Your ultimate safari sojourn begins in the Mother City, Cape Town, where you will spend three nights at Ellerman House. Located on the mountainside, overlooking the prestigious suburb of Bantry Bay, Ellerman House is an elegant villa offering exceptional service and exquisite accommodation. The Herbert Baker-styled mansion has been lavishly decorated with South African art to create an opulent retreat.

Ellerman House is a regular feature on Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold List, highlighting editors’ all-time favourite hotels around the world. It is ideally located for explorations of Cape Town, close to Table Mountain, the powder-soft sand beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay, and only a short transfer away from the city centre and the celebrated V&A Waterfront.

Included in your stay is a private ocean safari, where you will experience the beauty of the Cape Town coastline on a luxury catamaran, looking out for a variety of marine creatures that frequent the area. You will also enjoy a Cape Town helicopter tour, gaining a unique perspective of this dramatically beautiful landscape of where ocean meets mountains.

After breakfast, you will fly on a private charter from Cape Town to Victoria Falls via Upington, where you will spend the next three nights at Thorntree River Lodge. Blending into its beautiful river setting, the lodge draws inspiration from the local culture and customs of Zambia. Luxury accommodation stretches out along the riverbank and elegant interiors are complemented by private plunge pools and indoor and outdoor bathrooms.

A floating wooden deck edges out into the river, blending the edges between land and water, giving this lodge it’s unique atmosphere where man-mad structure and the environment blend seamlessly. You will spend your days touring the ‘Smoke that Thunders’ Victoria Falls, visiting nearby villages, revelling on sunset river cruises and visiting the Livingstone Museum. You will spend your evenings sipping on a gin and tonic and listening to hippos grunting in the river as they wade past.

Included in your stay is a scenic 30-minute helicopter flight that will take you over the might of Victoria Falls. This scenic flight is known as the ‘flight of the angels’ because David Livingstone famously wrote after seeing the Falls, “Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.”

After breakfast, you will be privately flown to the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills’, Rwanda, journeying from Southern Africa to East Africa. Your next two nights will be spent at Kigali Serena Hotel. This elegant hotel is perfectly situated within one of the city’s most vibrant boulevards. You are welcomed here into a gleaming granite atrium, adorned with Rwandan artworks.

Your stay here will include a Kigali city tour as well as a stop at the Genocide Memorial. Kigali has risen from its tumultuous past to become one of Africa’s friendliest cities and the perfect starting point of a Rwanda safari. From vibrant shopping malls in the city centre showcasing boutiques and coffee shops to its lively markets, this is the beating heart of Rwanda. The city is scattered over several hills and has enough to do to keep you occupied during your stay.

Set right on the edge of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, where more than a third of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas find refuge, Singita Kwitonda Lodge’s unrivalled position puts lifechanging gorilla trekking experiences within reach. Each of the luxurious suites features a private heated plunge pool, wellness treatment area, in-and outdoor fireplaces and large timber-framed windows that welcome breathtaking scenery and volcano views inside.

Created taking inspiration from the dramatic setting, the lodge includes elements such as woven ceilings and hand-fired terracotta brickwork crafted by local artisans, while a dedicated Conservation Room and on-site vegetable garden – which provides fresh produce for Kwitonda’s farm-to-table food journey – enhances the experience. This is the place to contemplate encounters with the remarkable ‘gentle giants of the forest’ and envelop you in a sanctuary of warmth, stillness and solitude.

During your time here you will have the unique opportunity to join a Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund (DFGF) researcher on a trek. DFGF started as a scientific organization with Dian Fossey’s first campus based in the forest, studying the gorillas and understanding their habitat. The DFGF continues to spend their time in the forests and will provide unique and valuable knowledge and insights about the wildlife, ecosystem and their conservation work - alongside you - on your sustainable gorilla experience.

The next part of your ultimate safari adventure takes you to the iconic Giraffe Manor, home of the most unforgettable bucket-list breakfast in the world. Surrounded by 12 acres of private land, within 140 acres of indigenous forest, the iconic Giraffe Manor is famous for its resident herd of Rothschild giraffe that casually wander around the spectacular grounds. At Giraffe Manor, breakfasts are a fun-filled affair. Not only can you tuck into a mouth-watering menu, you are likely to be interrupted by one of the friendly giraffes poking its head through the window in search of a treat – such fun for the whole family.

You will spend two nights here and enjoy a visit to the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage where you can foster an elephant. The orphanage is a safe haven for elephants who have been victims of poaching in East Africa. With love and care, these elephants are able to return to Kenya’s National Parks when they are ready.

Suspended in mid-air on a cliff overlooking the Great Rift Valley and Mara plains, Angama Mara has a modern feel and is where you will spend the next four nights. The view is second to none and is only rivalled by the abundance of wildlife roaming the area. This first-class safari lodge is the place where Kenya received its reputation as one of the most beautiful spots on Earth.

What makes this lodge extra special is that they offer a flexible timetable for those going out on a game drive. No need to choose between an early morning or late afternoon game drive, you can create your own safari schedule. The lodge also offers guided walking safaris through the Great Rift Valley, hot air balloon safaris and visits to local Maasai villages. During your stay, you will also have an opportunity to visit the Mara Elephant project, dedicated to ensuring elephants are protected from poaching.

Paradise beckons on the next part of your journey, and you will be transferred to Alfajiri Beach Villa at Diani Beach, one of the best beaches in Kenya. Renowned as one of the best luxury villas, Alfajiri boasts unparalleled privacy and exclusivity right on the edge of the beach. Inspired by African design and hospitality, this is a place of freedom and where you can indulge your senses.

If you’re feeling energetic there is kite surfing, deep sea fishing, snorkelling, diving and excursions to Kisite Marine National Park in traditional dhow sailing boats. On land, you can search for forest elephants in the Shimba Hills, go quad-biking, or enjoy the nearby 18-hole course. Dedicated staff include butlers, chefs, childminders, a driver and even a masseuse for daily massages. You will receive personal care and attention from the moment you arrive.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the beautiful Hemingways Nairobi, situated a mere 40 minutes from Nairobi’s international airport, where it is spread across flourishing grounds in the exclusive suburb of Karen. This elegant boutique hotel is enchanting in its décor and flooded with natural light. Its well-appointed, en-suite rooms each have a private balcony overlooking the iconic silhouette of the Ngong Hills.

You are treated to the services of a discreet, highly trained butler whose role is to ensure a hassle-free stay. Tuck into delicious European-inspired fare at the Brasserie and enjoy refreshing beverages at the convivial bar. If you are in search of pampering, unwind making use of the first-class spa facilities or simply enjoy the sense of blissful seclusion on the edge of wilderness.

After your time spent in East Africa, it’s time to head home. You will be transferred to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your onward arrangements but, before you put your seat back and your shutter down, be sure to look out the window for one last look at Africa…