Southern Africa Safari Experience

Witness nature's greatest spectacles on a 18-day safari to some of Africa’s celebrated national parks, including Kruger and Chobe. Enjoy an unforgettable wildlife walk with a researcher in the panhandle of the Okavango Delta, drive through Hwange National Park in search of large herds of elephants, and sit down to a family dinner at a private home near Victoria Falls.

What's Included:

• Carnivore Conservation Experience, Karongwe Private Game Reserve
• Zimbabwean Family Dinner, Victoria Falls
• Painted Dog Conservation, Hwange National Park
• Okavango Wilderness Project Research Camp, Okavango Delta
• Botswana Storytelling and Traditional Dinner, Maun
• Arrival transfer
• Panorama Route scenic drive
• Private nature reserve wildlife safari drives in open vehicles
• Open-vehicle wildlife safari drives in Kruger, Hwange and Chobe National Parks
• Tour of Victoria Falls
• Chobe boat safari
• Wildlife excursions by boat and on foot in the Okavango Panhandle
• Internal flights
• All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

Day 1: Johannesburg

Arrive at any time. Transfer to hotel. Enjoy a traditional South African braai (barbecue) welcome dinner.

The adventure begins tonight. Feel free to explore before your welcome meeting, but make sure you’re back in time to meet the group. After introductions, your CEO will review the details of your tour. Please note that normal check-in times apply at our start hotels, but you can usually store your luggage for the day if you arrive early.

Day 2: Johannesburg - Kruger National Park

Enjoy a full day scenic drive along the famed Panorama Route with stops at Blyde River Canyon, Bourke's Luck Potholes, and God's Window. Continue to our tented camp located just outside Kruger National Park and this evening enjoy a delicious South African dinner on the deck or in the boma.

Day 3: Kruger National Park

Enjoy a morning wildlife safari drive through Kruger National Park in an open vehicle. Take in views of the abundant wildlife including elephants, lions and giraffe. Afterwards, opt to take an afternoon safari drive, wildlife bush walk, or relax on the deck with views of the watering hole - a popular spot for animals to visit.

At over 19,000 sq km (7,500 sq mi), South Africa’s Kruger National Park is one of the largest and most impressive animal reserves in the world. With 147 species, Kruger has more species of large mammals than any other park on the continent.

Day 4: Kruger National Park - Karonge Private Game Reserve

Continue on to a private nature reserve in the Greater Kruger area. This afternoon, take in a lecture with a researcher from the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Cheetah Metapopulation Project who will share information about their efforts to protect cheetahs and other carnivores. This National Geographic-sponsored project is part of the Big Cats Initiative. After, the researcher will join us on our evening wildlife safari drive.

Day 5: Karonge Private Game Reserve

Enjoy early morning and afternoon safari drives with our local guides, searching for buffaloes, elephants, leopards, lions, and rhinos – Africa's famed Big Five. In our down time, relax at the camp, take a walk around the grounds or enjoy a cool drink on the deck.

Day 6: Karonge Private Game Reserve - Johannesburg

After one last safari wildlife safari drive, head back to the city. In the evening, enjoy dinner at our local guest house.

Day 7: Johannesburg - Victoria Falls

Fly to Zimbabwe and meet our local CEO. Gain insight into what life’s like in Africa with a walk through a local market and dinner at a family homestead. Meet our host, learn their history and discuss daily life and culture in Zimbabwe. Share stories as you enjoy a traditional Zimbabwean dinner.

Day 8: Victoria Falls

Enjoy a morning tour of the beautiful Victoria Falls, then the rest of the day is free to explore the area. Take part in a river safari, cultural tours, whitewater rafting, canoeing, or a helicopter ride over the falls.

Day 9: Victoria Falls

Spend the day exploring your beautiful surroundings. Opt to visit Victoria Falls, go whitewater rafting, or take a helicopter flight over the falls.

Day 10: Victoria Falls - Hwange National Park

Enjoy free time in the morning and opt to visit the falls. Later, visit the Painted Dog (Wild Dog) conservancy and meet with a conservationist to learn about the work being done to rehabilitate injured animals as a result of poaching. After, travel to Hwange, Zimbabwe's largest national park and enjoy a safari drive on the lodge concession, in search of wildlife. This evening, arrive at the lodge, located just outside the park entrance and enjoy dinner.

Day 11: Hwange National Park

Take a full day wildlife safari drive in the park which is home to large elephant herds, lions and the rare African wild dog. This evening, relax on the sun deck with a cool drink, keeping an eye out for local wildlife who visit the lodge's watering hole.

Day 12: Hwange - Chobe

The final morning in Hwange allows for an optional safari drive or walk, before crossing the border into Botswana, and arriving in Kasane, gateway to stunning Chobe National Park. This afternoon, enjoy a boat safari on the Chobe River in search of bathing elephants, hippos and crocodiles.

Day 13: Chobe

In the morning, continue our wildlife viewing with a safari drive along the banks of the Chobe River. In the afternoon, opt to take a photography river safari on a specialized photography boat.

Day 14: Kasane - Okavango Delta

Catch a flight into the “Panhandle” area of the Okavango Delta and check into the remote camp in the wilderness. Enjoy lunch before taking a walk to the research camps of the National Geographic funded Okavango Wilderness Project. Meet with someone from the research team and learn about their work and projects in the area.

Day 15: Okavango Delta

Explore the stunning Delta Panhandle with expert local guides to enjoy wildlife viewing from mokoros, African dugout canoes, and on bush walks; also visit a fish monitoring station and a local village. This evening, we will enjoy a unique stay in a bush camp on one of the remote Islands within the Delta. Here we enjoy a 3 course meal around a roaring camp fire, sitting back and listening to the night calls of the Delta wildlife.

Day 16: Okavango Delta

Depart from our island camp and continue wildlife viewing on foot and by mokoro with our expert local guides. Return to the main camp later this afternoon and opt to relax or have a swim. This evening enjoy the deck overlooking the lagoon with hidden seating areas and a fire pit, perfect for stargazing.

Day 17: Okavango Delta – Maun

Transfer to the frontier town of Maun and enjoy an evening of culture and traditional foods with celebrated author Bonty Botumile and the Thari-E-Ntsho Storytellers. This local enterprise is dedicated to preserving Botswana’s heritage and providing youth with employment opportunities in the arts. Option to take a scenic flight over the delta.

Day 18: Maun

Depart at any time.