OK, it's finally here! We have been working on this for months and put together what will possibly be our best trip ever. The adventure trip to top all of our adventure trips. The ultimate Africa trip.

HIGHLIGHTS

On this amazing 17-day trip we will:

- Visit 5 countries: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Rwanda, and Uganda.

- Visit Victoria Falls and SWIM AT DEVIL'S POOL! You have seen videos of it online and we're sure you said, "I've got to do this!!!" Well, now you will.

- Swim under Victoria Falls. You read that correctly: We will not only hike to the bottom of it, but we will SWIM UNDER THE MAJESTIC VICTORIA FALLS.

- Visit some of the most important cities in South Africa, including Cape Town and Johannesburg.

- Drive the breathtaking Garden Route in South Africa.

- Visit important historical landmarks, including Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held prisoner and the Apartheid Museum. 

- Dive with crocodiles. Yup, you also read that correctly as well!

- Swim with penguins at Boulders Beach! YES, not only see them, but we'll go to a beach where they roam free and have the chance to swim in the ocean with them. 

- Go to Cape of Good Hope, the southernmost point in Africa, where the Indian and the Atlantic Ocean meet. 

- Bungee jump off Bloukrans Bridge, the highest bungee jump off a bridge in the world! 

- Do a gorge swing over the Zambezi river. 

- Do a SCAD freefall. Yup! It will be optional, but we'll be able to do that.

- Go on several safaris: 

        - A safari to see the Big 5 of Africa (Lions, Leopards, African Elephant, African Buffalo, and Rhino).

        - A walking safari to see rhinos. Yes...we will see rhinos ON FOOT! 

        - A night safari

        - A gorilla safari, where we will be GUARANTEED to see and spend time with the majestic and endangered silverback gorillas in the wild at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. 

        - A chimpanzee safari where we will see and spend time with chimpanzees in the wild

        -  A tree-climbing lion safari in Ishasha, Uganda. Yup, we will get to see lions on trees! !

- Go to an elephant sanctuary, where we won't just see, but will interact and walk with rescued African elephants. 

- Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Rwanda.

- Visit traditional African villages, including a visit to a Batwa Pygmies village, where we will get to meet the famous Pygmies!

You might have seen exciting adventures to different places in Africa, but this is the most inclusive and exciting itinerary you will ever see, and we included things that no other company includes (like swimming in Devil's Pool).

PAYMENT TERMS

- A deposit of $800 (non-refundable, but movable) starts your reservation. Once you make your deposit, you will need to fill out the questionnaire that will be sent to you, sign our contract and send us a copy of your passport within 72 hours to guarantee your spot. You can read the contract in advance HERE.

- You will have until July 11 (three months before the trip) to finish making your payment. You can make payments in any way you prefer, so long as you are fully paid by July 11.

- Your deposit is movable. That means, if you need to cancel your participation in the trip for any reason before July 11,  you may request a credit for 100% of your deposit that can be applied to any 1000 Treks Trip which departs within one year of the departing date of the original trip.

- Uplift Financing available. Low-interest travel financing with low APR, no pre-payment penalty, and no effect on credit.

FLIGHTS
 

Flights are NOT included unless otherwise noted.

Flight Guidelines

Shuttles will be provided if you meet the flight guidelines below:

Arrival: Arrive at Cape Town Airport (CPT) on Friday, October 11, 2024 before 12:00 pm.

Departure: Leave Entebbe International Airport (EBB) after 9:00 pm on Sunday, October 27.
 

PLEASE NOTICE THAT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT IS DIFFERENT FROM THE ARRIVAL AIRPORT

IMPORTANT MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

- Trip Physical Level: 4

- If you are new to 1000 Treks, you will need to have a quick 15 minute zoom call with your group leader before we confirm your participation. We do that, so you can meet your group leader "in person", and also to make sure we are a good fit. This is something we added recently, and it's beneficial to everyone. You don't want to travel with a group that does not fit your personality, right? On that brief, call, we will put that question to rest, and you will feel good about the group you are travelling with. 

