NORTHERN EXPERIENCE
24-DAY SAFARI FROM CAPE TOWN TO VICTORIA FALLS
Spend 3 weeks exploring the highlights of South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, experiencing the wildlife, culture and scenery only Africa can deliver. From marvelling at the Victoria Falls to the breathtaking magnitude of Namibia’s dunes and big game interaction this tour combines all the comforts of hotel and lodge accommodation with an unforgettable safari experience.
B – Breakfast L – Lunch D – Dinner
24 Days
On arrival at Cape Town International Airport you will be met by a representative who will transfer you to your hotel. You have the remainder of the day at leisure to acclimatize and relax at the hotel facilities.
**Please be aware that the Cape Town portion of this tour does not include a guide. Your guide will join you starting from day 4. However a local Cape Town guide is included on the Cape Town activities.
Accommodation: Pullman Cape Town City Centre or similar (rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, restaurant & bar)
Lunch: For your own account
Dinner: For your own account
This morning you will be collected and taken on an orientation tour of the city. You will see the Company Gardens, Greenmarket Square, the SA Museum and Bo-Kaap. The afternoon can be spent at leisure. We suggest a visit to the V&A Waterfront, situated in the heart of Cape Town’s working harbour, offering an abundance of indoor shopping and entertainment.
Accommodation: Pullman Cape Town City Centre or similar (rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, restaurant & bar)
Breakfast: At Pullman Cape Town City Centre or similar
Lunch: For your own account
Dinner: For your own account
Today we explore the Cape Peninsula. Travelling along the Atlantic Seaboard via Sea Point, Clifton and Camps Bay, we stop at Maiden Cove look-out point before continuing to Hout Bay. Here you have the option to take a boat trip to Seal Island (seasonal and not included in the cost). We carry on over Chapman’s Peak, one of the world’s most breath-taking coastal drives, to Cape Point and the Good Hope Nature Reserve. In the afternoon we travel on to Simon’s Town, a village with charming Victorian architecture, a naval base and a large penguin colony at the beautiful Boulders Beach. Kindly note the reserve entrance fee at Boulders Beach carries an additional cost.
Accommodation: Pullman Cape Town City Centre or similar (rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, restaurant & bar)
Breakfast: At Pullman Cape Town City Centre or similar
Lunch: For your own account
Dinner: For your own account
After a hearty meal, you will be transferred to Cape Town International Airport for your flight to Windhoek (not included & quoted seperatley). On arrival at Windhoek Airport, you will be met and transferred to your accommodation, Avani Windhoek Hotel. The rest of the afternoon may be spent at leisure. This evening you will meet your guide and the rest of your group at the lodge at 18h00 for your pre-departure meeting.
Accommodation: Avani Windhoek Hotel or similar (rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool & bar)
Breakfast: At Pullman Cape Town City Centre or similar
Lunch: For your own account
Dinner: For your own account
Moving south we make our way towards the Namib Naukluft National Park and our accommodation for the next two nights, Agama Lodge. The park contains what is considered to be the oldest desert in the world. The next morning we need to wake up early to visit the world’s highest sand dunes at Sossusvlei and Deadvlei. These dunes, which can reach heights of over 300 m, are absolutely spectacular and provide for a fantastic photo opportunity. With luck, there may even be water in the vlei (lake). We also stop to view the Sesriem Canyon, which was carved millions of years ago by the Tsauchab River.
Day 5
Distance: 280 km Departure: 07h00
Accommodation: Agama Lodge or similar (rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, bar & restaurant)
Breakfast: At Avani Windhoek Hotel or similar
Lunch: Lunch pack prepared by Avani Windhoek Hotel or similar
Dinner: At Agama Lodge or similar
Day 6
Distance: 230 km Departure: 06h00
Breakfast: Breakfast pack from Agama Lodge or similar
Lunch: Lunch pack prepared by Agama Lodge or similar
Dinner: At Agama Lodge or similar
The day is spent driving through the Namib Naukluft National Park on our way to Swakopmund. The Namib-Naukluft Desert is an ancient land with an ageless spirit. It is home to some of the rarest plant and animal species in the world. Sightings of the unique fauna and flora are a must on a Namibian safari. The animals of this harsh landscape include the oryx, springbok and Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra. En-route we make a stop in the small town of Walvis Bay where you may spot a variety of birds including flamingo’s in the lagoon. We arrive at the charming coastal town of Swakopmund in the afternoon where you will have the rest of the day at leisure.
