24 day Cape Town to Victoria Falls Explorer (Premier)

We will meet and transfer you to your hotel after your arrival at Cape Town International Airport. The remainder of the day will be at your leisure once settled in at the hotel.

A tour of the city will be provided to you this morning. You will be collected from your hotel and taken on an orientation tour. A tour of the SA Museum and Bo-Kaap will be provided. You will also visit Company Gardens, Greenmarket Square, and the SA Museum. You may spend the afternoon at your leisure. It is highly recommended that you take a visit to the V&A Waterfront, which is located at the heart of Cape Town’s working harbour and offers a wide variety of indoor shopping and entertainment facilities.

Our day begins with an exploration of the Cape Peninsula and a visit to Hout Bay on the Atlantic coast prior to lunch at Cape Point. Following our visit to the Boulders Beach penguin colony, we return to the hotel.

A hearty breakfast will be served before you are taken to the Cape Town International Airport for your flight* to Windhoek (Flight not Included). You will be met on arrival at Windhoek Airport and transferred to your accommodation, the Avani Hotel. You may spend the remainder of the afternoon at your leisure. Your pre-departure meeting will take place at the lodge at 18h00 this evening with your guide and the rest of your group.

As we move south, we arrive at Agama River Camp, our accommodation for the next two nights in the Namib Naukluft National Park. One of the most ancient deserts on earth is found in the park. We rise early the following morning in order to visit Sossusvlei and Deadvlei, which are the world’s highest sand dunes. In addition to their spectacular appearance, these dunes, which can reach heights of over 300 meters, are also excellent photographic subjects. The vlei (lake) might even contain water if one is lucky. Also, we visit Sesriem Canyon, which was carved by the Tsauchab River millions of years ago.

It is a full day’s drive to Swakopmund, and we spend most of the time driving through the Namib Naukluft National Park. It is an ancient land with an ageless spirit that defines the Namib-Naukluft Desert. A number of the world’s rarest plant and animal species can be found there. Namibian safaris are not complete without seeing its unique fauna and flora. Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra, oryx, and springbok are among the animals that inhabit this harsh environment. Our tour includes a stop at the small town of Walvis Bay where you may have the opportunity to see flamingoes in the lagoon. You will have the remainder of the day to spend at your leisure in the charming coastal town of Swakopmund.

During day 5, you will have the opportunity to take a semi-guided tour of an urban sustainability center and explore how they conserve energy, water, waste, and biodiversity. In the remainder of the day, you will be able to participate in optional activities or simply relax and enjoy the beauty and beaches of this quaint German town.

Our journey continues to Namibia’s best-known highlight in the north – Etosha National Park – as we leave the cold Atlantic coastline behind us. On our first night, we spend the night at a lodge located near the park, situated on a dolomite outcrop with stunning views of a forest of mopane and white seringa trees. Take a leisurely stroll through the gardens or the natural bush or enjoy a relaxing afternoon at the pool. In addition, there is the option of going on a game drive

Following breakfast, we enter the Etosha National Park through the Andersson gate, named for Karl Johan Andersson, who was one of the first European explorers to come across the Etosha pan, which means the “Great White Place” in the Ndonga dialect of the Ovambo tribe. Our next two days are filled with game drives in hopes of seeing lions, leopards, elephants, rhinoceros, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, and many different types of antelopes. The park’s nocturnal animals come to drink at flood-lit waterholes or viewpoints throughout the night. The Etosha National Park was established in 1907 and contains approximately 500 species of animals. There are 114 species of mammals, 340 species of birds, 110 species of reptiles, 16 species of amphibians, and surprisingly, only one species of fish.

We depart Etosha and travel further north to Rundu. A visit to the Mbunza Living Museum is a must for anyone interested in experiencing a traditional cultural school and a communal business run by the Kavango people, who earn a living through fishing, caring for cattle, and cultivating crops. We then make our way to Kaisosi River Lodge, situated on the banks of the Okavango River, after this cultural interaction. After arriving in the late afternoon, we will relax by the pool with a sundowner while listening to the sounds of the natural world.

