When you mention Africa, pictures from Jules Verne’s adventure novels, like “Five Weeks in a Balloon”, appear before your eyes: sultry sun, exotic islands, paradise landscapes - from the savannah, where the elephant reigns, to snow-white sandy beaches, fringed with palm trees, coral reefs and rich underwater world.

Indeed, people rarely return from Africa indifferent. Usually they come with sparkling eyes and one thought: “More!” More!" But there is also “Never again!” After all, travelers often forget those pages where Verne describes how carefully his heroes prepared their expeditions. Sierra Leone is not Rome's Via del Leone. Even if you're doing a triathlon and have been to dozens of countries, you'll still have to fill yourself with books, use a search engine, and absorb a ton of information to prepare. In fact, you will become an expert. Just a couch expert for now, because nothing can replace experience. You need to go yourself and get to know the country. And still, questions will remain: where to live, how to get there, whether they will be allowed into the national park and many others.

There is another reason. Assume, you want exotic things, lions and hippos, and your dear other half is actually going to the atoll to sunbathe when you are about to make her happy with the idea of ​​ “we’re going to Mozambique.” The specification “To Mozambique on a megayacht” radically changes things!

Swan Hellenic sea expeditions provide a unique opportunity to see non-tourist Africa: to get acquainted with all the richness and diversity of cultures, traditions and customs, to experience something new and unusual. And, of course, all routes include time for a beach holiday by the ocean, where you can bask on the sand and go snorkeling.

The members of the Swan Hellenic team know Africa at an expert level, they have been on numerous expeditions, speak several languages ​​and will be reliable guides throughout the trip. Swan Hellenic carefully plans routes and has full information about current port accessibility, infrastructure, visa and security requirements. By the way, visas can be issued directly on board the megayacht. The organizers ensure the highest level of security both on board and during shore excursions.

The company cares about its passengers and crew members, therefore it cooperates only with trusted tour operators and guides. Through security arrangements with local authorities, Swan Hellenic maintains the highest security standards in the industry on African cruises.

Its expedition megayachts allow you to explore remote corners of the world in the comfort of a boutique hotel with sophisticated Scandinavian design. It features an infinity pool, a sauna with panoramic views, a jacuzzi on the open deck, a spa, gourmet restaurants with dishes from famous chefs, and stylish interiors made from natural materials.

Spacious passenger cabins with quality interiors are a real home away from home, with everything you need to relax and recharge before your next adventure, including a convenient lighting system, a fireplace with a live flame effect, art objects, Egyptian cotton bed linen, spacious dressing rooms and comfortable bathrooms.

The all-inclusive principle operates on board, relieving guests of unnecessary household worries. The cruise price includes accommodation, meals, room service, a wide selection of drinks, lectures by experienced experts and guest speakers, Zodiac dinghy boats landing trips and participation in expedition activities led by crew members.

You can choose one cruise or several at once for a deeper acquaintance with the region. The cruise line schedules four itineraries along the East African coast in October and November, and the Swan Hellenic expedition ship sails along the West African coast in March and April each year.

East Coast

Traveling around the eastern part of the continent will allow you to see representatives of the animal world as close as never before. Swan Hellenic expedition participants will go on safaris through national parks, where they will see lions, leopards, elephants, rhinoceroses and buffalo, part of the so-called “African Big Five”, in their natural habitats. The African season opens with two expeditions to the islands of the Indian Ocean.

Seychelles

Perhaps you have already been to the Seychelles, more than once. So much the better! With Swan Hellenic you will have the opportunity to see the islands from a new perspective and not separately, but all at once. Think about it, out of the 115 islands of the archipelago, only 33 are inhabited! And what beauties can be found on the rest? Simply unimaginable ones!

Over eleven days, travelers - by zodiac, kayak, paddle board, bicycle, or on foot - explore quiet bays, sand and boulder beaches, jungle, dense palm forests, mangroves, as well as several nature reserves and vanilla plantations. The flora and fauna of the islands is unique. Take, for example, giant turtles. These giants live up to 150 years, and the pattern of the shell is individual for each of them.

Until recently, it was believed that the most beautiful plant of the islands, Wright's gardenia, had disappeared as a result of agricultural expansion. The opportunity to see these beautiful white and pink flowers again has appeared thanks to its reintroduction, successfully carried out by ecologists in recent years.

