SOUTH AFRICA: THE COMPREHENSIVE TOUR

Itinerary

Day 1-2, Sunday-Monday: Home - Johannesburg - Blyde River Canyon

We meet our guide in Johannesburg from where we’ll board our coach for the drive to Mpumalanga Province, renowned for its amazing scenery and multitude of spectacular waterfalls. We’ll spend the night in the area.

Day 3, Tuesday: Blyde River Canyon - Kruger National Park

After breakfast we'll depart to view some of the panoramic landscapes in the area: the Blyde River Canyon, God's Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes, and other astounding viewing areas where we will marvel at the endless African landscapes. We'll make a stop at Lone Creek Falls and at "Pilgrim's Rest" where South Africa's Gold Rush peaked. In the evening we'll make our way to our lodge in the Kruger National Park, the most famous game reserve in the world. Here we'll prepare for dinner and overnight in the game reserve.

Day 4, Wednesday: Kruger National Park - Cape Town

With early light we'll undertake our main open-vehicle safari excursion in search of "the Big Five": Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Buffalo – as well as other wild game in the reserve. With this spectacle in our minds, we'll depart for our flight to another one of nature's great beauties: Cape Town, Mother City of South Africa. Cape Town, situated in the south western corner of the African continent, was the first white colony on the continent. In the middle of the 17th century, the Dutch East India Company established there a service station for its ships traversing the continent on their way to the East, and the city grew from there. The city's architecture is mixed: Dutch, British-Victorian and African, with Islamic elements that came with the arrival in Cape Town of Slaves from Malaysia.

Day 5, Thursday: Cape Town – Cape of Good Hope

Today we'll head out to the nature reserve at the Cape of Good Hope, which is within easy driving distance of the city. A wild, rocky coastline lies at the foot of the green vegetation-filled mountains of the Cape. The drive is breathtaking, and we'll stop along the way and various lookout points, such as Chapman's peak, Hout Bay, and others. The Cape of Good Hope is a must-see destination for anyone who as ever read books of ocean-going seafarers who discovered the main navigable sea routes that serve the marine world to this very day. At the tip of the Cape of Good Hope, is Cape point, meeting place of the Atlantic and Indian oceans. Our return to Cape Town will be via the penguin settlement at The Boulders; Simonstown, home to South Africa's navy; and Muizenberg, once South Africa Jewry's premier summer destination (which was nicknamed "Jewsenberg.")

Day 6, Friday: Cape Town – Table Mountain

Today we'll take the cable car to the top of famous Table Mountain for a magnificent view of the city and the Cape Peninsula (weather permitting). Then we will visit the city's central sites. We will take a stroll through the Muslim quarter, visit the "gardens" and the first synagogue. In the late afternoon we return to the hotel to prepare for Shabbat. Prayers and meals follow.

Day 7, Shabbat: Cape Town

After Shabbat services and lunch we'll take a walking tour of the area.

Day 8, Sunday: Cape Town – Garden Route - Oudtshoorn

After breakfast we drive towards Garden Route, one of the most beautiful ways in South Africa. We will also visit Bartolomue Dias Museum. We continue to Oudtshoorn, the largest city in the "little Karoo" area. The city is called "Little Jerusalem" due to the Jewish community that thrived here in the past. While there you won't be able to avoid running into some Ostrich. These animals roam the area by the thousands.

Day 9, Monday: Oudtshoorn – Congo Caves - Nicene

Today we visit the famous Congo Caves, which are considered a fascinating geological phenomenon with its stalagmites and stalactites, and were first opened to the public in 1981. We also visit the local museum which has a separate wing dedicated to the large Jewish community that lived here in the turn of the 20th century. We will also visit an extinct animal's farm. Outanika Mountains pass towards Nicene. This beautiful little town is dubbed "the diamond of the garden route", and boasts a large impressive lagoon.

Day 10, Tuesday: Nicene – Plettenberg Bay – Port Elizabeth - Johannesburg

After breakfast we head out to a resort the lays on Plattenberg Bay. We visit the chichikama forest natural reserve, which is situated at the coast of the Indian Ocean. We stroll through the spectacular reserve via a magical forest. At the end of the tour we head to Port Elizabeth, and from there we fly to Johannesburg. The city has a developed Jewish center, Kosher restaurants, and many shuls.

Day 11, Wednesday: Johannesburg – Tel Aviv

Today we leave to the airport where we board a flight back to Tel Aviv.

Continuing to Victoria Falls

Day 11, Wednesday: Johannesburg – Victoria Falls

This morning we'll make our way to Johannesburg International Airport for our flight to Victoria Falls, on the border between Zambia & Zimbabwe. In the evening we'll take in a lively local folklore show describing African tribal life.

Day 12, Thursday: Victoria Falls – Johannesburg – Tel Aviv

Today we head out to see the Great Victoria falls, which plummet from a great height into narrow ravine. At the end of the tour we head back to Johannesburg. We continue on a flight back to Israel.

Day 13, Friday: Tel Aviv

Our arrival to Tel Aviv is in the early hours of the morning. Welcome home.

Price Includes

• International and Domestic Flights
• First tourist class hotels or the best available locally
• International Airport and security taxes
• Comfortable air-conditioned touring coach for travelling
• Kosher half-board daily
• Professional, experienced Israeli guide
• Local English-speaking Guide as required
• Entrance to all sites & safari mentioned in the tour plan

Price Excludes

• Domestic Airport taxes abroad
• Visa to Zimbabua
• Travel and baggage Insurance
• Evening entertainment that are not included in the tour plan
• Personal expenses
• Tips for local service providers: $110 for 11 days / $120 for 13 days
• Changes in air fares due to increases in fuel, airport tax and security tax surcharges
• Tip for Israeli guide (Recommended: $3 per person per day)

Important To Know
There may be changes to the schedule and hotel reservations dependent upon international and domestic flights. We will make every effort to visit every place mentioned in the itinerary. In any event of fault relating to flights, cruises, sailings or other mode of transportation, the responsibility lies with the service provider alone.

Day of departure and arrival are included in the total days of the tour. Insurance is required for 13 days.

Insurance
We urge all passengers to purchase travel and cancellation insurance immediately upon registration for the tour. This ensures a refund of expenses in case of cancellation due to illness or death of a close relative.


Date And Prices

Tour code	Start date	End Date	Days	Price	Single supplement	Comments
ESOA1312	1/3/2010	1/16/2010	13	4550 $	590 $

Terms

More than 30 working days prior to departure: $47 per passenger registration fee only
More than 30 working days prior to departure: $47 per passenger registration fee only
14-30 working days prior to departure: $500 + $47 per passenger
7-13 working days prior to departure: $1000 + $47 per passenger
0-6 working days prior to departure: Passenger will be liable for full payment of all expenses connected to the tour (including visas, etc.)

Fridays, Shabbat and Holidays (including Chol Hamoed in Israel), and Sundays and Public Holidays abroad are not considered working days. If flight tickets have already been issued and/or any other services have already been purchased (visas, etc.) their costs will be added to the cancellation penalties mentioned above.

We are obliged to purchase domestic flights ahead of time. These tickets are not refundable and therefore their cost will be added to all cancellation penalties.

Prices are subject to currency fluctuations, flight tariffs and cost of land services.