Compare Southern Africa Encompassed: Bush Camps & Wildlife Spotting by G Adventures vs Africa's Wildlife by Odysseys Unlimited
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 15 days | 14 days |
| Price From | $ 2,279 | $ 6,554 |
| Price Per Day | $ 152 | $ 468 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Camping | Standard |
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| Countries Visited | ||
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Airfare included |
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| Meals Included | 13 breakfasts, 12 lunches, 8 dinners |
11 Breakfasts, 7 Lunches and 10 Dinners |
| Description |
Now's the time to explore Africa on your terms with this tour that's affordable for young travellers. When it comes to raw, in-your-face wildness, South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe is where it's at — and from the vantage of our rugged Lando, even more spectacular. Witness traditional dancing, explore the Okavango Delta with a wildlife walk and bush camping, track wildlife on foot in Zimbabwe’s Matobo National Park, and capture the "big five" (in photo form, of course) in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, while camping keeps you close to the incomparable scenery. This quick tour isn't simply a taste of Africa; it's a full-course meal — with seconds. |
A glimpse of a world primeval awaits on this singular safari to Botswana’s Chobe National Park, where elephants preside; Zimbabwe’s dazzling Victoria Falls and its private game reserve; and Zambia’s exceptional Lower Zambezi National Park, a remote jewel of an unspoiled preserve. |
Day 1 Johannesburg
Arrive at any time. Tonight, get to know your group on your first night out together in Johannesburg. After your welcome meeting at the hotel, choose to enjoy an Amarula cocktail at the bar or go to Emperors Palace with a wide array of restaurants and bars to choose from. Sit back, relax, eat some grub, sip a cocktail, and get to know your fellow travel buddies as the adventure begins.
If you arrive a day or two early, we recommended booking an excursion to Soweto or the Apartheid Museum.
Please make sure you have all of the necessary visas for this tour by the time of the welcome meeting. It is very important to read the visa section in our trip details to make sure you have all visas you will need, if any. Please note that not all nationalities are able to obtain visas upon arrival at the border.
Day 2 Johannesburg/Serowe
Get ready to check another country off those travel lists as you and the group pass across the border into Botswana. We’re not going to lie, today will be a lot of driving, but use this opportunity to talk with your group, swap stories, and watch as the landscape changes around you from the desolate scenery of central-eastern Botswana to the wild bush within the Khama Rhino Sanctuary. The group will stop here for the night to set up camp, enjoy each other's company around a fire, and fall peacefully asleep beneath the stars.
Today's travel takes us through a very desolate part of central-eastern Botswana. We cross into Botswana and finish the day at a campsite within the Khama Rhino Sanctuary, a unique community-based initiative in wildlife conservation.
Day 3 Serowe/Maun
You didn’t think the group was leaving before taking part in a wildlife drive through the Khama Sanctuary did you? Good, because there’s not a chance. Get out there in an open air vehicle with a guide to spot some wildlife. Jump in the Lando and continue on to Maun. Scroll through your camera roll checking the pictures you've already snapped while the land outside your window becomes more fertile as you approach the area of the Okavango Delta.
Day 4 Maun/Okavango Delta
Today is going to be busy, but fun, and man do we wish we were going with you on this epic adventure. You’ll wake to the sounds and smells of the bush around you. Later, dive right into some nature with a wildlife walk. The cool thing about being on foot is that you will get to learn about tracking the animals and gain insight into their movement patterns and behaviour on a much more intimate level. From there the group will begin an exciting excursion deep into the Okavango Delta in a traditional mokoro (dugout canoe) to do some birdwatching on the way to our basic bush camp for the evening (get ready to completely unplug). Set up camp, sing with the locals, and simply unwind with a sundowner around the campfire… cheers!
Pack a small bag for this overnight excursion; we'll leave our big bags with the Lando. Please note that there are no showers or running water for toilets. Bring along 5 litres of water for both drinking and cleaning.
Day 5 Okavango Delta/Gweta
Africa is home to some of the most beautiful sunrises in the world and today (if the weather is just right) you will get to experience the almost too vibrant colours of that quintessential sunrise that we all picture when we think of going on safari to Africa. Then, tip your heads back, take a deep breath, and feel the mokoro cut through the crystal clear channels as you ride out of the Okavango Delta. The group will take some time to freshen up in Maun (showers everyone!) before embarking in the Lando to Gweta where the group will camp under massive baobab trees for the night.
Enjoy the towering baobab trees found around tonight's campsite and go for a dip in the pool if you need to cool off.
Day 6 Gweta/Kasane
Travel to Kasane and choose to embark on a river cruise through Chobe NP, home to the largest elephant population in southern Africa. Drive through the verdant lands between Gweta and Kasane. Witness how rain brings life to the salt pans, awakening the dormant fish and aquatic shrimps in the mud. The surrounding grasslands also teem with life and are home to many antelope, which attract a wide variety of predators. Keep your eyes focused as the world passes you by and then reward yourself with a group toast as you camp under the great big African sky.
