Text by Samantha Ledlin, Vogue Living
How would you like to wake up to the roar of lions, step back through time in the archaeological ruins of Egypt and chase the sunrise in a hot air balloon, all with the convenience (and luxury) of your very own private jet charter taking you from location to location? Thanks to private tourism company, Captain’s Choice, this fantasy adventure is a reality. The Australian-owned luxury travel service offers bespoke world tours via a private Boeing 737-500 jet to destinations all over the world, and the latest tour offering sees travellers jet-set to the wild and wonderful continent of Africa, touring its national parks, rainforests, waterfalls and historic spaces over a period of 20 days.
Day 1–3: Cairo (Egypt)
The tour begins on a historic note in Egypt’s sprawling capital, Cairo. Here, the group is wined and dined in tents among the Great Pyramids of Giza, before following a camel convoy to the Sphinx, then lunch in the Amuir Taz Palace followed by a private viewing of the treasures housed in the Egyptian Museum.
Day 4: Luxor (Egypt)
The afternoon is spent aboard a boat on the River Nile—the longest river in the world—followed by an exclusive dinner at the Temple of Ramesses III (Medinet Habu).
Day 5–6: Addis Ababa & Lalibela (Ethiopia)
Heading south to Ethiopia (via private Boeing 737-500 charter), day five and six of the tour involves a visit to the National Archaeological Museum which houses the 3.2 million year-old skeleton of ‘Lucy’. The following day, the tour embarks on a trip to the hills of Lalibela, a historic town filled with 13th-century churches carved out of rock by hand (above).
Day 7–9: Maasai Mara (Kenya)
The tour has been expertly timed to coincide with the Great Migration, giving those aboard a chance to spot the big five—lions, elephants, rhinos, buffalo and leopards—in their natural habitat. The day begins with hot air balloon observation at sunrise, moving onto 4WD safaris during the day. By sunrise, the group is led to a hilltop viewing spot for sundowners followed by a three-night day at the luxurious Angama Mara.
Image: Bisate Lodge Day 10–12: Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda)
The tour has exclusive use of Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Virunga Lodge and Bisate Lodge (above), located just outside of Volcanoes National Park—home to one of largest populations of mountain gorillas in the world. Here, those on board have the once-in-a-lifetime experience of meeting the extremely rare mountain gorillas.
Day 13–14: Chobe National Park (Botswana)
Heading south to Botswana, guests on board the tour set out on skimmer board and 4WD safaris to seek a sight of wild elephants, hippopotami, buffalo, giraffe, impala and crocodiles.
Day 15: Victoria Falls (Zambia)
Taking residency in the Royal Livingston Hotel overnight, those on the tour have private access to Victoria Falls. The falls can be explored via helicopter, boat or a historian-guided walk.
Image: Rovos Rail Day 16–17: Rovos Rail (South Africa)
Coming towards the final days of the tour, days 16 and 17 are spent aboard Rovos Rail, a private rail service that sweeps across the grasslands of Highveld through to the mountains of the Cape.
Image: Zeitz Mocaa Day 18–20: Cape Town
The tour checks into Cape Grace, a luxury hotel in the heart of Cape Town where the activities abound—chart a helicopter, ride up Table Mountain in a cable car or visit Nelson Mandela’s former prison cell. Dinner is provided at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa.
Captain Choice's ultimate African safari by private jet commences in Cairo on 29 September 2019 and on the 13 October 2019.
Images: Unsplash, Pexels
