Sunday, Feb 25, 2018 KRUGER – JOHANNESBURG – ENTABENI GAME CONSERVANCY

Arise early this morning for your game drive and breakfast, and then transfer to the Hoedspruit airport for your flight to Johannesburg.  On arrival, enjoy a scenic 3 hour drive through the Waterberg region and one of the oldest mountain ranges in Southern Africa.

Arrive at the ENTABENI GAME CONSERVANCY in time for an afternoon activity.  Entabeni, meaning “Place of the Mountain”, is a 220 km2 (85 sq mi) private reserve situated in the Waterberg in Limpopo Province in northern South Africa. The Entabeni Game Conservancy is popular for safari trips because of the opportunity to see big game and a variety of birds and antelope species, as well as its beautiful scenery, and the fact that it is in a malaria-free zone. The reserve is home to Transvaal lion, African bush elephant, South African giraffe, African leopard, South African cheetah, warthog, African buffalo, hippopotamus and other safari animals in a variety of habitats.

The upper escarpment offers majestic craggy rock formations and wide-open grass plains. This is separated from the lower plateau by 600m high cliffs. The lower escarpment is approximately three degrees warmer and comprises of “sandveldt” vegetation and a series of wetlands. It is a place where the lion still reigns as king and Mother Nature still mesmerizes with her power and beauty.  A gravel road leads up to this Big 5 reserve, complemented by five different lodges. Each lodge comprises a unique blend of luxury and African wilderness, perfectly set in different immaculate locations of the reserve.

Accommodation: Entabeni – Kingfisher, Lakeside, Ravineside or Hanglip Mountain Lodges. (Breakfast Monday & Tuesday)

The Entabeni Game Conservancy is a malaria-free reserve; it boasts five ecosystems. A gravel road leads up to this Big 5 reserve, complemented by five different lodges, Kingfisher, Lakeside, Ravineside and Hanglip Mountain. Each lodge comprises a unique blend of luxury and African wilderness, perfectly set in different immaculate locations of the reserve. These lodges offer a selection of venues ranging from the luxurious dining room to the deck, boma, garden or pool.

You will have a choice of activities today at Entabeni. The wildlife experience is impressive with more than 55 mammal species (including the big five, consisting of lion, buffalo, elephant, leopard and rhino) 300 plants species and 380 bird species….not to mention the wide variety of insects, reptiles and amphibians all co-existing in five spectacular diverse eco-systems including grasslands, bushveld, mountains and river beds. Encounter the supreme wildlife of Africa with qualified rangers in the open safari game viewing.

Various guided Bush Walk options are available. The Predator Walks are undertaken by our qualified rangers in the Big 5 Entabeni Safari Conservancy, whilst Non-Predator Walks take place within Legend Golf & Safari Resort’s botany area, where our trained rangers will show you a variety of animals and birds. The star studded bushveld skies are magnificent and truly a must-see. Combine an exhilarating helicopter flight with a romantic meal on a secluded mountain top, at additional cost, and enjoy the beauty of the Waterberg. An experience beyond comparison!

Golfers in the group will also have the opportunity to play, at additional cost, at the LEGEND GOLF COURSE. Developer Peet Cilliers wanted the scale of the Legend Golf Course in the Entabeni Safari Conservancy to match the surrounding African landscape. Everything at Legend is larger than life in an enormous 50,000-acre estate where herds of giraffe, zebra and antelope roam free alongside fairways that weave though open grassland and dense bushveld in two large circuits of nine. The golf course is designed as an 18 hole championship golf course. It is at once the longest golf course in South Africa, providing all golfers, irrespective of their handicap, the experience of a true African challenge. The course plays at 6,534 metres for daily play but is capable of being extended to 7,748 metres for tournaments, making it one of the longest in the world.

Each of the holes on the Legend Golf Course has been assigned its own “signature designer,” starting with Trevor Immelman at the 1st and ending with Retief Goosen at the 18th. The bunker style has been standardized throughout with no hidden hazards to negotiate. Legend would, of course, have to be the longest course in all of Africa so it measures up at almost 8,500 yards from the championship tee markers.

