Discover Yourself with Martin Heart Travel

Arrive at any time and transfer to your hotel. Enjoy

a dinner with your fellow travellers tonight. Our accommodation is in the Rosebank area, just

north of central Johannesburg. The hotel is conveniently located, should you have additional

time. Taxi's can be easily arranged to get you around. Please note on this itinerary

‘Day 1’ is considered the first day the  tour starts. You must arrive in Johannesburg no later

than 3pm on the day of the tour.

Pick up (arrival transfer) from the airport to the hotel is included on whatever day you

choose to arrive.The Martin Heart Travel Team will be arrive one additional night before the tour start date. *Please request to see our full PDF package for additional information and details*.

Set out towards Kruger National Park via the magnificent Panorama Route, one of the world’s most picturesque drives. Make stops at the dramatic Blyde River Canyon and Bourke's Luck Potholes and take in panoramic views of the forest-covered valley from the God's Window viewpoint. Continue to our lodge near Kruger National park, savour a delicious South African Dinner in this picturesque location. Today is a very long driving day; however, we will make many stops along the way at sites along the Panorama Route. You’ll see magnificent mountains, panoramic passes, valleys and waterfalls so sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

Rise early and climb aboard an open jeep for a full-day safari in Kruger National Park—home to an extraordinary array of large mammals. Spot elephants, lions, giraffes and perhaps elusive

leopards as we explore this breathtaking wilderness of savanna and scrubland. Return to our lodge in the evening, where you can take some time to relax and enjoy the nocturnal sounds of the bush. At over 19,000 sq km (7,500 sq mi), South Africa’s Kruger National Park is one of the

largest and most impressive animal reserves in the world. With 147 species, Kruger has more

species of large mammals than any other park on the continent.

Hop in a 4x4 safari vehicle and get yourself one step closer to the surrounding nature. Be ready

to spot elephants, giraffes, hippos, lions, zebras and many other species in this impressive South African national park.

Travel to the Karongwe Private Game Reserve, a pristine wildlife sanctuary located in the Greater

Kruger area. Meet with a researcher from the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Cheetah Range Expansion Project—a program funded in part by National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative and managed by National Geographic Explorer, Kulani Nyakane. Sit back for a lecture and learn about efforts to protect the region’s cheetahs and other carnivores. After, the researcher then joins us for a wildlife-viewing excursion through the reserve. For the next two days, enjoy ranger-led morning and

evening wildlife safari drives in an open safari vehicle in Karongwe Nature Reserve, searching for Africa's famed Big Five. With over 9,000 hectares (22,240 acres) of supreme African bushveld, Karongwe Private Game Reserve is home to many creatures, and our safari drives provide several opportunities for wildlife viewing.

Spend the day exploring Karongwe on morning and

afternoon safaris with our local guides. Search for Africa's famed "big five" as we drive through the shrub-lands of the bushveld. Back at camp, relax on deck or take a walk around the grounds before enjoying a traditional South African dinner with your fellow travellers. Wake up before the sun (around 5am) and sip your morning coffee before heading out on a morning wildlife safari drive. Return to the lodge for brunch and some leisure time. Converse on the deck, walk the grounds and gardens, and

enjoy high tea. Following tea, it's time for a late afternoon safari drive. After spotting tons of wildlife, it’s time to return to camp and freshen up before dinner, a traditional braai. Relax and enjoy some down time between wildlife safari drives. Take part in a culinary journey that reflects South Africa’s rich cultural and culinary heritage, all from an enclosed outdoor area, lit by lanterns and a warming fire.

Embark on one last safari this morning, keeping a lookout for Karongwe’s iconic inhabitants. Then head back to the city, where you’ll enjoy dinner in our lodge. Jump into a safari 4x4 and keep your eyes open for fantastic wildlife encounters. Wildlife safari drives are conducted with qualified wildlife rangers and local expert trackers; both will share their vast experience of the African bush. Today is the long drive back to Johannesburg. Sit

back, relax and enjoy the journey in our private, air conditioned vehicle. You will have a free evening in Johannesburg to rest up for the included flight toVictoria Falls the next morning.