- All trips are governed by our comprehensive contract. You should familiarize yourself with it prior to signing up for any of our trips. You can access it by clicking HERE or visiting https://www.1000treks.com/contract/. A link to the contract can also be found at the bottom of all our web pages under CONTRACT.

- Travel insurance is required. You will need to provide a copy of your insurance policy to 1000 Leagues Travel at the latest seven (7) days after the final payment for the Trip. 

- Some of the countries we are visiting impose taxes such as VAT, hotel taxes, city taxes, etc. Those taxes need to be paid on-the-spot. They are usually very small, but will have to be paid by you, so keep that in mind. 

- Because of the adventurous nature of our trips, from time to time, we need to make changes to the itinerary, schedule, accommodations, amenities, and mode of transportation. Those changes are rare, but do happen. Whenever they happen, we will do our best to maintain the integrity of the trip.
 

- VISAS: 

          - South Africa does not require a visa for American citizens for a less than 90 days stay. If you are not an American citizen, you might need a visa. Here is the visa page at the South African Embassy: 

          - Zimbabwe and Zambia: American citizens need a visa but it can be obtained at the time we are crossing the border. A Kaza visa that is valid for multiple entries between Zimbabwe and Zambia will cost 50.00 and all you need is a U.S. passport valid for at least 6 months. If you are not an American citizen, please visit the Zimbabwe Embassy Website, and the Zambia Embassy Website to see if you need to apply for a visa in advance.  this page to see if you need to apply in advance for Zimbabwe and this page to see if you need to apply in advance for Zambia.

          - For Rwanda and Uganda, everyone needs to apply in advance.  For Rwanda, you can get a visa on arrival. For Uganda, the point of entry will be the Gatuna border. The Uganda visa applications can be submitted here for $50. 

ARRIVAL | CHECK IN | TABLE MOUNTAIN | VICTORIA & ALFRED WATERFRONT

Arrive in Cape Town and get transferred to the hotel. 

At 4:00 PM, our bus will Pick us up at the hotel and take us to Table Mountain, the flat top mountain that is Cape Town's most famous postcard. We will take the tram to the top of the mountain (fare not included, but very inexpensive) and watch a beautiful sunset from the top of the mountain. 

After Table Mountain, our bus will take us to the beautiful Victoria & Alfred Waterfront for dinner (not included) and back to our hotel at the end of the day.

Accommodations: Romney Park Luxury Apartments or similar

Meals: N/A

FULL DAY TOUR OF CAPE TOWN | CHEETAH SANCTUARY

At 9:00 AM we'll start a full day bus tour of Cape Town Tour, where we will visit Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was held prisoner for 18 of his 27 years in prison), District 6, Bo Kaap, Clifton Beaches, and  Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. 

We will also visit the Cheetah Outreach, a cheetah sanctuary where we will see cheetahs up close and even have the chance to interact with them!

Accommodations: Romney Park Luxury Apartments or similar

Meals: Breakfast

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE TOUR |  SWIM WITH PENGUINS | CROC ENCOUNTER

We'll have a fairly early start at 7:00 AM for our Tour to Cape Point, the southwestmost point in Africa, and the place where the Atlantic and Indian Ocean meet. 

On the way to Cape Point we will stop at Boulder's Beach, where African penguins roam free. We will be allowed to enter the beach (there is a small entrance fee) and actually swim with the penguins! 

In the afternoon, we will head out to Le Bonheur Reptiles and Adventures. There we will have the option to see crocodiles from the dry box, or the most adventurous can get in the water in the cage to see those predators up-close underwater! 

Accommodations: Romney Park Luxury Apartments or similar

Meals: Breakfast

START DRIVING THE GARDEN ROUTE | HERMANUS WHALE WATCHING 

After three exciting days in South Africa's most famous city, we now start our journey on South Africa's most beautiful drive: the Garden Route. We will leave at 8:00 AM, and the first city we will visit will be Hermanus. Situated just 140 kilometers from Cape Town and built between the beautiful shores and cliffs of Walker Bay, 

Hermanus is one of the most beautiful coastal cities of South Africa and possibly the best place in the world for whale watching.

