Compare Ultimate Africa: Botswana, Zambia & Zimbabwe Safari by Overseas Adventure Travel vs South Africa, Zimbabwe & Botswana in 13 days - Cape, Kruger, Victoria Falls & Chobe N.P. - LUXURY by Exoticca

DAY 1
Depart U.S.
Trip Extension: Thornybush
Spot wildlife in a private reserve that is home to all of Africa's "Big Five" on this extension.
You depart from the U.S. on an overnight flight to Johannesburg, South Africa.

DAY 2
Arrive Johannesburg, South Africa
Accommodations: Protea Hotel O.R. Tambo or similar
Today, arrive in Johannesburg, South Africa. You will be met and transferred to your hotel for an overnight stay. Here, you'll be joined by those who traveled on our optional Thornybush: Kruger's Northern Gateway extension.

DAY 3
Fly from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls • Transfer to Chobe National Park
Meals included: B D Accommodations: Baobab Safari Lodge or similar

This morning, we’ll fly to Victoria Falls, arriving early afternoon.

We meet our Trip Leader at the Victoria Falls airport, and we drive across the border to our lodge in Botswana. After a briefing on our upcoming explorations, we'll enjoy a Welcome Drink and later, mingle with your travel companions at our Welcome Dinner.

DAY 4
Wildlife viewing at Chobe National Park
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Baobab Safari Lodge or similar

The next two days are devoted to seeking out game in Chobe National Park, the second-largest (and first-established) national park in the country.

Chobe National Park is home to one of the world's largest elephant populations—the present herd is estimated at 50,000 animals. This enormous region offers variety in both wildlife and terrain. Riverine forest, flood plains, and mopane are home to large and small game. Elephants gather around baobab trees, drawn by the water stored in their bark.

During the dry season, the Chobe River attracts so much game that thousands of animals may congregate on its banks, and hippo are submerged in its waters. Some visitors have experienced the spectacular sighting of a zebra migration. Large groups of giraffe amble about the land, and hyena, cheetah, leopard, and wildebeest may also be glimpsed in this thickly populated habitat. The birdlife here is spectacular, ranging from eagles and bustards to plovers and rollers, and bee-eaters bustle near their sandbank nests. There are also water birds, such as egret, ibis, and heron, along the river.

The pace of most of our African safari days follows this general pattern: After our morning game-viewing, we will spend siesta time quietly during the heat of the day, followed by teatime in the late afternoon. Next we head out for our afternoon game-viewing drive. In the evenings, just before sunset, we gather to soak in the views of the golden sun sinking behind a nearby watering hole. We then sit down to enjoy dinner together by candlelight.

Today, we explore the Chobe National Park on morning and afternoon game-viewing drives, return to the lodge in time for afternoon tea, and then, after sundown, we have dinner at our lodge.

DAY 5
Explore Chobe National Park
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Baobab Safari Lodge or similar

Our safari schedule in Chobe today features a full-day game-viewing drive in Chobe National Park—which has one of the greatest concentrations of game found on the African continent and is sure to be a highlight of our safari adventure. During a full day of game-viewing in the park, we’ll spot some of these magnificent elephants, in addition to zebra, Cape buffalo, hippo, and crocodile. We will be out in our vehicles during lunchtime, so we will take along a picnic lunch.

Dinner tonight is a traditional South African braai, similar to our barbecue but more closely connected to the outdoor life, culture, and laid-back lifestyle of southern Africans. We’ll cap off the day with a relaxing sundowner with our fellow travelers.

DAY 6
Fly to Okavango Delta via Kasane
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Wilderness Tented Camp or similar

This morning, we'll enjoy a discussion with your Trip Leader on the region's history before boarding a minibus that takes us to Kasane, Botswana. From here, we catch a light aircraft flight to our camp in Botswana.

Our lodge is a private Wilderness Tented Camp adjacent to the border of the Moremi National Park in the northern region of the Delta. Upon arrival, we enjoy a game-viewing drive en route to our camp, where we'll have a briefing about the lodge and the surrounding area, along with an included lunch.

Afterward, you are free to relax at our lodgings before we gather together for a game-viewing drive before returning for dinner.

DAY 7
Explore Okavango Delta • Moremi area
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Wilderness Tented Camp or similar

We devote the next two days to in-depth exploration of the Okavango Delta. Each morning, we split into groups and choose from a variety of options for exploring the area: including a mokoro canoe ride (weather-permitting), or a game-viewing drive.

