26 Day Complete Africa

Prepare to be inspired. Depart today for your African adventure.

Welcome to South Africa! On arrival in Johannesburg, you’ll take the airport shuttle service to your hotel. 

Please note: Some flights may depart the day before.

Check in: Passengers will be arriving at various times throughout the day from as early as 6am through to late evening. If arriving prior to standard check-in time, which is generally 3pm local time, you are welcome to leave your luggage with hotel reception and explore your surroundings until check-in becomes available, as there are generally no scheduled activities on Day 1 of the itinerary. The hotel may grant early check-in, however this is strictly subject to availability and at the hotel’s discretion.

After breakfast, you’ll take the shuttle back to the airport for your flight to Cape Town International Airport. On arrival in sunny Cape Town, you’ll be met by a local representative for your transfer to your hotel. 

Spend the rest of your day at leisure to explore the oldest city in South Africa, fondly known as the Mother City. A beautiful city perched between the mountains and the water, Cape Town’s crowning jewel is the stunning Table Mountain National Park but you’ll find plenty of excitement elsewhere with pristine beaches, a buzzing art scene and world-class dining.

After an early breakfast, enjoy a full day tour of the Cape Peninsula. 

We’ll take a trip to Cape Point at the southwestern tip of the Cape Peninsula, with the most spectacular views. The Cape Point Nature Reserve comprises thousands of acres of indigenous flora and fauna. Here you can see wildlife like baboons, rhebok, Cape mountain zebra and the elusive eland. 

On the way back to your hotel we’ll also visit the penguin colony at Boulders Beach (entrance not included). Home to an endangered land-based colony of African penguins, you can see these unique animals in their natural habitat. Walk between the three pristine and sheltered beaches on boardwalks – to protect the penguin nests – which link to the penguin-viewing area.

The last stop is at Kirstenbosch National Botanic Gardens, on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, for a short walking tour of these beautiful gardens.

After breakfast, you will be collected at your hotel for a short tour of Afrogem, one of the leading jewellery manufacturers in South Africa. Experience firsthand how smelted gold is transformed and watch the craftsman set gems and semi-precious stones. 

Afterwards, enjoy a trip on the cable car to the top of Table Mountain, high above the clouds, for exquisite views of Cape Town and the peninsula. Table Mountain is a Cape Town icon and likely the most photographed landmark in the country. It's no wonder more than 22 million people have taken this trip on the aerial cableway.

When you get back to the hotel, the rest of the day is yours to relax or explore. The buzzing Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is a popular tourist spot, with restaurants, shopping and museums, including the Springbok Experience Rugby Museum.

Today you will be transferred to Cape Town Airport for your flight to Kruger National Park, the largest game reserve in South Africa. Upon arrival at Nelspruit, you will be met by a representative of your lodge and transferred to your luxury accommodation. After check-in, relax and enjoy the day at your leisure. 

Later this evening, enjoy a three-course dinner to round off the day.

The day starts with an early morning game drive in the Kruger National Park. We’ll see the animals at the start of their day – when they are hungry and most active. Make sure you bring your camera as you’ll get up close to the animals in your specialised safari vehicle led by an expert guide. The game drive is approximately six to eight hours long. 

You’ll have a front row seat to where predator and prey meet in this iconic game reserve. Kruger National Park is the largest game reserve in South Africa, with nearly two million hectares of unfenced African wilderness. As well as the illustrious Big Five (lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo), hundreds of mammals make their home here, as do diverse bird species such as vultures, eagles and storks.

Later this evening, enjoy a sumptuous 3 course dinner while swapping stories of your animal encounters earlier that day.

Rise early again today for your second game drive in the Kruger National Park – you might spot animals you missed on the first game drive and enjoy different encounters.

On arrival in Johannesburg, take the complimentary airport shuttle service to your hotel. We have arranged a day-use room as your flight to Egypt departs later this evening.

Please note: Check-in is only after 2pm

It’s an early start this morning. Reboard the complimentary shuttle to the airport for your flight to Cairo.