Today we journey to Chobe National Park, home to the largest elephant population in southern Africa. The best way to appreciate one of Botswana's national parks and its thousands of resident elephants, crocodiles, and hippos is on an optional sunset boat cruise on the Chobe River. You can pre-book this on the checkout page, or through your Global Connection Officer or travel agent.
Day 7 Kasane/Victoria Falls
Buckle those seat belts and cross the border from Botswana to Zimbabwe; home of epic Victoria Falls. All that driving is bound to make you hungry and we have a treat for you today! The group will be having a traditional lunch at the G Adventurers supported Lusumpuko Women's Club. With full bellies and even more full hearts, get ready to feel the mist in the air as you enter the town of Victoria Falls. Get up close and personal with one of the largest waterfalls in the world. For the adventurous we recommend going whitewater rafting, taking a scenic helicopter flight over the falls (epic selfies anyone?), or taking the plunge (literally) while bungee jumping with the waterfalls in sight. (Oh man... just thinking of that makes our heads spin and our palms sweat!) Not looking to turn your hair gray today? That’s okay, we understand. Either way the choice is yours, but remember you’re here now so why not escape those comfort zones?
Opt to prebook the Chobe National Park Safari Drive and head out early into the park before crossing the border into Zimbabwe, then continue on to the town of Victoria Falls. Opt to get up close (and wet from the spray) to the awesome Victoria Falls, or bungee jump (with the waterfall in sight).
Your accommodation is in Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) and NOT Livingstone (Zambia). Please make sure you have the necessary visa.
Day 8 Victoria Falls
Get up close and personal with one of the largest waterfalls in the world on this free day in Victoria Falls. Feel the strength of the water splashing your skin on the observation deck, taking in the sound of tons of water thundering in over the edge of the falls in the distance, and make your day as relaxing or hair-raising as you like. Opt to try whitewater rafting. Maybe take a scenic helicopter flight over the falls (epic selfies anyone?), or take the plunge (literally) while bungee jumping with Victoria Falls in sight.
Want to do more with your tour? Pre-book any two of the following activities: Zambezi Whitewater Rafting, Victoria Falls Helicopter Ride, or the Zambezi River Sunset Cruise. You can pre-book on the checkout page, or through your Global Connection Officer or travel agent. Any optional activities listed on this day can also be booked upon arrival in Victoria Falls.
Day 9 Victoria Falls/Matobo National Park
Rise early to the sounds of Victoria Falls thundering in the distance before the group heads out on the long, but scenic drive to Matobo National Park. Take this time to enjoy the scenery, get to know your group more, and reflect on what you hope to gain from taking this trip.
Day 10 Matobo National Park
Huge granite masses, land that has been walked on for forty thousand years, and a peaceful quiet that will have you wondering why you would ever want to return to the hustle and bustle of the modern world are what await you on this visit to Matobo National Park in Zimbabwe. Hop aboard an open wildlife safari vehicle and have an immersive experience in the park focussing on edible plants, visit a Khoisan cave with historic cave paintings, and enjoy close encounters with wildlife, while learning about rhino conservation efforts.
Day 11 Matobo National Park/Tshipise
Another day, another slice of adventure! Make the most of your day getting to know the people in your group. Share past travel stories, take backseat bus selfies, and watch as the African scenery passes you by on your way across the border into South Africa. In the evening sit back, relax, tip your head to the sky and bask in the warm water of the mineral pool at our campsite.
Day 12 Tshipise/Kruger National Park
Welcome to wildlife country! Kruger is the kind of place that you’ll visit, but still want to return to over and over again. With nearly 5 million acres this park offers some of the best access to wild animals in Africa, so prepare for an epic time… (but you already knew that!) Keep those cameras at the ready and experience your ultimate African safari fantasy become a reality. Search for lions, elephants and many other animals on a full-day wildlife safari drive. Word of advice? Remember that it’s not all about the animals. This sprawling sanctuary is home to much more; think giant baobab, fever, and marula trees towering over the savannah in a place that feels older than time itself. Stop at prime viewing areas like Hippo Pool, the Kruger Tablets, and the Red Rocks, while you simply revel in your primitive surroundings as nature moves around you.
Day 13 Kruger National Park/Greater Kruger Area
Yesterday was only a taste of the beauty that resides in the National Parks of South Africa. Today, you will head out into Kruger NP again on another wildlife safari drive in the Lando. (Upgrade alert! You can choose to embark on this experience in a 4x4 safari vehicle instead.) Take your gaze to the sky today and try to search for all of the things you didn’t get to yesterday. In the evening fill your bellies with a traditional dinner together, then grab someone’s hand and work up a sweat with some local dancing as the night settles around you.
Day 14 Greater Kruger Area/Johannesburg
While you may be leaving the bush behind today, the memories will stay with you forever. So don’t despair, instead look ahead with excitement as you journey back to Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city and economic heart.