In the Delta, we'll see a variety of birdlife, including the vibrantly plumed lilac-breasted roller and the similarly striking pygmy goose (actually a species of duck). The elusive Pel's fishing owl, though nocturnal, can sometimes be spotted here during the day. Hippos spend the days submerged in the Delta waters, and sitatunga and red lechwe frequent both the swamps and dry land.

While on land, we are likely to see herds of buffalo, sable antelope, kudu, and elephant.

We return to the lodge in time for lunch, and enjoy our afternoon tea before departing on our next game-viewing excursion, returning to the lodge after sundown for dinner.

Please note: Mokoro excursions are dependent on safety and water levels, which fluctuate constantly in the Delta, regardless of the season. When you arrive in the Delta, your Trip Leader will monitor conditions and advise you of whether it's possible to explore by mokoro.

DAY 8
Explore Okavango Delta
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Wilderness Tented Camp or similar

Today, we continue to explore the Okavango Delta. We'll again split into groups and explore the area by mokoro on the Delta (if conditions permit), or enjoy a game-viewing drive in the neighboring savannah.

DAY 9
Fly to Kasane • Transfer to Kafue, Zambia
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Lufupa Tented Camp or similar

This morning, after an early breakfast, we fly by light aircraft from the Okavango Delta to Kasane Airport. We then travel by road and boat to Livingstone, where we'll take a light aircraft transfer to Lufupa Tented Camp in Kafue National Park this afternoon. One of Zambia’s most impressive parks, Kafue is one of the first to join an initiative to link the national parks of five African countries into what will eventually become a 108,000-square-mile park, to be known as the Kvango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (also the Okavango-Upper Zambezi TFCA).

After we settle in and enjoy afternoon tea in the cool of the shade of jackalberry trees, we enjoy our first game-viewing excursion by boat or 4x4 vehicle late this afternoon.

Kafue boasts a distinction that we’ll appreciate on our game-viewing drives: It is home to the greatest diversity of mammals in Zambia, with 55 large mammal species, including six varieties of large cat and 20 hooved species. Leopard and lion prowl the area around the Lufupa Channel in search of warthog, hartebeest, and the elegant puku, an antelope found only in Zambia and the Congo. Elephants gather here by day, while hippo venture out at twilight. Our guide will help us to spot these animals as we explore the park.

We return to camp in time for dinner. Our campsite is situated in the northern section of the park along the banks of the Kafue River, one of the three rivers nourishing the park. From the decks of our safari-style tented rooms, we can view the slow-moving river and the wildlife that it attracts. After dinner, we gather around the campfire to compare notes on the animals we saw today.

DAY 10
Explore Kafue National Park
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Lufupa Tented Camp or similar

Today, we’ll enjoy two game-viewing excursions by boat or safari vehicle during the most temperate hours—early morning and late afternoon—when the wildlife is at its most active. In addition to the mammal species such as graceful giraffes, Kafue boasts nearly 500 species of bird, including the yellow-billed oxpecker, trumpeter hornbill, and grey crowned crane. Along the rivers that feed the park, we might also encounter the white-backed night heron, African finfoot, or saddle-billed stork.

Between wildlife excursions, you may choose to linger at camp, enjoying Kafue River views at leisure, or elect to join our Trip Leader on a nature walk around the camp.

We gather for dinner this evening around the campfire.

DAY 11
Explore Kafue National Park
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Lufupa Tented Camp or similar

Two more game-viewing excursions await you this morning and afternoon, as you explore the outer reaches of the park by boat or safari vehicle. It’s impossible to exhaust the discoveries at Kafue, one of the continent’s largest national parks—at 8,600 square miles, it is roughly the size of the entire state of New Jersey. Kafue’s habitats span riverine forests, floodplains, woodlands, and dambos (open grasslands). There will also be opportunities to fish along the banks, as well as a sundowner cruise in the afternoon.

We gather for dinner and a campfire tonight, swapping memories of all we’ve encountered on our explorations in this truly stunning locale.

DAY 12
Kafue National Park • Transfer to Hwange, Zimbabwe
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Kashawe Tented Camp or similar

This morning, after an early breakfast, we enjoy a final game-viewing drive in the region during our transfer overland to the airstrip for our chartered flight to Livingstone Airport. From here, we board a minibus that takes us to Victoria Falls, the departure point for our drive to Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe's largest park.

