, Thompson & Grant’s gazelles, topis, and the resident wildebeests among many others. We also visit a genuine Maasai village where you will learn about the customs and way of life of Kenya’s most famous tribe. Spear throwing and bracelet making will be demonstrated and you can also purchase some of the handicrafts as souvenirs.

We toast another perfect day with a “Sundowner” before heading back to camp for a delicious dinner.

Overnight: Maasai Mara Game Reserve

2 NIGHTS

We bid farewell to the savannah and travel to Kisii , the major urban centre of the Gusii Highlands. During our drive we will see the day to day activities of rural Kenya such as donkey carts, roadside food stalls and people herding their sheep and goats. We arrive at our resort for lunch and a well-deserved afternoon at leisure. Kisii town is home to the best soapstone carvers on the continent so you may wish to go on a “soapstone safari” and hunt down a great souvenir.

Overnight: Kisii

Today is sure to be a very special highlight of our African experience as we travel through the country region to Makara to meet Rev Henry Omreo Nyasemi and the nearly 300 orphaned children under his care.

Over the years we have assisted this orphanage by funding construction work and the regular supply of the children’s food. We meet the children and enjoy worship together in their church, coming together under a roof constructed with Australian funds. Enjoy fellowship with the local community before we share lunch together.

This is the real Africa and it is a privilege for us to spend our day meeting the numerous volunteer teachers and orphanage staff from the Foundation of Mercy International orphanage and getting to know the children they look after.

We will return to Kisii in time for dinner after experiencing a wonderful day full of love and blessings.

Overnight: Kisii

An early morning departure as we drive to Lake Nakuru National Park, famous as the home to thousands of lesser and greater flamingos. The landscape here includes areas of marsh and grasslands alternating with rocky cliffs and outcrops, stretches of acacia woodland and rocky hillsides covered with a Euphorbia Forest (the largest in Africa). It is an ecosystem that provides for about 56 different species of mammals and nearly 450 species of birds. Enjoy a full day game drive in the heart of the Rift Valley with a picnic lunch by the Makalia Falls.

Lake Nakuru boasts of the highest number of white and black rhinos, the endangered Rothschild Giraffe, Abyssinian black and white colobus monkeys, tree climbing lions and Burchell’s zebra as well as a host of other plains game. The area is also recognized as one of the best places in the country for daytime sightings of the elusive leopard. Our game drive finishes by the shores of the lake where you can walk with millions of flamingos before a delicious dinner at our lodge; nestled along the Lion Hill it overlooks the spectacular flamingo pink rimmed Lake Nakuru.

Overnight: Lake Nakuru

This morning, we will drive to Lake Naivasha, a beautiful freshwater lake fringed by thick papyrus that is part of the Great Rift Valley. After lunch at our lodge we will take a boat trip to look for Hippos and Crocodiles followed by a walking safari on Crescent Island; this island was made famous by the movie “Out of Africa” and it offers the opportunity to walk amongst the wild game (such as giraffe and zebra) . We count our blessings as we take in the spectacular views.

Overnight: Lake Naivasha

We drive to Nairobi Airport, stopping for lunch enroute before our flight back to Johannesburg.

Tonight, we will celebrate our last night together and enjoy dinner as we reflect on what an amazing journey we have been privileged to share.

Overnight: Johannesburg

Enjoy time at leisure before we say goodbye to this amazing continent and fly back to Australia. “Mungu ibariki Afrika” – God bless Africa.

Overnight: In-Flight

We arrive early afternoon back in Sydney, feeling blessed after a truly memorable holiday; the people we have met and the experiences we have shared will live on in our hearts.