Tentative South Africa / Tanzania / Kenya

Day 1 - : Goa – Arusha / Mt Kilimanjaro -

Dep Goa 2300 hrs / departing Mumbai 0645 arriving Mt Kilimanjaro . Drive via this great mountain and transfer to your hotel . Day free to relax . Early check -in has been requested but subject to availability . Lunch provided at the hotel . Evening free at leisure . Fun Retreat Resort for 2 nights . - Lunch and Dinner included  

Day 2 - Tour of Arusha / Ngorongoro -

After an early breakfast , on the way we do a tour of Arusha. Situated at the foot of the beautiful Mount Meru, Arusha is known as the safari capital of Tanzania's Northern Safari Circuit. It's a bustling city filled with an interesting mix of markets, chaotic traffic, old colonial buildings and modern conveniences, like coffee shops with WiFi, and an array of great restaurants. Arusha - The Geneva of Africa . Arusha sits in expansive volcanic land in the foothills of Mount Meru. Viewing Arusha simply as a safari destination is not doing it justice, as it offers superb views of Kilimanjaro, beautiful scenery, and amazing architecture. Arusha was once a trading place for the domestic Wameru and Waarusha tribes but today it is Tanzania's safari and tourism center. The “Geneva of Africa” consists of picturesque street markets, craft shops, museums, Makonde carving workshops, restaurants, street cafes and bars. Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano in Tanzania. It has three volcanic cones: Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest single free-standing mountain above sea level in the world: 5,895 metres above sea level and about 4,900 metres above its plateau base. Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain on the African continent and the highest free-standing mountain in the world.. We then drive to the Ngorongoro crater . its main feature is the astounding Ngorongoro Crater which is famous for being the largest inactive and intact volcanic caldera in the whole world. A result of a major explosion and collapse about 2 to 3 million years ago, the Crater was officially hailed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa in 2015. Within the Ngorongoro Crater, there is an incredible abundance of wildlife, including all of The Big Five. Hippo, zebra, crocodile, a wide range of antelope, leopard, cheetah and lion all live here. It's estimated that about 25,000 big animals live within this natural enclosure. The property has global importance for biodiversity conservation due to the presence of globally threatened species, the density of wildlife inhabiting the area, and the annual migration of wildebeest, zebra, gazelles and other animals into the northern plains. Packed lunch and Dinner Included

Day 3 -  After breakfast , Board flight to Daresalaam . On arrival , check in at hotel . Evening at leisure . Hotel names to be advised . Dinner included . 

Day 4 - After breakfast , a tour of the bustling city of Dar es Salaam on the Swahili Coast meaning "the house of peace" Formerly a slumberous fishing village Mzizima, this city in Tanzania which was the capital city until 1974 is a fascinating blend of its rich historical past and its sophisticated contemporary present. The town has flourished and is now the commercial hub of the country and the most populous Swahilispeaking city in the world and a thriving metropolis. Experience the lively atmosphere of Dar es Salaam’s fish market, where dhows dock at dawn to offload the night’s delicious catch. Also catch a glimpse of the historic Central Railway Station, and the architectural marvels of the St Joseph’s Metropolitan Cathedral and the Greek Orthodox Church. Browse through a traditional souk (bazaar), heaving with people morning, noon and night. If time allows, you can visit Tingatinga paintings, Bortanic garden, churches, askari moment, Fish market, Kariakoo market.Head to the Mwenge Carver’s Market for beautiful traditional African sculptures and crafts before exploring the National Museum and the open-air Village Museum. The architecture of Tanzania is a fusion of Swahili, colonial and Asian influences, but much of this is now overshadowed by gleaming towering high-rises. Offering an eclectic cultural mix, fabulous craft markets, superb restaurants and nearby magnificent golden beaches and lush islands Dar is a great place to explore. Thereafter drive back to your hotel . Free time at leisure. 

Day 5 - After breakfast , we take the ferry / or board a short flight to Zanzibar and check in at our hotel in the historic centre of StoneTown Day at leisure .

Day 6 -   After breakfast , we do a full day tour of StoneTown . 

Stone Town is a city of prominent historical and artistic importance in East Africa. Its architecture, mostly dating back to the 19th century, reflects the diverse influences underlying the Swahili culture, giving a unique mixture of Arab, Persian, Indian and European elements. A maze of narrow, twisting streets and alleyways, Stone Town oozes history from every pore. Zanzibar is famous for its mix of exotic beaches, famous spice plantations, history (Stone Town being the capital) and diverse culture. Unguja (the main island in Zanzibar) is also home to many endangered species including the red colobus monkey and green turtle. . learn about the history of the island and the cultivation of spice plants, and to see many varieties of spices produced here. Your guide will give detailed descriptions of what the various plants are used for. Zanzibar on the Southern tip of Middle East is a colorful mix of Arab, Indian and African culture, which is reflected in the narrow streets of Stone Town. Strolling about will take you to discover why Stone Town is World Heritage Site. Among the many interesting sites of Stone Town are the Palace Museum, the Former Slave Market, The Old Fort, The House of Wonders and The People Old Market for gifts and souvenir. Stone Town in the last 200 years known as a place of winding alleys, bustling bazaars, mosques and grand Arab houses whose original owners vied with each other over extravagance of their dwellings. This one-upmanship is particularly reflected in the brass-studded, carved wooden doors-There is more than 500 different examples of this handwork. You can spend many idle hours and days just wandering through the fascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and alleyways. The Stone Town of Zanzibar is an outstanding material manifestation of cultural fusion and harmonization.For many centuries there was intense seaborne trading activity between Asia and Africa, and this is illustrated in an exceptional manner by the architecture and urban structure of the Stone Town. Zanzibar has great symbolic importance in the suppression of slavery, since it was one of the main slavetrading ports in East Africa and also the base from which its opponents, such as David Livingstone, conducted their campaign. Evening free at leisure . 