This outstanding area of African bush country boasts plentiful wildlife—yet remains relatively "undiscovered." Our camp is located in the northern section of Hwange National Park and each tented unit offers views of the Sinamatella River and surrounding hillside from the veranda. We'll have lunch en route to our camp, arriving in the early afternoon.

Hwange is home to many diverse habitats, from teak forests to palm islands to vast savannah plains. Likewise, you may behold a rich menagerie of game that can include elephant, buffalo, eland, wildebeest, impala, lion, leopard, cheetah, and more than 400 known bird species. The park is also known for its herds of sable antelope, an elegant animal with large, graceful horns.

In the late afternoon, we gather to enjoy a talk regarding the local culture before dinner.

DAY 13
Wildlife viewing in Hwange National Park
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Kashawe Tented Camp or similar

This morning, we'll have the opportunity to enjoy a game-viewing drive with one of our professional guides. During this drive, you will learn about the region's flora and the intricate cycle of life in the bush. We will learn to identify which animals have passed through the area. Our expert guides may also expound on everything from how elephant dung can be used as mosquito repellent, to how the giraffe is able to eat leaves off of the thorny acacia trees. During our drive, we’ll stop to enjoy lunch in the bush.

After our game-viewing drive, we’ll return to our camp for some time at leisure. Tonight, we’ll experience traditional African drumming, followed by dinner together.

DAY 14
A Day in the Life of a Hwange Community • Game viewing FOUNDATION VISIT
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Kashawe Tented Camp or similar

A Day in the Life
Work side-by-side with locals to find fresh water and prepare sadza (porridge) in a Hwange village.
Today, we'll take a break from game viewing to learn more about Zimbabwe's human residents as we enjoy A Day in the Life of a village near the park. We'll meet a village leader, who takes us on a short tour that reveals how local people live, tend to their animals, and raise their crops. We'll learn a few words in the language of the local Ndebele people, before sitting down with a family to gain insight into their culture first-hand. We'll also have an opportunity for hands-on discovery when we take part in some farming activities (season permitting)—like planting, milking cows, and collecting eggs. Then, we'll visit St. Mary's Primary school (when in session), which is supported in part by Grand Circle Foundation. We have the unique opportunity to meet the teachers and share smiles with the children, and enjoy an included lunch at the school.

As on previous days, we enjoy a game-viewing drive in the afternoon and return to our camp after sunset.

DAY 15
Transfer to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Rainbow Hotel or similar

After breakfast, we depart our camp and drive to Victoria Falls. Here we visit the largest curtain of water in the world—and one of the world's Seven Natural Wonders. These awe-inspiring cataracts, whose African name (Mosi-oa Tunya) means "the smoke that thunders," are nearly twice as high as Niagara, one and a half times as wide, and generate three times as much water. On a clear day, you can see the mist sprayed into the air from these crashing waters from more than 50 miles away. At peak flood times, 1.4 billion gallons of water per minute pass over its edge.

After lunch, we'll enjoy a guided tour which includes exploring walking trails and lookout points—each with different views. There are five main cataracts, including the most dramatic, the Main Falls and Devil's Cataract. The flora around the falls is naturally profuse: You'll see ebony, fig trees, and many flowering species. The rain forest surrounding the falls is particularly lush, fed by Victoria's perpetual spray. (It's a good idea to wrap your camera equipment, cash, and other valuables in plastic.)

This evening enjoy dinner at our hotel.

DAY 16
Explore Victoria Falls • Optional tours OPTIONAL TOUR
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Rainbow Hotel or similar

After breakfast, enjoy a walk through Chinotimba township, where we can observe everyday life in the neighborhood that is home to the majority of people living around Victoria Falls. Then, after lunch back at our hotel, you can join a combination of optional tours including an elephantback safari or helicopter ride over Victoria Falls. Or, you can walk through town on your own to check out the local handcrafts, such as the famous Shona stone carvings and a variety of wooden carvings. You'll also find a selection of brilliant African textiles, malachite, basketry, and more. This is one of the places where bartering is appropriate, often expected—and can be great fun. American goods like T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baseball caps with designer logos can be good “currency” here. Please ask your Trip Leader for advice about where else it may be appropriate to barter in this manner. This evening, we'll enjoy our Farewell Dinner while cruising along the Zambezi River.

