DON'T forget your camera!
From elephants and a UNESCO World Heritage site to palm tree-fringed beaches and spectacular waterfalls, you'll have photo opportunities galore on a fabulous cruise through the Indian Ocean from Singapore to Cape Town.
The 23-night tour from South East Asia to South Africa, with 19 nights aboard Cunard's elegant Queen Victoria, takes in the highlights of the diverse destinations at a relaxed pace.
The Senior and Travelrite International tour departs Singapore after a day of sightseeing visiting historic China Town and beautiful Orchid Garden, on March 24 next year.
The cruise calls at Malacca (a UNESCO World Heritage site and the oldest Malaysian city in the Straits of Malacca) and the Sri Lankan capital Colombo before taking in the island life of the Seychelles, Mauritius and French colony of Reunion.
Then it's on to South Africa with a safari adventure stop at Port Elizabeth before reaching the final port of Cape Town.
The 19-night cruise, with 13 days at sea, includes sightseeing tours at each port of call.
Once one of the greatest trading ports in South East Asia, Malacca is a mix of cultures, from Malay and Chinese to Indian and European influences. Rich with heritage buildings, ancient landmarks and colonial structures, it's a great city to explore.
On a sightseeing tour you'll see the influences of the Portuguese, Dutch and British, who all colonised the city. There's also a visit to the Melaka Sultanate Palace, a photo opportunity at the Porta de Santiago, a visit to the Masjid Tranquerah and ruins of St Paul's Church.
Then on Day 7 of the cruise, have your cameras charged and at the ready for one of the highlights - the Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage about 90 minutes from the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo.
After all that elephant excitement there's a few more days of chilling at sea before arriving at Port Victoria, on Mahe - the main island of the Seychelles. A sightseeing tour will take in the natural highlights of this picture-perfect island, known for its natural beauty, palm-fringed beaches and mountainous interior.
In Mauritius, check out the remnants of the capital Port Louis' pirate past before heading to the Pamplemousses Gardens with its amazing display of giant water lilies.
And on Reunion, a French colony since 1813, there's a sightseeing tour from the capital Saint Denis to the jaw-dropping waterfalls of the inland mountains.
The cruise reaches South Africa on Day 19 of the tour, calling in at Port Elizabeth to travel north to the Addo Elephant Park. The stop includes a chance to spot elephant, rhino, lion and more on a safari before returning to the ship.
On Day 21, passengers disembark at the final destination - Cape Town. But the fun's not over yet!
Travellers will join a local guide on a sightseeing tour, checking out the imposing brick and stucco Houses of Parliament, the Victoria and Albert dock area and Bo-Kaap region where the Cape Malays live in brightly-coloured cube housing dating from the 18th and 19th centuries.
A cable-car trip up Table Mountain - with wonderful views of Table Bay, the city and out to sea - is a great end to the day.
The next day is a full day tour to the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point - the most south-westerly tip of Africa (as well as a stop en route to the pretty coastal town of Simons Town, South Africa's main naval base) - and a fitting end to the tour, which arrives back in Australia on April 15.
For those wanting to continue on, a six-night post-cruise tour leaves from Cape Town on April 14, to Victoria Falls and Chobe National Game Park in Botswana.
As well as experiencing the powerful force of the Zambezi River at Victoria Falls, it's a chance to spot the 'big 5' either on a sunset river
- Singapore to Cape Town fully escorted cruise, March 23-April 14 2019, from $8890 per person twin share or $12,860 single. Includes return flights to Singapore and from Cape Town to Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Perth, travel on the Queen Victoria, plus three nights' hotel accommodation and sightseeing tours in Singapore and at port stops.
- Extension post-cruise tour, $2850 ppts, single supplement $485.
Phone 1800-630-343, travelrite.com.au