Cape Town to Vic Falls
22 Days Starting in Cape Town and ending in Victoria Falls
Visiting: Cape Town, Western Cape, Orange River, Fish River Canyon, Sesriem, Sossusvlei, Swakopmund, Spitzkoppe, Etosha National Park, Grootfontein/San People, Grootfontein, Bagani, Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park, Victoria Falls
Tour operator:
Tour code:
UXOF
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 22
Physical rating:
Low, Low
Age range:
15-99 years
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
From:
$3055
$2971 (USD)
The Big ADVENTURE Sale: -$84
Tour Overview
Get set for an adventure packed with majestic wildlife, remote desert landscapes, semi-nomadic tribal communities and natural wonders. From the stunning beauty of Cape Town and a burnt orange sunset over Namibia's Fish River Canyon to a river cruise through Chobe National Park, this experience will create memories to last a lifetime. Canoe down the Okavango Delta in Botswana, embark on a game drive in Etosha National Park and feel the raw power of Victoria Falls on this journey filled with the very best of southern Africa.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Cape Town
Location: Cape Town
Accommodation: Hotel
Sawubona! Welcome to South Africa. With its stunning coastline, modern cityscape and nearby mountains, Cape Town is one of Africa's most exciting cities. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm this evening. You can arrive at any time as there are no activities planned until this important meeting. If you do happen to arrive early, why not get out and explore Cape Town, perhaps taking a walk in Newlands Forest, jumping on the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, or heading down to the waterfront to see Cape Town Stadium up close.
Optional Activities:
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Day 2: Western Cape
Location: Western Cape
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, dinner
Leaving Cape Town behind, travel up the Western Cape. Sit back, relax and enjoy the sprawling scenery. Tonight, you will stay on a working farm with your small group. This is a great chance to gain an insight into everyday life in this remote part of South Africa.
Optional Activities:
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Day 3: Orange River
Location: Orange River
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, dinner
Journey to the Orange River, the beautiful natural border between South Africa and Namibia. On the way, you'll pass through Namaqualand, which is renowned for its wildflowers that spring up from late July to mid-September. Traditionally known as the Gariep River, the Orange River is the longest in South Africa (2200 km). Its source is high up in the Drakensberg mountain range in Lesotho, and it flows into the Atlantic Ocean at Alexander Bay in South Africa.
Day 4: Fish River Canyon
Location: Fish River Canyon
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
This morning there is the chance for an optional canoe adventure on the Orange River. Floating leisurely down the stream is a great way to discover the beauty of this region. Head further west into the desert lands of Namibia towards Fish River Canyon. At 500 m deep and over 160 km long, Fish River Canyon is one of the largest canyons in the world. At any time of year there are remarkable photographic opportunities here as you watch the colour of the granite rocks change as the sun goes down.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 5: Sesriem
Location: Sesriem
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Be ready for a long travel day as you drive toward the fabled dunes of Namibia. You will have the opportunity to stop at a market or shop to stock up on supplies before tomorrow's bush camp. When you arrive, stretch your legs and take in the exciting desert scenes. You will be situated in the most famous part of the Namib Desert, among the vast dune fields, the most spectacular of which are found near the Sesriem Canyon. Get an early night in preparation for your dawn hike tomorrow.
Day 6: Sossusvlei
Location: Sossusvlei
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Wake up before dawn and scramble to the top of the dunes for a dramatic sunrise view across a vast sea of sand. The colour changes as the sun creeps up above the horizon, and the views are nothing short of incredible, providing a spectacular setting for your brunch. The dunes themselves are some of the highest in the world and home to much animal life. Afterwards, jump in the back of a pickup truck for a trip to Sossusvlei – the incredible salt and clay pan just nearby. You'll have time to explore this mysterious desert oddity. In the afternoon, drive to your bush camp in the heart of the Namib Desert.
Included Activities:
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Day 7: Swakopmund
Location: Swakopmund
Accommodation: Chalet
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch
Continue to Swakopmund today. Surrounded by the massive dune fields of the Namib Desert on three sides and the Atlantic Ocean on the other, Swakopmund is an ideal place for outdoor activities. The township has an interesting German–Namibian atmosphere, which makes it a pleasant place to simply walk around and explore.