DAY 17
Fly to Johannesburg • Return to U.S. or begin trip extension
Meals included: B

Trip Extension: Cape Town
Ascend Cape Town's Table Mountain and spot penguin colonies on this must-do extension.
After breakfast this morning, we’ll gather for a talk on the life of David Livingstone before we drive to the airport and board our flight to Johannesburg. Both the flight for the post-trip extension Cape Town & the Cape of Good Hope and the return flights to the U.S. depart in the early evening.

Day 1: US - Night on board

Arrival at your US departure airport ready to check-in for a flight * to Johannesburg. Night on board. * If your outbound flight leaves at dawn (before 4:00 a.m.) you must arrive at the airport the night before the selected departure day. Why not make the most of your time in South Africa by adding one of our optional excursion packages. Choose between our Gastronomic or Adventure packages in the next step of the booking process! Our Gastronomic Package includes two meals at excellent restaurants in Cape Town plus a Bo-Kapp Cooking Tour and Cape Winelands Excursion. Our Adventure Package includes a Full-Day Kruger Game Drive, an exciting Shark Cage Diving Experience and an Atlantis Dunes Quad Biking Excursion. Please note: you can only choose one of the optional excursion packages (Adventure or Gastronomic).

Day 2: Johannesburg

Arrive in Johannesburg and transfer to the hotel. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure exploring the city and it's diverse and vibrant neighbourhoods. Tuck into the vibrant food scene and pop-up eateries. The city is a real cultural hub and it a great place to catch live music performances and indulge in trendy bars and restaurants. Overnight stay in Johannesburg.

Day 3: Johannesburg - Mpumalanga - Kruger

Breakfast at the hotel. At the indicated time transfer by road to Mpumalanga. You're headed for Kruger, home to some of the most iconic wildlife in South Africa. Along the way, see some of the most iconic sights of the Panorama Route such as Blyde River Canyon and the Three Rondavels (entrance fees not included). You'll fall in love with the natural beauty of South Africa's landscapes!* Arrive and transfer to the hotel to check-in. Dinner and overnight stay in Kruger. * Please note: The journey today takes approximately 7-8 hours by road and includes stops along the way for lunch (at own expense) and sightseeing. There will be no accompanying guide for this journey so take the opportunity to enjoy the passing landscapes as you travel through some of the most spectacular regions in South Africa.

Day 4: Kruger National Park

Enjoy a Full-Day 4x4 Game Drive at Kruger National Park. Begin the day early on safari in the southern area of South Africa's most famous game reserves with breakfast on the go. The game viewing area is known as the 'Southern Circle' and is renowned for its rhinos and lions. Enjoy an afternoon game drive in Kruger National Park and discover the amazing diversity of animals in one of the world's largest game reserves. Remember to bring comfortable shoes, warm and rainproof jackets, sunhat and protection and cameras to capture the beautiful wildlife. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 5: Kruger National Park

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a day at your leisure to explore the beautiful natural landscapes of Kruger and the White River. We recommend an optional day trip to Kruger National Park to experience more of its wildlife-rich eco-systems.* Dinner and overnight stay in the Kruger Region. * Optional Kruger National Park Day Trip: Set off to the wilds of Kruger for your chance to spot the famous Big Five. Enjoy a slow drive through the national park, home to elephants, buffalos, giraffes, impalas, zebras and, of course, lions. An unforgettable day in the wilds of Southern Africa. Packed lunch included.

Day 6: Kruger - Johannesburg - Cape Town

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer by road back to Johannesburg, stopping to see the exterior of the Union Buildings in Pretoria, the official headquarters of the South African government.* Arrive in Johannesburg and transfer to the airport to catch a flight to Cape Town. Arrive in Cape Town, known as the 'Mother City', and transfer to the hotel. Overnight stay in Cape Town. * Please note: The journey today takes approximately 7-8 hours by road and includes stops along the way for lunch (at own expense) and sightseeing. There will be no accompanying guide for this journey so take the opportunity to enjoy the passing landscapes as you travel through some of the most spectacular regions in South Africa.

Day 7: Cape Town

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy the ticket hop on hop off tour in Cape Town. South Africa's capital combines cosmopolitanism, culture, architecture, and the best of nature. With the hop-on and hop-off ticket, you will be able to do over 30 stops to enjoy some of the most remarkable attractions of the 'Mother City'. Take the Cableway and go up to Table Mountain where you can enjoy one of the most breathtaking views of Africa's landscapes.* Transfer to the hotel and overnight stay in Cape Town. * Please note: the Table Mountain Cableway in Cape Town will be closed for maintenance from the 25th of July until the 28th of August 2022. If your trip coincides with these dates, you will enjoy an included Sunset Cruise instead and your included Hop-On Hop-Off bus tickets will still enable you to visit the lower station of the cableway if you wish.

