Southern Africa & Tanzania Mid-Range Safari

Day 1

Arrival — Johannesburg

Gateway to Africa

Touch down at OR Tambo International Airport — one of Africa's busiest and best-connected hubs. Your Sokwe representative meets you at arrivals and transfers you to Hotel Sky Sandton, a stylish 3-star property in the heart of Johannesburg's vibrant financial district. The evening is yours to settle in and prepare for the days ahead.

Private airport transfer from OR Tambo International
Check-in at Hotel Sky Sandton ★★★
Evening orientation and rest

Hotel Sky Sandton ★★★ · 2 Nights

Day 2

Johannesburg City Tour

History, Resilience & Rebirth

A private half-day city tour reveals Johannesburg's extraordinary story — from the gold rush origins to the era of apartheid and the democratic rebirth. Visit the Museum of Africa, Constitution Hill where Nelson Mandela was once imprisoned, Mandela's former home in Houghton, and ascend the Carlton Centre for a panoramic view over Africa's City of Gold.

Private half-day tour (~4 hours) with guide
Museum of Africa
Constitution Hill & Old Fort Prison
Nelson Mandela's former home, Houghton
Carlton Centre panoramic view

Hotel Sky Sandton ★★★ · Breakfast included

Day 3

Fly to Cape Town

The Mother City Awaits

Board your flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town — one of the world's most beautiful cities, nestled between Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean. Transfer to the City Lodge Hotel V&A Waterfront, perfectly positioned at Cape Town's premier waterfront precinct. Spend the afternoon exploring the vibrant V&A Waterfront at your leisure.

Flight Johannesburg to Cape Town
Transfer to City Lodge Hotel V&A Waterfront ★★★½
Afternoon free — V&A Waterfront exploration

City Lodge V&A Waterfront ★★★½ · 4 Nights

Day 4

Table Mountain & Cape Town

The Iconic Summit

Ascend Table Mountain by cable car with fast-track tickets included — the flat-topped mountain that has guided sailors for centuries offers breathtaking 360° views over the city, the Cape Peninsula and both oceans. Descend into the city for a guided tour of the Bo-Kaap Malay Quarter, the South African Museum and the historic Company Gardens.

Table Mountain cable car — fast-track tickets included
360° views over Cape Town and both oceans
Bo-Kaap Malay Quarter — colourful historic neighbourhood
South African Museum & Company Gardens
V&A Waterfront afternoon

City Lodge V&A Waterfront ★★★½ · Breakfast included

Day 5

Cape Peninsula — Full Day

To the Tip of Africa

A full-day journey along one of the world's most spectacular coastal roads. Depart at 08h00 heading south through Sea Point, Camps Bay and Hout Bay, then into the Cape Point Nature Reserve where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans converge. Wild baboons, zebra, bontebok and eland roam freely. Visit Boulders Beach for the famous African penguin colony before returning to Cape Town via Rhodes Memorial.

Scenic drive: Sea Point → Camps Bay → Hout Bay
Cape Point Nature Reserve — tip of the peninsula
Two Oceans meeting point
Boulders Beach Penguin Colony (own account)
Wildlife: baboons, zebra, bontebok, eland
Rhodes Memorial on return

City Lodge V&A Waterfront ★★★½ · Breakfast included

Day 6

Cape Town — Leisure Day

Your Day, Your City

A full day entirely at your own pace. Cape Town rewards slow exploration — wander the cobblestone streets of the Bo-Kaap, browse the V&A Waterfront markets, take a day trip into the Winelands for world-class wine tasting, or simply sit at a Sea Point café and watch the Atlantic roll in. Tonight is your last night in South Africa.

Full day free — self-directed exploration
Optional: Winelands wine tours (Stellenbosch, Franschhoek)
Optional: Sea Point promenade & ocean pools
Optional: Robben Island ferry tour

City Lodge V&A Waterfront ★★★½ · Breakfast included

Day 7

Fly to Victoria Falls

The Smoke That Thunders

Fly directly from Cape Town to Victoria Falls — one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Transfer to A'zambezi River Lodge, a comfortable 3-star property set on the banks of the Zambezi River. This evening, board a Zambezi Sundowner Cruise and drift upstream as the African sun sets — hippos surface around the boat, crocodiles bask on the banks, and elephants wade across the shallows.

Flight Cape Town to Victoria Falls
Transfer to A'zambezi River Lodge ★★★
Evening Zambezi Sundowner Cruise
Wildlife: hippo, crocodile, elephant, birds
Finger snacks & refreshments on board

A'zambezi River Lodge ★★★ · 3 Nights

Day 8

Victoria Falls — Guided Tour

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Walk through the ancient rainforest on the Zimbabwe side of the falls — drenched in perpetual mist, lush with ancient ferns and trees — for a close encounter with one of the planet's most dramatic natural features. Your guide provides historical, geological and cultural context at each of the viewpoints. At 108 metres high and 1.7 kilometres wide, Victoria Falls is the largest sheet of falling water on earth.

