18 Day 5 Star Kruger, Rovos Rail, Victoria Falls & Chobe Princess Cruise

Welcome to South Africa! Upon arrival into Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB), you will be met in the arrivals hall by a local representative who will escort you to your shuttle transfer to your hotel. The remainder of your day is at leisure. Special Information Arrival airport transfers are included as part of your package. You will be met upon arrival at the airport and escorted to your hotel shuttle bus. If Inspiring Vacations has not provided your international airfares, please ensure you provide your flight details via your Traveller Hub portal no later than 90 days prior to travel so that your transfers can be confirmed. If you are arriving early and have made your own arrangements prior to your tour commencing, the Meet & Greet service will not be included. However, if you are purchasing pre-nights accommodation as part of your Inspiring Vacations package, the Meet & Greet will still be provided.

Enjoy breakfast at leisure before check out and meet your driver in the lobby of the hotel for your short complimentary shuttle transfer to the airport. Board your flight to Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport (HDS) where, on arrival, you will be transferred to your 5-star safari lodge located on a Private Game Reserve in the Greater Kruger area. A game-rich area, you can expect to see the Big 5 and more on multiple game drives and guided bush walks. Even from your private deck of your luxury lodge, game may be spotted at the nearby watering hole and along the dry riverbed. You can cool off in the beautiful swimming pool, relax in the spacious lounges and look forward to decadent bush dining in a variety of venues. An excellent wine cellar also provides fine wines to accompany meals. Depending on your arrival time, you may enjoy an afternoon game drive this afternoon (if arriving at the lodge by 3pm). Special InformationFlight time will be approximately 1 hour. Your included flight allows one checked bag up to 20kg (44lbs), and one 8kg (17 lbs) carry-on. Your flight will be unescorted.

Enjoy twice-daily game drives across the 15,000 hectare Private Game Reserve, home to Africa's most famous wildlife, the Big Five. Spot lions, elephants, buffalos, rhinos and leopards on both game drives and offered bush walks. This reserve doesn't only offer a chance to get well acquainted with the wild spirit of Africa, it has a selection of luxurious safari lodges that offer decadent African spa treatments, romantic sleep-outs as well as mouth watering cuisine. This safari experience is all encompassing. Between drives, enjoy sumptuous meals freshly prepared on site from local fresh ingredients as well as a wide selection of local alcoholic and selected premium beverages are all included during your entire stay. Inspiring Highlights Private Game Reserve game drives

Continue to explore the private reserve with morning and afternoon game drives. Or simply choose to relax and enjoy the lodge facilities such as a dip in the pool or an optional spa treatment (not included). Daily activities include game tracking, day and night game drives, river boat cruises, skeet shooting and guided bush walks. Inspiring Highlights Private Game Reserve game drives Enjoy your luxury lodge facilities

Enjoy breakfast at leisure before checking out of the lodge for your transfer to Hoedspruit Airport and flight back to O.R Tambo International Airport (JNB). On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your 5-star hotel located in the heart of Johannesburg's upmarket Sandton area. Connected directly to Sandton Mall, The Sandton Sun & Towers gives you access to over 300 retail stores and dining options, all at your doorstep. Special InformationFlight time will be approximately 1 hour. Your included flight allows one checked bag up to 20kg (44lbs), and one 8kg (17 lbs) carry-on. Your flight will be unescorted.

This morning you will be met and transferred by private vehicle to Park Railway Station (Rovos Rail) in time to board your luxury Pullman Suite. Expect wood-panelled sleeper coaches, remodeled and refurbished to mint condition, with every modern convenience and comfort with fittings and facilities that are of the highest standard. The Pullman Suites can accommodate one or two passengers and have an en-suite bathroom with shower, toilet and basin. During the day, the suites have a comfortable sofa-seat with a conversion to double or twin beds (side-by-side or upper and lower bunks) for the evening. A dedicated host/ess is available at all times and services the suites daily. Today, travel across the goldfields of the Witwatersrand and the broad grassland plains of the Highveld. Guests may freshen up in their suites before joining fellow travellers in the lounge and observation cars. Enjoy a sumptuous lunch in the dining car, followed by an afternoon tea served in the lounge and observation cars, and end your day with a formal dinner as we head to Klerksdorp. All meals are complemented by a selection of fine South African wines. Inspiring Highlights Travel on the renowned Rovos Rail Special InformationFormal dress is required for dinner, gentlemen are required to wear a tie.