Day 8: Swakopmund
Location: Swakopmund
Accommodation: Chalet
With free time today, it's worth checking out the Germanic architecture and taking advantage of some excellent souvenir shopping. If you're after a dose of history and culture, you can stop in at the lighthouse and visit the Swakopmund Museum. Active types and thrill-seekers might like to take advantage of the many outdoor activities on offer – this town is the adventure-sports mecca of Namibia.
Optional Activities:
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Day 9: Swakopmund
Location: Swakopmund
Accommodation: Chalet
With another free day in this beautiful seaside town, you might like to do some reading, relaxing and swimming. Alternatively, you can venture further afield – perhaps to the Okakambe Trails or the Camel Farm (both located in the same area, around 12 km east of town). A horse ride or camel ride is a great way to see the desert from a different perspective.
Optional Activities:
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Day 10: Spitzkoppe
Location: Spitzkoppe
Accommodation: Camping (with basic facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Travel to Spitzkoppe today. Experience the sight, sound and smell of thousands of olive-coloured seals on the shores of Cape Cross while travelling up the Atlantic Coast. Visit one of the most stunning areas of Namibia, the wild lands around the mountain of Spitzkoppe, also known as the Matterhorn of Namibia. Although you shouldn't try to climb to the top, there are some excellent hikes and guided walks throughout the area, which is rich in plant life and even has some bush paintings to be found. The Spitzkoppe is known for its stunning beauty and the thousands of ancient Bushmen rock art paintings that are still viewable. Be sure to look out for the sunset from your bush camp this evening – the landscape is known to take on dazzling oranges and reds.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 11: Etosha National Park
Location: Etosha National Park
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
This morning, set off and travel to Etosha National Park, stopping at a market or shop and ATM if required. Etosha is among the world's premier places to view wildlife. A wide range of southern Africa's wildlife roams here, including all the big carnivores and the five rare or endangered species, including black rhino, Hartmann's mountain zebra, black-faced impala, roan antelope and the tiny Damara dik-dik. Tonight, there is an option to take an evening game drive (subject to availability) before spending the night at the particularly spectacular Okaukuejo Camp. The camp overlooks a floodlit waterhole visited by many different species throughout the day and night.
Optional Activities:
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Day 12: Etosha National Park
Location: Etosha National Park
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Enjoy a full-day game drive in Etosha National Park. Game viewing in the park is relatively easy due to the constructed waterholes and the large, sparsely vegetated pans. The bushland surrounding the pans is difficult to see through, but there are enough clearings, pans and waterholes to usually allow for some sightings. Namibia has protected its game reserves against poaching, which means significant numbers of elephants, antelope and other herbivores reside here. This evening you will spend the night at Namutoni Camp.
Included Activities:
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Day 13: Grootfontein/San People
Location: Grootfontein/San People
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, dinner
Leaving Etosha behind and continue to your camp which is located 50 km outside Grootfontein. This will be your base for visiting the San people tomorrow. Arrive at your camp, stretch your legs, perhaps enjoy a cool drink and kick back with your fellow travellers.
Day 14: Grootfontein
Location: Grootfontein
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Embark on a 180-km round-trip to visit the San people. You'll go out walking with some of the tribe, listening to their stories and songs. You'll soon discover that they communicate in a unique and fascinating Khoisan dialect, commonly known as a 'clicking' language. The San are the oldest ethnic group in Namibia, having inhabited southern Africa for an estimated 20,000 years. Around 30,000 of them live in Namibia, but only 2000 still follow a traditional way of life. The San have a deep understanding of nature and ecology, living in harmony with their environment.
Included Activities:
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Day 15: Bagani
Location: Bagani
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, dinner
Head to Bagani, where you will set up camp for the night. Bagani is a small, friendly town with plenty of nice spots in which to relax and soak up the ambience as you catch the sun set over the Okavango River. You may even spot grunting hippos coming out of the waters to graze. This area is the homestead of the local Mbukushu kings.
Optional Activities:
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Day 16: Okavango Delta
Location: Okavango Delta
Accommodation: Camping (without facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Drive across the border into Botswana and head south along the Okavango Panhandle (the narrowest part of the delta) to Sepopa. Here you'll leave your vehicle behind as you journey by boat into the delta to your bush camp on an island away from civilization (approximately 4 hours). Punting along past birds and lily pads, you'll hear hippos occasionally interrupting the peaceful atmosphere with their charming grunts.