Seychelles, Aldabra, Tanzania and Kenya

The best option for your first acquaintance with the Seychelles and for a sightseeing tour of such exotic countries as Tanzania and Kenya. However, the route is also good for the opportunity to visit (and dive!) Aldabra - the second largest coral atoll in the world, the homeland of those same giant turtles. Their colony on the island numbers 152 thousand. This is one and a half times more than the population of Seychelles. The Kenyan island of Lamu is history come to life. Who hasn't been here! Arabs, Portuguese, even Chinese sailors, and this diversity was reflected in local traditions. Finally, the expedition will arrive in Kenya's second largest city, one of the oldest settlements on the continent and the wild safari capital of Mombasa.

Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar and South Africa

One of the most popular routes among Russian travelers is the autumn expedition, which begins in Mombasa and ends in the capital of Mozambique, Maputo. A country with an AK-47 on its flag is not popular among tourists, and that’s part of its charm. The local sandy beaches are magnificent; in national parks you can admire lions, hippos, servals, and monkeys.

Visiting Mozambique and at the same time living on a megayacht is the best combination of exoticism, comfort and safety. But most importantly, Madagascar is included in the program of this two-week trip! This is where the eyes of lovers of exotic animals run wild. Here you can see whales, dolphins and sea turtles, meet rainbow chameleons and lemurs and be as close to nature as possible.

South Africa      

The final cruise in the autumn collection is a week-long exploration of the South African coast. Guests can enjoy safaris, sea swims and explore local architecture influenced by different cultures. The best place for cultural enrichment will be Cape Town.

Here you can see ancient buildings left over from Dutch and British rule and the colorful Malay Quarter. The National Botanical Garden is considered one of the best in the world, and in the huge aquarium you can immediately see more than 300 species of fish and marine animals living in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

West Coast

This part of the continent is especially attractive for those who would like to get a closer look at the authentic way of life of the local people, but it is not so popular among ordinary tourists due to the large distances between attractions and the almost complete lack of infrastructure. But it is you, who can take your time, examine ancient monuments in detail, learn a lot about ethnic and colonial architecture, and visit colorful markets.

South Africa, Namibia, Angola

At the end of March, expedition megayacht SH Diana will set off on a 12-day voyage from picturesque Cape Town. Expedition participants will be able to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of pristine nature, see stunning coastal landscapes and the harsh landscapes of the Namib Desert, and watch flamingos, pelicans, whales and dolphins. The journey will end in one of the oldest colonial cities in Africa, Luanda. It will be followed by two more unique tours:

Angola, Congo, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe, Benin, Togo and Ghana

In two weeks, the expedition yacht will travel from the capital of Angola, Luanda, to Ghana via Congo and Gabon. Traveling across the equator along the azure coast, visitors will see volcanic islands, mangroves and pristine rainforests in remote lagoons, visit the white beaches of Sao Tome, and then travel through Benin and Togo to the Gold Coast.

In these places, the rivers abound with crocodiles and hippopotamuses, and the forests and savannas are home to elephants, lions, lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, leopards, zebras, African buffalos, antelopes and parrots. You can watch humpback whales, killer whales, dolphins and turtles swim by right from the balcony of your cabin.

Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Gambia

During the two-week cruise through Africa, guests will visit six exotic countries. In each of them they will learn many amazing facts from centuries-old history and ancient legends and myths.

They'll see the bustling cities of Liberia and Sierra Leone, as well as the remote and mysterious islands of the Gambia, home to hippos and pygmy goats. The cruise will end in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, which is called the Paris of West Africa. Here guests will enjoy delightful dancing and music.

Dakar-Lisbon

If you want to combine the impressions of traveling around Africa and the islands of the Atlantic Ocean, you can choose a cruise for the May holidays on the Dakar-Lisbon route with a call at Morocco, the Canary Islands and Madeira.

Cruises in Africa will be the optimal solution for those who want to travel safely and with all the amenities, without worrying about planning the route and choosing guides. This is a chance to fall in love with Africa, which certainly deserves it. Swan Hellenic has already prepared a travel program until 2027.