Enjoy breakfast this morning on board as you watch the moving landscape before you, with time to relax on the train as we continue our journey to Kimberley. After lunch, disembark the train for an included excursion of Kimberley's Diamond Mine Museum, known as “the Big Hole”. The capital of the Northern Cape, Kimberley is well known for the discovery of diamonds that led to its establishment in 1871. After our tour, we board the train where dinner is served in the main dining car accompanied by the finest of South African wines Inspiring Highlights Kimberley's Diamond Mine Museum Special InformationFormal dress is required for dinner.

Enjoy another breakfast on board as the train travels through the Karoo, a vast semi-desert region that was once an enormous inland sea. Over millions of years, volcanic matter was ground down and deposited as silt upon the seabed to form what geologists call the Karoo system. Following lunch there is a chance to disembark the train at Whitehill Siding and walk the 5km into Matjiesfontein. Disembark at Matjiesfontein for an opportunity to stroll through the historic village. Of special interest is the museum on the platform and a collection of historic cars and railway carriages to the right of the Lord Milner Hotel. Back on the train, enjoy afternoon tea in the lounge and observation cars before we pass through the first of four tunnels on the pass - the first an incredible 13.5km long! Dinner is served as the train climbs 750m down the escarpment towards Worcester. Inspiring Highlights Matjiesfontein Special InformationFormal dress is required for dinner.

Enjoy your last breakfast on board as the train travels through the Hex River Valley and arrives into Cape Town around 10.00am. On arrival at Cape Town Train Station, you will be met and transferred by private car to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure to enjoy all Cape Town has to offer. Utilize the hotel's complimentary shuttle to the V&A Waterfront to explore the many restaurants, shops and local art installations. Special InformationArrival time into Cape Town may vary with some departures arriving in the early afternoon.

Enjoy breakfast at leisure this morning at the hotel before meeting with your guide as you head off for your private half day city and Table Mountain tour. Today's tour will showcase the best of the city of Cape Town, a center that is rich in history and culture and alive with the sights and sounds of a diverse people that call it home. This tour will take you to some of the most celebrated attractions from the Castle of Good Hope to the City Hall, where Nelson Mandela spoke to a crowd of hundreds of thousands after his release from prison earlier that day. You will also see the cobbled streets and brightly coloured houses of the Bo Kaap. There is also a trip up Table Mountain, high above the clouds and on the revolving cable car (weather permitting). Table Mountain is an icon in Cape Town and is most likely the most photographed landmark in the country. Named as one of the seven wonders of nature, it attracts millions of visitors from all across the globe. At the upper cable station, guests will find a restaurant and a curio shop as well as some footpaths for exploration. Return to your hotel where the rest of the afternoon is at your leisure. Inspiring Highlights Castle of Good Hope City Hall Bo Kaap Table Mountain (weather permitting) Special InformationIf Table Mountain is closed, the tour will travel to Signal Hill instead. Please be advised that Table Mountain Cableway will close for annual maintenance from 28th July 2025 until 3rd August 2025. They will re-open on the 4th of August 2025 weather permitting.

Today is a full day to do as you please. Relax at the hotel, venture out on your own, or choose to join one of the optional tours below.

After breakfast, you'll have an early transfer for your flight to Victoria Falls, the legendary home of one of the world's greatest natural wonders. Upon arrival, your local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is at your leisure to relax or explore. From the Zimbabwean side, you'll enjoy some of the most spectacular views of the falls, where the mighty Zambezi River plunges into the gorge below in a breathtaking display of mist and thunder. Special InformationYour included flight allows one checked bag up to 20kg (44lbs), and one 8kg (17 lbs) carry-on. Your flight will be unescorted. Please note: Your final flight schedule may have you arrive and/or depart via the Zambia side of Victoria Falls. Please consider this when obtaining your visa (if applicable, please consider the KAZA UNIVISA which allows for multiple entry to these countries) Flight time will be approximately 3 hours

Enjoy breakfast at leisure before meeting with your guide for your included morning tour of Victoria Falls. Six hundred and fifty million liters of water from the Zambezi River crashes with great aplomb into the chasm below, which is why the locals call Victoria Falls, Mosi oa Tunya, the smoke that thunders. The smoke is the permanent mist which hangs over the falls and the surrounding forest, and the thunder? You will hear for yourself. The force and power of the Falls almost defies belief. We visit the falls from both the Zimbabwe and the Zambian sides, and when it's in full flow, you'll experience the showers from the crushing falls below. This afternoon, enjoy a high tea at the iconic Victoria Falls Hotel at Stanley's Terrace. Make your own way to the hotel, just a short walk from your hotel. On arrival you will be seated and served with old world charm enjoying a selection of freshly made pastries and scones as you take in spectacular views of the Victoria Falls Bridge and the spray from the Falls below. Inspiring Highlights Victoria Falls High tea at Victoria Falls Hotel

