This tour is primarily for Unity of Santa Fe’s spiritual community. If you’re interested in joining this tour, please email: karen@spirit.tours.
South Africa offers an exotic combination of landscapes, people, history, and culture. On this spiritual journey we explore Cape Town and visit Nelson Mandela’s cell on Robben Island, venture to the most southwest corner of the African continent, take a cable car to the top of Table Mountain, and visit one of the most exquisite botanical gardens in the world. Fly to Kruger National Park for 3-nights & 4-days of game viewing at the luxurious Ngala Private Game Reserve.
Nothing can prepare you for what you’ll experience in South Africa. You are sure to be moved to tears by hearing South Africa’s stories, taking in her beauty, and being up close to beloved animals in the wild.
In partnership with Spirit Tours, you get to travel in an open, relaxed, and luxurious state, knowing that all the details are taken care of! Enjoy spiritual transformation and be surrounded by loving, like-minded travelers as you experience what South Africa has to offer.
Passcode: 9n=5zgya
Arrive in Cape Town and transfer to the five-star Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront which has a distinctly maritime feel and sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean, the bustling marina and South Africa’s majestic landmark, Table Mountain. The hotel is a short walk away from Victoria and Alfred shopping complex. Enjoy delicious dishes at their outdoor restaurant, unwind with a cocktail at their rim-flow pool, offering incredible ocean views. Feel your tension melt away at the Amani Spa, a stunning place where you can rest and relax.
Upon arrival, you’ll have time to get settled in, enjoy the view, and begin to appreciate this resort’s location.
After breakfast and our first group meeting, we catch ferry to Robben Island, previously used to house political prisoners. This is where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years. A guided tour on the island provides special insights into the conditions under which the political prisoners were held, as well as their struggle against apartheid. The highlights are the stories and the visit to the prison cell of Nelson Mandela, who later became the democratically, elected President of South Africa.
This evening we visit the GOLD Restaurant for our Welcome Dinner. An authentic African experience. So much more than just an African restaurant, it is an immersive experience that takes you on a 14-dish “taste-safari” paired with traditional Mali puppets and entertainment.
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch
We take a scenic tour from the city center to the southwestern tip of Africa, Cape Point, one of the world’s most beautiful drives. This is where two oceans meet! We see magnificent beaches, breathtaking views, and historic & picturesque coastal villages along this beautiful drive. We travel through Camps Bay, Haut Bay and along the Atlantic seaboard stopping at LLandudno Lookout Point. We travel through Silvermine Bay Nature Reserve and the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve – which has magnificent vegetation, birdlife, endemic antelope species, zebra, historic lighthouses, and shipwrecks. On the return trip, we have lunch at the Seaforth Restaurant, located at the beautiful Bolders Beach. Then, we visit an African penguin colony!
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch
We take an early morning tour of Table Mountain, a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town. It’s now considered one of the new 7-wonders of nature. The mountain forms part of the Table Mountain National Park. We take the 65-passenger cable car ride from Tafleberg Road to the top (3,563 feet), where we enjoy spectacular views in all directions and discover what this magnificent place has to offer each of us.
We then have lunch together at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens before strolling through the gardens on our own. The gardens are a celebration of South African flora, showcasing only indigenous South Africa plants. It’s acclaimed as one of the great botanical gardens of the world. Rolling lawns are intermingled with streams, ponds, and well laid out pathways for easy walking. A great variety of birds inhabit the gardens and the sweeping views from the upper slopes are spectacular. Plus, it’s a must to walk on the Tree Canopy Walkway!
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch
We leave our hotel early for our flight to Kruger National Park. After arriving, we transfer to the Ngala Private Game Lodge in Kruger National Park.
The magic and beauty of Africa comes alive in the ambiance of the elegant and exquisite &Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge. True African hospitality lies at the core of lodge and there are 5-star ratings to prove it. Nature is never far at Ngala Safari Lodge, with breakfast and lunch served in the shade of an enormous weeping boere bean tree. A walled courtyard provides a sheltered space to indulge in sumptuous cuisine, while the boma creates a dramatic setting for fire-lit dinners.
Secret nooks and crannies with cushy sofas are ideal for quiet hours of contemplation in the leafy shade, and at night, a myriad of lanterns and candles peep out between the boughs of trees, shining out a promise of warmth and comfort.
&Beyond Ngala Private Game Reserve is home to the Big Five, but is particularly known for its elephant, water buffalo and rhino, as well as its packs of African wild dogs. Lions, leopards and cheetahs are also often encountered.
WATCH ELEPHANTS DRINKING FROM POOL!
The largest of all land mammals, the African elephant, is most often spotted leisurely browsing on the vegetation. Elephants are completely dependent on water and travel considerable distances to a watering hole, making this the perfect place to watch out for them – especially at the pool. After settling into our rooms, we take our first evening game drive.
Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner
We have the same schedule for both days.
5:30am: Wake-up call. We congregate with the rangers at the lodge for tea and coffee and light snacks.
6:30am: As the early morning sun rises over the horizon, high-skilled game rangers and trackers head out with us into the African bushveld to discover the wonder of the African bush and possibly a unique encounter with one of its majestic inhabitants. One can sense the excitement. Who knows what to expect? A herd of ever cautious impala huddled together, a leopard in the branches of a knobthorn tree with a kill from the last hours of darkness, a herd of elephant feeding in the lush vegetation or a pride of lion in the shade of an acacia. The sound of creatures awakening to a new day stirs your passion for Africa and its many wonders.
10:00am: The fresh aromas of Ngala’s signature breakfast entice us back to the lodge. Overlooking the African plains from the main deck, a spectacular breakfast follows your return from the morning game drive.
11:00am: An optional bush walk is arranged for one of our days.
1:30pm: Lunch – Ngala’s talented chefs prepare the medley of culinary delights, inspired by Africa flavors yet guided by western cooking tradition.
4:00pm: A vivid sunset sky forms the backdrop of an unforgettable wildlife experience as we venture back into the bush again for another incredible wildlife experience. As darkness approaches, the animals become more active, rarely seen nocturnal creatures emerge and incredible interactions are the order of the day.
8:00pm: One-by-one drivers return to the lodge, the fires are lit, and nighttime entertainment begins. We have our farewell dinner in the Boma under a starlit sky on the second night.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
