 August 25 - September 4, 2011 -
11 days Cape Town, Luxury Safari, and Victoria Falls from $7,599*
See the most beautiful creatures you've ever seen in your life. Watch, in fascination, at a myriad of mating rituals. Eat breakfast next to a wild beast having his night's hunt just a few feet away from you. And, that's just the gay scene in Cape Town! You also get to experience a 3 day all-inclusive safari in your own 5 star luxurious chalet.
It seems like everyone you know has been on a safari. Now it's your turn! Enjoying a gourmet dinner under the African sky and stars after an exhilarating safari is something you will take with you the rest of your life.
Once in Cape Town, you will be amazed by the beauty of the city, its fun beach scene, and attractive, active nightlife. In fact, The Travel Channel named Cape Town's Clifton Beach one of the world's best beaches!
During your visit to Victoria Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world, where you will see the great power of water, firsthand.
From wine tours to exotic game drives, to the finest accommodations, Zoom Vacations will give you the time of your life in Cape Town, in world-famous Victria Falls, and in Kruger at a safari you will never forget! Oh, and be sure to bring an extra travel bag. The dollar still goes far in Southern Africa, and the fine local crafts will bring out the "shopper" in anyone!
Package Highlights
• Fully escorted with the services of a Zoom Vacations Concierge throughout the trip.
 In Cape Town...
• Accommodations at the stylish and gay-friendly, brand new Taj Hotel Cape Town
• A Unique Welcome Sunset Cocktail Reception
• Wine tasting in the vineyards of the Wine Valley with a gourmet lunch!
• Breakfast daily
• Cape Peninsula excursion
• Table Mountain excursion
• All land and Zoom Vacations event transfers
 Safari Highlights...
• Services of a Zoom Vacations Concierge throughout the trip
• Accommodations at the 5 Star Sabi Sabi Selati Camp Safari Lodge, in Kruger National Park.
• 2 Daily 4x4 game drives including Brunch in the Bush
• Open bar highlighting South African wines, beers and spirits
• All gourmet meals at the Sabi Sabi Little Bush Camp Safari Lodge:
Breakfast
Morning Tea
Lunch
Afternoon Tea
Dinner
• A sumptuous private dinner under the African sky and stars in a boma (open reed structure)
• All airport transfers to and from the Sabi Sabi Little Bush Camp Safari Lodge
 Victoria Falls Highlights...
• 5 Star accommodations right on the Falls!
• All elephant back safari
• Elegant "bush" dinner on the banks of the Zambezi River
• Land transfers to Airports
• Optional whitewater rafting
Available Add-on Trips to Make the Most of Your Stay:
• Blue Train to Cape Town
• Bostwana Adventure
• Pamper Yourself in Mozambique
Gay South Africa Tour Itinerary
Limited to a small group of guests, ZOOM SOUTHERN AFRICA embodies all the elements of a perfect Southern Africa vacation: the beaches and nightlife of cosmopolitan Cape Town, the delectable wine country, the exhilarating Big Five game viewing at Kruger National Park from the terrace of your deluxe tented chalet or a Range Rover, bustling Johannesburg, and stunning Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Plus, your dedicated Zoom Concierge is there to make sure your trip is nothing short of spectacular. You will enjoy the best hotels and custom activities you have come to expect from a Zoom Vacations trip. Learn for yourself why Zoom Vacations was voted favorite small tour operator by the readers of
Out Traveler Magazine and voted Best Small Tour Operator by PlanetOut.
Day 1 - Cape Town
Arrival in Cape Town. Transfer in a Mercedes sedan to the Taj Hotel.
Cape Town's history goes back almost 400 years. Located at the base of majestic Table Mountain, at the tip of Africa, Cape Town is a dynamic and cosmopolitan city of abundant natural beauty. Blessed with some of the most beautiful golden beaches in the Southern Hemisphere, Cape Town enjoys year-round sunshine and a Mediterranean climate.
Join us for a welcome cocktail reception and dinner at one of the best restaurants in Cape Town.
