20 Day Unlocking Africa’s Secrets: Victoria Falls to Cape Town Tour (Accomodated)

Day 1: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

The waterfall symbolizes peace and serenity in most cultures around the world. It is a demonstration of power and tranquility at the same time. Nature’s waterfalls serve as a constant reminder that everything is constantly changing and moving. Come and discover your inner waterfall at Victoria Falls and in Africa.

You can arrive at any time. Dinner will be served on the hotel veranda after the welcome meeting. Taking a break, resting, and preparing for the upcoming adrenaline rush will help you prepare.

Accommodation: Victoria Falls Safari Lodge or similar (1 Night)
Meals: Dinner
Included Highlight: Welcome Meeting on Arrival Day

Day 2: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

A name originally given to Victoria Falls, Mosi-oa-Tunya, means “the smoke that thunders”. Just hearing those words can almost make you feel the cold mist on your face and the loud cracking noise. You can explore the smoke and thunder from above or below, on foot or by boat, depending on your preferences. Is there anything stopping your first adventure from being as you imagined?

Start your tour of Victoria Falls with a fully guided tour. It is an essential part of every trip. Then in the afternoon, the choice is yours. Visit Victoria Falls Bridge and learn about over 100 years of history. With an exceptional birds eye view of the falls, a team of guides will give you an intriguing look into the past and provide an engaging look into the past, or keep the blood pumping and join an adrenaline-packed jet boat experience.

Accommodation: Victoria Falls Safari Lodge or similar (1 Night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Highlight: The Eatery Pot Dinner Experience, Hike and Adventure Jet Boat Excursion or Historic Bridge Tour, Victoria Falls Tour

Day 3: Victoria Falls – Chobe National Park, Botswana

An explorers camp from the turn of the century is recreated in this scene straight from the past. Listen to stories of those who explored this place before you as you sip gin and tonic by the fire. You will fall asleep tonight with the sound of lions calling in a distance and your breath keeping time.

Enter Chobe National Park in Botswana, like the true adventurer you are. See elephants, crocodiles, and hippopotamuses on a small boat as you float down the river. In our exclusive bush camping experience, we continue our safari on land. Suddenly, your tent is up, the sun sets, you attach your headlamp, and Africa fills your ears with sounds.

Accommodation: Chobe Glamping Experience or similar (1 Night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Highlight: Chobe River Cruise, Chobe National Park Safari Drive
Travel Time: ± 2 – 3 hours
Distance: ± 86 km

Day 4: Chobe National Park – Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

We leave Botswana and return to Zimbabwe across Hwange National Park, saying farewell to Botswana. On board a purpose-built railroad car, you’ll catch a glimpse of Hwange after brunch en-route. We meet Hwange’s wildlife before we’ve even reached our lodge in the open air train car.

Accommodation: Camelthorn Lodge or similar (1 Night)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Included Highlight: Elephant Express
Travel Time: ± 4 ½ – 5 ½ hours
Distance: ± 385 km

Day 5: Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

You gain a greater understanding of the life cycle of life in Africa while walking through the bush. Seeing the dung beetles waddling through the dirt from above is difficult, as they are equally crucial to the eco-system as the lion, the giraffe, and the elephant. Take a guided safari bushwalk in the morning and observe Africa’s smaller creatures in the afternoon before you take a safari drive in search of those bigger elephants.

Lunch in the open bush is the perfect culmination to a full safari day on foot and by road. Our adventure-filled day ended with a swim in the pool after a long day of adventures.

Accommodation: Camelthorn Lodge or similar (1 Night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Highlight: Morning Walking Safari in Hwange National Park, Afternoon Wildlife Safari in Hwange National Park

Day 6: Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

A large population of elephants inhabits Hwange National Park. Their majestic nature cannot be overstated in person. Experience the elephants’ daily routine in an underground hide where you can watch them drinking from the watering hole and moving about their daily lives.