Guided rainforest walk — approx. 2 hours
Zimbabwe park fees included
Multiple viewpoints along the full width of the falls
Big Tree stop & historical commentary
150-million-year-old geological formation

A'zambezi River Lodge ★★★ · Breakfast & Lunch included

Day 9

Victoria Falls — Leisure & Adventure

Your Day at the Falls

A free day to explore at your own pace. For the adventurous, Victoria Falls offers some of the world's most thrilling optional activities — all bookable at an additional charge. Or simply spend the day at the lodge, pool and river, absorbing the sound of the falls in the distance and the rhythm of the Zambezi at your doorstep.

Optional: Bungee jumping — 111m from Victoria Falls Bridge
Optional: Grade 5 white-water rafting through Batoka Gorge
Optional: Microlight flight over the falls
Optional: Elephant encounter experience
Optional: Helicopter tour over the falls

A'zambezi River Lodge ★★★ · Breakfast included

Day 10

Return to Johannesburg

Transit to Tanzania

Fly from Victoria Falls back to Johannesburg for a one-night stopover before your international flight to Tanzania. Transfer to Hotel Sky Sandton for a final night of city comfort before the safari adventure begins in earnest.

Flight Victoria Falls to Johannesburg
Transfer to Hotel Sky Sandton ★★★
Afternoon free in Johannesburg
Preparation for Tanzania departure tomorrow

Hotel Sky Sandton ★★★ · 1 Night · Breakfast included

Day 11

Fly to Tanzania — Arusha

Welcome to the Safari Capital

Board your international flight from Johannesburg via Dar es Salaam to Kilimanjaro Airport. Transfer to Serena Mountain Village in Tengeru — a beautiful 4-star property on the slopes of Mount Meru with views of Mount Kilimanjaro. Your private 4×4 Land Cruiser and professional guide are now yours for the remaining 12 days. The safari begins tomorrow.

International flight: Johannesburg → Dar es Salaam → Kilimanjaro
All Tanzania transfers included from this point
Private 4×4 Land Cruiser assigned for all 12 Tanzania days
Professional TANAPA-licensed guide for all 12 days
Transfer to Serena Mountain Village, Tengeru ★★★★

Serena Mountain Village ★★★★ · Breakfast included

Day 12

Tarangire National Park

The Land of Giants

Drive south from Arusha into Tarangire National Park — home to Tanzania's largest elephant herds and one of Africa's most underrated safari destinations. Ancient baobab trees tower over sun-baked floodplains as enormous herds move between the Tarangire River and its tributaries. An afternoon game drive introduces you to this remarkable ecosystem.

Drive Arusha to Tarangire (approx. 2 hours)
Tarangire National Park entry
Afternoon game drive — elephant herds at the river
Ancient baobab landscape exploration
550+ bird species

Lake Burunge Tented Camp ★★★ · 2 Nights · Full Board

Day 13

Full Day Tarangire

Dawn to Dusk in Elephant Country

A full day in Tarangire — beginning before dawn when the big cats are still active. The Silale Swamp area offers exceptional wildlife concentration as animals gather around one of the last water sources in the dry season. Afternoon drives along the Tarangire River reveal lion, leopard, cheetah, giraffe, zebra and wildebeest in extraordinary numbers.

Dawn game drive — big cat activity at golden hour
Silale Swamp — exceptional wildlife concentration
Midday rest at camp
Afternoon Tarangire River drive
Sundowner on the floodplains

Lake Burunge Tented Camp ★★★ · Full Board

Day 14

Tarangire to Ngorongoro

Into the Crater Highlands

Depart Tarangire for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area — driving through the highlands past Maasai boma villages and sweeping views of the Rift Valley escarpment. Your lodge sits on the rim of the crater itself, with views down into the caldera floor 600 metres below. Tonight, dinner is served with the crater spread out before you in the last light.

Final morning game drive in Tarangire
Scenic drive through Crater Highlands
Maasai village viewpoints en route
Ngorongoro rim arrival and crater views

Ngorongoro Farm House ★★★★ · 2 Nights · Full Board

Day 15

Ngorongoro Crater — Full Day

The World's Greatest Arena

Descend 600 metres into the Ngorongoro Crater — the world's largest intact volcanic caldera and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Within its 260 square kilometres live 25,000 animals in a self-contained ecosystem from which very few ever leave. Black rhino, lion prides, vast buffalo herds, spotted hyena clans, hippos and flamingo-fringed soda lakes all await. This is where all five of the Big Five can be seen in a single day.

Crater descent (600 metres) at dawn
Full day on the crater floor
Black rhino tracking (critically endangered)
Lion prides, buffalo herds, spotted hyena clans
Hippos and flamingos at the soda lake
Picnic lunch on the crater floor

Ngorongoro Farm House ★★★★ · Full Board

Day 16

Enter the Serengeti

The Infinite Plains

Drive west from Ngorongoro and descend onto the Serengeti plains — the most celebrated wildlife ecosystem on earth. Your tented camp sits in the heart of the Seronera Valley, one of the most wildlife-dense corridors in Africa year-round. An afternoon game drive delivers your first Serengeti encounters — lions on kopjes, cheetahs on termite mounds, leopards in fig trees.