Welcome to Egypt! You’ll be met on arrival after Customs and be transferred to your hotel.

A buzzing metropolis, home to at least 19 million people, Cairo gives you a great feel for Egyptian streetlife. It’s busy – almost frantic – and among the hustle and bustle, it’s an exciting blend of old world and new. 

After a chance to rest and refresh, we’ll drive out to Giza, home to perhaps the greatest iconic structures ever created by man – the Pyramids and the Sphinx. Instantly familiar, yet retaining a mystique and power, getting up close to these incredible pharaonic tombs is captivating. 

There are over 100 pyramids in Egypt but the Great Pyramid of Giza, also known as the Pyramid of Khufu or the Pyramid of Cheops, is a defining symbol of Egypt. With a height of 146.5 metres, it’s the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the only one still standing.

This morning, enjoy an essential Egyptian experience – a visit to Khan El-Khalili bazaar, a memorable shopping experience in the historic centre of Islamic Cairo. Even if you are not looking to buy, take a walk through the colourful winding alleys of this labyrinth district – you’ll feel like you stepped back in time to an old Arab souk. Selling handicrafts, delicious spices, fabrics and clothes, it’s been a shopping district for thousands of years. 

The rest of the day is free to relax or explore at your own pace.

The day is at leisure to see more of Cairo and relax before your overnight train journey tonight. 

Check-out time at your hotel is midday and a day use room is available for use until 6pm.

Later you’ll be taken to Giza railway station to catch your train to Aswan.

This morning we’ll arrive in Aswan, Egypt’s southernmost city with a distinctly relaxed vibe. It’s the gateway to some of Egypt’s most remarkable ruins and temples. 

First up, we’ll explore the beautiful Temple of Isis (the goddess of health, marriage and wisdom), which was rescued from the rising waters of the Nile and relocated on Philae Island in the 1960s. It’s a marvel of decorative pylons featuring some of Egypt’s finest carvings – definitely one of the real gems of Upper Egypt. 

We’ll see the unfinished obelisk, the largest known ancient obelisk – more than 3,500 years old – located in an ancient quarry in Aswan. It was left incomplete and now provides a fascinating look at how these great monuments were constructed.

The city of Aswan has a fascinating history, as it was home to one of Africa’s earliest civilisations. Since antiquity, various groups including the Nubians have relied heavily on modest boats (known as feluccas) for work and transport.

Enjoy a sailboat around the islands in a traditional felucca. Watching the wind catch in the sail of a traditional felucca is wonderful and so quintessentially African. Often crewed by local Nubians, felucca rides are a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the culture of the region and its people.

Then it’s time to relax onboard the cruise boat for your next Inspiring Stay, home for the next three nights as you sail the mighty Nile. You’ll be cruising for three nights between Aswan and Luxor, taking in the incredible views across one of the world’s greatest rivers.

Please note that as the sailing distance between Aswan and Luxor is approximately 200km, it is typical for all cruises operated along the Nile to be docked for the majority of the time for sightseeing, with the sailing to happen in the evening. Depending on the time of year and number of vessels operating at the same time, you will also find that all vessels are docked beside one another, which is beyond our control.

To ensure that our customers have appropriate expectations prior to their journey, it is important not to compare this experience to that of a European River Cruise, which tend to cover a greater distance and on larger vessels. Instead, you will experience a deluxe stay onboard your vessel, offering a great chance to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the banks of the Nile while you sit back and relax. Your cruise schedule will be provided once onboard.

Today we’ll journey ashore to visit Kom Ombo Temple. Dedicated to the gods Sobek and Haroeris, this unusual double temple was constructed during the Ptolemaic period, which lasted from 108 to 47 BC. 

Set dramatically on the banks of the Nile, 47km north of Aswan and 168km south of Luxor, the soaring, chunky columns of the Great Temple of Kom Ombo are a magnificent sight as you arrive from the river.

