Extraordinary explorations of unique historic sites and natural oases see the iconic cruise pioneer take cultural expedition cruising worldwide.
CAPE TOWN – Swan Hellenic announced its cultural expedition cruises of Africa for 2023 as SH Vega reached the continent from Antarctica. Explorers with curious minds who demand the highest standards now have a choice of 9 extraordinary cultural expedition cruises between March and November 2023, ranging from 8 to 14-day voyages on the pioneering company’s elegant new 5-star ships SH Diana and SH Vega. Each will be in the company of world-renowned experts and seasoned expedition guides who bring surprising insights to in-depth explorations of worlds unvisited even by specialist firms.
SH Vega will be following the West Coast of Africa northwards as she makes her way to the Arctic, offering 4 cultural expedition cruises: “Safaris of the Southwest Coast” (Cape Town to Luanda over 10 days), “Unspoilt Wilds of Southwest Africa” (Luanda to Accra over 14 days), “Cultural Crucibles of West Africa” (Accra to Dakar over 14 days) and “Volcanic Cultures of Africa’s Atlantic Islands” (Dakar to Santa Cruz de Tenerife over 9 days).
There are so many unique attractions to choose from that it’s well worth exploring all these cruises in detail on the Swan Hellenic website. However, standouts range from Loango National Park in Gabon, with lowland gorillas and its surfing hippos, to the opportunity to encounter chimpasees in the Conkouati-Douli National Park in the Republic of the Congo. Here guests will also be able to visit the famous chimpanzee sanctuary that rescues animals from the bushmeat trade and reintroduces them to the wild. Swan Hellenic is unique in offering access to both these extraordinary parks.
Any of these exceptional cruises starting from £3,708 inclusive can be daisy-chained as desired.
SH Diana, the largest ship in Swan Hellenic’s 5-star fleet, which is outfitted with tender boats as well as expedition zodiacs, will be sailing the North and East Coasts southwards between August and November. The 5 cultural expedition cruises offered here are “Mysteries of Carthage and the Moors” (Lisbon to Palermo over 11 days), “Revelations of Suez, Sinai and the Red Sea” (Limassol to Jeddah over 13 days), “Paradise Islands of the Indian Ocean” (Port Victoria to Mombasa over 12 days), “Madagascar and its Eastern Islands” (Mombasa to Maputo 11 over days) and “Extraordinary Southern Africa” (Maputo to Cape Town over 8 days).
Highlights here include the holy city of Medina, the famous pink sandstone Nabataean city of Petra, and lush Pemba Island with its fruit-eating flying fox megabats and unforgettable snorkelling.
Daisy-chaining is, as always, a Swan Hellenic option, in this case including in combination with cultural expedition cruises of the Mediterranean to create an extraordinary odyssey of magnificent civilisations and unforgettable wild places.
“We’re really excited to offer these special new opportunities to discerning explorers,” commented Swan Hellenic VP of Global Marketing Patrizia Iantorno. “Our expertly designed Africa cruises mark the beginning of a new era of cultural expedition cruising worldwide.”
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