In the morning, we enjoy an early safari drive before relaxing at the lodge in the heat of the day. The pool is the perfect place to cool off. During our nighttime safari drive, we will have the opportunity to observe nocturnal wildlife after viewing elephants from our unique vantage point this afternoon.

Accommodation: Camelthorn Lodge or similar (1 Night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Highlight: Hwange Safari Lodge Morning Drive, The Look Up Hide, Night Safari Through Hwange National Park

Day 7: Hwange National Park – Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe 

Since 1959, the Zambezi river was dammed to create Lake Kariba, the world’s largest artificial lake by volume. A crocodile, hippo, cormorants, and tigerfish call this area home. Your lakeside lodge offers you the unique opportunity to marvel at Africa’s water dwelling wildlife, but swimming in the lake is out of the question unless you wish to swim with a hippo.

Take one last experience of the serenity of Hwange on a morning safari drive. Travel from Hwange to Kariba by short flight. You will travel across Lake Kariba to your lodge by boat. With its location on the lakeshore and close proximity to Matusadona National Park, your lodge is one of the only places in the area to experience wildlife both on land and in the water.

Accommodation: Changa Safari Camp Amazing Stay (1 Night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Highlight: Lake Kariba Visit, Hwange Safari Lodge Morning Drive
Travel Time: ± 3 hours
Distance: ± 155 km

Day 8: Lake Kariba – Matusadona National Park, Zimbabwe

An inspiring story of revitalization can be found at Matusadona National Park. As a permanent home for elephants and black rhinos, Matusadona is quickly returning to its former glory under the 20 year agreement with African Parks. The investment into local communities has prompted a return to legal fishing practices and a renewed sense of pride among locals in being stewards of the environment.

Elephant, cape buffalo, and impala can be seen early in the morning during a safari walk in Matusadona. You can traverse Sanyati Gorge in the afternoon by getting out onto the lake. Aside from great views, you can also see a variety of birds and even an occasional antelope in the vicinity of the gorge, which rivals the Fjords of Europe and New Zealand. This evening, we’ve earned a sundowner back at the lodge.

Accommodation: Changa Safari Camp Amazing Stay (1 Night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Highlight: Walking Safari or Game Drive, Kariba Sundowner, Lake Kariba Fishing

Day 9: Matusadona National Park – Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

A spectacular performance brings an exciting end to the evening as you return to Victoria Falls. Join us for the opening night performance of Simunye-We are one. A thrilling and poignant way to end your African adventure, this fusion of theatre, dance, and song is an unforgettable experience.

A final day of adventure awaits you at Victoria Falls. In the morning, you’ll take off for your flight, and in the afternoon you’ll have time to relax. To conclude your lifetime adventure, take a helicopter ride over the falls before the performance in the evening.

Accommodation: Victoria Falls Safari Lodge or similar (1 Night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Highlight: Theatre Performance & Dinner
Optional Activity: Victoria Falls Helicopter Ride (15 Mins) – 150USD per person
Travel Time: ± 1 ½ – 2 hours (Plane)

Day 10: Victoria Falls – Johannesburg, South Africa

Johannesburg is the gateway to Kruger National Park, but before you leave tomorrow, there are plenty of things to do and see here. Experience downtown Johannesburg’s thriving art and culture scene this afternoon on a guided tour of Maboneng.

During your tour, your guide will take you to Fox Street, which is a vibrant shopping district. You can learn about the history of Maboneng through the street art that can be seen there. See how we’ve overcome obstacles and rebuilt this community over the years. The Museum of Africa Design is the continent’s first design laboratory and a trans-African cultural centre.