The temple is well preserved, especially the detail on the murals and columns. One unique engraving is thought to be among the first representations of medical and surgical instruments. Don’t miss the mummified crocodiles on display in the Crocodile Museum attached to the temple. 

Kom Ombo’s prime position along the Nile once made it one of Upper Egypt’s most important centres. Wander through the temple’s colonnades, gazing up at scenes of kingly propaganda, and you’ll catch a feel of this glorious history for yourself.

Returning to the cruise boat, we’ll continue travelling upriver, with free time relaxing on the sundeck and taking in the surrounding sights, including lush riverbanks against a backdrop of desert hills. 

Visit Edfu temple, then continue sailing all the way to Luxor via Esna lock.

This city is best known for its beautifully preserved temple dedicated to Horus. This temple is perhaps the best-preserved in the whole country. The scale is incredibly impressive, with soaring sandstone walls covered in reliefs and hieroglyphics.

We’ll disembark today in the open-air museum of Luxor, an archeological paradise full of wonderfully-preserved reminders of the Pharaohs.

Let’s start with the spectacular royal burial site of the Valley of the Kings. Buried under the arid hills here are over 60 tombs of pharaohs, many richly decorated with reliefs and paintings. With your leader, explore this sprawling and spectacular place, where the pharaohs of the New Kingdom (16th to 11th century BC) were secretly interred for all eternity, including the tomb of young pharaoh Tutankhamun. Discoveries are still being made. 

Your guide will explain the history and legends of these remarkable people, their funerary rites, and the significance of the many paintings and hieroglyphics, still well preserved in the deepest tombs. You will visit three of the most interesting royal tombs

Then we’ll see the Colossi of Memnon, two 17-metre-high statues on Luxor’s west bank. Carved from granite blocks, they represent the Pharaoh Amenhotep III and were once part of an impressive colonnade. 

You’ll be transferred to the airport to board your flight to Cairo today.

On arrival, visit the Egyptian Museum, one of the world’s greatest museums. Home to over 12,000 ancient Egyptian antiquities exhibiting many of the region’s treasures, your expert guide will take you through Egypt’s rich and fascinating dynastic history. 

The rest of the day is free for you to see more of Cairo at your own pace.

You’ll be transferred to the airport to board your flight to Marrakech. 

Welcome to Morocco! You’ll be met on arrival and transferred to your hotel. 

Ancient, exotic Marrakech is a feast for the senses. Be enticed by the alluring scents and brilliant colours of the spice markets, the sounds of the musicians, the rich folds of carpets, delectable foods, acrobats and perfumed gardens. Marrakech won’t disappoint – it’s eclectic, beautiful and a modern fusion of Moroccan and international culture. 

In the evening, join your guide and the rest of your group for a welcome meeting at 6pm. Please check with hotel reception to confirm the time.

Please note: Hotel rooms are generally only available after midday.

After breakfast, meet your local guide and set off for a morning tour of the old medina, through the bustling souks that are the lifeblood flowing through the city. 

A medina is the historic heart of a city. Shops, restaurants, markets and homes line the twisting and turning streets. This is the trading centre of the city and the sights, sounds and fragrant smells are almost overwhelming. The walls surrounding the medina, made of a distinct orange-red clay and chalk, were built in the 12th century. 

Then, we’ll visit the 19th-century masterpiece of Moroccan architecture, Bahia Palace. This vast complex was intended to be the greatest palace of its time and there is much to admire, like incredibly detailed mosaics, ornately decorated arches, exquisite ceilings and lush gardens. 

We’ll also stop by Koutoubia Mosque; its famous minaret is the prototype for others of its kind around the world, including La Giralda in Seville. The mosque is surrounded by beautiful gardens. 

Walk back through the streets of the old medina to the famous Djemaa el-Fna, the main square of Marrakech in the heart of the medina. It’s big and frantic, with scores of people shopping, eating, getting henna tattoos and watching snake charmers. Packed with locals and tourists alike, it’s certainly memorable.