Accommodations: Taj Hote, Cape Town, 5 Stars
Meals Included: Welcome cocktail reception and dinner
Day 2 - Cape Town
Morning taste of Cape Town city tour with our own personal expert guide, including visits to Table Mountain by cable car to see a panoramic view of the city, stunning Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, the world-class Two Oceans Aquarium which showcases the incredible diversity of marine life found in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. We end at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront marina and shopping complex to explore this cosmopolitan shopping playground. Evening is at leisure to explore one of Cape Town's fantastic restaurants, and its nightlife.
Accommodations: Taj Hote, Cape Town, 5 Stars
Meals Included: Buffet breakfast
Day 3 - Cape Town & Cape Penninsula Experience
Buffet Breakfast at the hotel and depart for a full day experience to the Cape Peninsula and the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, an area known for its beautiful scenery. We travel along False Bay and stop at Simonstown to visit Boulders beach, home to the endangered African penguin colony. We then head to Cape Point Nature Reserve and have some time to view the general geographic spot where it is said the two great oceans meet, and maybe even see the rare and cuddly Bontebok, a small furry animal who makes the peninsula its home. On our way back, we stop for lunch at a gourmet restaurant personally recommended by none other than celebrity chef Art Smith. Evening is at leisure to explore one of Cape Town's fantastic restaurants.
Accommodations: Taj Hote, Cape Town, 5 Stars
Meals Included: Buffet breakfast and lunch
Day 4 - Cape Town & Wine Valley Experience
Buffet Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, we take a short driver to South Africa's famous Wine Valley, for a wine tasting experience with and expert sommelier and unforgettable lunch at one of the most famous gourmet restaurants in all of Africa. It boasts expansive views of the wine valley vineyards, and even carries its own private wine label. We will have some time to walk through the charming wine village of Franschhoek and do some shopping in the numerous boutiques, confectionaries, and craft and antique shops before heading back to Cape Town.
Accommodations: Taj Hote, Cape Town, 5 Stars
Meals Included: Buffet breakfast and lunch
Day 5 - Kruger National Park
Buffet Breakfast in hotel and airport transfer for flight to Kruger National Park.
Arrival in Kruger National Park and transfer to our uniquely small and luxurious safari lodge experience, Sabi Sabi Camp where you will stay in a luxury tented chalet. Sabi Sabi Selati Camp is part of the award-winning Sabi Sabi family ans will be our exclusive home during our safari. Having the camp exclusively means more freedom to be yourself, more room to spread out, and more flexibility to follow your own pace. The lodge is located in the Sabi Sands, one of the best areas for spotting leopards, lions, water buffalos, rhinos, giraffes, hippos, elephants, hyenas, zebras, springbok, monkeys, and wild boars.
After check-in, relax in your deluxe tented chalet or by the swimming pool before afternoon tea. You are also invited for a late afternoon game drive before dinner.
Accommodations: Sabi Sabi Selati Camp, 5 Stars
Meals Included: Afternoon tea, dinner, and domestic open bar
Day 6 - Kruger National Park
Wake up at dawn and depart for your second game drive to catch the animals you may have missed the day before. The morning is one of the best times to see animals as they wind down their nighttime hunting, as well as understanding the process of nature waking up – the grass is fresh and humid, the birds are singing and the impalas are grazing along the plain. Return to the Lodge for Buffet Breakfast. A light lunch is served. Relax by the swimming pool before the afternoon game drive.
Tonight we will offer an exclusive pre dinner performance. Bring your camera, and watch as the beauty of Africa unfolds before you.
Accommodations: Sabi Sabi Selati Camp, 5 Stars
Meals Included: Buffet breakfast, lunch, dinner, and domestic open bar
Day 7 - Kruger National Park
Today, we will experience a range of game viewing, including an early "Bush Walk" with your professional game ranger. Bush Walks include informative chats about grasses, trees, wild flowers and animals. You will return to the Lodge and are free relax by the swimming pool before the afternoon game drive in a Range Rover for a game drive and bush walk with your professional game ranger, in the late afternoon when the day cools down. Before you depart, however, you will have time to enjoy some tea or coffee and local patisseries. Perhaps you may want to enjoy a cocktail in the bush and you can enjoy the tranquility of the nature while your professional game ranger helps you look for the animals. Back at the lodge they are preparing a sumptuous dinner to be served under the African sky and a million stars.
