Explore with Viking—Africa & Middle East

Fly to one of Africa’s most incredible national parks and drive to prime sites for viewing wildlife. Travel to the airport, where you will board a chartered aircraft for a flight to southern Kenya. Upon landing, meet your expert guide on the runway, then drive by jeep to Amboseli National Park. Covering more than 146 square miles, the park sits in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest free-standing mountain, and is home to four of Africa’s “Big 5.” Get an up-close look at free-ranging herds of elephants and keep watch for lions, zebras, hyenas, giraffes and more during your safari. There are also more than 370 bird species that can be found here among the wetlands, woodlands, sulfur springs and savannah. Following lunch, head back out for another game drive before transferring to the airport for your return flight to Mombasa and your awaiting ship.

Enjoy an immersive experience of African music, dance, storytelling and cuisine in the heart of Cape Town. Head to an African restaurant where you will be welcomed by a griot, or West African praise singer, and live djembe drumming with a Malian Bamana puppet show: an ancient traditional art using brightly colored masks and dolls made of wood and metal. After the opportunity to participate yourself, you will be served a tasting menu of 14 seasonal, authentic African dishes. African meals are traditionally served family style, with a sumptuous feast that is designed to be shared. While you dine, you will learn about each dish's country of origin and the cooking techniques and spices used to prepare them. Throughout your meal you will see interpretive dances performed in colorful costumes to live music bringing classic African stories to life. Then, transfer back to the pier.

Discover the history and culture of East Africa’s most metropolitan port and enjoy lunch during a dhow cruise. Set out on a panoramic drive through the former capital of British East Africa. Gain a deeper understanding of the city’s rich history as you pass by several important landmarks. Pass under the symbolic metal elephant tusk sculptures that cross bustling Moi Avenue; these four tusks were built in 1952 to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s visit and form the letter “M” for Mombasa. Then, discover the well-preserved Fort Jesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and take some time to explore the narrow streets of the old town. Continue to the Tamarind jetty, where you will board a dhow, a traditional Arab sailing vessel. Cruise along Tudor Creek, then enjoy a lunch of local fare onboard, before returning to your awaiting ship.

Explore proudly multicultural Cape Town, in which diverse traditions, cuisine and landscapes collide. Travel through Cape Town by motor coach to get oriented in the “Mother City.” In the heart of the city, you will have the chance to get out and enjoy a stroll through the Company’s Garden. With historic buildings, museums, places of worship and an art gallery, the garden is home to South Africa’s oldest cultivated pear tree and a rose garden built in 1929. Stroll past the Houses of Parliament, an inner sanctum of South African politics dating back to 1885, and the South African Jewish Museum, opened by Nelson Mandela in 2000. Then, visit the famed Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, where you will have free time to explore independently. After, you will return to your awaiting ship.

Explore the most popular isle in Madagascar’s archipelago during a panoramic drive. Board a motor coach with your guide and set off for a scenic drive around the country’s largest island. Nicknamed the “Perfume Island” because of the scent of ylang-ylang trees that grow in its tropical forests and plantations, Nosy Be also boasts an array of other distinct flora and fauna. Stop and gain a deeper understanding of local history and culture as you get a glimpse into the life of the Sakalava people, one of Madagascar’s smallest ethnic groups that are descended from settlers who arrived around the 8th century AD. As you continue through verdant woodlands, you will have the opportunity to see lemurs, small, wet-nosed primates endemic to Madagascar. Pause to enjoy refreshments, then travel through local villages en route back to your awaiting ship.

Discover the highlights of the bustling city of Maputo, capital of Mozambique. Begin with a photo stop at the grand Maputo Railway Station. See its bronze central dome, as well as the wrought-iron latticework and pillars adorning its facade. Pass by the Maputo Central Market en route to the Maputo Fort, a defensive stronghold originally built by Portuguese colonists during the late 18th century. At Independence Square, gaze at the 30-foot bronze statue of the country’s first president, Samora Machel, in the square’s center; the gleaming white Roman Catholic cathedral and neoclassical City Hall that surround it; and the nearby Iron House, designed by Gustave Eiffel. Visit Mozambique’s largest craft market, Feima, where you will have time to browse handmade items made by local artisans. Following lunch at a local hotel, return to your awaiting ship.