Africa Cruise

   Cape Town To Port Louis Voyage
11 Days

  
Arrive in Cape Town
Overnight at Mount Nelson Hotel

This distinguished elegant colonial hotel dating from 1899 sits at the foot of Table Mountain on 9 landscaped acres near the city. For over 100 years, visiting members of royal families, international and local statesmen, celebrities and businessmen have preferred to stay at the Mount Nelson Hotel, where they are assured of privacy, comfort and care.
   

Join Silver Shadow
Cape Town, South Africa 6pm

Cape Town ranks as one of the world's most beautiful cities. About 25 miles from the Cape of Good Hope, near the southern tip of the vast African continent, Cape Town is dominated by the 3,000-foot, flat-topped Table Mountain and blessed with superb scenery and beaches.

The official founding of the city is recorded as April 6, 1652. On that day, Jan van Riebeeck dropped anchor in Table Bay. His small expedition proceeded ashore to build a fort for the Dutch East India Company. The fort served as a base for their ships to shelter and stock up on fresh supplies of meat, fruit and vegetables. He started to barter with the Khoikhoi tribe for meat and planted gardens that are known today as the Company Gardens.

At first sight, Cape Town appears surprisingly small. The city center, lying to the north of Table Mountain and east of Signal Hill, is also referred to as the City Bowl. Its compactness is best explored on foot, starting with the Castle, the oldest surviving building in South Africa. It was built between 1666 and 1679, replacing Van Riebeeck’s original mud-walled fort. In addition to numerous historical buildings, Cape Town offers museums, parks, gardens, markets and shops. Impressive mountains, magnificent surf beaches and outstanding wineries complete the picture of this beautiful city. A ride on the cable car to the summit of Table Mountain offers visitors a spectacular panorama on a clear day.

With its unique setting, cosmopolitan population and diverse cultures, Cape Town is a highlight of any visit to South Africa.

Cruising the Cape of Good Hope
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
8am 6pm

Port Elizabeth is the third largest port and the fifth largest city in South Africa. The center is spread over steep hills overlooking Algoa Bay.

Port Elizabeth’s sights are split between the areas of the old port, the sea front and the beaches. The main attractions lie inland, including the game reserves. The Addo Elephant National Park is the most famous and popular destination for visitors to Port Elizabeth.

Cruising the Indian Ocean
Durban, South Africa
8am 11pm

With a population of almost one million people, Durban is a bustling, subtropical city with a warm, sometimes hot and sultry climate and an abundance of trees and luxuriant gardens. The most dominant landmark of Oriental Durban is the handsome Grey Street Mosque, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.

Despite Durban’s Asian flavor and predominantly white beach culture, the city belongs to the Zulu. Behind the Indian Bazaar on Victoria Street sprawls a huge African market where anything from groceries and animal parts for witchcraft to medicinal herbs, electronics, clothes, beads and baskets is for sale.

Durban’s 21st-century economy can largely be credited to the immense amount of cargo passing through its huge port, as well as to the thousands of Transvaal holiday makers who, since the 1930s, have turned the city’s beachfront into a popular playground.
   

Richards Bay, South Africa
8am 11pm

For many visitors to South Africa, Zululand is often the only taste they get of the "real" Africa. It covers much of central Kwazulu-Natal and includes the port of Richards Bay and the adjacent Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Park. The region is dominated by one tribal group, the Zulu; their customs, historical traditions and culture are evident throughout the area. The name Zulu derives from an early chief, whose descendants were called aba-kwa Zulu, or people of Zulu. Their capital is Ulundi, located north of the Tugela River. Much of Zululand consists of attractive rolling hills in the interior and coastal areas, where it is usually hot and humid.

  
Cruising the Indian Ocean
Cruising the Indian Ocean
Cruising the Indian Ocean
3 days

  
Pointe des Galets, Reunion Island
8am 10pm

Pointe des Galets is the principal port of this 980-square-mile island, located 480 miles east of Madagascar and 130 miles southwest of Mauritius.

With its active volcano, Reunion is often likened to Hawaii. Two thirds of the island’s western side is covered by mountain ranges; the 9,200-foot Piton des Neiges is the highest point. Between the alpine peaks and the coast grow palm trees, screw pines, casuarinas, sugar cane, spices, fruit and vegetable crops, tropical rain forests and an abundance of flowers, making the island appear as one big botanical garden.

Although the beaches are not the top attraction, the island draws scores of visitors to explore the mountains and the unique Cirques. The island offers a taste of Creole-flavored French culture along with the luxuries of downtown Paris in a tropical climate. It allows living in style, but at high prices. French is the official language, but Créole is the most widely spoken one. Sixty percent of the island’s needs are imported from France; in turn, France buys almost the same percentage of Reunion’s products. The major source of income is from agriculture, mainly sugar cane, vanilla and the production of geranium oil used as a fixative in perfumes.
   

Port Louis, Mauritius
8am

Founded in 1735, Port Louis is the busy capital city and main port of this volcanic island in the Indian Ocean. There are some fine French colonial buildings off the palm-lined Place d'Armes, such as the 18th-century Government House and Municipal Theater. Other sites include two cathedrals, a mosque, 18th-century barracks and a natural history museum. Go to Fort Adelaide for splendid views of the town, harbor and a racecourse - known as Champs de Mars, the course was originally laid out by the French for military parades.

Barter for souvenirs, crafts and clothing at the lively Port Louis Market, where merchants also sell fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and fish. South of town is Le Reduit, the former residence of the Governor-General of Mauritius that is surrounded by beautiful gardens.

Also near Port Louis is the Domaine Les Pailles, a nature park that encompasses more than 3,000 acres; visitors can view deer, monkeys and rare birds from Land Rovers, horse-drawn carriages or a train.

INCLUDES:
Roundtrip economy air transportation from selected gateway cities, pre-cruise accommodations in a deluxe hotel, porterage and transfers.
Select wines, champagnes, spirits, sodas, and bottled water throughout the ship.
All onboard gratuities
All port charges