Day 1: Rome, Italy | A Journey Begins
On arrival in Rome, meet your A&K representative and transfer by private car to your hotel. Gather with your fellow guests at a cocktail reception in a private venue at your hotel, the St. Regis Rome, followed by a gala welcome dinner.
The St. Regis Rome   |   Meals: D

Days 2-3: Ethiopia | Ancient Churches
Your private jet whisks you southward to Ethiopia, the ancient desert seat of the Queen of Sheba and among the first regions on earth to embrace Christianity. Your first night features a welcome dinner with traditional music. Set out the next day on a local charter flight for a day in Lalibela, an isolated town famous for its churches carved directly from the pink granite earth. A local priest sheds insight on the Ethiopian Orthodox Church; afterward, enjoy a presentation of traditional religious songs. Return to Addis Ababa to view a replica of “Lucy,” one of the world’s most famous early human fossils, at the National Museum, where a curator describes her discovery and significance. This evening, meet with special guests and local dignitaries at a cocktail reception before dinner at the hotel.
Sheraton Addis   |   Meals: B L D

Days 4-6: Uganda | Mountain Gorillas
Leave behind the stark landscape of Ethiopia for the mountains, crater lakes, waterfalls and lush rainforests of Uganda. Your destination is Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world. Your first day includes a visit to the Victory Primary School to meet the students, who entertain you with song.

The centerpiece of your stay is your gorilla tracking adventure, a once-in-alifetime opportunity to meet one of our closest biological relatives up close and in its natural habitat. Set out with your experienced forest guide into the jungle in search of a gorilla family; the hike is challenging, but the rewards are more than worth the effort as you spend an hour observing these magnificent creatures, watching them forage, play and interact. Learn more about these amazing animals during a special lecture by the Head Ranger.

While in Bwindi, you may also visit the village of Buhoma to meet with a medicine man and visit a local school supported by Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy. The Batwa Experience provides a unique encounter with living history, a chance to talk, hike and engage in a mock hunt with this renowned African tribe.
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp or Volcanoes Lodge or Mahogany Springs Lodge   |   Meals: B L D

Days 7-9: Tanzania | On Safari in the Serengeti
From verdant Uganda, your private jet takes you to the sweeping, hill-dotted plains of Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park — true safari country. Serengeti is home to the “Big Five” (lions, leopards, Cape buffalo, rhinos, and elephants), along with giraffes, gazelles, zebras and much more. Your arrival coincides with the Serengeti seasonal migration, an annual wonder in which hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, gazelles and zebras cross the plains in search of grazing land, closely watched by the animals that prey on them.

Arrive at your private safari camp for three days of unforgettable game drives. Observe the Serengeti’s priceless living bounty in the company of the continent’s best driver-guides, unwinding at the end of the day with a gourmet meal and a complimentary treatment in the massage tent.

Between game drives, experience the varied pleasures on offer in the Serengeti. A morning hot-air balloon flight is an unforgettable way to observe life on the plains, followed by a champagne breakfast in the bush. You also meet members of the local Maasai tribe, who stage a performance right in your camp, and learn about two of the Serengeti’s top predators, lions and cheetahs, from conservation experts working to preserve these animals.
Meals: B L D

Days 10-12: Zambia | Victoria Falls
Departing the Serengeti for Zambia, watch from the window of your private jet as the landscape gradually transforms from dry scrubland into verdant plains carved by flowing waters. Enjoy a luncheon overlooking the spray of the mighty Victoria Falls, with the gentle sounds of an African choir providing the backdrop. The Zambezi River flows evenly over a bed of basalt before tumbling down a ravine more than a mile across and 350 feet high, sending a cloud of spray hundreds of feet into the air. Take to the air for an unforgettable view of the falls by helicopter, the best way to appreciate their staggering scale. Check in to your luxurious tree-house accommodations, built into the living canopy of giant ebony trees lining the riverbank. Take time to settle in before embarking on a sunset safari cruise on the Zambezi, stopping for pre-dinner cocktails and snacks.

Venture out for an authentic African experience at Nakatindi Village, where you are welcomed by the locals and invited to learn how they live. Continue to the Elephant Wallow for a memorable afternoon with these gentle giants. After lunch on the banks of the river, interact with the elephants and experience their intelligence and majesty face to face. Your evenings end with sundowner cocktails amid Zambia’s scenic splendor.
Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma   |   Meals: B L D

Days 13-15: Botswana | Wildlife Along the River
Your journey now takes you to Botswana, whose abundant waters mirror the boundless African skies and provide life-giving sustenance to a variety of wildlife. Your exquisite lodge sits above the Chobe River, with expansive views across the islands. The lounge and dining room connect to spectacular outdoor viewing patios, where you may glimpse Chobe’s renowned elephants: the park is home to a staggering 60,000, one of the largest concentrations in Africa.

Explore the flora and fauna of this wildlife-rich area during daily game viewing activities: in addition to elephants, the Chobe plain boasts buffalo, leopards, lions, giraffes, kudus and hippos, all of which you may come across during your guided game drives through Chobe National Park. Back at the lodge, take time to unwind with a dip in the split-level swimming pool, book a Vichy shower treatment at the spa or grab a book from the library. Cap every evening with a lazy cruise down the Chobe River, cocktail in hand.

Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero   |   Meals: B L D

Days 16-17: Namibia | Desert Dunes
With its striking desert landscapes and ocean shoreline, Namibia presents some of the most remarkable scenery in Africa, and is a rewarding land to explore. Begin with a private cruise on picturesque Walvis Bay, keeping an eye out for the rich population of birds, seals and dolphins found in these waters. Continue to Sandwich Harbor to observe its resident flamingoes. Then, explore the desert dunes by off-road vehicle, cresting the 200-foot-high Roaring Dune for exceptional views of the surrounding landscape. The lunar-like dunes make a dramatic setting for the evening’s sundowner cocktail gathering. Dinner in the desert is accompanied by fire spinners and a marimba band, and set amid a backdrop of high cliffs glowing in the candlelight. Later, join a stargazing session under the African skies.
Swakopmund Hotel & Entertainment Centre   |   Meals: B L D

Days 18-19: South Africa | The Finale

After the almost otherworldly vistas of Namibia, South Africa presents a landscape more familiar, if equally beautiful, with modern cities and tended fields nestled alongside mountains and scrubland. Arrive in Cape Town and proceed to iconic Table Mountain where, weather permitting, you travel by aerial cable car to the summit for panoramic views of the sea and city. Continue to Signal Hill for canapés and sundowner drinks overlooking some of Cape Town’s amazing coastline as you enjoy a performance by the Cape Minstrels.

This evening, toast your incredible African adventure at a gala farewell dinner at Cape Town’s Two Oceans Aquarium. Enjoy dinner and drinks accompanied by a spectacular pageant of sand tiger sharks, loggerhead turtles, rays and other ocean dwellers — an astonishing capstone to an already extraordinary journey. Transfer to the airport the next morning for your flight home.
Cape Grace   |   Meals: B L D (Day 19: B)

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