Exploring Southern Africa with Friends

The first day of Randee, Michael and their group’s travels was dedicated to an immersion in Johannesburg. Featured on the day’s itinerary were the Apartheid Museum, Constitution Hill – home to the South African Constitutional Court, the country’s highest judicial body and the Old Fort Prison Complex. The day also took the travel companions on a walking, cycling and Tuk Tuk Soweto Discovery; a refreshing way to discover the township of Soweto and its people. What they took with them from the township tour were stories of the struggle, a taste of the local flavour and memories of the warm people that make Soweto the unforgettable destination that it is.

Hopping onto an air transfer, the group then moved on to enjoy two nights at Thorntree River Lodge, Victoria Falls where they could curate their stay by choosing from a variety of special activities. From visiting the Smoke that Thunders (Victoria Falls) to the African Bush Camps Foundation to learn about the community upliftment through tourism taking place, the travellers could also join a sunset river cruise down Zambia’s glorious Zambezi River at sunset for wonderful African wildlife sightings in an incredibly romantic setting. Amateur or experienced anglers could opt for a fishing expedition, spending the day cruising the water and taking in the gorgeous views, or the couples could take in a visit to Livingstone Museum to see Tonga ritual artefacts and a collection of David Livingstone memorabilia and historic maps dating back to 1690. Last, but not least, the travel companions could go on a Rhino Experience in Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park: home to the extremely rare and endangered white rhino who are under 24-hour protection by the rangers.

After a magnificent stay, the group then transferred to Chobe Chilwero in the neighbouring Botswana for more African bucket list experiences. Daily game drives featured plenty of elephants, as the largest population left in Africa occupies this northern corner between Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe. These daily safaris also brought the travellers close to hippos, buffalos, puku and other animals that gather on the banks of the Chobe River. No safari is truly complete without a sundowner cruise featuring cocktails and a glorious African sunset from the comfort of a riverboat, as well as a photographic safari cruise on the lodge’s newest safari boat featuring 360-degree swivel seats.

Days six to eight were spent at Linyanti Camp in Botswana, where the group could add bird watching, mokoro safaris and a scenic helicopter flight to their morning, afternoon and night game drives. Lead by one of our experienced guides, the couples saw magnificent wildlife indigenous to the area with their expert guides showing them hidden spots for the best game viewing, as well as sharing their insider knowledge.

With plenty Big 5 safaris under their belts, Randee, Michael and their friends moved on to Cape Town for four nights at the Radisson Blu Hotel, ideally located close to all of Cape Town’s main tourist attractions and beaches, a 5-minute drive from the city centre and within walking distance (or complimentary scheduled shuttle) of the famous Victoria & Alfred Waterfront for shopping. From Greenmarket Square to Robben Island, the Table Mountain Cableway, District Six Museum, the Zeitz Museum Of Contemporary Art Africa, The Old Biscuit Mill and a sea kayak trip to visit the penguins were all noteworthy stops on their tour of the Cape. And, of course, no visit to Cape Town would be complete without a tour of the winelands.

After their morning breakfast, the travelling companions were transferred to the airport for their onward flights home.