UNIQUE TRANS-AFRICA FLIGHT: CAPE to CAIRO

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1 UNIQUE TRANS-AFRICA FLIGHT: CAPE to CAIRO A once in a lifetime opportunity, to travel an age-old route across Africa from Cairo to Cape Town, but this time by private plane... Imagine - a flying safari from the Pyramids at Giza, along the Nile river and the Great East African Rift Valley, to the Gorillas in Rwanda, over Victoria Falls, across two Deserts, through the Wildlife rich Okavango Delta and all the way to the Southern tip of this breathtaking continent, with everything in between. The journey begins in Cairo, and after visiting many of Africa's most fascinating and memorable spots, it ends in Cape Town. Even the aircraft is an experience in itself - a beautiful new, luxuriously-fitted, private Cessna Caravan, being flown by renowned pilot Ole Friede, the Director of Namibia's private charter and tour company African Profile Safaris. Soar across Africa's most stunning landscapes, viewing wildlife, enchanting villages and vast expanses of savannah, lakes, rivers, forest, mountain and desert. The tour may also be reversed without any amendments to programs. South Africa - Namibia Botswana Zambia Tanzania Rwanda Kenya Ethiopia Sudan Egypt 23 DAYS / 22 NIGHTS MIN. NR OF PAX: 1 MAX NR OF PAX: 9 Airplanes used: Cessna Grand Caravan C208 (14 seats but only 9 pax + 1 pilot/guide for more comfort, all window seats or the Luxury Oasis Cessna Grand Caravan 6 business class window seats) all nights in hotel, lodges or permanent tented camps. DESCRIPTION: The highlights of the continent embraced from the air and from carefully chosen accommodations and activities will offer a unique and exclusive perspective. For those who want it all or for those who have done it all and now are seeking a special resume of their African experience.

2 DAY 1: Arrival Cape Town/SOUTH AFRICA Arrival at the airport of Cape Town and transfer to hotel. Meeting with our experienced pilot/guide to review the itinerary and free time to enjoy the city. Hotel (5 stars Mount Nelson Hotel) DAYS 2 & 3: Cape Town-Namib Desert/NAMIBIA After breakfast, transfer to the airport and beginning of the safari. Flight over Cape Town and the Table Mountain and then we head northwards to the Orange River and Namibia. After a scenic flight over Fish River Canyon we land in Keetmanshoop to clear customs and then continue to the Namib Rand Nature Reserve, one of Southern Africa s largest private conservation areas, situated on the edge of the Namib Desert, close to Sossusvlei and Sesriem Canyon. Activities: drives through the fascinating diversity of the landscape incredibly rich in flora and fauna. The following wildlife can be spotted: gemsbok, mountain and plain zebras, springbok, bat-eared fox, spotted hyena, aardwolf, etc. Picnic along the route At the camp Wolwedans Dune Lodge. DAY 4 & 5 : Namib Desert Okavango Delta/ BOTSWANA Take off with the sunrise towards the sea of dunes of the Namib. An astonishing low level flight over the desert, breathtaking views up to where the desert meets the Atlantic Ocean. We experience a seagull point of view while flying over Conception Bay, the Edward Bohlen shipwreck, numerous fur seal colonies, Sandwich Harbour (breeding ground for many seabirds and waders), up to the Kuiseb River, a natural barrier for the dunes of the Namib. Inbound to Windhoek to clear customs and from there fast out to Maun, in Botswana. Once cleared the Immigration, we fly over the magnificent Okavango Delta, one of the most spectacular natural phenomena of Southern Africa. We land near the camp, which will host us for the next two days and will be our base for discovering this very special eco-system by 4WD and mokoro (local pirogues). An amazing experience, having left the dunes of the desert behind to discover the floodplains of the Okavango. Activities: scenic boat safaris in the area through breathtaking landscapes. Picnic lunch en route / At the camp permanent High standard tented Camp in the Delta. DAY 6: Okavango Delta Livingstone (Victoria Falls)/ ZAMBIA Morning activities and after lunch flight eastwards first across the Delta and then across the savannah and the Zambezi River to Victoria Falls, the smoke that thunders. Transfer to the Royal Livingstone hotel, and afternoon visit of the falls. Free; clients own expense Royal Livingstone Hotel

