South Africa and nearby countries make unforgettable honeymoons and family trips for good reason. Travelers revel in Safari, the artsy ease of Cape Town, and sophisticated Johannesburg with its controversial history. The region of Southern Africa is a mosaic of colors, cultures, sounds, species and history. To provide you with special all-inclusive travel experiences, tour providers have put together lengthy fully-guided package deals that ensure you and your fellow trip mates enjoy the fullness of the South Africa vacation.
Djoser (tel. 877/356-7376; www.djoserusa.com/africa), a Dutch travel provider focusing on local culture, has trips visiting South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Victoria Falls. Billed as a "Wildlife Discovery" trip, the thirteen-day package departs on October 5 and 26 and November 30, 2006 before picking up again likely at the end of January 2007. Costing $3,225 with airfare out of New York (add $175 if departing from Los Angeles and $225 from Miami), the trip includes the itinerary as specified, round-trip airfare, all local hotels and occasional camping, transportation in a fully-equipped safari vehicle, services of a tour leader and camp courier, flights to and from the Okavango Delta, all catering equipment and park entrance fees and meals where shown. A kitty of $210 paid to the tour guide of the beginning of the trip will take care of all tips and other amenities. Optional activities and nighttime fun is on you. The land-only package for this trip starts at $2,125. Arriving in Johannesburg, the trip visits the Chobe National Park with its huge herds of elephants as well as includes overnight stays at riverbank lodges within private game preserves.
To extend your time in Southern Africa and save money on the dollars spent per day, Djoser's twenty-five day trip costs $3,275 (just $131 per day) with round-trip airfare out of New York with an average of almost two departures per month from October 2006 through May 2007. This incredible once in a lifetime trip visits Cape Town, the Cape of Good Hope, Boulder Beach with its dense penguin population, and the sand dunes of Namibia. If the slide show is any indication of what you'll see on this African experience, then take the time if you have it.
Always reliable 2Afrika (tel. 866/462-2374; www.2afrika.com) out of Jersey City, New Jersey has been operating tours to Africa for over 22 years. The respected tour company has a thirteen-day all-inclusive Safari that starts in Johannesburg before heading to Cape Town, Botswana, and Victoria Falls. Prices per person start at $3,595 with airfare out of New York based on double occupancy lodging. Add $295 in taxes to get the full price of the trip which includes accommodations in standard and luxury Safari lodges and local hotels, sixteen full meals, all airport transfers within Africa, and all sightseeing throughout the length of your trip. Highlights include a day-long visit to Victoria Falls and a walk through a Namibian village to experience daily life.
Foreign Independent Tours (tel. 800/248-3487; www.foreign-independent-tours.com) has an air inclusive South Africa tour of Cape Town and the neighboring wine regions costing $2,399 for eight nights of luxury Safari and culinary touring. The trip includes a meet and greet at the Cape Town airport, three nights on the beach, two nights at a gaming lodge, and two nights at a county inn, all meals and drinks at the game lodge, two morning Safaris and two evening wildlife viewing sessions and plenty of free time. You can customize this tour to include extra days or more time in any location. The land-only trip starts at $1,399. Another package includes a nine-day self-drive tour of South Africa including Safari starting at $2,699. A detailed travel digest is included with your rental car, allowing you to stick to the path or go anywhere you like in the region.
For the adventurous type looking to experience Africa with a bunch of fellow travelers, Tauck Tours (tel. 800/788-7885; www.tauck.com) is offering an eleven-day tour of South Africa visiting Cape Town, the wine regions and a game reserve. The trip also visits Victoria Falls and parts of Zimbabwe. Nineteen meals are included in the trip which travels by luxury bus. Accommodations vary in Safari lodges and luxury hotels for this all-inclusive ultra-luxury trip starting at $5,990 without airfare. Call Tauck for prices including round-trip airfare from your departure gateway.
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