Morning departure from Ngorongoro
Serengeti National Park entry gate
Seronera Valley arrival
Afternoon game drive — predator territory
Sundowners on the open plains

Signature Serengeti ★★★½ · 3 Nights · Full Board

Days 17 – 18

Central Serengeti — Two Full Days

Seronera Valley & Beyond

Two full days devoted entirely to the Central Serengeti. Your guide leads dawn drives when lions return from the hunt and leopards drape themselves across branches. By day, explore the Seronera River Valley — one of the highest leopard densities on the continent — and the Moru Kopjes where rock hyrax scatter and lion prides rest in the shade of granite boulders.

Dawn drives — Seronera Valley leopard territory
Moru Kopjes — lion and leopard on granite formations
Open plains — wildebeest, zebra, cheetah
Western Corridor option on Day 18
Midday rest periods at camp
Evening golden-hour game drives

Signature Serengeti ★★★½ · Full Board

Day 19

Central to North Serengeti

Following the Migration

A full-day scenic drive north through the Lobo area, following the annual migration route toward the Kenyan border. The landscape transitions from open plains to rolling kopje country as you approach the Mara River. Your camp sits directly on the river bank — positioned at the most productive crossing point in the entire migration circuit.

Full-day drive north through Lobo area
Continuous game viewing throughout the drive
Arrival at Karibu Camp, Mara River ★★★
Afternoon first crossing observations

Karibu Camp, Mara River ★★★ · 3 Nights · Full Board

Days 20 – 21

The Great Migration — Mara River

1.5 Million Wildebeest

Two extraordinary days stationed at the Mara River during the peak of the Great Migration. Over 1.5 million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebra surge across the Nile crocodile-infested waters in the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth. Your guide positions you at the optimal vantage point. Between crossings, resident lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant and buffalo herds provide continuous wildlife drama.

Pre-dawn positioning at the optimal crossing point
Full days at the Mara River during migration season
1.5+ million wildebeest and zebra crossings
Nile crocodile interactions at the water
Resident predators: lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant
Final dinner under the Serengeti stars

Karibu Camp, Mara River ★★★ · Full Board

Day 22

Charter Flight — North Serengeti to Arusha

Farewell to the Plains

A final sunrise breakfast at Karibu Camp before your private charter flight swoops low over the Serengeti plains — one last aerial view of the landscape that has defined your journey. Land in Arusha and transfer to Serena Mountain Village for a final evening of highland peace before tomorrow's departure.

Final sunrise breakfast at Karibu Camp
Transfer to bush airstrip
Charter flight: North Serengeti → Arusha (low-level aerial views)
Transfer to Serena Mountain Village ★★★★

Serena Mountain Village ★★★★ · 1 Night · Full Board

Day 23

Departure — Kilimanjaro Airport

Until Africa Calls You Back

A leisurely final breakfast at the Mountain Village — Mount Kilimanjaro visible above the tree line on a clear morning. Your guide transfers you to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your homeward flight. Twenty-three days, three countries, seven destinations, and memories that will last a lifetime.

Leisurely final breakfast
Private transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport
Homeward flight

Kilimanjaro Airport · Departure · Breakfast included

Three Countries, One Grand Journey

South Africa — Johannesburg & Cape Town

Arrival — Johannesburg

Johannesburg City Tour

Fly to Cape Town

Table Mountain & Cape Town

Cape Peninsula — Full Day

Cape Town — Leisure Day

Zimbabwe — Victoria Falls

Fly to Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls — Guided Tour

Victoria Falls — Leisure & Adventure

Return to Johannesburg

Tanzania — Tarangire, Ngorongoro & Serengeti

Fly to Tanzania — Arusha

Tarangire National Park

Full Day Tarangire

Tarangire to Ngorongoro

Ngorongoro Crater — Full Day

Enter the Serengeti

Central Serengeti — Two Full Days

Central to North Serengeti

The Great Migration — Mara River

Charter Flight — North Serengeti to Arusha

Departure — Kilimanjaro Airport

Where You'll Stay

Included & Excluded

Ready for Your Grand African Journey?

Location	Property	Rating	Nights	Meals
Johannesburg	Hotel Sky Sandton	★★★	2 + 1 return	Breakfast
Cape Town	City Lodge Hotel V&A Waterfront	★★★½	4	Breakfast
Victoria Falls	A'zambezi River Lodge	★★★	3	Breakfast & select meals
Arusha	Serena Mountain Village, Tengeru	★★★★	1 + 1 return	Full Board
Tarangire	Lake Burunge Tented Camp	★★★	2	Full Board
Ngorongoro	Ngorongoro Farm House	★★★★	2	Full Board
Central Serengeti	Signature Serengeti	★★★½	3	Full Board
North Serengeti	Karibu Camp, Mara River	★★★	3	Full Board