Catch a flight to the town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, named after one of the most powerful waterfalls on Earth. Visit a nearby village and go grocery shopping in the bustling market. Then sit down with a local family for dinner, helping your hosts prepare a traditional Zimbabwean meal using the ingredients you picked out and hear stories about local life and culture. This experience offers great insight into typical African life and ultimately reinforce how we all really want and need the

same things in life: a stable home full of love, a good education and plenty of opportunity for our children. Visit a family homestead in a rural village; walk with some of them throughout their property, among the fruit and vegetable plants the family grows for consumption. (They even plant hot chillies among the vegetables to discourage nosy elephants.) Then help the family prepare a traditional Zimbabwean dinner, which we'll all eat together outside on the property, weather permitting. Ingredients for the meal will have been hand-selected earlier in the day, at the bustling and friendly local village market.

Head out for an unforgettable experience at Victoria Falls. Explore the rainforest and learn

about the geology, history and local legends of this world wonder. After your immersion, get up close to the falls and discover their beauty. Be sure to have your camera! The mist off Victoria Falls can rise to a height of more than 400m (1312 ft). Local tribes used to call the falls Mosi-o-Tunya or “the smoke that thunders.” Explorer and missionary David Livingstone renamed the falls after Queen Victoria when he first saw them in 1855.

Today either depart early for the

long journey home or extend

your stay an extra day and join us for Full Day Excursion to Chobe National Park in Batswana or Opt for a Free Day! *Please request to see our full PDF package for additional information and details*.

Welcome to Vietnam. Your arrival transfer is included. Let the adventure begin.

Tonight is your opportunity to meet your National Geographic Expedition Leader and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Hit the hay and prepare for an early morning start. 

Spend the morning discovering the bustling Vietnamese capital and connecting to history on a guided tour. Visit the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, one of Vietnam’s most influential political leaders. Learn more about his life at the Presidential Palace, a French colonial-style building that was designed to be his official residence. Gain insights into the Vietnam War at the Hoa Lo Prison, known by American POWs as the Hanoi Hilton; then jump on a cyclo, a three-wheel bicycle taxi, for a fun-filled ride through Hanoi’s colourful Old Quarter. After, travel to the verdant Mai Chau Valley, a patchwork of rice paddies, emerald hills and charming traditional villages. 

Spend the evening free in Mai Châu.

Settle in for a two night stay in this lush, green paradise.

Spend the day exploring the picturesque valley. Set out on a walk through the peaceful countryside, learning about the local tribes and customs and visit a market for a fruit tasting. Choose to enjoy an authentic country lunch at a village home.

Enjoy an easy walk through rice paddies, terraces and scenic green hills. Visit Na Phon village and a local traditional stilt house, continuing to Lac Village (White Tai ethnic group) or Mai Chau market for some exotic fruit tasting. Enjoy stunning natural landscapes while learning about the local ethnic tribes of the Mai Chau valley.

On the way back to Hanoi, we will visit KymViet, a community organization supported by G Adventures and National Geographic. KymViet empowers people with disabilities by teaching stitching and sewing skills, helping them create sustainable, dignified livelihoods.

During our visit, we will meet the team, learn about their inspiring work and take part in a hands-on handicraft workshop, creating our own souvenir to bring home. We will also enjoy a local refreshment, learn a few words in sign language and share a delicious lunch together. Before leaving, there’s time to explore the workshop and browse handmade items in their café.

After returning to Hanoi, enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.

Optional: Hanoi Foodie Culture Tour

Dive into Hanoi’s vibrant street food scene with a guided tour through the Old Quarter. Wander through bustling backstreets and markets while sampling local specialties along the way.

Relax on board our comfortable traditional wooden junk boat. Enjoy your time afloat eating fresh food, admiring the magnificent karst formations and exploring. Spend a peaceful night anchored in the bay under the stars. Settle into your cabin on a traditional-style wooden boat or junk, where we will spend the night and embark on a cruise of either Halong Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay (depending on boat availability). Continue to glide around the bay’s stunning karst formations, and explore with our local guide.

Enjoy an early lunch on board before returning to land and heading back to Hanoi to catch a short flight to Hue. A former imperial capital of Vietnam, this World Heritage-listed city boasts many architectural treasures; it was also the site of one of the Vietnam War’s most dramatic battles.