The following day you will have the opportunity to partake in optional activities or alternatively just soak up the atmosphere of this little quaint German town and enjoy its beauty and beaches.
Day 7
Distance: 296 km Departure: 07h00
Accommodation: Hotel Pension à la Mer or similar ( Luxury rooms with en-suite bathrooms)
Breakfast: At Agama Lodge or similar
Lunch: In Swakopmund
Dinner: For your own account
Day 8
Breakfast: At Hotel Pension à la Mer or similar
Lunch: For your own account
Dinner: For your own account
TLeaving the cold Atlantic coastline behind us, we continue our journey towards Namibia’s best-known highlight of the north – Etosha National Park. The first night is spent at our lodge neighbouring the park, situated on an outcrop of dolomite rocks and overlooking a forest of Mopane and white Seringa trees. Spend the afternoon relaxing at the pool, or take a leisurely stroll through the natural bush and gardens. Optional game drives are also available.
Distance: 494 km
Departure: 08h00
Accommodation: Etosha Safari Lodge or similar (Chalets with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool & bar)
Breakfast: At Hotel Pension à la Mer or similar
Lunch: For own account
Dinner: At Etosha Safari Lodge or similar
After breakfast we enter the Etosha National Park via the Andersson gate, named after Karl Johan Andersson, one of the first European explorers to come across the Etosha pan, which means “Great White Place” in the Ndonga dialect of the Ovambo tribe. We fill the next two days with game drives in the hopes of spotting lion, leopard, elephant and rhino as well as cheetah, giraffe, zebra and the numerous types of antelope the park has to offer. Our nights are spent at the flood-lit waterholes or viewpoints encountering the park’s various nocturnal animals that come to drink. Etosha was declared a National Park in 1907 and it is home to approx. 114 mammal species, 340 bird species, 110 reptile species, 16 amphibian species and, surprisingly, one species of fish.
Day 10
Distance: 162 km
Departure: 07h00
Accommodation: Namutoni Resort or similar (rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, bar & restaurant)
Breakfast: At Etosha Safari Lodge or similar
Lunch: For own account
Dinner: At Namutoni Resort or similar
Departing from Etosha we drive further north to the town of Rundu. Here we visit the Mbunza Living Museum, a traditional cultural school and communal business for the local Kavango people who make a living from fishing, tending cattle and cultivating crops. After this cultural interaction, we make our way Kaisosi River Lodge on the banks of the Okavango River. We will arrive in the late afternoon to relax by the pool with a sundowner listening to the sounds of Mother Nature.
Distance: 450 km
Departure: 08h00
Accommodation: Kaisosi River Lodge or similar (rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, bar & restaurant)
Breakfast: At Namutoni Resort or similar
Lunch: Lunch pack from Namutoni or similar
Dinner: At Kaisosi River Lodge or similar
This morning we travel eastwards onto our camp in the western Caprivi region, Nunda River Lodge. Before departure however, there will be time for optional activities such as an early morning boat cruise at the lodge. Continue to your lodge situated on the banks of the Okavango River. In the late afternoon you will enjoy a sunset cruise to Popa Falls.
Distance: 210 km
Departure: 08h00
Accommodation: Nunda River Lodge or similar (rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, bar & restaurant)
Breakfast: At Kaisosi River Lodge or similar
Lunch: At Nunda River Lodge or similar
Dinner: At Nunda River Lodge or similar
In the morning we drive to Mahangu, meaning ‘food of the local people’, which is situated next to the Okavango River. Enjoy a morning game drive in the Greater Bwabwata National Park, which extends from the Kavango River in the west to the Kwando River in the east and incorporates the Mahangu Game Reserve. Elephant, roan, kudu and buffalo are amongst the animals likely to be seen as well as prolific birdlife. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure.