Day 8: Cape Town

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a free day by discovering the city further. We recommend taking the optional Cape Winelands excursion, especially if you're a wine lover as this region is known for its award-winning whites and reds.* Overnight stay in Cape Town. * Optional Full-Day Wine Route Excursion with Wine Tasting: Set off into the lush Winelands outside of Cape Town and visit the wine producers in Stellenbosch for delicious wine tasting and a cellar tour.

Day 9: Cape Town

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a free day by discovering the city further. We recommend taking the optional Full-Day tour of the Cape Peninsula, a paradise of natural beauty, vineyards and coastal seal and penguin colonies!* Overnight stay in Cape Town. * Optional Full-Day Cape Peninsula Excursion: Enjoy the delights of the Cape Peninsula including Clifton, Camps Bay, Llandudno and the amazing Twelve Apostles. Pass through Noordhoek and see the local ostriches before visiting the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Cape Point. Fall in love with the Penguin Colony and Boulder's Beach and see Simons Town and Muizenberg Beach.

Day 10: Cape Town - Victoria Falls

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport to board a flight to Victoria Falls. Named after Queen Victoria of England by the explorer David Livingstone, these impressive waterfalls are just one of the gifts that nature has given to southern Africa. Arrive and transfer to the hotel. Get comfortable at the hotel and perhaps explore the surroundings at your leisure. We recommend an optional Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River, an unforgettable way to spend your first night in Zimbabwe.* Overnight stay in Victoria Falls. * Optional Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River: Transfer to the jetty for a Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River. Includes drinks and snacks on board.

Day 11: Victoria Falls

Breakfast at the hotel. Today visit the Zimbabwe side of the awe-inspiring UNESCO World Heritage Site of Victoria Falls. Described locally as 'The Smoke That Thunders', Victoria Falls sits at the south of the Zambezi River, between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Spend some time being amazed by the power of the falls and visit different vantage points to discover the sheer scale of this natural wonder. During the afternoon we recommend the optional Flight of the Angels Helicopter Experience * or the optional Guided Tour of the Falls from Zambia and Zimbabwe sides.** Return to the hotel for an overnight stay in Victoria Falls. * Optional Flight of the Angels Helicopter Experience (13 Minutes): To put the Victoria Falls into a true perspective, they must really be seen from the air. The sheer size and grandeur of the spectacle become all the more clearer from above. The huge Zambezi River flowing slowly south as the water spreads across the full width of a great rent in the earth before crashing over the lip in a burst of spray and then squeezing into a narrow, foaming, blast of water rushing down the zigzag funnel of the gorges. ** Optional Guided Tour of the Falls (Zambia and Zimbabwe): A guided tour of the falls enables you to delve into the local customs and traditions while gaining insight into how such an exquisite creation came to be. An aura of excitement envelopes everyone who lays eyes on this incredible spectacle and guided tours are conducted from both Zambia and Zimbabwe sides.

Day 12: Victoria Falls - Chobe National Park

Breakfast at the hotel. At the indicated time cross the border into Botswana and to Kasane, the gateway to the Chobe National Park. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure to explore the beautiful natural landscapes of Botswana. Dinner and overnight stay in Chobe National Park.

Day 13: Chobe National Park

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, set off for Chobe National Park, Botswana’s first national park which stretches for 11.700 sq. metres. The park is well known for its huge population of elephants, who bath in the waters of the Chobe River. Explore the park on a game drive in open safari vehicles. In the late afternoon, embark on a boat cruise on the Chobe River. Watch the animals by the river. Hippos and crocodiles, as well as a lot of birds, are often seen on the river banks. Enjoy the sunset whilst sipping on a sundowner drink. Return to Kasane. Dinner and overnight stay in Chobe National Park.

Day 14: Chobe National Park - Victoria Falls - Night on board

Breakfast * at the hotel. At the indicated time, transfer to the airport for a flight back to US. Night on board. * Depending on the return flight schedule and the hotel breakfast service, you may not be able to enjoy the included breakfast on the last day.

Day 15: US

Arrive in US and end your trip.