Contiki Moves into Africa with New Itineraries
by Jessica Montevago
A Contiki safari is a great way for young travellers to experience Africa.
Millennial-oriented tour operator, Contiki, has expanded its portfolio to include trips to the Southern and Eastern regions of Africa, in addition to Northern Africa trips to Morocco and Egypt.
Contiki now offers travelers four new trips in South Africa, Tanzania, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Kenya. The journeys have a smaller group size of about seven guests, opposed to the usual 20 guests, allowing for seven-seater, pop-top safari vehicles being used across Eastern Africa and luxury mini-buses in Southern Africa.
On the 11-day “Cape, Safari and Falls,” travelers venture out from Cape Town to Kruger National Park, where they have the opportunity to see the Big Five, before visiting Victoria Falls. The trip wraps up in Chobe, Botswana, over a sunset wildlife cruise surrounded by pods of hippos. Guests also see penguins on South Africa’s Cape Peninsula, before taking a classic wine tasting tour.
Traveling from Arusha to Tarangire, Serengeti and Karatu, “Taste of Tanzania” explores the Serengeti as well as the Ngorongoro Crater. A hot air balloon safari over the Mara river can be added on.
The week-long “Kenyan Highlights” itinerary stops in Nairobi, the Maasai Mara, Lake Elementaita; and Amboseli, to experience the Great Migration and to visit a giraffe center and elephant rehabilitation sanctuary.
The 13-day “East Africa Safari” covers the most ground, with safari experiences in both the Maasai Mara and the Serengeti. It combines the “Taste of Tanzania” and “Kenyan Highlights” itineraries.
Five new extensions have also been introduced, including trekking through the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Reserve in Uganda to see gorillas; climbing Mount Kilimanjaro; and visiting the picturesque beaches of Zanzibar.
This marks the first new region the operator has expanded to since launching Latin America in 2010, joining trips offered across Europe, Australia, Asia and North America.
Further information about the products can be found in a new educational module for travel agents that has been uploaded to ContikiU on the TTC Agent Academy.
