Botswana and Zimbabwe Safari

Your journey begins at Victoria Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in the world. Meet the group at the airport or at the Rainbow Hotel in town. We then transfer 75 miles (120km) to Kasane in Botswana – the drive takes a little over two hours, though border formalities can cause delays. Around 6pm we meet our tour leader and fellow travellers to hear about the adventures ahead, followed by a warm welcome dinner together. If you wish to explore more or arrive early, you can arrange extra nights before the tour through your sales representative.

Chobe National Park is famed for its immense elephant and buffalo populations – with an estimated 40,000–60,000 elephants, it is arguably the finest place to see them. The park also supports wild dogs, lions, leopards and plentiful other wildlife. We make an early start for a game drive in the lodge’s open 4x4 vehicles as the park gates open, spending about three hours on safari before returning for brunch. During the hottest part of the day, you can relax at the lodge or explore Kasane town to obtain local currency. Later we take to the Chobe River for a three hour boat safari after a short transfer to the jetty – an excellent vantage point for viewing large herds and birdlife from the water.

Today is a long travel day as we cover 375 miles (600km) from Kasane to Maun, gateway to the Okavango Delta. We pause for lunch on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Pan before arriving in Maun mid afternoon. We spend time in town to stock up – you can pick up any extra drinks or snacks you may want for the delta – before a short drive to our lodge.

After flowing 995 miles (1,600km) from the highlands of Angola, the Okavango River fans into the sands of the Kalahari to create one of the largest inland deltas on Earth – a true natural wonder. The islands and floodplains host an array of wildlife, with numbers peaking in the dry winter months. We head into the delta in mokoro dugout canoes poled by local villagers, and camp with our local guides while learning about their way of life; on the evening of Day 5 we are also treated to traditional music and dance of the BaYei and Hambukushu – an unforgettable cultural exchange. The polers set up camp, and we use canvas dome tents with camp stretchers, mattresses, sleeping bags and pillows provided; a gazebo offers shade and doubles as a mess tent. You only need to take luggage for two nights – bags are provided. Nights reveal the Milky Way glittering across the sky. We spend the next two days exploring the waterways and islands by mokoro and on foot, searching for wildlife and soaking up the wilderness.

This morning we enjoy a final mokoro ride back to the edge of the delta before returning to Maun. The afternoon is at leisure – you can relax by the pool or take an optional scenic flight over the delta.

After a brief resupply stop in Maun, we drive 185 miles (300km) to Nata, arriving mid afternoon. Later we gather at either the Makgadikgadi Salt Pan or the Elephant Sands waterhole to share an unforgettable sundowner.

We continue our journey back into Zimbabwe via Francistown and Bulawayo en route to Matobo National Park. The distance is about 235 miles (380km) with roughly five hours of driving, although the border can be busy and may add two to three hours. We stay in chalets just outside the park and enjoy sundowners from a granite ridge overlooking the landscape.

Matobo National Park, also known as Matopos, is renowned for its wildlife and dramatic kopjes. It is among the best places to see both black and white rhinos, holds a dense leopard population, and shelters about a third of all eagle species. The hills were once home to the San people, who left rock paintings depicting giraffe, eland and kudu. It was also Cecil Rhodes’ favourite place and his chosen burial site. We enter the park early for a game drive followed by a guided walk where we hope to see rhino. We visit World’s End, where Rhodes is buried, and admire striking granite formations and ancient rock art, spending most of the day inside the park before returning to the lodge in the afternoon.

After breakfast we make a quick stop in Bulawayo to resupply before driving 210 miles (335km) north to Hwange National Park. The largest national park in Zimbabwe, Hwange spans 5,640 square miles (14,600 square kilometres) of woodland and grassland and is home to more than 100 mammal species and 400 bird species, including all of the country’s specially protected animals. Elephants and wild dogs are star residents, and it is the only place in Zimbabwe where gemsbok and brown hyena occur in reasonable numbers. We stay at a property within a game management area neighbouring the park.

We spend the day on open 4x4 game drives in search of Hwange’s wildlife.

After a slightly later start, we take a short final drive back to Victoria Falls, arriving around lunchtime. In the afternoon we visit the mighty falls. Measuring 5,580 feet (1,700m) wide and 330 feet (100m) high, Victoria Falls is the largest waterfall in the world. The volume varies with the seasons and, when in full flow, the spray soars skyward – inspiring the local name Mosi o Tunya, the Smoke that Thunders. As Dr David Livingstone observed, scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.

Today is free for you to enjoy the many activities available – you can go white water rafting, take a scenic flight over the falls, join a sunset cruise, or cross into neighbouring Zambia for a different perspective.

You have explored the Okavango Delta by mokoro, spotted iconic safari wildlife and camped under African skies, and now our adventure comes to an end. If you would like more time at Victoria Falls, you can speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.