CYPRESS — Culture, history and wildlife marry perfectly on Contiki’s brand new South Africa itinerary.
The two-week trip, priced for under US$200 per day, encompasses nine safari parks, plus visits to Cape Town and Johannesburg. Calling it a “wonderfully well-balanced trip,” Natasha Lawrence, Commercial and Product Director at Contiki says the new itinerary has it all.
“You visit some of the continent’s most famous wildlife parks with our passionate guides who are both knowledgeable and approachable. But it’s also a celebration of South Africa’s wonderful people and culture. If variety is what you like from an adventure, this is definitely the trip for you,” says Lawrence.
Experiencing South Africa with Contiki
Highlights of the trip include:
- Popular wildlife viewing spots Isimangaliso, Hluhluwe and Kruger National Park, where guests will sleep under the stars on an exclusive Contiki campsite
- City visits to Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban
- Wildlife experiences include seeing Africa’s gentle giants in Addo Elephant Park, hippo-spotting on a Lake St. Lucia boat cruise, and meeting penguins at a rehabilitation centre
- Numerous morning and evening game drives, plus a walking and/or mountain bike safari
- A marine safari in Plettenberg Bay, plus a visit to a shark conservancy
- A visit to the coastal town of Hermanus, considered the best land-based whale-watching spot in the world
- Visits to the site of Nelson Mandela’s capture, the Stellenbosch wineries and the Cango Caves, the continent’s largest underground cave system
- A hike to the Stormsriver Bridge in Tsitsikamma National Park
Kyle Junkuhn, Contiki’s Operations Lead for Africa, notes that the trip has included ‘MAKE TRAVEL MATTER’ Experiences nearly every day, ensuring that travellers have a positive impact on the places they visit.
“At Contiki, we offer our travellers our award-winning ‘MAKE TRAVEL MATTER’ Experiences, which are designed o give something back to the communities we visit, the wildlife we interact with and the planet we share,” he says. “The township tour shows the effects of Apartheid and how the community is now thriving, and the Zulu Village Tour and Swati Village Tour in Eswatini show everything from local witch doctors to traditional dancing and food preparation.”
The new South Africa trip is now live and available to book for 2024 departures. For more information go to https://www.contiki.com/en-ca/tours/sea-safari-south-africa.
Also new for 2023/24 is ‘Thai Island Hopper West Plus,’ an upgraded version of one of Contiki’s most popular Asian products. It includes upgraded accommodation (twin share, centrally located with a view of the sea), and additional Included Experiences such as a half-day Phuket sightseeing tour and a visit to a well-known rum distiller. Bookings and more information are available at https://www.contiki.com/en-ca/tours/thai-island-hopper-west.