Included Activities:
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Day 17: Okavango Delta
Location: Okavango Delta
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
After breakfast, head out for your mokoro experience. Each mokoro (small dugout canoe) takes two people and is poled along through the meandering waterways by a local tribesman. Take a short nature walk with your guide to discover the beautiful natural surroundings, gain some insight into the history of the local area and look out for different bird species and occasionally elephants.
After your trip around the delta return by boat to the relative civilization of Sepopa Camp with its hot showers, swimming pool and small bar.
Included Activities:
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Day 18: Bagani
Location: Bagani
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
After your exciting Okavango adventure, return to Bagani for the night. There will be time to relax or to take part in an optional boat trip or picturesque sunset cruise.
Optional Activities:
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Day 19: Chobe National Park
Location: Chobe National Park
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, dinner
Setting off from Bagani this morning, embark on a pretty long drive. Don’t fear – your destination, the incredible Chobe National Park, will be well worth it. Enter Botswana at Goma border, which is also the gateway to the park. Once arrived, take an optional cruise down the Chobe River – one of the best ways to witness some of the park's many animals.
Day 20: Chobe National Park
Location: Chobe National Park
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Enjoy an early-morning game drive. Adventuring through the park, you’ll have the opportunity to get up close to the wildlife. With luck you’ll spot a variety of creatures – lions, buffaloes and any number of exotic birds. Botswana's first national park is famous for its high concentration of elephants, so keep an eye out for them. They can often be seen swimming in the Chobe River. The river also attracts buffalos, hippos, and crocodiles who like to sun themselves by the water's edge. In the afternoon, perhaps take an optional boat cruise to gain a different view of these amazing animals or take another optional afternoon game drive into the national park.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 21: Victoria Falls
Location: Victoria Falls
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast
Travel on to Victoria Falls, crossing the border into Zimbabwe in time to have lunch on the banks of the Zambezi. Though a visit to Victoria Falls' is optional, it is highly recommended – if you didn’t see the waterfall, have you actually been to Victoria Falls? The staggering curtain of water is about 1.6 km and cascades 108 m into a narrow gorge below. In the wet season, the spray created can rise up an incredible 400 m and the falls become an impressive raging torrent. In the dry season, the view of the falls is unobstructed by spray and you can see little islets in the river below. Gather your travel crew together tonight for dinner, celebrating the southern Africa adventure and memories you’ve shared.
Optional Activities:
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Day 22: Victoria Falls
Location: Victoria Falls
Meals Included: breaksfast
With no activities planned for today, you are free to leave the accommodation at any time. Those staying longer at Victoria Falls can choose from a range of activities and excursions – on water, on land or high in the sky. If you’d like to spend more time in Victoria Falls, just speak to your booking agent.
Optional Activities:
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What's Included
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Chobe National Park - Dawn Open Safari Vehicle Game Drive
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Fish River Canyon - Canyon entrance
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Sossusvlei - 4x4 Tour
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Sesriem - Sand dunes visit
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Cape Cross Nature Reserve - Cape Cross seal colony
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Etosha National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
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Grootfontein - San Bushman cultural experience
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Okavango Delta - Mokoro safari
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Okavango Delta - Nature Walk
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Accommodation
Camping (with facilities) (15 nights), Camping (with basic facilities) (1 night), Camping (without facilities) (1 night), Cabin (3 nights), Hotel (1 night)
What's Not Included
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Tipping and Gratuities
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International Travel
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Airport Transfers at Destination
Transport
- Our trucks are purpose-built, self contained safari vehicles. Our fleet of vehicles varies depending on your group size, trip route and style. Your vehicle type may differ from those listed above. It is also important to note that our overland vehicles are not air-conditioned, but all vehicles have windows that can be opened to allow for fresh air. Each seat will have access to a power socket to charge your devices. This outlet will use a UK/Kenyan 3 pronged outlet.
- There are many early starts with long hours spent driving on rough roads on all African itineraries. While most people love the chance to watch the changing landscape and daily village life, feedback shows that long periods of inactivity does not appeal to all clients. We provide the approximate distance covered each day and how many hours this normally takes to drive so that you can choose the safari experience that is right for you.
