DAY 1 & 2
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
Our adventure around Southern Africa starts in Johannesburg, thevibrant heart of South Africa and home to Cirrus SA. Take Day 1 toacclimatize to your surroundings and adjust to the new time zone. We will meet in the evening for a group dinner at the hotel to meet your fellow travellers and discuss our onward journey.
The following morning we will head over to Cirrus SA at Lanseria Airport. During the morning we will meet the Cirrus team, including your personal instructor for the trip. We’ll learn about flying in African airspace, crossing the borders into the different countries we will be visiting and clearing customs once we land.
After lunch at Cirrus SA we will meet our SR22 aircraft and complete any documentation needed for the trip. After our full day at Cirrus SA we will take transport back to the hotel.
Dinner this evening will be at the renowned DW-Eleven 13 restaurant. Enjoy delicious cuisine and build your excitement for next 10 days.
DAY 3
JOHANNESBURG & MOZAMBIQUE
Today we leave Johannesburg and head for the white sands and turquoise waters of the Mozambique coast. Breakfast will be at the hotel before we transport you and your luggage to Lanseria Airport (FALA). Here we’ll hold a pre-flight brief, load our aircarft and complete final checks before take off.
From Lanseria Airport we are travelling to Vilakulos International Airport, Mozambique (FQVL). We will land here to clear customs and refuel before a short flight across the water to Bazaruto Island. We will land and park our aircraft at our resort’s private airstrip.
Our beautiful home for the next 3 days is Amantara, Bazaruto Island. Wake up to endless ocean views and fall asleep to the sound of the waves in your Ocean Front Villa.
Dinner this evening will be at the resort. Indulge in freshly caught seafood from today’s catch and soak up the last rays as the sun sets into the ocean.
DAY 4
BAZARUTO ISLAND, MOZAMBIQUE
Rise and shine! Today we take to the water for a day of discovery, floating on Mozambique’s beautiful blue ocean.
On our half-day Ocean Safari we will encounter Mozambique’s weird & wonderful marine life including Leatherback, Loggerhead & Green Sea turtles, playful Dolphins and the rare & elusive Dugong. Back on dry land we will bury our feet in the sand and refuel with an island picnic lunch. Lastly we’ll visit the Bazaruto Archipelago, a 2 mile reef home to over 2000 species of fish. Take this chance to snorkel and discover a rainbow of sea creatures in their natural habitat.
We will return to Amantara mid-afternoon - the next few hours are yours to relax.
For dinner we will meet again as a group and dine at the resort.
DAY 5
BAZARUTO ISLAND, MOZAMBIQUE
On Day 5, we will leave you to your own devices. The resort has many activities to busy yourself with; return to the water for big game fishing, guided diving & snorkelling experiences or keep dry with a cooking class, horse back riding or dune boarding.
This evening we will gather on the sand for our final dinner on Bazaruto Island. Tonight’s dinner will be a private table set up for us on the beach itself. Raise a toast to the sunset and get ready for our onward journey into the Okavango Delta.
DAY 6
MOZAMBIQUE & BOTSWANA
Today we say goodbye to the scenic Mozambique coast and continue our adventure inland. We’ll hold a breakfast briefing at the resort to discuss today’s journey, check weather and file flight plans. We’ll then take transportation to the airstrip and prepare to depart for Botswana.
Flying will take up a large portion of today, and a boxed lunch will be provide for you and your partner. First we will leave Bazaruto Island and fly over Zimbabwe before landing in Botswana at P. G. Matante Airport (FBFT). Here we will refuel and clear customs before continuing on to Maun Airport (FBMN). After Maun we will take a short flight to our Okavango Delta airstrip. Private transport will take us from the airstrip to our exclusive, tented accommodation at Xaranna Okavango Delta Lodge.
After check in you will have time to rest in your tent, unwind in your private plunge pool or relax with a drink at the bar.
We’ll dine together tonight at the Lodge with delicious local food and wine.
DAY 7
OKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANA
As you awaken to the rising sun and sounds of the Delta, get ready for you first full day in Botswana’s Safari paradise. We’ll meet before breakfast for an early morning Safari Game Drive, venturing in to the Delta with our guide to find our animal neighbours including lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs and hyenas. In additional to the big animals, the Delta is home to over 500 species of bird and 85 species of fish.
On return to Xaranna Lodge we’ll be welcomed with a hearty breakfast spread.
With an abundance of activites to choose from, you decide how much you want to pack into your day. Explore the waters with guided boat and canoe tours or take to the skies and discover the Delta in a private helicopter. Lunch is served at the Lodge whenever you’re ready.
For dinner tonight we’ll meet again at the Lodge. Swap stories of your days adventures with others - you may discover what you want to do tomorrow!
DAY 8
OKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANA
Today is our last full day in the Okavango Delta and time to embark on any activities you want to take part in before we leave tomorrow.
If you’d like to stay at the Delta and explore the area more, the staff at Xaranna Lodge are happy to assist and accommodate your plans.