Today we travel eastward to Nunda River Lodge, our camp in the western Caprivi region. It is possible to participate in optional activities prior to departure, such as a boat cruise in the early morning at the lodge. As you continue your safari, you will reach your lodge located on the banks of the Okavango River. An evening cruise to Popa Falls will be enjoyed in the late afternoon.

Our first stop is Mahangu, meaning ‘food of the locals’, which is located beside the Okavango River. A game drive can be enjoyed in the Greater Bwabwata National Park, an area that stretches from the Kavango River in the west to the Kwando River in the east and which encompasses the Mahangu Game Reserve. There is a high probability of seeing elephants, roan, kudu and buffalo, as well as a variety of birds.

Return to your lodging in the afternoon and spend the remainder of the day at your leisure.

Travel south from Caprivi to Maun, the gateway to Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve. According to the San language, Maun means “the place of short reeds”. During the afternoon, you may relax at the lodge’s pool or, if you prefer, take a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta if you are in the mood for some excitement.

Our local Botswana guides will pick us up after breakfast and drive us to the mokoro station. Floating in these traditional dug-out canoes, we will discover a variety of birds and wildlife in the thick vegetation of the Okavango Delta. There is no coastline along its course, as it flows into the Kalahari Desert without ever reaching the sea. In the Greater Moremi region, we reach our camp after this spectacular excursion. The evening begins with dinner at our camp and then a night game drive in the private concession, which will provide a great opportunity to see nocturnal animals that are more difficult to spot during the day.

Our day will be spent on a game drive. As we explore the Moremi Game Reserve in our open 4×4 vehicle, we expect to observe a wide range of animals that frequent this area. It is not uncommon for a single game drive to reveal many different types of wildlife in this large area, which is known for its concentration of mammals. As game viewing is seasonal, different species may be seen in different areas depending on the time of year. In the months of August to November, the best time to watch game is at the end of the dry season or during the spring. Because the animals migrate closer to the river during this season, we may have to drive extra distances in order to provide our guests with the best possible game viewing experience. Birdlife is also abundant in the summer, including a variety of wildfowl and raptors.

As we leave the bush behind, we travel east towards the Makgadikgadi Pans. These pans were once a large lake filled with water from the Makgadikgadi River, but are now saline and empty. Our visit to the Nata Bird Sanctuary takes place in the afternoon, where we are able to see the magnificent view of the Sowa Pan, which is part of the Greater Makgadikgadi Pans. In addition to road conditions and water levels, a visit to the pans is subject to time constraints and road conditions.

In the morning, we travel north to Kasane, the gateway to the Chobe National Park. A large concentration of elephants can be found in Chobe, Botswana’s second largest national park, which covers 10,566 square kilometers. There are a number of optional activities available in the afternoon or you may choose to relax by the pool. A morning game drive the following day will offer you the opportunity to observe the wildlife of the Chobe National Park, with the hope of spotting big game up close and possibly encountering one of the large predators. Afterwards, we take a cruise on the Chobe River, one of the best ways to view the animals as they come down to drink, as well as to witness the spectacular African sunset.

Accommodation: Chobe Marina Lodge or similar – Rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, bar & restaurant
Meals: Breakfast x2, Dinner x2
Included Highlights: Chobe National Park Morning Game Drive, Afternoon Boat Cruise on Chobe River
Distance: ± 320 km

Today we travel across the border into Zimbabwe and spend two nights in the Hwange National Park. There is a great deal of wildlife in the Hwange National Park, including elephants, buffaloes, and zebras, as well as a large concentration of giraffes. As well as predators and endangered species, it is also home to a wide variety of birds. The second day includes a full day of game viewing in the park.

The next stop on our journey is Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. A tour of the magnificent Victoria Falls will be provided to you by your guide, which is known by the Kololo tribe as Mosi oa Tunya, which means “the smoke that thunders”. As the sun sets on the mighty Zambezi River, we enjoy a relaxing sunset cruise on the river. You may spend the rest of the day at leisure or participate in one of the many optional activities available (at your own expense).

After breakfast, our safari comes to an end. Your departure flight will depart from Victoria Falls Airport in time for your transfer. Hopefully, we will be able to welcome you back on another African adventure at a later date.