Accommodation: Da Vinci Hotel and Suites or similar (1 Night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Highlight: Maboneng Walking Tour, Dinner in Nelson Mandela Square
Travel Time: ± 1 ½ – 2 hours (Plane)

Day 11: Johannesburg – Pridelands Conservancy, South Africa

In South Africa, what are the requirements for becoming a guide? How can you discover the imprints that every species makes on its environment? How does it feel to walk through the African jungle at dawn and dusk? Your African adventure begins with an exclusive two-day experience learning what it takes to be a guide in these famous national parks and conservancies, hosted by Ecotraining, the top guide training organization in Africa. This is more than just a safari; it’s a chance to immerse yourself in a different world for two short days. We assure you that Ecotraining will leave its guides as “passionate guardians of nature,” and that you will acquire the same fervor while visiting the Pridelands.

For the next two days, Pridelands Conservancy, a 4500-acre former buffalo hunting property, is your playground. The conservancy is close to Kruger National Park, right outside the town of Hoedspruit. Following a brief flight to Hoedspruit, go on a wildlife search with your guides and get knowledge about animal habits and behaviours.

Accommodation: Raptors Lodge Amazing Stay (1 Night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Highlight: Pridelands Conservancy Wildlife Safari
Travel Time: ± 1 ½ – 2 hours

Day 12: Pridelands Conservancy, South Africa

Get up early in the morning to go in search of elephants, buffaloes, and zebras on foot with your guides. As you dine out in the bush, wildlife roams freely around you. Animal identification and behaviour are the focus of safari drives in the afternoon with a special emphasis on situational awareness when near large animals.

The Ndlovu Dam is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing evening after a long day of exploring. You spend a lot of time immersed in this special environment. As you eat dinner with your fellow travelers, work on perfecting your bird calls.

Accommodation: Raptors Lodge Amazing Stay (1 Night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Highlight: Pridelands Morning Walking Safari, Afternoon Wildlife Safari In Pridelands

Day 13: Pridelands Conservancy – Kruger National Park, South Africa

Travelers frequently return to Kruger National Park because it is so large and rich in wildlife, history, and culture, and they always find something new to discover. Safari drives and sundowners never grow old, whether it’s your first or twenty-first time. On the way to the lodge, you have a safari drive to start the day. An amazing first day in the park is capped off with another afternoon safari drive.

The morning and afternoon safari drives in Kruger National Park are hard to top. But we believe a little downtime by the pool and sundowners in the forest might be precisely what’s needed.

Accommodation: Mdluli Safari Lodge or similar (1 Night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Highlight: Pridelands Morning Walking Safari, Sunset Wildlife Safari Drive Through Kruger National Park, Kruger National Park Wildlife Safari Drive
Travel Time: ± 2 ½ hours
Distance: ± 120 km

Day 14: Kruger National Park, South Africa

There’s nothing like visiting Kruger at first light. If you want to have the best opportunity of seeing animal behavior first thing in the morning, you must wake up when the animals do. You go on a walking safari in the national park with the assistance of your local guides. Take a stroll to Granite Rock later in the day to have a picnic there.

Your final chance to get into the woods to view wildlife is during an afternoon safari drive. When you’re on an experience of a lifetime, time flies. Join your fellow travelers for a bush braai this evening to celebrate.

Accommodation: Mdluli Safari Lodge or similar (1 Night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Highlight: Picnic Breakfast at Granite Rock, Bushwalk in Kruger National Park

Day 15: Kruger National Park – Franschhoek, South Africa 

A welcome contrast to the safari adventures so far, Franschhoek is known as the food and wine capital of the world. With the towering Drakenstein mountains in the distance and verdant green vineyards all around, it’s easy to imagine just sitting and “being”, in this tranquil setting. First things first, eat at Sauvage restaurant for a three-course dinner. Head chef Kyle Norris leads Sauvage, a restaurant located within the Le Franschhoek Hotel and Spa. After dinner, your toughest choice will be whether to drink wine or coffee.

Taking a flight from Kruger to Cape Town takes you southbound. Discover Franschhoek’s vineyards two days before your Cape Town explorations begin. A delicious meal and a delicious glass of wine await you.

