South Africa, Namibia & Botswana

The start hotel is approximately 20 minutes’ drive from the airport. One group arrival transfer from the airport is provided, which is timed to coincide with the arrival of a chosen flight. You may join this transfer at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves. Alternatively, make your own way to the start hotel.

Touch down in Cape Town, a culture‑rich port city framed by mountain and sea. This afternoon, you can take an optional cable car up Table Mountain if the weather cooperates – on a clear day the views are remarkable. If conditions are poor, you have free time to explore the lively V&A Waterfront. Around 6pm we meet our tour leader and fellow travellers to hear about the journey ahead, followed by a welcome group dinner. If you’d like extra time in the city, you can book pre–tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

We begin with a drive along the spectacular Chapman’s Peak – occasionally closed, in which case we take an alternative route – via Hout Bay. Continuing to Cape Point Nature Reserve, we walk to the lighthouse and along the boardwalk to the Cape of Good Hope. We then visit the Boulders Beach penguin colony and stop for lunch. In the late afternoon we visit a wine farm to sample renowned local vintages.

Please note: The order of activities is flexible in Cape Town, depending on the weather.

We leave Cape Town, travelling through farmlands of citrus, maize, cattle and sheep as we begin the journey towards Namibia. Our first stop is the fertile Olifants River Valley, offering a glimpse of Western Cape agricultural life. Driving time: 5 hours

Today we drive to the Orange River – around five hours plus about an hour for border formalities – where Namibia meets South Africa. There is free time to relax this afternoon. Our riverside accommodation offers a picturesque setting. Driving time: 6-7 hours.

This morning we enjoy a gentle canoe trip on the Orange River, a peaceful way to spot local flora and fauna as we drift along. We then drive for about three hours to Fish River Canyon, the second largest canyon on Earth, where the views from the rim are spectacular and we take a short afternoon walk.

We travel along the edge of Namib–Naukluft National Park to Sesriem, a full day’s journey, and stay overnight outside the park. Driving time: 7-7.5 hours.

We leave early for the Sossusvlei dunes, one of Africa’s iconic sights. The park opens at sunrise and the first light on the dunes is magical. You can climb Dune 45 if you’re feeling energetic. We enjoy a picnic breakfast before a 2km walk into the Hiddenvlei area – or you can take an optional one–way shuttle. With luck we may spot gemsbok, ostriches or black–backed jackals among the dunes. In the afternoon we visit Sesriem Canyon.

We take a long, scenic drive through Namib–Naukluft National Park to Swakopmund, pausing at Walvis Bay to see flamingos in their thousands in summer. This vast park, home to one of the world’s oldest and driest deserts, showcases towering, jagged rock formations and lunar landscapes. Driving time: 4-5 hours.

Swakopmund is Namibia’s adventure capital and you have a full day for optional activities – perhaps a dolphin cruise, a township tour or a scenic flight over the desert. Alternatively, you can wander the German–influenced streets and sample excellent cakes in cosy cafés.

We leave the Atlantic coast and head inland towards Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain. We walk for about two hours through Valley 45 to the White Lady rock painting, alongside several smaller paintings and engravings thought to have been created by San people at least 2,000 years ago. Driving time: 4 hours.

In the morning we drive north to Etosha National Park, renowned for exceptional wildlife viewing. We aim to arrive in time for a late–afternoon game drive before reaching our camp, which has a waterhole for night‑time animal sightings.

We spend two days exploring this superb park of mixed forest and grassland around a vast salt pan. Wildlife congregates at waterholes – patience is rewarded with wildebeest, zebras, impalas, springbok, kudu, elephants, giraffes, lions and sometimes rhinos. The camps have waterholes and it is not unusual to watch animals late into the night. Birding is excellent too, from waterbirds on the pans to weaverbirds and hornbills in the trees. While in Etosha we may move between Okaukuejo, Halali or Namutoni, keeping plans flexible according to animal activity.

We make a long drive through rural villages to the Okavango River, the main watercourse feeding the Okavango Delta. Driving time: 8 hours.

From our camp on the Okavango River we take a mokoro ride, gliding quietly through the channels – in high water, typically March or April, this may be by boat instead. Birdlife is prolific and at certain times game can be seen too, and this serene journey is the perfect way to absorb the delta’s tranquillity. You can also opt for a village tour to meet the local community.

We drive through the Caprivi Strip and cross into Botswana, continuing to Kasane on the edge of Chobe National Park, an area known for large populations of elephants and hippos. Driving time 5.5-6 hours.

At first light we take a game drive in Chobe National Park, then later a boat cruise on the Chobe River to watch vast herds of elephants come to drink alongside a wealth of other wildlife. Birders can look for African fish eagles and brightly coloured bee–eaters. The riverfront typically holds the park’s highest concentrations of game, especially in the dry season from April to October.

After a leisurely breakfast we drive to Victoria Falls, a small town on the Zimbabwean side of the mighty waterfall (entrance at own expense, approximately US$58). The falls are magnificent, the activities thrilling and the Upper Zambezi scenery beautiful. Driving time: 1.5-2 hours.

Today is free for you to choose from a range of activities – scenic flights over the falls, white–water rafting, game viewing or crossing into Zambia to see the cascade from a different angle. Please note you will need a Zambian visa to visit the other side.

After cruising the waterways of the Okavango, encountering classic safari wildlife and standing amid Sossusvlei’s soaring dunes, our adventure comes to an end. There’s a group departure transfer to Victoria Falls (VFA). Please speak to your sales representative if you wish to join. If the group departure transfer does not suit your flight time, make your own way to the airport.