Bushtracks Expeditions

Day 1

Friday, September 7

USA/Cape Town, South Africa

Board international flights for Cape Town.

Days 3 - 5

Sunday - Tuesday, September 9, 10 & 11

Okavango Delta and the Wildlife Savannas of Botswana

Board your private jet and fly to Maun, followed by a light aircraft transfer to luxury tented camps in the Okavango Delta, the world’s largest inland delta. This is home to lily-dressed waterways, mopane and acacia forests, and superb savannah game viewing with naturalist guides. Evening trips by boat or mokoro canoes on the lagoons of the Okavango offer wonderful sunsets, and a variety of birds including wattled cranes and African fish eagles.

Lodging: Okavango Delta Tented Safari Camps

Accommodations consist of luxurious twin tents with en-suite bathrooms and a central dining room. After each day's game viewing spotting elephants, buffalos, lions, leopards, giraffes, and red lechwe antelopes, enjoy ice-cold sundowners, followed by dinner and coffee around the campfire. (B,L,D)

Day 7

Thursday, September 13

Virunga National Park and its Gorillas, Rwanda

This morning board your private jet and fly to Kigali. On arrival drive in safari vehicles through lush plantations to Kinigi and the Gorilla Nest Lodge, a basic but comfortable lodge with all the necessary amenities, and the best location for gorilla trekking. This afternoon meet your guides for a briefing on gorilla behavior and trekking protocol, and this evening enjoy cocktails and dinner at the lodge.

Lodging: Gorilla Nest Lodge (B,L,D)

Days 10 - 12

Sunday - Tuesday, September 16, 17 & 18

Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Fly by jet to Nairobi, then board light aircraft for a low level flight over the Mara plains to our classic tented safari camp set within the Reserve. In the days that follow, on our game excursions in four-wheel drive vehicles, you'll see why this vast reserve's reputation is for wildlife viewing "second to none." This is the time of the great wildebeest migration. During your stay here, design your days and choose from many optional activities, including visits to Masai villages, a flight over the Mara plains in a hot air balloon, or fishing for huge Nile Perch on Lake Victoria. Accommodations consist of traditional East African Meru tents, and breakfast, lunch, and evening drinks are served around the camp fire.

Lodging: Govenors Tented Camps (B,L,D)

Day 14

Thursday, September 20

The White Nile and Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda

One of the highlights of this park is the powerful Murchison Falls, where the Victoria Nile is forced through a 23 ft. rock crevice, dropping into a thunderous cascade of water and mist.

From the lodge, we'll venture out on game drives in four-wheel-drive safari vehicles through open savannahs; launch trips on the river to the base of Murchison Falls; and launch trips to the papyrus wetlands of the Nile Delta - home to Africa's largest population of hippos, giant Nile crocodiles, and countless species of water birds, including the rare shoebill (or whale headed) stork.

Lodging: Paraa Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 16

Saturday, September 22

Khartoum and the Blue Nile Confluence, Sudan

Early this morning we set off into the desert and explore unvisited archaeological sites of the Nile.

Learn about its grand history when it was Nubia or Kush in the Dynastic Egyptian and Roman eras. We'll drive to fabulous Meroe, the center of a powerful kingdom (5th century BC - 4th century AD). Meroe prospered from agriculture, gold mining, and entrepot trade in African luxuries - ivory, slaves, and ebony. We'll see Meroe's well-preserved Pyramids and ancient royal cemetery. Return to Khartoum for dinner and an overnight.

Lodging: Hilton Khartoum (B,L,D)

Day 18

Monday, September 24

Luxor, and the Egyptian Nile

After breakfast we'll explore the opposite side of the Nile and the spectacular Valley of the Kings - a vast City of the Dead - where the tombs of ancient pharaohs were carved out of desert rock formations. This stark canyon-like area, was secret.

But the secret was unlocked, when the tombs were later looted of their precious contents. Visit the tomb of Tutankhamun, and the temple of Queen Hatshepsut - the first woman ever to become a pharaoh - a superb monument with delicate stone relief carvings.

Lodging: Old Winter Palace (B,L,D)

Day 20

Wednesday, September 26

Cairo, Egypt

This morning, we'll spend a full day exploring Cairo and the pyramids at the Giza Plateau, the only survivor of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World. Return to the hotel for a special farewell dinner.

Lodging: Mena House Oberoi Hotel (B,L,D)