Day 7 - After breakfast , we board a short flight to Mombassa. Arrive by 11 am and check in at city hotel . Evening at leisure . 

Day 8 - After breakfast , city tour of MOmbassa . Mombasa's location on the Indian Ocean made it a historical trading centre,[4] and it has been controlled by many countries because of its strategic location. Kenyan school history books place the founding of Mombasa as 900 A.D.[5] It must have been already a prosperous trading town in the 12th century, as the Arab geographer al-Idrisi mentions it in 1151. The oldest stone mosque in Mombasa, Mnara, was built c. 1300. The Mandhry Mosque, built in 1570, has a minaret that contains a regionally specific ogee arch. In the late pre-colonial period, it was the metropolis of a plantation society, which became dependent on slave labour based around the ivory trade. Throughout the early modern period, Mombasa was a key node in the complex and far reaching Indian Ocean trading networks; its key exports then were ivory, millet, sesamum and coconuts. Today, Mombasa is a tourism-based town, home to one of the state houses, with an extra-large port and an international airport.. Most of the early information on Mombasa comes from Portuguese chroniclers writing in the 16th century. The famous Moroccan scholar and traveller Ibn Battuta visited the area during his travels to the Swahili Coast and made some mention of the city, although he only stayed one night. He noted that the people of Mombasa were Shafi‘i Muslims, religious people, trustworthy and righteous. Their mosques are made of wood, expertly built.[7] The exact founding date of the city is unknown, but it has a long history. Kenyan school history books place the founding of Mombasa as 900 A.D.[5] It must have been already a prosperous trading town in the 12th century, as the Arab geographer al-Idrisi mentions it in 1151. The oldest stone mosque in Mombasa, Mnara, was built c. 1300. The Mandhry Mosque, built in 1570, has a minaret that contains a regionally specific ogee arch. This suggests that Swahili architecture was an indigenous African product and disproves assertions that non-African Muslims brought stone architecture to the Swahili Coast. [8] During the pre-modern period, Mombasa was an important centre for the trade in spices, gold, and ivory. Its trade links reached as far as India and China and oral historians today can still recall this period of local history. Indian history shows that there were trade links between Mombasa and Cholas of South India. Throughout the early modern period, Mombasa was a key node in the complex and far reaching Indian Ocean trading networks, its key exports then were ivory, millet, sesamum and coconuts. In the late pre-colonial period (late 19th century), it was the metropolis of a plantation society, which became dependent on slave labour (sources contradict whether the city was ever an important place for exporting slaves) but ivory caravans remained a major source of economic prosperity. Mombasa became the major port city of pre-colonial Kenya in the Middle Ages and was used to trade with other African port cities, the Persian Empire, the Arabian Peninsula, India and China.[9] 16th-century Portuguese voyager Duarte Barbosa claimed, "[Mombasa] is a place of great traffic and has a good harbour in which there are always moored small craft of many kinds and also great ships, both of which are bound from Sofala and others which come from Cambay and Melinde and others which sail to the island of Zanzibar.

Day 9 - After breakfast , Board the train at 10 am for Nairobi . Arrive at Nairobi by approx. 1500 hrs . Drive through the city . Nairobi was founded in 1899 by colonial authorities in British East Africa, as a rail depot on the Uganda - Kenya Railway. [7] The town quickly grew to replace Mombasa as the capital of Kenya in 1907.[8] After independence in 1963, Nairobi became the capital of the Republic of Kenya. [9] During Kenya's colonial period, the city became a centre for the colony's coffee, tea and sisal industry.[10][11] The city lies in the south central part of Kenya, at an elevation of 1,795 metres (5,889 ft). 

Day 10 -  After breakfast City tour of Nairobi . Tour of Nairobi is home of the Kenyan Parliament Buildings and hosts thousands of Kenyan businesses and over 1000 major international companies and organizations, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) and the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON). Nairobi is an established hub for business and culture. The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) is one of the largest in Africa and the second-oldest exchan ge on the continent. It is Africa's fourth-largest exchange in terms of trading volume, capable of making 10 million trades a day. It also contains the Nairobi National Park. Nairobi joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities in 2010. Evening time at leisure .Dinner Included .

Day 11 - After an early breakfast drive to the Masai Mara for 2 days . Approx driving time 5 hours . Lunch enroute included . Check in at Sopa Lodges . In the evening , do a jungle game drive and experience the African wildlife .

Day 12 - Early morning jungle game drive followed by breakfast . Day free . Evening jungle drive . followed by dinner at the hotel .

Day 13 -  Early morning Jungle drive followed by breakfast and transfer to . Nairobi airport to board flight to Johannesburg . Arrive a little after noon and transfer to your hotel . Evening free .

Day 14 -  After breakfast , city tour OF Johannesburg . See the Suncity , a tour of Soweto , Mandela House Museum and Hector Pieterson Memorial & Museum and more. Evening some free time.

Day 15 - After Breakfast we go to Cape Town . for 2 nights . Day free at leisure . Dinner Included 

Day 16 - After breakfast Cape Town City Tour (including, Castle of Good Hope, Iziko Museum & Table Mountain (weather permitting) ,the BoKaap area , the water front area and lots more . Evening at leisure . 

Day 17 - After breakfast , Day Cape Point & Peninsula Tour (Including Hout Bay, Seal Island Cruise, Chapmans Peak, Cape Point Nature Reserve, Return Funicular, see the Penguins at Boulders Beach & Groot Constantia Wine Farm.

Day 18 - After breakfast , free time till time for airport transfer to board your onward flight .