- African conditions are extremely tough on vehicles. While we fastidiously maintain our vehicles at our workshops, you should not expect Africa to be your traditional touring experience. While it's certainly our aim to avoid them, it's important that you set off on your trip knowing that the occasional breakdown can happen and are best treated as part of the African adventure. Due to wet weather there may be times when we have to take an alternative route which will mean longer travel times.
- South Africa has a law whereby the cross border transport agency does not allow foreign-registered vehicles to enter the country. We will be working with a local South African operator for the South African section of this tour who will be providing the services of an alternative vehicle* and driver vetted by Intrepid. Your Intrepid leader and cook will still accompany you on this section and your itinerary will remain unaffected.
- *The vehicle used on this section will be an overland vehicle similar in style to an Intrepid vehicle. However for smaller groups which don't require a large vehicle, smaller land cruiser style vehicles may be used.
Accommodation
- Accommodation on this trip is mainly in two-person canvas dome tents with camping mattresses supplied.
- The type and variety of accommodation are determined by conditions on each of our routes. Each route is different - on some, we use a mixture of campsites and wild camps; on others, we also use hotels. In Africa, it's not usually practical to camp when staying in towns and cities, so we use hotel accommodations and eat out in local restaurants.
- There may be the occasional night stop when we stay on the grounds of a hotel or at a campsite, which may also have rooms/cabins available. In this case, there may be a choice of camping or upgrading to a room. Rooms cost approximately USD 40-100 per room per night for a twin room and cannot be pre-booked. Standards of these rooms vary greatly, and we recommend viewing the room before purchasing the night's accommodation. The day-by-day itinerary advises when upgrades may be possible (subject to availability).
- Keep in mind that if we are staying in dormitory accommodation, you may have to share with other passengers or be split into same-sex rooms.
- Campsites do have facilities, but they usually aren't to the same standard you would find in Western countries. For example, the bathroom facilities can be very basic. Toilet paper is rarely provided, and shower facilities can be as simple as a hose pipe spurting out cold water. Wild camps have no facilities at all.
- At times, there may be spare tents in the vehicles. Unfortunately, these cannot be used without the purchase of a single supplement. This is to ensure the tents avoid wear and tear or are clean and ready for the customers arriving on the next section of the trip.
Included Activities
- Fish River Canyon - Canyon entrance
- Sossusvlei - 4x4 Tour
- Sesriem - Sand dunes visit
- Cape Cross Nature Reserve - Cape Cross seal colony
- Etosha National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
- Grootfontein - San Bushman cultural experience
- Okavango Delta - Mokoro safari
- Okavango Delta - Nature Walk
- Chobe National Park - Dawn Open Safari Vehicle Game Drive
Important Information
- 1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 7 and Day 9 (Chalet) and Day 17 (Camping) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
- 2. This trip starts with a welcome meeting at 6pm on Day 1 in Cape Town. This trip ends on Day 22 and you are free to leave at any time.
Check out our Q&As
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Are international flights included in this tour?
No
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
Yes if aged 15+ and accompanied by an adult
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Is this trip right for you
This is an overland trip. That means you’ll be travelling with a group in a purpose-built vehicle, visiting remote communities, setting up your own tent (unless you’re on an Original or Comfort style trip), occasionally roughing it in the bush with no facilities, and getting the best possible views of the ‘big five’. While the trucks don’t have air conditioning, they do have drop down windows which let in the breeze and make it even easier to take spectacular snaps of the local wildlife. The drive days can be long, but it’s as much about the journey as the destination, and half the fun is the camaraderie. For more info on this style of travel, see our Africa overland page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/au/africa/overland
To get to your Okavango Delta campsite, you'll travel by mokoro, a dugout canoe, to pass over the shallow waterways. Mokoros are small but stable, and local tribesman will be there to guide you.
There will be many early starts either to make use of the better safari time or to beat the morning traffic on long travel days.
You may also want to check out our Cape to Zanzibar trip if you have more time to explore in Africa. -
Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?
No
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Are all entrance fees included in the price?
Yes, except optional activities
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room
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Free Date Changes
Intrepid Travel allows you to make 10 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 56 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Intrepid Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform intrepid travel, 56 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Intrepid Travel requires a minimum deposit of 400 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of intrepid travel charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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COVID Protection
Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards
From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
However, we continue to strongly recommend that all travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and other Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.
This policy excludes all Polar trips and select adventure cruises, where testing and vaccination remains a requirement. Please refer to the Essential Trip Information of your chosen tour for more details. -
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