For those looking for adventure outside the Delta, we can offer a flying day trip to Victoria Falls. This is an all day experience and will include lunch at Victoria Falls Hotel and a guided walking tour of Victoria Falls. You will be flying there and back in your Cirrus aircraft and we will need to stop in Maun to refuel on our return journey as there are no fuel facilites at the Xaranna Lodge airstrip. You willll be back in time for our evening activity and meal.
This evening we will embark on an Evening Safari Game Drive, discovering the Delta’s wildlife as the sun sets. Dinner will be served after the Safari in the bush.
DAY 9
BOTSWANA & NAMIBIA
Today we swap the water-rich lands of the Okavango Delta for the expansive Sossusvlei Desert. We will have a breakfast briefing at the Lodge before our transport takes us over to the airstrip to load up our aircraft.
We’ll depart the airstrip for Eros Airport (FYWE) in Windhoek, Namibia’s capital city. Here we’ll clear customs and refuel. The last flight of our day is a short one, over the Sossusvlei Desert before we land at desert lodge airstrip. Here we’ll tie down our aircraft and be transported to our scenic accommodation, Sossusvlei Desert Lodge. After check in, relax after a long day of flying and drink up those beautiful desert views!
Dinner tonight will be held at the Lodge, followed by a guided stargazing experience at the Lodge’s private observatory with the resident astromomer. With no light polution for miles around, the Reserve’s sky is one of the darkest measured in the world and an unforgettable opportunity to get lost in the wonder of the African night sky.
DAY 10
SOSSUSVLEI DESERT, NAMIBIA
This morning we wake early and explore the Sossusvlei Desert from the sky. Floating over the dunes in a hot air balloon, our guide will steer us over the dunes and towards the striking sunrise. We will land in the desert and enjoy a champagne breakfast with our feet in the sand and the suns rays gently warming the air.
Upon return to the Lodge, we will leave you to relax and enjoy the day however you please. The temperatures rise during the day, so you may wish to seek comfort in the shade, cool off in the pool or treat yourself to a spa treatment. If your feet are restless and you wish to explore further, guided hikes are available to discover the surrounding landscape.
With the sun starting to set, we will venture out on an evening Safari Game Drive. We’ll discover the famous big game and fascinating bird species of the desert in the cooler evening air.
We’ll return for dinner at the Lodge and settle in for an early night, ready for a full day of flying tomorrow.
DAY 11
NAMIBIA & SOUTH AFRICA
Today we journey back into civilsation and make for Cape Town, South Africa. We’ll have our breakfast briefing at the Lodge before being transported over to the airstrip. From here we’ll depart for Lüderitz Airport (FYLZ) or Namibia’s border with South Africa. Don’t forget to take in the magnificent views as we fly South over the Namib Desert.
At Lüderitz we will clear customs into South Africa and refuel. The last flying section of our day will be to Cape Town International Airport (FACT). Our flights today will take up a few hours and a boxed lunch will be provided for everyone. Once we have safely landed in Cape Town you can wave goodbye to your aircraft and instructor as this is where we will leave them for this adventure. We’ll be transported to our accommodation, the highly acclaimed The Silo hotel.
After our long day of travelling, this evening will be yours to do as you please. The SIlo has several fantastic restaurants to choose from, or the concierge can arrange transportation to take you into Cape Town.
DAY 12 & 13
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
Today we celebrate our last full day together with wine and food. There’s no early start this morning as we will meet late morning in the lobby to start our Stellenbosch wine tour.
Our guided tour will take us to three of the region’s finest vineyards, touring the cellars and vineyards and stopping for a delicious winemaker’s lunch. Each location will have a chance to sample and enjoy wines while enjoying the sweeping views of the vineyards.
For our last evening we will dine together at the hotel. Indulge in delectable local cuisine and exchange stories from our trip. We have all had quite the adventure!
Tomorrow marks the end of our Southern Africa Adventure. For those travelling home from Cape Town, we can arrange transport to take you to the airport for your flight. If you wish to extend your stay please let us know if we can assist you with your plans.
Included in this trip
All accommodation:
2 nights in Johannesburg
3 nights in Bazaruto Island, Mozambique
3 nights in Okavango Delta, Botswana
2 nights in Sossusvlei Desert, Namibia
2 nights in Cape Town, South Africa
SR22 aircraft rental
Cirrus instructor in your aircraft
Fuel
Airport fees
Ground transportation
All meals unless specified
All group activities listed in brochure
*Additional activities are available through the resorts
**A Cirrus instructor is available for hire
WEATHER/REFUND POLICY:
The Flight Academy will not fly or sanction flight in weather that is unsafe or for which the Cirrus is not rated. The weather at our departure location and our destination must be above published minimums in order for us to launch.
In the event weather does not permit a flight to take place as scheduled, the Flight Academy will attempt to find an alternate route that allows for a safe execution of the flight. If the weather causes the trip to be cancelled, no refund will be offered. Any additional expenses incurred during the trip due to foul weather will be the responsibility of the customer.
Please note that deposits are non-refundable.