The rest of the day is free to explore further or shop in the bazaar. Make like a local and sip sweet mint tea at a cafe as you watch the world go by. 

Tonight, your Inspiring Taste is an unforgettable tagine making class. Named after the traditional earthenware pot it’s cooked in, this much-loved Moroccan classic has been a part of the local cuisine for centuries. You’ll learn how to cook this iconic dish before tasting your creation. 

After breakfast, we’ll set off for Bin el Ouidane, approximately a three-hour journey.

Take in the beautiful Moroccan landscapes, unspoilt scenery and a glimpse of rural life at this small town in the Atlas Mountains. It’s home to the postcard-perfect Bin El Ouidane Lake, a vast expanse of vivid blue water. 

The rest of the day is at leisure. Take a stroll and explore the town.

After breakfast, we’ll journey to the living museum of Fes, a drive of approximately seven hours.

The well-preserved medieval labyrinth of Fes is the country’s cultural capital, surely the spiritual heart of Morocco. Fes is the oldest of Morocco’s four imperial capitals, once one of the world’s great centres of education and culture. 

The evening is free for you in this beautiful imperial city. Perhaps a visit to the Ville Nouvelle (new town), built during the French occupation of Morocco and a stark contrast to the bustling old medinas. With its bright, art-deco buildings and cafe culture, it resembles a bustling Parisian street scene.

This morning, meet your local guide for a tour of the old medina, exploring the narrow maze-like streets passing artisans at work, vendors selling leather and oils, and locals gathering to eat, shop and pray. The winding paths – no cars allowed, instead you’ll see donkeys – seem to go on forever in this 540-acre medina. 

We’ll also stop by Fes’s famous tanneries and pass by the oldest university in the world, founded by a Moroccan Muslim woman, Fatima al-Fihria.

After breakfast we’ll head to the ruins of Volubilis for a guided tour of the once provincial Roman capital.

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, this exceptionally well-preserved site was the southernmost settlement. Most of the city is still unexcavated and you can imagine Volubilis as the bustling city it once was.

We’ll continue to Meknes, the sixth largest city in the kingdom and former capital of Morocco. 

Discover the charming streets of Meknes’ medina, the old walled section of the city, before you have the evening free to yourself. 

After breakfast, we’ll set off for Rabat, diplomatic and administrative capital. Rabat’s history is long, having been host to Roman settlements, pirates and more recently the Moroccan parliament. It contains numerous fine Arab monuments, some dating from the 10th to 15th century Almohad and Marinid dynasties, and others that are far older.

Then, continue to Casablanca, Morocco’s commercial hub. On arrival we’ll visit one of the most impressive sights of the city – the glorious Hassan II Mosque. It took more than seven years to build this impressive site, the largest mosque in Africa. Decorated with intricate tiles – more than 10,000 m2 of zellige was used – beautiful carvings and an unusual glass floor, allowing worshippers to feel like they’re praying directly over the ocean. This huge building is part on land and part on sea. 

The rest of the day is free for you to explore Casablanca’s vibrant streets; lined with art deco buildings sitting side-by-side with old stone medina alleyways, European style cafes and an old Portuguese style fortress with ramparts that offer a view over the Atlantic Ocean.

Finish the day with a walk along the beachfront Corniche, watching the locals play football on the beach, or stop at a cafe and watch the locals go about their day.

Enjoy one last delicious breakfast this morning, before your African adventure comes to an end. After checking out of your hotel, you’ll be transferred to the airport for your flight back home.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this extraordinary journey.

Check out: Passengers will be departing at various times throughout the day. Standard hotel check-out times will apply no matter what time your flight is scheduled to depart. Check-out time is generally anywhere from 10am-12pm. You are welcome to leave your luggage at hotel reception and spend your final moments of free time exploring the area or, alternatively, please speak with hotel staff if you would like to extend your check-out time. Please note this service is subject to availability and will likely come at an additional cost. Your tour guide (or hotel staff) will confirm the time of your airport transfer with you directly.

Arrive home today. We hope you've been inspired.