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In Spring 2023 we booked an Oceania cruise from Cape Town to Mumbai,
and a number of ports in the Indian Ocean.
Before the cruise we were panicking when our India Visa was
delayed. Just in case, I created a Plan
B. We eventually got our India Visas,
but Plan B looked really fun and it would have added a number of new
countries. Long story short, Plan B is
now Plan A for October 2024. As local
airlines adjust schedules I will try to update this trip. Now updated as of February 29, 2024
The following is our itinerary, but I also added options for anyone that wants to join us for just part of the trip:
Day 1 Thursday,
September 26
We fly on Ethiopian Airways to Addis Ababa
for a connecting flight. If you have
never been to Ethiopia, I strongly recommend flying several days early and
taking a 3 day side trip to Lalibela.
Day 2 Friday, September 27
We leave Addis Ababa after a very short
layover headed to Mahé, Seychelles.
Plans are to relax and see a bit of the city. While in Mahé we will be staying at The Ridge Residence.
Day 3 Saturday, September 28
We fly to the Four Seasons Resort on Desroches Island.
This is proof that we will spend too much money in an effort to collect
another country. Desroches
Island, Seychelles, is part of an outer island chain called locally as Zil Elwannyen Sesel that counts as a
country per the Traveler’s Century Club (TCC).
For those that want to save money
and not into collecting countries, I might suggest changing your arrival date
into Mahé to
Sunday.
Day 4 Sunday, September 29
We return to Mahé mid-afternoon. Again, relax and see the city.
Day 6 Monday,
September 30
Today
we board a 6 cabin catamaran for 7 days of sailing among the Seychelle islands. Day 1: Mahé – St. Anne marine park (navigation time: around 40 mins)
Day 7 Tuesday, October 1
Day 2: St. Anne marine park – Cocos island (navigation time: around 4h 30 mins) Cocos island –La Digue (navigation time: around 35
mins) Visit of the Saint Anne Marine
Park islands, a beautiful spot to do snorkeling. After lunch cruise to Cocos
Island which is made of large rocks with strange regular stripes carved by the
sea. Cocos Island forms a beautiful sight with a great harmony of shapes and colours. Under the sea, the vision is equally attractive
with thousands of fishes. Unforgettable snorkeling. Anchorage in front of the
picturesque harbour of La Digue.
Day 8 Wednesday, October 2
Day 3, La Digue. Rent a bike at La Digue
(with extra charge) and visit this quiet and beautiful island. With its tracks
winding under tall palm trees, houses with roofs of palm leaves, small coprah factories, fine white sandy beaches and large
polished rocks, La Digue might be the most beautiful
island in the Seychelles. No cars, only bicycles or carts drawn by oxen.
Anchorage in La Digue harbour
Day 9 Thursday, October 3
Day 4: La Digue – Cousin
(navigation time: around 1h15mins) cousin – Baie St.
Anne (Praslin) (navigation time: around 45 mins) Visit of Cousin Island. Since 1968, the island has
been a nature reserve and bird sanctuary with rare species and some giant
tortoises. Lunch onboard. Afternoon in Praslin. Visit to the Vallée de Mai (with extra charge), a valley under UNESCO
protection. A walk in the Vallée is enchanting. The
path wanders in the near obscurity created by the enormous palm leaves of
“Cocos de mer”. The trunks are 40 m high and sway
gently in the breeze, making a strange rustling sound as they rub against each
other. Anchorage in Baie St. Anne.
Day 10 Friday, October 4
Day 5: Baie St. Anne –
Grande Soeur (navigation time: around 45 mins) Grande
Soeur – Curieuse or Anse Petite Cour (Praslin)
(navigation time: around 1h) Grande Soeur.
Barbecue on the beach, one of the most beautiful in Seychelles. A 40 min walk
to discover the island, water sports, and relaxation. Anchorage in Curieuse or Anse Petite Cour for the night.
Day 11 Saturday, October 5
Day 6: Curieuse – Saint
Pierre (navigation time: around 15 mins) Saint Pierre – Anse
Volbert or Anse Lazio
(Praslin) (navigation time: around 30 mins) Curieuse. This island is part of the
Marine National Park, more than a hundred tortoises live here. After lunch,
Saint Pierre islet, a mass of rounded rocks crowned with a clump of tall palms
swaying gently in the wind: typical and superb scenery of Seychelles
photographed on countless occasions and printed a million times in tourism
magazines! Excellent spot for snorkeling with magnificent underwater scenery.
Anchorage for the night in Anse Volbert
or Anse Lazio, Praslin.
Day 12 Sunday, October 6
Day 7: Anse
Volbert or Anse Lazio
(Praslin) – Mahé (navigation time: around 4h30 mins) Snorkeling, swimming and
water sport activities on the beautiful beaches of Praslin. Return to Mahé in
the afternoon.
Day 13 Monday, October 7
Disembark the catamaran early morning and
head to the airport for a 9:30am flight to Mauritius. The next 12 days will be hopping from island
to island, before ending with a quick African safari experience. If your idea of a vacation is more relaxing,
consider flying off to other beaches or anywhere in the world. We will be
staying 3 nights in Mauritius. A good
time to send out laundry. Staying at Gite
des Acacias.
Day 14 Tuesday, October 8
Tour Mauritius.
Day 15 Wednesday, October 9
We take a day trip to Rodrigues Island. Our flight is at 8:00am returning at 8:50pm. We have a great itinerary provided by Rodrigues Friendly
Day 16 Thursday, October 10
We fly mid-afternoon to Antananarivo, Madagascar. Meet and greet
at Antananarivo airport by Friendly
Tour Guide’s representative. Visit the capital center to discover the Queen
palace and spot the panoramic view point and discover the city by foot to taste
local cuisine and evening fun is included. We will be dropped you off at the
Radisson Blu hotel after all visit in the capital in the late evening.
