Southern Africa Highlights

Seen on a Youtube channel the amazing Kalandula Falls in Angola.

Kalandula Falls, Angola

Ethiopia

Besides the modern capital of Addis Ababa, there are a huge variety of natrual and cultural sites to visit, from semi-active volcanoes (Eta Ale) to majectic valleys and jungle.

Check out Danakil Salt Lake, which is a salt lake covered with a thick layer of salt but with small pools of open water. The famous sulfur lake of Dallol at an elevation of 130m below sea level.

Being a mostly Christian country, Ethiopia has many interesting religious sites. Mariam Korkor monastery and the Abuna Yemata church in the Gheralta Mountains, located north of Dalolin the northern area of the country. To the west are the Simien Mountains, the highest elevation mountains in the country. Lalibela is an ancient site of religious structures carved out of stone.

I found most of this information on the YouTube video Top 10 Places To Visit in Ethiopia - Travel Guide by Ryan Shirley. Also check out the Visit Ethiopia official travel site. A visa is required to visit the country.

Egypt

I would likely do a short organized tour of Egypt. I am interested in seeing the Pyramids, the Egyptian Museum, Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan. G Adventures have a number of Egypt tours from 8 to 17 days. The 12 day tour includes all of the sites listed above. Trafalgar have a 9 day tour that includes a 4 day river cruise on the upper Nile at Luxor but does not include Alexandria. These tours are around $4,000. The company Museum Tours is an American company that does exclusivity Egypt tours.

G Adventures 12-day tour

Trafalgar 9-day tour

Tour Itineraries
G Adventures		Trafalgar
Abu Simbel Alexandria Aswān Cairo (Giza) Colossi of Memnon Karnak Kom Ombo Luxor Queen Hatshepsut's Temple Valley of the Kings		Abu Simbel (optional) Aswān Cairo (Giza) Colossi of Memnon Edfu Karnak Kom Ombo Luxor Memphis Philae Queen Hatshepsut's Temple Saqqara Valley of the Kings

Cheetah Plain Private Game Reserve

 An upscale lodge located in South Africa. Website.

Best Travel Seasons

There are varying opinions on the best time to travel. Some sites seems to recommend longer travel seasons I think to push there tours over a longer period. The Travel Talk and Go2Africa seem quite good.

From Travel Talk:

Travelling in Africa in January and February
It is the green season in Southern Africa in January and February. The growing vegetation decreases your chances of spotting animals in the national parks. The rainy season is in full force in East Africa, making it an unpopular time for traveling.

Travelling in Africa between March and May
Since heavy rainfall is common across the region, March and May are not ideal months for safari trips in East Africa. The thick vegetation and high precipitation make wildlife sightings difficult. The weather in South Africa is mild and dry at this time of year. However, it may not be the best time to visit Africa, as wildlife activity is not at its finest in this season.

Travelling in Africa between June and August
The weather is comfortable for safari trips in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Southern Africa. Yet, it is not the best time for Africa tours as wildlife activities are not at their most vibrant until September.

Travelling in Africa in September and October
September and October are the best months of the spring season in East and Southern Africa. Temperatures are at comfortable levels, and the dry weather makes it the best time for safari trips in the vast wildlife areas of Namibia and Botswana.
Spotting wildlife is easy in the dry season since animals gather around the waterholes. Also, the dry grass makes wildlife sightings easier in the national parks of East Africa in these months.
The west coast is blooming with wildflowers, and East Africa hosts the Great Migration from June to October. It is the best time to visit Africa for whale spotting in the Cape. Bird flocks also start arriving in East Africa in October, creating fascinating views.
Lesotho and the Cape region are also popular destinations at this time of year, as temperatures are pleasant at 30°C and the weather is comfortably dry. Packing up for cold nights is advisable as temperatures drop below zero in the eastern regions.

Travelling in Africa in November and December
Temperatures rise, and occasional rains are seen across Southern Africa beginning in November. It is a perfect time for trips to Africa to experience the best of wildlife sightings as migrations and animal births continue.
The rains are more frequent in Uganda and Rwanda in November. December offers a brief break from the rainy season, making it an ideal time for gorilla tracking in the region.
The Cape region is wonderful at this time of year. With the holidays approaching, leisure activities in iconic cities like Cape Town and Durban offer a joyful time. 

Go2Africa has very detailed seasonal information on a variety of locations: South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique and Victoria Falls.

Some other "Best Time to Visit" sites: Rhino Africa, Responsible Travel.

The best time to visit Tanzania (to see the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater):

By Philip Briggs
(Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Bradt guidebooks to African destinations, including the guide to Tanzania.)

The best time to visit Tanzania is during the Dry season, from June to October, when wildlife viewing is generally at its best. This is also the best time to see the wildebeest migration in Serengeti National Park. The most reliable time to see the wildebeest calving is January to February. The Southern and Western circuit parks are best visited during the Dry season (June to October), unlike the more popular Northern circuit parks that can be visited year-round.

Scintilla Travel

Tours, both self-guided and guided of Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia & Zimbabwe are provided by Scintilla Travel.

The problem with this tour company is that they don't list prices on their website. You enter your desired tour type and destinations and your budget range then send this to them. They will then reply, presumably, with a package (or not).

Cruises

Found on Facebook, Azamara Cruises. Based in Miami but have cruises around the world.

For Africa they have:

• South Africa Intensive, 12 day:
  Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Durban, Mossel Bay, Cape Town (Feb. 8, 2024), from $2,805; (Dec. 8, 2024), from $4,650.
• Cape Town to the Canaries, 18 day:
  Cape Town, Namibia, Saint Helena, Gambia, Senegal, Canary Islands (Feb. 20, 2024), from $4,291.
• West Africa Voyage, 18 day:
  Canary Islands, Senegal, Gambia, Saint Helena, Namibia, Cape Town (Nov. 20, 2024), from $3,804.

Cape Town to the Canaries

South Africa Intensive