Today you will take a 1 hour included flight from Hanoi - Huế. 

Set out on a guided tour of Hue’s imposing walled citadel, discovering lavish palaces, gardens and courtyards. Visit the Forbidden Purple City, which served as the private quarters of the imperial family; then venture into the countryside to the magnificent tombs of Vietnam’s emperors, located along the banks of the Perfume River. Visit a Buddhist nunnery and enjoy a leisurely lunch following the traditions of vegetarian cuisine.

Tour this one-time capital city and UNESCO World Heritage site. See the walled fortress and former palace, which has many palaces, gateways, courtyards and gardens to explore. The Forbidden Purple City (modelled on China's Forbidden City) inside the citadel was once home to the imperial family and was significantly damaged during the Vietnam War. Tour the tombs of Vietnam’s great emperors. Just outside of Hue, along the Perfume River are several impressive tombs dating back to the 1800s. Ranging in size and states of ruin, the ornate architecture and history make the sites a great place to learn more about the history of Hue.

Drive to Hoi An this morning, a remarkably well-preserved river port and UNESCO World Heritage site. Stroll the narrow, winding streets of the atmospheric old town, lined with quaint merchants’ homes and decorated with colourful silk lanterns. Then try your hand at crafting a lantern of your own—a symbol of luck, wealth and happiness and leave with a beautiful souvenir.  In Hoi An, it's said that hanging a lantern in front of your home will bring luck, happiness and wealth to your family.

This afternoon, opt to visit a local tailor and be fitted for a custom-made shirt. HOI AN OLD TOWN WALKING TOUR

Stroll through the narrow winding streets of Hoi An’s old town to see Chinese assembly halls, ancestral homes, The Japanese Covered Bridge and well-preserved pagodas on this self-guided tour. Opt to try local delicacies and fusion food at one of the restaurants for which Hoi An is becoming famous.

Delve into a local market this morning with guides from Oodles of Noodles, a G Adventures/Nat Geo supported program that trains local youth in the culinary arts. Taste dozens of varieties of noodles and pick out fresh ingredients at the market; then take your groceries to the Oodles of Noodles training kitchen, where you will learn to prepare mouthwatering noodle dishes and enjoy your creations for lunch.

OODLES OF NOODLES LOCAL MARKET EXCURSION

Take a walking tour of a Hoi A local market led by youths who have come to Oodles of Noodles, to be trained in the culinary arts. This excursion will empower the kitchen youth to lead insider noodle tours in Hoi An. There are currently over 26 types of noodles in this city alone and we will go to the market with two students and their trainer, learn about the ingredients at the market and do a tasting of the different noodles while supporting local small women enterprises. We then pick the ingredients and return with our youth guides to the training kitchen where you will learn to cook and prepare noodles. After we enjoy our noodles for lunch, watch a video to learn more about the organization.

FREE TIME

Spend free time this afternoon wandering through the temples and tombs at a UNESCO World Heritage site, or take a bike ride to a nearby beach. 

The day is yours to explore enchanting Hoi An and its environs. Choose to take a day trip to World Heritage-listed My Son, a cluster of moss-covered Hindu temples dating between the 4th and 13th centuries. Alternatively, head to the nearby Cua Dai beach, or relax at your hotel by the pool. - FREE DAY - 

Take a 45 minute flight to Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon. Immerse yourself in this vibrant metropolis—Vietnam’s economic hub—on a variety of optional activities. Discover the city on a cyclo tour, taking in iconic sites like the Notre Dame Cathedral and the ornate Central Post Office and City Hall. Visit the War Remnants Museum, a powerful reminder of the atrocities committed during the Vietnam War; or take a tour of the Reunification Palace, the site which marked the end of the war.

Venture to the legendary Cu Chi tunnels, a network of underground passageways that provided a base for Viet Cong soldiers during the Vietnam War. Visit subterranean hospitals and ammunition stores and learn about the vital role that the tunnels played in 

the eventual victory of the North.

DAY 13. MARCH 26th, 2026 - DEPART ANYTIME FOR THE LONG JOURNEY HOME OR TALK TO THE MARTINS ABOUT EXTENDING YOUR STAY!