Day 17 Friday,
October 11
We will travel directly to Andasibe village that found at 4hrs drive to Andasibe village. On the route, we can stop at Madagascar Exotic Park to catch sights of different reptiles, butterflies, moths, and insects and more. By evening 6:30 pm, we start our night walk safari to see those animals that are active only at night at VOIMM the community park where easily to find them. You will discover smallest lemurs and other endemic reptiles. Staying at the Mantandia Lodge.
Day 18
Saturday, October 12
8:00 Am-Guided visit into Analamazaotra rain forest area of Madagascar. The Park is
mainly consists of lemurs, birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. You can
hike between 3-5 hours through this rainforest with the local guide depends on
how you will spot it. After the visit, we then drive you to Vakona
Forest Lodge, to meet the lemurs on their own private island. Visit the village
of Andasibe and back to the Mantandia
Lodge.
Day 19 Sunday,
October 13
7:00 am-We will drive to explore the special
reserve of Analamazaotra with local guide for 3hrs
hike. Back on road after lunch to Antananarivo the capital for 4:30 hrs. We
return to Antananarivo and will be dropped you off at the Radisson Blu hotel in
the late afternoon.
Day 20 Monday,
October 14
A mid-day flight to Reunion Island, staying
at Villa Prana. This might be another day to wash or send out
laundry.
Day 21
Tuesday, October 15
Today we have a full tour of Reunion
Island. Discovery Day of La Réunion, sublime
beaches, sumptuous landscapes. The
tour description: Passionate about his
island, Richardson will make you discover in the smallest details the riches of
Reunion. Hidden waterfalls, sumptuous viewpoints, gastronomic nuggets! A place
visited with him and it's an anecdote, a historical event that he will tell you
wonderfully ;). A bonus ? Yes, these jokes are legendary in short, your stay
will take on a whole new dimension with this native of the jewel of the Indian
Ocean:
Day 22
Wednesday, October 16
Late afternoon we fly to Mayotte, staying at
the Ibis
Styles Mayotte Aeroport. Maybe in the morning we will plan another
excursion on Reunion Island before heading to the airport. Or do we hang out the pool with a late
check-out?
Day 23
Thursday, October 17
An unforgettable excursion created for us by
Across Africa Tours & Travel
starting at 8:00 am from Mamoudzou to the “S” Pass integral reserve. This rare
site is known for its unique depth and shape, making it an ideal spot for
snorkeling. Immerse yourself in the crystal-clear waters and marvel at the
vibrant marine life. After your
snorkeling adventure, a delicious breakfast awaits you on a pristine white sand
islet. Take in the breathtaking surroundings as you enjoy your meal. Next,
prepare to swim with the majestic turtles at the stunning N’Gouja
site. This experience is sure to leave you in awe. Continue your journey along
the double reef, taking in the beauty of the coastline. At around 1pm, indulge
in a tasting of the local punch and savor a mouthwatering lunch on a secluded
paradise beach. Let the tranquil atmosphere and natural beauty of the
surroundings transport you to a state of pure relaxation. In the afternoon, embark on a scenic walk
along the west and north coast of the island. Make a stop at the picturesque Soulou waterfall and treat yourself to a refreshing drink
at the covered Choizils islets restaurant. Dive into
the turquoise waters for a snorkeling adventure on a fabulous coral reef. Finally,
visit the Longoni bay mangrove and learn about this
unique ecosystem. As the day comes to an
end, we will depart around 4:30 pm from Mamoudzou, leaving you with cherished
memories of this incredible excursion.
Day 24 Friday,
October 18
We fly to Moroni on Grand Comore,
an island in Comoros. Obviously another
country. We arrive about noon, with no
plans, but hopefully our taxi can show us around. We will be staying at the Golden Tulip Resort
& Spa.
Day 25 Saturday, October 19
Another opportunity for a taxi driver can
show us a bit more of Grand Comore before we fly to
Dar Salam, Tanzania about noon.
Day 26 Sunday, October 20
We will take an early ferry to Zanzibar
(another new “country”) returning to Dar Salam at 8:30pm. Our tour today was made possible by ToursbyLocals. We will be picked up from the Ferry terminal in
Stone Town and board in Swahili wooden Dhow to Prison Island to explore the
Prison ruins and tortoise sanctuary. We
will then return to Stone Town for Lunch and explore the city and ancient ruins
like the former Slave market, Old Fort, House of Wonders etc. At 04:45 PM we
will board a Swahili wooden Dhow for Sunset cruising with dinner, backdrop of
live Taarab music. In Dar es Salam we will be staying at the Golden Tulip City Center
Day 27 Monday, October 21
Early morning we fly to Blantyre, Malawi and
transfer to Mvuu
Lodge. Over the next two days (and
Wednesday morning) we enjoy game drives, hikes and a river safari.
Day 28 Tuesday, October 22
Mvuu Lodge
Day 29
Wednesday, October 23
After an early
morning game drive we enjoy (hopefully) a 4½ drive to Blue Zebra Island Lodge nestled on Nankoma Island, part of the Marelli Archipelago:
an unspoiled paradise under the protection of Lake Malawi National Park (a
UNESCO World Heritage Site).
Day
30 Thursday, October 24
The perfect combination of
adventure and relaxation in a tranquil setting, inspired by nature. Birds, nature, lake activities or just
relaxing before heading home.
Day 31 Friday,
October 25
We take a boat
back across the lake to the mainland and a 2 hour drive to the airport. Midafternoon we fly to Addis
Ababa, with an overnight stay at the airport hotel.
Day 32 Saturday, October 26
Heading home in the luxury of Ethiopian Airways business class.
For me, 8 new countries.
For you?