A Savvy Navigator for South Africa

Photo: Courtesy Getty

A 10-day trip to South Africa can be a daunting adventure to plan well. Tack on looking for gay nightlife, day trips to the country's famed vineyards, and a few days escape to Zambia's thundering Victoria Falls and well...you'll be a travel expert by the time you get home!

If, however, you'd rather let a tried-and-true gay traveller take over the heavy lifting, there are a bunch of gay tour operators out there with great Africa packages. Created and run by Jeffrey Ward, who earned his travel expert stripes as an executive at gay-friendly American Airlines, the Savvy Navigator has put together a fun-looking trip for this May (and other in November).

Centering around Cape Town with an optional four-day add-on to Victoria Falls, Savvy Navigator specializes in small groups (no more than 12) and intimate luxury experiences. More than other gay tour operators to the area, Savvy Navigator will focus as much on culinary and cultural luxury as on, say, trips to vineyards and a safari -- both of which are included, too.

The trip starts at $5,995 for 10 days, plus $1,995 for the Zambian add-on. Airfare is included in and out of South Africa with a few restrictions. (Contact Savvy Navigator directly with questions.) Of course, you'll have to reach deep in these uncertain economic times, but with Ward at the helm, there doesn't seem to be any doubt you'll have an experience worth every penny.

For more on Cape Town, safaris and vineyards, check out the day-by-day account Justin Ocean wrote for Out Traveler here.

Comments

[Josh Friedman]

My partner and I went to Cape Town in September before an Abercrombie and Kent safari to Botswana. We found (other than very cold weather in CT) that everybody was gay friendly and that it was totally a non-issue anywhere on the trip. After all, South Africa has gay marriage and Botswana is one of the more independent of countries there. So while a gay trip might be great, one can feel comfortable traveling there on your own.

Josh
www.joshfriedmantravel.com
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