We will go on a fascinating whale watching tour where we are all-but-guaranteed to see several whales up close, including humpback whales, southern right whales and Bryde’s whales. After whale watching we will have a free day in beautiful Hermanus.

Accommodations: The Whale Coast Hotel or similar

Meals: Breakfast

DRIVE TO PLETTENBERG BAY | SAFARI AT PLETTENBERG GAME RESERVE

We will leave at 8:00 AM again and get back on the road on the beautiful Garden Route towards Plettenberg Bay. Another gorgeous city along the Garden Route, Plettenberg Bay, or simply Plett, is a picturesque, charming town with endless pristine beaches, tranquil lagoons, clean rivers, indigenous forests and a dramatic rocky peninsula.

We will check in at the hotel and get ready for our first game drive of the trip at Plettenberg Game Reserve where we will set off to see Africa's Big 5: Lions, Leopards, Rhinos, Elephants and Buffalo. We will also see antelope, giraffes, zebras, hippos, and crocodiles.

Accommodations:  Lion Roars Plett Quarter Hotel & Apartments or similar

Meals: Breakfast

FREE DAY OR DAY OF EXCITING ACTIVITIES | SUNSET ELEPHANT WALK.

Today you can take a relaxing day at Plettenberg Bay swimming in the warm water beaches of this beautiful town, or you can join in one of the exciting optional activities we will have scheduled:

- 9:00 AM: Kayak and Lilo at the Storm River. Called The Most Beautiful Adventure in South Africa, where we will kayak up the Storm River gorge in Tsitsikamma. When we reach a place where we can't kayak anymore, we will lilo. Lilo is a soft board that you lay on and paddle with your hands. Because they are lighter and smaller, they allow us to go further up the river gorge, where kayaks can't go. Lots of fun! Check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivGwLgZOAh4  *

- 1:30 PM: For those of us crazy enough to do it, we will bungee jump off Bloukrans Bridge, the highest bungee jump bridge in the world. Over 700 feet high! 

- 4:30 PM- We will head out to Knysna Elephant Park, where we will get to walk and interact with rescued elephants!

Accommodations:  Lion Roars Plett Quarter Hotel & Apartments or similar

Meals: Breakfast

*If you do Kayak and Lilo, you will need to buy your pass to enter Garden Route National Park at the gate. As of right now, it costs 133 ZAR (about 8 USD). 

FLY TO JOHANNESBURG | LESEDI VILLAGE TOUR

We'll leave early In the morning (7:00 AM), we will get transferred to George airport for our 10:20 flight to Johannesburg, one of Africa’s biggest and most vibrant cities, the economic capital of Africa and the gateway to Southern Africa.

We'll arrive in Johannesburg at 12:00 and get transferred to our hotel. At 2:00 PM we will be picked up to visit Lesedi Cultural Village, where we will experience the South African indigenous culture.

After that, we will have an optional dinner at the Carnivore Restaurant. Called Africa's greatest eating experience, Carnivore Restaurant is an all-you-can-eat restaurant where the waiters bring a variety of exotic African game on a spear right to your table, including ostrich, kudu, and even crocodile! Check this out:

https://youtu.be/kSqINpqj3Bo 

For those of us who don't want to eat kudu and crocodile, they do have regular beef and chicken, and, for our vegetarian friends, they have an "herbivore" menu and even a "piscivore" menu. 

Accommodations: Little Tuscany Boutique Hotel or similar

Meals: Breakfast. Dinner not included.

FULL DAY CITY TOUR OF JOHANNESBURG

Today we will do a full day Johannesburg tour. We will visit Soweto, Constitution Hill, Mandela House, Apartheid Museum, Oppenheimer cultural Centre, Hector Pieterson  Memorial and the Orlando Cooling Towers. 