As a very special treat, golfers will be able to play the “Extreme 19th” hole at the Legend Golf Course. Few holes in the history of golf have generated as much interest as the Extreme 19th. Accessible only by helicopter, with the tee set 400m / 470 yards up on the majestic Hanglip Mountain. Tee shots from the longest, highest par three on the planet take more than 20 seconds to reach terra firma below to a green that has been contoured in the shape of Africa below. The Extreme 19th has captured the imagination if golfers like none other in the world. Golfing superstars as well as celebrities from across the world of sport and entertainment have been equally as impressed with this most unique hole. In a shoot-out with French star Raphael Jacquelin, 2008 Open Champion Padraig Harrington famously became the first person to make a Par 3 – but since then he has been joined by many others – just normal golfers enjoying the golfing experience of a lifetime.

Monday, February 26, 2018 ENTABENI GAME CONSERVANCY

Another day at the Entabeni Conservancy to enjoy more game viewing or golf at The Legend Golf Course.

Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 ENTABENI GAME CONSERVANCY – JOHANNESBURG – WASHINGTON.D.C.

Enjoy a morning at leisure. Later this afternoon bid ‘farewell’ as you transfer overland to Johannesburg for your onward departing flight.

Wednesday, Feb 28, 2018 Arrive USA

Arrive home today – with memories and photos to last a lifetime!

GOLFERS: Please note rental clubs, both right and left handed, are available for rental at the golf courses being played in South Africa and Victoria Falls.

Sunday, Feb 25, 2018 KRUGER – LIVINGSTONE, ZAMBIA / VICTORIA FALLS

Arise early this morning for the transfer south to the Mpumalanga airport. Here you will board your direct flight bound for Victoria Falls. After passing through Zambian Customs in Livingstone, you will be met and escorted to your accommodation on the Zimbabwe side of the Falls.

The local people referred to the Falls as “mosi oa tunya’…or the ‘smoke that thunders’. When David Livingstone ‘discovered’ the Falls, he named them after his beloved Queen of England. Today the Falls are one of the natural wonders of the world, and an extremely popular destination for visitors to Southern Africa.  Victoria Falls actually forms the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. The deep gorges that separate the countries are spanned, overhead, by a pedestrian bridge that allows visitors to walk between the two sides of the Falls, and the two countries. The actual cascade of water pours down the Zambia side of the gorge. This spectacular event is best viewed from the Zimbabwe side. However, the Zambia side has paths and natural swimming pools right at the lip of the Falls, which allow visitors to get extremely close to the watery cascade.

You will have a little time to settle in and relax before the late afternoon (approximately 330 pm) transfer to the edge of the Zambezi River. The luxurious Zambezi Royal, above Victoria Falls, offers a unique and intimate way to view the Zambezi River. This single level cruise boat is the first of its kind on the Zambezi, custom built to maximize comfort, style, practicality and service. With only twenty-eight seats, this contemporary vessel, has lush furnishings, and has been designed to allow for ample spaciousness. During your premium two hour guided Sunset cruise, guests can look forward to five-star service on board, consisting of imported wines and spirits, gourmet hot and cold canapés. A variety of game is consistently spotted, such as elephant, hippo, crocodiles, as well as a vast plethora of bird species. The Zambezi Royal is the optimum way to view the beautiful stunning scenery and surrounds of the upper Zambezi River.

Accommodation: Elephant Hills Resort (Breakfast daily)

The Elephant Hills Resort is situated at the top of a small hill overlooking the Zambezi River, upstream from the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Its location affords many of the rooms sweeping views of the Zambezi River across to Zambia.  It has one the best golf courses in Zimbabwe and some amazing wildlife.  Modern comforts in each room include air-conditioning, televisions with satellite channels and a bar fridge. Rooms to the east of the hotel look over the golf course and the Zambezi River in the distance while rooms on the western side of the hotel have sweeping views of the Zambezi River.

Monday, February 26, 2018 VICTORIA FALLS

This morning you will depart on your escorted tour of the mighty Victoria Falls. You will be accompanied through the rain forest by your guide who will give a brief history of the Falls themselves as well as detailing the flora, fauna, bird, wildlife and other points of interest. Guides are also happy to assist clients with photographs whilst visiting this most spectacular of waterfalls. Raincoats are provided when needed. The Victoria Falls is 1,708 meters wide, making it the largest curtain of water in the world. It drops between 90m and 107m into the Zambezi Gorge and an average of 550,000 cubic meters of water plummet over the edge every minute. Remarkably preserved in its natural state, Victoria Falls inspires visitors as much today as it did David Livingstone in the 1860s. The Falls and the surrounding area have been declared National Parks and a World Heritage Site, thus preserving the area from excessive commercialization.

