Some trips really are journeys of a lifetime worth planning ahead for. These epic new itineraries of Africa and Antarctica are two of them. By
These dream trips from tour operators Wilderness Safaris and White Desert combine fire, ice, and a chance to spot Africa’s Big Five with truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunities like hanging out with Antarctic Emperor penguins or making a quick trip to the South Pole.
A 14-day journey combines an Okavango Delta safari in Botswana with Antarctic adventures and a quick city break in Cape Town, where wineries, beaches, lush landscapes, and the Cape of Good Hope await. In Botswana, travellers settle into picture-perfect safari camps in between game drives and trips along the delta in a traditional Mokoro canoe. The trip is scheduled to depart on November 22 and return on December 6, 2022.
Travellers on this journey will have the opportunity to witness rare Emperor penguin chicks give birth in one of the most remote places in the world — Atka Bay in wild Antarctica. In Atka Bay, travellers also will get to explore ice waves alongside a guide and experience 24 hours of continuous sunshine in the Antarctic Circle.
In Botswana, they’ll explore one of the continent’s most wildlife-dense regions, a place that’s home to elephants, leopards, lions, Cape buffalo, and more.
A longer 19-day itinerary over the New Year holiday adds an overnight trip to the South Pole, a destination that sees fewer than 1,000 visitors a year. Also included: a visit to the dramatic Namib Desert, whose picturesque Sossusvlei Dunes you’ll surely recognise from Instagram. That trip is scheduled to depart from December 27 and conclude on January 15, 2022.
Each trip is open to a maximum of 12 guests who will travel by private jet. Pricing and booking are available via email.
Meena Thiruvengadam is a Travel + Leisure contributor who has visited 50 countries on six continents and 47 US states. Find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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