At the Orlando Cooling Towers we will have the opportunity to do another unique adrenaline activity: SCAD Freefall. That, by the way, is the highest SCAD Freefall in the world!  All entrance fees are included today, as well as lunch.  Excluded are drinks at lunch and entrance into SCAD Freefall.

Accommodations: Little Tuscany Boutique Hotel or similar

Meals: Breakfast.

FLY TO VICTORIA FALLS | VICTORIA FALLS TOUR | ZAMBEZI SUNSET CRUISE

Today we say goodbye to South Africa and head out to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe to see one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World: The breathtaking Victoria Falls. 

We will get transferred at 9:00 AM to OR Tambo International Airport for our 11:45 flight into Victoria Falls. We'll arrive at VFA at 1:30pm and get transferred to our Hotel.

At 3:00 PM our tour guide will come to pick us up for our first of many views of Victoria Falls. We will go on a guided tour to the best locations to see the falls. 

At 5:30 we'll go on a sunset boat cruise of the Zambezi River, one of the most beautiful experiences in the Victoria Falls area. We will watch a magnificent sunset and will get to see a variety of wildlife including birds, hippos, crocodiles and elephants in and by the water. 

Accommodations: Elephant Hills Resort or similar

Meals: Breakfast

DEVIL'S POOL | SWIM UNDER VICTORIA FALLS | NIGHT SAFARI

Today is going to be one of the highlights of our trip. We will wake up early to cross the border into our third African country, Zambia and go on a tour to Livingstone Island where we will jump into the coolest infinity pool in the world: Devil's Pool. We have been seeing videos of that on the internet for years and always said "I've got to do this one day!" Well, today is the day. Bring your swimsuit and be ready to jump into the most exciting pool in the world and see Victoria Falls from an angle that very few people in the world will ever get to see: FROM THE WATER, ON TOP OF THE FALLS!

As this wasn't enough, we will then hike down to the bottom of the falls and swim right under the falls! Another experience that very few people in the world will ever even dream of having. 

At night we will go on our second safari: a night safari. It's actually a sunset and night safari, starting at 4:00 PM, which happens to be one of the best times, when the animals are the most active, with predators on the prowl and prey having to stay alert. We often get to see animals that we don't see during the day. 

After the safari we will have a bush dinner around a campfire with wine, cold beer, and light refreshments

Accommodations: Elephant Hills Resort or similar

Meals: Breakfast and bush dinner.

TRADITIONAL AFRICAN VILLAGE TOUR | GORGE SWING | RHINO SAFARI ON FOOT

Today will be another super fun day at Victoria Falls!

At 8:30 AM we will go on a tour to a traditional African village, where we will meet the locals, and get to see their daily life. 

At 12:00 we will have the chance to do our last exciting adrenaline activity: a gorge swing over the Zambezi River

At 1:30 PM we will once again cross the border into Zambia and this time we go on our third safari: A walking safari to see African Rhinos. We will travel on-foot and get super close to the rhinos that live in the wild, but are used to having humans around. Although we will be completely safe, being on the ground, just a few feet from wild rhinos is an exciting experience! 

Check it out! 

We will be back late in the afternoon and have the rest of our last day to relax at Victoria Falls. As a bonus, we will have reservations at a restaurant with one of the most beautiful views you have ever seen in your life: The Lookout Café. That will be optional, but very much worth it!

Accommodations: Elephant Hills Resort or similar

Meals: Breakfast

FLIGHT OVER VICTORIA FALLS (OPTIONAL) | FLY TO RWANDA

Today we will have a free morning. Those of us who choose to do so, will have the option to do a helicopter flight over Victoria Falls and see the falls from yet another angle: Bird's Eye.

At 10:30 AM we will be transferred to Victoria Falls for our 1:00 PM flight into country #4: Rwanda

We'll arrive in Kigali, Rwanda at 12:45 AM on October 23 and be transferred to our hotel close to the airport.

Accommodations: Hôtel des Mille Collines or similar.