This afternoon is free for optional activities; the Falls is the adventure capital of Southern Africa! You can bungee jump, glide over the treetops on a zip line, canoe, raft, angle for the challenging Tiger Fish or visit a Zimbabwe village.

Golfers in the group will be tempted by the Elephant Hills course. The 18 hole championship golf course was designed by Gary Player. The blend of natural flora and fauna with the imported grasses has made the Elephant Hills Golf one of the most beautiful golf courses in the world. Playing Golf at the Elephant Hills is like a walk in the park, kudus, warthogs, waterbucks, etc. are seen enjoying the well maintained grasses and the vegetation.  The superbly maintained fairways and greens of this golf course have been planted with imported grasses and modern irrigation systems to ensure that they are always lush. Nowhere else has the blend of the wild been so perfected with lush fairways and close cropped greens for golf at it’s best, as at Elephant Hills golf course – Victoria Falls but be warned – wild game wandering free can wreak havoc on your golf swing and bunker shots!

Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 VICTORIA FALLS – JOHANNESBURG – WASHINGTON.D.C.

Enjoy a final morning in Africa, bid ‘farewell’ as you transfer to the airport and fly to Johannesburg for your onward departing flight.

Wednesday, Feb 28, 2018 Arrive USA

Arrive home today – with memories and photos to last a lifetime!

[si-contact-form form=’4′]

SkySafari Aircraft provide top-quality experiences and high-class personal service – both central to SkySafari’s concept of the ultimate African adventure. There is no better example of SkySafari Aircraft than SkySafari’s very own executive-class Cessna Grand Caravan – currently the only aircraft of its kind flying in East Africa. Fitted with bespoke leather seating – a total of 8 seats in all – the interior configuration provides maximum comfort whilst offering excellent viewing opportunities during each of the flights along the SkySafari route.

With ‘fast track’ check-in, experienced professional pilots and a warm and friendly service at each point of the journey, SkySafari’s executive air service provides that extra special touch, one that has made SkySafari known as the premier African safari experience.

SkySafari Aircraft Air Safety and Aircraft Maintenance

SkySafari gives the highest priority to the safety and security of its guests and passengers. This ‘no compromise’ approach requires that, from time-to-time, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance of the SkySafari Grand Caravan needs to be made to ensure SkySafari’s proud safety record.

.

Sanctuary Baines’ Camp is located on a huge private concession bordering the Moremi Game Reserve in the Okavango Delta, home to some of the most spectacular wildlife on Earth. This is Sanctuary’s smallest and most intimate camp, with only five luxurious suites.

Sanctuary Baines’ Camp is our smallest Sanctuary camp with only five luxurious suites. With star baths and sky beds on your private deck, this is a romantic oasis.

Set in a grove of trees, and surrounded by papyrus beds, this low environmental impact camp has been built using commercially grown wood and recycled tin cans. The local community in Maun were invited to collect as many cans as they could, and paid a fee for every can collected. These cans were then incorporated into the camp buildings, forming the backbone of the structures.

There is a communal swimming pool, and the wide wooden deck that surrounds the main dining and sitting room is the ideal place to relax while observing the varied wildlife present here. See prowling lions looking for prey at the edge of the lagoon that the camp overlooks, or watch one of the many elephants who live in the area.Baines’ is also one of only two camps to offer you the opportunity to walk with elephants.

• Offers unique Living with Elephants activity
• Romantic sky beds and star baths on your private deck
• Located on a private concession which means we can offer walking and night drives
• Seasonal Mokoro excursions and motorised boating available

The five suites at Sanctuary Baines’ are opulent and luxurious, with ensuite facilities and four-poster beds swathed in mosquito netting. Traditional safari ceiling fans create a cooling breeze at even the hottest times of the year. Should you wish, your bed can be wheeled out onto the private wooden deck for a night under the stars, overlooking the shimmering waters of the Boro River where hippo can often be spotted.