Accommodations: Sabi Sabi Selati Camp, 5 Stars
Meals Included: Buffet breakfast, lunch, dinner, and domestic open bar
Day 8 - Johannesburg
Buffet Breakfast in hotel and land transfer to the airport for flight to Johannesburg. Land transfer upon arrival in Johannesburg and afternoon tour of the Apartheid Museum, a moving historical experience that helps explain modern day South African society. Afternoon check in to Tem Bompas Hotel. The philosophy behind the design is to create a luxurious contemporary boutique hotel in Africa with gentle curves and geometric forms that create an air of sanity and tranquility.
The common areas of the hotel comprise various sitting and meeting areas, an award winning restaurant, glass fronted wine cellar and more.
Accommodations: Tem Bompas Hotel, Johannesburg, 5 Stars, Boutique, Suite
Meals Included: Buffet breakfast
Day 9 - Victoria Falls
Buffet Breakfast in hotel and land transfer to the airport. Upon arrival we will be transferred to the hotel by water taxi. Afternoon cocktails overlooking Victoria Falls and private guided tour of Victoria Falls with a local expert on both this UNESCO World Heritage Site and the person who "discovered" them, David Livingstone. Dinner at leisure.
Accommodations: Royal Livingstone Hotel, 5 Stars
Meals Included: Buffet breakfast
Day 10 - Victoria Falls
Optional white water rafting trip on the mighty Zambezi River Gorge, considered one of the world's greatest whitewater rafting adventures. Get ready for a very wet and adrenalin filled day. The rapids are all grade 4 and 5, making for big white water. Calm pools of water separate the rapids, perfect for catching your breath and admiring the spectacular scenery around and above you. Alternatively, if you prefer to fly rather than raft, you may choose take a helicopter ride above the falls and rapids of the Zambezi River. This is an experience to remember. This afternoon, enjoy a unique safari through the African bush, all from the heady heights of your own African elephant! Upon arrival, you will be introduced to your induna (elephant carer) and the elephants themselves. On mounting the elephants the safari begins – view game while riding game, savoring the experience of crashing through the African bush atop a gigantic pachyderm. Bring your camera!
Tonight, we have prepared a special farewell dinner on the banks of the Zambezi River which blends African tradition, nature, and authentic cuisine in an ethereal atmosphere. A Zoom Signature Event, just for you, our guest!
Accommodations: Royal Livingstone Hotel, 5 Stars
Meals Included: Buffet breakfast and farewell dinner
Day 11 - South Africa Departure
Buffet Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to airport in time for the domestic flight to Johannesburg to make your international flight back home. Or you may choose to take an optional voyage from Victoria Falls to Pretoria on the most luxurious train in the world, the Rovos Rail, spend a few days in Botswana's romantic Okavango Delta, or at the exciting Palace of the Lost City at Sun City in South Africa.
Accommodations: Royal Livingstone Hotel, 5 Stars
Meals Included: Buffet breakfast and farewell dinner
Luxury Accommodations
Cape Town
Taj Hotel
Cape Town's newest 5 star hotel. 4 nights in luxury rooms
 The TAJ Cape Town is a combination of rich history and elegant contemporary architecture. Originally home to the South African Reserve Bank and Temple Chambers, later the Board of Executors (BOE), it successfully combines the heritage of the old with the luxury of the new.
This five-star hotel is ideally located in the centre of historic Cape Town at the entrance to the famous pedestrian precinct, St George's Mall. Its prime site ensures that the TAJ Cape Town is perfectly situated for those looking to discover authentic Cape Town; and its blend of fascinating history, exotic culture, soulful art, lively entertainment and delectable cuisine.
The historic structure of the TAJ Cape Town is home to the Heritage Rooms and Suites, Tower Rooms and Suites, The Presidential Suite and the TAJ Club. These 177 exquisite rooms offer guests old-world quality complemented by modern features and luxury amenities.
Safari
Sabi Sabi Selati Camp Safari Lodge
5 Star, Deluxe Chalet, 3 nights, Deluxe Chalet
 Imagine the Africa of the great safari era, when blazing sunsets melted into lantern lit romance and service was an effortless whisper. This is the Africa you will experience at Sabi Sabi's Selati Camp, our award winning luxury game lodge in South Africa.