Meals: Breakfast

KIGALI CITY TOUR | DRIVE TO BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST | MEET THE PYGMIES

In the morning, we will go for a short tour of Kigali city that includes a visit to Kimironko Market and the Kigali Genocide Memorial. 

We will then have lunch in Kigali, and cross the border into country #5: Uganda, The Pearl of Africa. 

In Uganda we will drive for 4 hours to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park arriving in the afternoon. We will get settled in our rooms and then go for a walk to the Batwa community where we will get to meet the famous Batwa Pygmies and share their unique cultural experience, the Batwa are the oldest of the indigenous tribes in Uganda.

Accommodations: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge or similar

Meals: Breakfast 

GORILLA TREKKING IN BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST

We will wake up to a tasty breakfast in the biting coldness of Bwindi. Enjoy a hot cup of tea or coffee, grab our packed lunch and head out to the pack headquarters - just a short distance from the lodge. Here, we will receive a briefing about the dos and don'ts of Gorilla trekking in Bwindi, know which group you will be visiting and set off with our head guide.

We will start our safari #4 and enter the forest on foot in search of the Gorillas. We may trek for several hours until we find them. When we finally find them, it will be one of the most powerful experiences of our lives, coming across one of the most incredible animals alive and being within 20 feet of them in the wild!

Here is an actual video taken while we were there.

We will be allowed to spend up to one hour with them and then head back to meet our driver/guide and transfer back to the lodge. 

Free evening at the lodge.

Accommodations: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge or similar

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

DRIVE FROM BWINDI TO QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL FOREST | TREE CLIMBING LIONS 

After early morning breakfast, we will transfer to Queen Elizabeth via Ishasha to see tree climbing lions! That's right, we will see lions that climb on trees! At Queen Elizabeth National Forest in Uganda, to escape the heat, the lions have developed the behavior of climbing on trees and hanging out there instead of the ground. 

We will drive to our lodge for lunch and refreshment then embark on safari #5, a game drive in Kasenyi commonly known as Kob mating grounds for great game like Lions, Buffaloes, Kobs, Antelopes, Oribi mention but a few. 

Accommodations: Mweya Safari Lodge or similar

Meals: Breakfast

TREE CLIMBING LION SAFARI #2 | DRIVE TO KIBALE | BIGODI SWAMP WALK

After breakfast, we will go on safari #6 in Ishasha in search of the tree climbing lions again. We'll also spot other animals including Elephants, Giraffes, Buffaloes and all species of antelopes at Kasenyi sector.

In the afternoon we will transfer to Kibale Forest National Park, a capital city of primates with over ten primate species recorded. We will arrive at the lodge late in the afternoon, check in, have dinner, and go for a swamp walk in Bigodi where we will get to see different local birds, including the exotic Great Blue Turaco.

Accommodations: Chimpanzee Guest House or similar

Meals: Breakfast

CHIMPANZEE TRACKING | TRANSFER TO ENTEBBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

In the morning we will go on our last safari (#7!) to see chimpanzees in the wild.

We'll spend the morning tracking the exuberant chimp families in the Kibale forest. Tracking chimpanzees in their natural habitat, as they swing from the branches in the canopy high above the forest floor, is a thrilling experience!

After that, we will drive via Mbarara for the Equator experience where we can buy African crafts and take photographs while standing on the Equator Landmark. We can visit one for the many restaurants that have opened up for lunch or a snack, and visit crafts shops for souvenir shopping. Many of these curio shops work with foundations that greatly improve the livelihoods of the surrounding local communities with projects like Aid a Child and scholarships to children that lost their parents to AIDS.

Since everything has to come to an end, our amazing 17-day journey has to end today. In the afternoon we will depart Kibale for Kampala reaching Entebbe International Airport in the evening for our flight back home with unforgettable memories in our minds and our cameras, and bragging rights from having done some of the coolest things and seeing some of the most amazing places on the planet. 

Accommodations: N/A

Meals: Breakfast