Expedition Details

Walk in the footsteps of early humans, from the Eden of South Africa’s Western Cape to the savannas of the Great Rift Valley, in the company of renowned paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson. Examine world-famous Paleolithic finds. Track chimpanzees and observe their humanlike behavior. Step inside pre-historic cave homes, explore the wildlife inside the “cradle of mankind,” and journey across the continent’s primordial landscapes.

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Trip Highlights

• Travel with paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson, a National Geographic grantee who discovered the 3.2-million-year-old skeleton “Lucy.”
• Track wild chimpanzees at Jane Goodall’s original research site.
• Gain private access to active archaeological digs and view pre-historic finds.
• Experience Africa’s vivid wildlife in Tanzania’s spectacular national parks.

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Itinerary - 15 Days

Days 1 & 2 — U.S./Johannesburg, South Africa

Depart for Johannesburg and arrive the following morning. Relax during an afternoon at leisure. Tonight, gather for a talk by Donald Johanson, followed by a welcome dinner.
Safari Club SA (D)

Days 3 & 4 — Johannesburg/Mossel Bay

Fly to the town of George at the edge of the Outeniqua Mountains. Drive to our hotel nestled on the Mossel Bay shoreline. Tonight we are joined by a local archaeologist for dinner. The next day, take a private, behind-the-scenes tour of the active excavation sites of nearby Pinnacle Point, where early man subsisted on life from the sea. Step into a 164,000-year-old cave home furnished with advanced Stone Age tools. Enjoy a barbecue dinner on the beach overlooking the Indian Ocean.
Protea Hotel Mossel Bay (B,L,D daily)

Days 5 & 6 — Johannesburg

Fly back to Johannesburg and enjoy a private viewing of the world-famous Taung Child, the fossilized skull of an Australopithecus africanus youth. Meet with National Geographic grantee Lee Berger and discuss his important recent find, which may help unlock our understanding of the genus Homo. Spend the next day exploring the Sterkfontein caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site of more than 550 hominid fossils that have helped paleoanthropologists decode the span of human evolution stretching back some 3.5 million years. Our host, paleoanthropologist Ron Clarke, guides us through this vast history on-site and shares his current excavation of an Australopithecus — remains that may prove to be the oldest, most complete hominid ever found. Spend two nights at Mount Grace, a quiet country hotel and spa set in the magnificent Magaliesburg Mountains.
Mount Grace Country House & Spa (B,L,D daily)

Day 7 — Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

After breakfast, fly to Dar es Salaam and see the original Zinjanthropus cranium, discovered by Mary Leakey on a National Geographic–sponsored expedition in 1959. Australopithecus boisei—the species to which the skull belongs—was the key discovery that sparked early human origins research in East Africa.
Kilimanjaro Hotel Kempinski (B,L,D)

Day 8 — Kigoma

Fly by private charter to Kigoma and visit Ujiji, where Henry Stanley met the renowned explorer and inquired, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” Visit the fishing village of Katonga. Later, browse Kigoma’s market for traditional cloth and spices.
Kigoma Hilltop Hotel (B,L,D)

Day 9 — Gombe National Park

Travel by boat into the heart of Gombe National Park, where legendary primatologist Jane Goodall recorded the remarkable parallels between chimpanzees and humans. Track down our closest living animal relatives in their natural habitat and observe their humanlike behavior. Hike back through the deep mountain forest to the rangers’ camp before returning to Kigoma.
Kigoma Hilltop Hotel (B,L,D)

Day 10 — Serengeti National Park

Fly by private charter to the Serengeti, one of Africa’s most expansive savanna grasslands and home to huge herds of wildlife, from zebras and buffalo to giraffes and antelope. This afternoon, take a game drive and get up close to the wildlife before experiencing the Serengeti at sunset.
Serengeti Sopa Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 11 — Serengeti National Park

Start the day with an early morning game drive, on the lookout for lions, hyenas, and cheetahs. Later, visit the Laetoli area where National Geographic explorers first discovered the footprints of Australopithecus afarensis, “Lucy’s” species and one of the first hominids that walked upright on two legs. Cemented in time in ash from a volcano, these 3.6-million-year-old footprints represent some of the best evidence of pre-historic hominid walking.
Serengeti Sopa Lodge (B,L,D)

Days 12 & 13 — Olduvai Gorge and Ngorongoro Crater

Descend into the Olduvai Gorge, known as the “cradle of mankind.” Visit the precise spot where Zinjanthropus was found and where stone tools and remains of Homo habilis (the handy man) were excavated in 1960. Spend time in the Olduvai Gorge Museum, established by the renowned Leakey family to exhibit their important paleoanthropological discoveries. Then drive to the Ngorongoro Crater and settle into our luxury eco-lodge, perched high on the edge of the escarpment. The next morning, embark on an all-day game drive on the floor of the volcanic slope, home to Africa’s big five. Tonight, celebrate our journey with a festive farewell dinner.
Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge (B,L,D daily)

Days 14 & 15 — Arusha/U.S.

After breakfast, drive to Kilimanjaro airport and connect with your return flight home, arriving the next day.
(B)

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Optional Extension

On an optional five-day pre-trip extension, stay at the elegant Cape Grace Hotel located on the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town. Take a city tour and ride a cable car up Table Mountain for a panoramic view. Travel by ferry to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated, and spend a day on the Cape Peninsula—home to African jackass penguins and cape fur seals.

• Cape Town, South Africa - Pre-Trip Extension, 5 Days

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