Sabi Sabi's intimate all-suite Selati Camp is the most unforgettable of all African experiences. It offers the perfect accommodation for travellers looking for a romantic luxury safari lodge in South Africa. Selati is furnished with a colonial charm and is meticulously created as an authentic home in the bush. Nights at Selati are quiet, intimate and possessed of a rare magic. Under the spectacular canopy of the Southern night sky the camp is still romantically lit by the gentle flicker of oil lamps and lanterns, and the warm glow of fires.
 Fashioned in a colonial "Out of Africa" style, this exclusive lodge comprises eight opulent thatched suites, each with full bathroom en-suite and private alfresco shower nestled under majestic indigenous trees. World-class cuisine is served on wooden thatched decks built alongside the Msuthlu riverbed, in the open air "boma" or in the "farmhouse kitchen". Romantic mosquito nets draped over the comfortable beds and beautiful wooden finishes complete the picture of an exclusive safari getaway.
Delicious dinners eaten outside under gently lit trees are a wonderful experience loved by all.
This jewel of the South African bushveld boasts all of the features associated with an exceptional safari lodge - beautiful setting, excellent cuisine and abundant wildlife. Oh, and of course, air-conditioning.
Victoria Falls
The Royal Livingstone Hotel
2 nights
 For the more discerning traveller in search of luxury, extravagance and sheer indulgence, there can be no better place than the Royal Livingstone Hotel. Set in the lush riverine belt and touching the banks of the great Zambezi River, this earthly paradise provides a serene haven at the most magical place in Africa. It's a place that will ignite your heart and soothe your soul, where you can enjoy the incredible majesty of Africa and witness one of the greatest natural wonders of the world. The Royal Livingstone Hotel captures the charms of a bygone era, indulges your every fantasy and enables you to experience a new level of utter comfort and sophistication at the Victoria Falls.
The Royal Livingstone will immerse you in the romance and style of a bygone era. Bathed in the shade of Acacia trees, the raw splendour of the bush blends perfectly with luxurious living. Luxuriate in the sophisticated harmony of antique and ethnic décor, superb cuisine and personalised service. Every detail of this 5-star luxury hotel captures the opulence and elegance of times gone, while echoing the stunning diversity of the African bush.
Johannesburg
 Ten Bompas Boutique Hotel
1 night
The Ten Bompas Hotel is a haven of sanity and tranquility for the true individual. Ten Bompas is enriched with eye-catching focal points in the form of contemporary African art and sculpture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions, specific to our trip to South Africa.
Do I need a visa to travel to South Africa?
If you are traveling from the States, you will not need a visa to travel to South Africa, but you will need a visa to travel Zambia, where we will visit Victoria Falls. Zoom Vacations will obtain your visa for you.
Into which airport do I need to fly?
You need to fly into the Cape Town International Airport (CPT).
Out which airport do I need to fly for my return?
Ideally, you should fly out of Livingston (LVI). The other option is to fly out of the Johannesburg International Airport (JNB) which is a 1.5 hour flight from Livingstone. Give us a message, and we will help you book the correct flights.
What day should I depart my home country?
You must depart your home country for arrival into Cape Town on August 25th. Travelers departing the States will usually leave the evening of August 24th, but this depends on your individual routing.
Can HappyGay Travel & Zoom book extra days for me at the beginning or end of this trip?
Absolutely! Simply let us know the amount of days you need at the beginning and/or end of the trip, and we will book the nights you need (additional room night charges will apply).
If I am traveling as a single, does Zoom offer a roommate pairing program for South Africa?
Because of the limited spots on our South Africa trip, we cannot guarantee a share will be available. However, we can place a temporary reservation for you, and advise you when we have another single in need of a roommate.
May I travel as a single without a roommate?
Absolutely, you may travel as a single and pay a single supplement, which varies depending on your time of booking.
How do we get from Cape Town to the Safari Lodge and then to Johannesburg and Victoria Falls?
Zoom Vacations will book flights throughout South Africa and Zambia. Flight prices vary depending on time of booking.
What is the fitness level required for this trip?
This trip is easily accessible to a variety of fitness levels. None of our included activities require a high degree of athletic skill. However, your optional activities will give you the opportunity to make your vacation as active and/or adventuresome as you choose.
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