3 DAYS 7 and 8: Victoria Falls Ruaha National Park/TANZANIA Morning transfer to the airport and departure by plane along the Zambezi to Lake Kariba and then northwards to Mfuwe, for a technical stop. Then we proceed northbound, first at low level over the winding Luangwa river, then up high in order to quickly reach Mbeya, another technical stop where we will clear immigration and customs entering Tanzania. From here our last flying hop for the day is to reach the Ruaha National Park, one of Tanzania s best kept wildlife secrets. Out of the classic tourist routes, this park will intrigue us for its variety of wildlife and habitats, and for the reduced human presence allowing a more direct contact with its wilderness. Its location plays a significant role in being one of the few parks where we can observe east African species and southern African species living in the same area. Activities: game drives. picnic on the way At the camp Jongomero tented camp DAYS 9 to 10: Ruaha Serengeti /TANZANIA Morning departure to continue our flying tour and admire some of the most incredible features of the great African Rift Valley. Following a technical stop in Dodoma, we are now heading north west and in a little while our wings are over the imposing silhouette of the Ol Doinyo Lengai crater. Sacred mountain of god for the Massai tribes, for the European geologists this volcano has its uniqueness in the carbonate lava that still flows out of its chimneys. We will be able to admire them before loosing altitude to view another incredible phenomena of this geological scar, Lake Natron. From the air we can t help being completely amazed by the red waters of this alkaline lake, dotted by numerous white discs of Natron salts. We then proceed and reach the famous Serengeti National Park. We are based in a tented camp from where we can go on game drives to leave a completely new experience: the big Wildebeest migration is in full swing here and we observe the chaotic Mara river crossings of these, by nature driven, creatures. Accommodation at Sayari tented camp. / in the bush while on game drive / in the bush while on game drive Sayari tented camp DAYS 11 & 12 : Serengeti Virunga Volcanoes Park /RWANDA From the Serengeti we continue westwards to the shores of Africa s largest lake by area, and the world's second largest freshwater lake by surface area, Lake Victoria. After customs formalities we continue along the southern shores of the lake into Rwanda and to its capital, Kigali. By vehicle we do a short yet inspiring city tour and then head into the mountains. We travel through amazing landscapes, viewing the source of the Nile river and an amazing buzz of the local population in the fields and various work areas. We reach the Volcanoes National Park at over 7000 foot elevation where we lodge and next morning do our Gorilla trekking expedition. Accommodation at Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge. picnic lunch on the Gorilla trek At the lodge Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge DAY 13: Virunga Volcanoes Park Rift Valley Lake Turkana/KENYA After our drive back to Kigali we continue our flight across the Lake Victoria to Kenya. After a short customs stop at Kisumu we proceed along the Rift Valley with all its volcanic and alkaline lakes, often inhabited by thousands of flamingoes. We carry on northbound, following this magnificent valley that opens into the volcanic lands of the Turkana. We will fly over the Suguta Valley where extensive black lava flows share the landscape with small desert sand dunes and numerous volcanic craters. Upon reaching the southern shores of Lake Turkana we will admire one of these volcanoes sticking out of the lake s waters and on its side a vast black lava carpet creating various small lagoons. We land at the small village of Loyangalani which will be our stop for the night. We get to share a dancing performance by the colorful Turkana and