Today you are free to explore the region on your own. Relax and take advantage of the many facilities of your hotel, or join one of the many activities available to book independently. On the river, there is white-water rafting, great picnic spots and even bungee-jumping. At the national parks on the river, visitors can see the majestic hippos and rhinos. Not to be outdone, the variety of birdlife in Zimbabwe is unparalleled and a bird-watchers paradise. This afternoon, enjoy a spectacular sunset cruise along the mighty Zambezi River. Put your feet up, sip a sundowner as the light gently fades, and let our tranquil wildlife cruise float you along the Zambezi River above the Falls. You'll have the finest vantage point from which to watch hippos, crocodiles and other animals who come down to the river's edge in the early evening to slake their thirst. Enjoy your cocktail and canapes while captivated by the sun's dying rays as they cast a burnt orange glow which shimmers on the river. Inspiring Highlights Zambezi River sunset cruise

Today is free to enjoy Victoria Falls at your leisure. For wildlife enthusiasts why not book an optional game drive.

After breakfast, you'll be met at your hotel for a shared transfer to the Chobe Princess houseboat. This journey involves multiple border crossings, so please ensure your passport is readily accessible. The first segment is a comfortable 90-minute drive to the Kazungula border, where you'll enter Botswana. From there, continue to the nearby Kasane. The welcoming Chobe Princess team will greet you here and assist with the remaining transfer, including the crossing from Botswana into Namibia, where your houseboat awaits. Welcome aboard! Embark on a two-night journey aboard the Chobe Princess, your luxurious floating lodge nestled on the Chobe River. This intimate houseboat offers unparalleled access to Chobe National Park's diverse wildlife and serene landscapes. Later this afternoon, set sail along the river and enjoy a spectacular sunset. In addition to your houseboat you may explore the waterways from a smaller tender boat to observe animals in their natural environment, making for a relaxing safari experience. A major attraction of the area is the elephants, whose resident population is estimated to be over 120 000. This evening enjoy a delicious dinner with complimentary drinks as you get to know your fellow travellers. Special informationYour travel time today will be approximately 4 hours including border crossings.Please note that you will be required to step onto a tender boat and take a short uphill walk as part of the entry into Namibia so we recommend wearing comfortable shoes today.

Awake to the sounds of nature as you enjoy breakfast and take in the beauty of the river. The area is a birders paradise, particularly in the early morning. Today you have the flexibility to choose just how much you want to pack into your day or how relaxed you want to be. You can select from various activities, including guided water-based game viewing, birding, fishing, cultural tours and photographic safaris. Observe large herds of elephants, buffalo, lions, crocodiles, zebras, and more, all drawn to the water. Visit a local Namibian village where you can meet the elders and locals of the Subiya tribe and gain a deeper understanding of life in this 100-year-old village. Learn about their daily challenges, farming practices and traditions. At the end of the tour, enjoy a vibrant display of traditional dancing and singing, and join in the fun if you wish! Why not try your hand at fishing. You'll have the chance to experience some of the best fishing Africa offers. Hooking a Tiger fish, one of Africa's most sought-after species, is an experience that anglers dream of. Known for their strength and speed, Tiger fish provide an exciting challenge that will leave you with unforgettable memories (fishing activities are catch & release). As the sun sets over the river, relax with a drink and reflect on a wonderful day.

A final breakfast onboard before disembarking at 9.30am. Your guide will transfer you back to Kasane, assisting with immigration as you depart Namibia and re-enter Botswana. You will then be transferred to Kasane Airport where your journey comes to an end. Thank you for travelling with Inspiring Vacations. We hope you had a memorable experience. Special InformationDeparture transfers to Kasane Airport are included as part of your package. If you choose to extend your stay (e.g., departing after the final tour date) and have booked your additional accommodation independently, this included service will be forfeited and no refund will be issued. If Inspiring Vacations has not provided your international airfares, please ensure you provide your flight details via your Traveller Hub portal no later than 90 days prior to travel so that your transfers can be confirmed.