Day 15 Johannesburg
Depart at any time. Alas, it’s time to go home, but not before giving "Jozi" some love! Perhaps you’ll extend for a few days and enjoy this vibrant, up and coming South African city? Wander through important cultural spaces like the Apartheid Museum and the Mandela House, soaking in the history that shaped Johannesburg. Sample food, music, and art in the city’s trendy neighbourhoods like Melville and give yourself time to relax and unwind before returning home.
Day 1
Depart U.S. for Johannesburg, South Africa
Day 2
Arrive Johannesburg Upon arrival we transfer to our hotel in the suburb of Rosebank.
Day 3
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Johannesburg/Soweto We meet our fellow travelers today as we embark on a tour of the Soweto district of Johannesburg. Here we see the home of former Archbishop Desmond Tutu; visit Nelson Mandela’s home, which is now a museum; and tour the moving Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum, where we learn more about apartheid and the Soweto uprising of 1976. Then we hear fascinating stories from a local Sowetan who was present during the uprising, followed by lunch at a local restaurant. Tonight we enjoy a welcome dinner together.
Day 4
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Johannesburg/Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe We fly today to Livingstone, Zambia, then transfer to Victoria Falls and our deluxe lodge located in the Victoria Falls Private Game Reserve. This afternoon we see for ourselves the thundering falls, first “discovered” by David Livingstone and claimed for Queen Victoria in 1855. With its 300-foot-deep gorge and soaking spray, “Vic” Falls is a wonder of the natural world.
Day 5
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Victoria Falls This morning we embark on a game drive to spot the elusive – and critically endangered – black rhino. Late afternoon we embark on a “Sundowner” dinner cruise on the Zambezi where we see wildlife on shore and in the water.
Day 6
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Victoria Falls After a morning visit to Victoria Falls town and a local village, this afternoon is at leisure at our deluxe lodge with its own watering hole and outdoor pool. Tonight we hear a fascinating guest speaker on “The Story of David Livingstone.”
Day 7
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Victoria Falls/Chobe National Park, Botswana This morning we visit a nearby school then travel two hours by motorcoach to Botswana and Chobe National Park, boasting one of the largest concentrations of game in all of Africa. After settling in and enjoying lunch at our lodge, this afternoon we embark on a game-viewing boat safari on the Chobe River, where we may see hippo, crocs, some of the park’s 450 species of birds (including the sacred ibis, carmine bee-eaters, fish eagle, and kingfisher), and perhaps a beautiful Chobe sunset. We dine tonight at our lodge.
Day 8
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Chobe National Park Known for its diverse terrain that attracts an exceptional array of wildlife – including the world’s largest elephant population (some 120,000), along with zebra, lion, giraffe, impala, wildebeest, and buffalo – Chobe covers 7,270 square miles of protected parkland. We’ll see a portion of this natural wonder on our early morning game drive and this afternoon’s boat safari. And this evening perhaps we'll see one of the sublime sunsets for which Chobe is known.
Day 9
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Chobe National Park We’re settling into a comfortable routine, with early morning and late afternoon game drives. In between game viewing activities, we’re at leisure to enjoy the amenities of our lodge on the banks of the Chobe River, adjacent to the park itself.
Day 10
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Chobe National Park/Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia This morning we board a privately chartered plane for the 1½-hour flight to Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia’s newest reserve (since 1983) and, as the former private sanctuary of Zambia’s president, the least developed. Here in one of Africa’s last stretches of pristine wilderness we have the chance to get closer to the animals than anywhere else. Late afternoon we engage in some of the lodge’s game viewing activities that include open vehicle game drives, fishing, guided canoe trips, bush walks, and boat safaris.
Day 11
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Lower Zambezi National Park A day of game viewing activities in this 1,600-square-mile park on the southern end of Zambia known for its 100-strong elephant herds, unusually large prides of lion, plus buffalo, waterbuck, antelope, impala, crocodile, hippo, kudu, warthog, eland, and leopard, among other wildlife; and where ebonies, leadwoods, figs, and acacias preside over the mineral-rich grassland. Together with Zimbabwe’s renowned Mana Pools Reserve situated across the river, the Lower Zambezi National Park forms a massive sanctuary and UNESCO World Heritage site where we’re certain to enjoy unparalleled game and bird viewing – and rarely see other safari-goers.
Day 12
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Lower Zambezi National Park From our 14-room luxury lodge on the banks of the Zambezi, we have another day to engage in game viewing activities in this lush riverine environment of 50 mammal species and 400 bird species. With the Zambezi River, abundant game on the valley floor, and the Zambezi Escarpment as a backdrop, the Lower Zambezi National Park offers a dramatic setting for game viewing ... as does our lodge, where animals roam freely on the grounds. Tonight we celebrate our wildlife adventure at a farewell dinner.
Day 13
Meals: Breakfast
Lower Zambezi National Park/Lusaka/Depart for U.S. We travel by charter flight today to Lusaka, Zambia’s capital, where we have hotel day rooms until our departure this evening for the airport and our overnight flight to the U.S.
Day 14
Arrive U.S. We arrive in the U.S. this morning and connect with our flights home.