4 Samburu tribes. Accommodation at Oasis Lodge (rustic lodge at the lake Turkana). en route picnic lunch Oasis Lodge, rustic lodge at the Lake Turkana) DAYS 14 and 15: Lake Turkana Addis Abeba Gonder - Lalibela/ETHIOPIA After breakfast, departure to Lokichoggio, the greatest UN Humanitarian operations in Africa. Out of nothing, a small world rotating around a very busy landing strip appears. After clearing immigration we continue to the border with Ethiopia and follow the Rift Valley through the Ethiopian highland and the Lakes district, all the way to Addis Ababa. From here we will continue northbound, setting our wings over one of the most spectacular panoramas in Africa: the Ethiopian high-plateau and the Blue Nile Canyon up to its sources in Lake Tana. Once crossed the lake we will arrive in Gonder where we will spend one night. The following day is dedicated to the visit of this ancient city, with its middle-age which in the past dictated a proper architectural style. Only in the afternoon we will proceed flying eastbound and reach the ancient capital city of Lalibela with its incredible rock hewn churches which we will visit the following day. Being the centre of the Copt Orthodox religion, amongst these superb architectural masterpieces we will feel the deep religious character still preserved in today s Lailbela. At the hotel Tourist category hotel in Gonder and Lalibela (the best available) DAYS 16 and 17: Lalibela Khartoum Meroe Khartoum/SUDAN Leaving Lalibela behind, we symbolically reach the sources of the Blue Nile near Bahar Dahr and then continue northwards to Sudan. The desert now replaces the green vegetation and it will be so all the way to Cairo. Visit by vehicle of the awe inspiring Meroe Pyramids, witness of a great civilization that once ruled this part of the world. picnic lunch Hilton Hotel (Khartoum) DAYS 18 and 19: Khartoum Aswan Luxor Cairo/EGYPT We are now following the last theme of this unique experience across Africa: the great river looking like a snake cutting the desert in 2 parts and bringing life to an otherwise arid terrain. Beautiful indeed to admire the Nile River and the Nasser Lake from high above! After admiring them from the top, we land and visit briefly some of the most fascinating archaeological sites of Egypt: Luxor and the temples and tombs on the east and west banks. Local authorities permitting, we will then continue towards the Red Sea to admire from the air the fascinating colours of the coral reefs offshore Hurgada. Then along the Sinai Peninsula just before the mouth of the Suez Canal and eventually to Cairo, our destination, with possibly a glimpse from the air of the symbosl of this country: the Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx! in restaurants first class hotels in Luxor and Cairo

5 DAY 20: Cairo out After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the international flight, individually arranged. free, clients own expense free, clients own expense We have embraced more than 6,000 miles of earth from the air, we have longitudinally traversed a whole continent, we have crossed the Equator and the 2 Tropics, we have bonded the 2 hemispheres, we have observed 10 countries in order to discover the different faces of this varied continent - with its diverse differences-, we have linked the snows of Kilimanjaro with the Namib and the Sahara deserts via the Rift Valley,. We have flown across Africa! ACCOMODATION Cape Town (RSA) Mount Nelson hotel or similar Sesriem (NAM) - Wolwedans Dune Lodge (10 spacious tented chalet on stilts with private bathroom, perfectly hidden in the dunes landscape; superb view) or similar Okavango Delta (BOT) - Kwetsani Camp (6 tents ensuite and a comfortable main complex) or similar Livingstone (ZAM) The Royal Livingstone Hotel (deluxe hotel on the Zambezi river within walking distance from the falls) Ruaha N.P. (TNZ) Jongomero camp or similar Serengeti N.P. (TNZ) Sayari Lodge or similar Virunga Volcanoes N.P. (RW) Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge or similar Lake Turkana (KEN) Oasis Lodge; rustic lodge, only available Gonder (ET) Axum Hotel, rustic best available Lalibela (ET) Roha hotel, rustic best available Khartoum (SUD) Hilton Hotel Luxor (EGY) Old Winter Palace or similar Cairo (EGY) Mena House Oberoi or similar INCLUSIONS: Assistance at the airport upon arrival/departure Airport transfers All meals as described, unless specified Free: clients own expense Accommodation in standard double rooms/permanent tents/bungalows, as per itinerary All sightseeing flights by Cessna 208 plane, 4WDs and boats; transfers in Minibuses 18 days of flying safaris with experienced pilot/guide English, German speaking guide; Italian, French speaking guide on request Entrance fees to parks and protected areas First Aid and rescue services All service charges and taxes EXCLUSIONS: International flights to/from Cape Town and Cairo Any meals or sightseeing tours other than those specified Beverages and mineral water Tips for drivers, guides and hotel staff Any item of personal nature such as phone calls, laundry, etc. Personal and holiday insurance Visa fees and any airport departure taxes Whatever is not stated in above itinerary IMPORTANT All our trips are designed to be flexible so that we can adapt to weather conditions, focus on the group s interests, and take advantage of wildlife sighting opportunities that abound at this time of year. We enjoy the grandeur of the vast wilderness.