Accommodation: Le Franschhoek Hotel & Spa or similar (1 Night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Highlight: Dinner at Sauvage
Travel Time: ± 4 ½ – 6 hours (Plane – 2 – 3 hours, Private Vehicle – 2 ½ -3 hours)
Distance: ± 155 km

Day 16: Franschhoek, South Africa 

Among the top 50 places to visit in 2022, Franschhoek is no surprise. Pedaling an e-bike between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek will allow you to experience the vineyards and small towns to the fullest. The Babylonstoren Gardens serve lunch, so you don’t have to worry about stuffing yourself. It is impossible to describe these gardens in words – 8 acres of fruit and vegetable gardens, with beautifully manicured paths throughout.

The countryside of Franschhoek is synonymous with food and wine, making it an iconic destination. Mountain ranges rise against rows of vines as the vineyards stretch out to the horizon. Use your e-bike to travel around and visit several vineyards, where you can sample wine, gourmet foods, and delicious coffee. Last but not least, you will visit Babylonstoren Garden. Lunch in the Greenhouse is included, and you are welcome to explore the gardens at your leisure in the afternoon.

Accommodation: Le Franschhoek Hotel & Spa or similar (1 Night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Included Highlight: E-bike Through the South African Winelands, Lunch at Greenhouse Restaurant at Babylonstoren
Distance: ± 43km (Franschhoek – Stellenbosch)

Day 17: Franschhoek – Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town continues to delight with its culinary delights even after the culinary adventure comes to an end. You can feel a million miles from the bustle of a city when paddling through Table Bay with views of Signal Hill and Table Mountain. During your paddle, you may encounter Heaviside’s dolphins.

As Franschhoek and Cape Town are just a short drive away, this day is ideal for a late start. Explore the city with your guide once you arrive in Cape Town. Your adventure in Table Bay isn’t complete until you join your fellow travellers for a delicious dinner on Cape Town’s iconic waterfront after your two-hour paddle

Accommodation: The Victoria & Alfred Hotel or similar (1 Night)
Meals: Beakfast, Dinner
Included Highlight: Orientation Drive of Cape Town, V&A Waterfront Visit, Kayak in the Table Bay
Travel Time: ± 1 – 1 ½ hours
Distance: ± 80 km

Day 18: Cape Town, South Africa 

Its flat top touches the clouds behind Cape Town, making it one of the most recognizable symbols of the city. There are two ways to reach new heights. Explore Table Mountain’s oldest and most popular route, the Platteklip Gorge, with a local guide. Take a cable car ride up the mountain with your guide if you’re ready to relax.

In either case, you will reunite with your fellow travellers at the top and descend together via the cable car, whether you climb Table Mountain yourself or take a cable car. Kirstenbosch National Botanic Gardens will be explored throughout the afternoon. Discover the newly constructed Centenary Tree Canopy, a winding, dipping steel and timber walkway that goes through and over trees in the Arboretum.

Accommodation: The Victoria & Alfred Hotel or similar (1 Night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Included Highlight: Experience Table Mountain, Explore Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

Day 19: Cape Town, South Africa

Getting the most out of your day in the Mother City is easy with the abundance of options you have to choose from. Take advantage of your last day in South Africa to the fullest. There is a half-day Urban Cycle tour and a Black Route walking tour to choose from. Before your trip home, you can choose from both options and cover a lot of ground.

Enjoy a farewell dinner with your guide and fellow travellers after your unique adventures.

Accommodation: The Victoria & Alfred Hotel or similar (1 Night)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Included Highlight: City Walking Tour & Cooking Class Or Urban Explorer Cycle Tour, Cape Town Farewell Dinner

Day 20: Cape Town, South Africa

Today marks the end of your adventure, and you can depart at your convenience.

Meals: Breakfast

Onward Travel Plans

Due to circumstances beyond our control while on tour (such as border crossings, traffic, breakdowns and delays, etc), the end time on the last day cannot be guaranteed. Therefore we strongly recommend you stay the night and fly out the next day. Please consult with your booking consultant.