Distance: 50 km
Departure: 08h00
Accommodation: Nunda River Lodge or similar (rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, bar & restaurant)
Breakfast: At Nunda River Lodge or similar
Lunch: Lunch pack from Nunda River Lodge or similar
Dinner: At Nunda River Lodge or similar
We leave the Caprivi and travel south to Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve. The name Maun is derived from the San word “maung”, which means “the place of short reeds”. The afternoon is yours to spend at leisure, either relaxing next to the pool at the lodge or if you are keen for some excitement, why not book a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta.
Distance: 430 km
Departure: 07h00
Accommodation: Thamalakane River Lodge or similar (chalets with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, bar & restaurant)
Breakfast: At Nunda River Lodge or similar
Lunch: Lunch pack from Nunda River Lodge or similar
Dinner: For your own account
After breakfast we will be picked up by our local Botswana guides and take a short drive to the mokoro station. From here, we will float in these traditional dug-out canoes through the thick vegetation of the Okavango Delta discovering a variety of birds and wildlife. Unlike other deltas, it flows into the Kalahari Desert without ever reaching the coast. After this spectacular excursion, we make our way to Mankwe Tented Retreat, which is situated in the Greater Moremi region. Once settled ,we will enjoy dinner and embark on a night game drive in the private concession – a fantastic opportunity to spot some nocturnal animals that are more difficult to encounter during the day.
Distance: 100 km
Departure: 08h00
Accommodation: Mankwe Tented Retreat or similar (meru-style tented camp with en-suite bathrooms).
Breakfast: At Thamalakane River Lodge or similar
Lunch: Lunch pack from Thamalakane River Lodge or similar
Dinner: At Mankwe Tented Retreat or similar
We have the opportunity to spend the day on game drives. In our open 4×4 vehicle we will explore the Moremi Game Reserve on morning and afternoon game drives hopefully spotting a variety of game that frequent this region. This large area is renowned for its concentration of mammals and it is not unusual to see many different types of wildlife during just one game drive. Game viewing is seasonal; depending on the time of the year you may see different species in different areas. The best time for game viewing is the end of the dry season or spring from August to November. During this season, in order for us to offer the best game viewing possible, extra driving may be required due to the animals migrating closer to the river. In the summer, birdlife can also be viewed in abundance with exceptional sightings of wildfowl and raptors.
Distance: 150 km
Departure: 07h00
Accommodation: Mankwe Tented Retreat or similar (meru-style tented camp with en-suite bathrooms).
Breakfast: At Mankwe Tented Retreat or similar
Lunch: At Mankwe Tented Retreat or similar
Dinner: At Mankwe Tented Retreat or similar
We leave the bush behind and travel east towards the Makgadikgadi Pans, once a large river fed lake, however the pans are now saline and empty. In the afternoon we visit the Nata Bird Sanctuary, where we get the opportunity to enjoy the magnificent view over the Sowa pan, which is part of the Greater Makgadikgadi Pans. (Please note a visit to the pans is subject to the road conditions, time constraints and water levels during the dry season as it restricts the number of birds in the area)
Distance: 420 km
Departure: 08h00
Accommodation: Nata Lodge or similar (safari tent with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, bar & restaurant)
Breakfast: At Mankwe Tented Retreat or similar
Lunch: For own account
Dinner: At Nata Lodge or similar
This morning we head north to Kasane, the gateway to the Chobe National Park. Chobe, which is the second largest national park in Botswana and covers 10,566 square km, has one of the greatest concentrations of elephant found on the African continent. The afternoon is at leisure to partake in a number of optional activities or to relax by the pool. The next day you will get to see the wildlife of the Chobe National Park on a morning game drive, with the hope of spotting big game up close and also the possibility of an encounter with one of the large predators. In the afternoon we go on a cruise on the Chobe River, a truly unforgettable experience and one of the best ways to view the animals as they come down to drink, as well as the spectacular African sunset.
Distance: 320 km
Departure: 08h00
Accommodation: Chobe Marina Lodge or similar (rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, bar & restaurant)
Day 19
Breakfast: At Nata Lodge or similar
Lunch: For your own account
Dinner: At Chobe Marina Lodge or similar
Accommodation: Chobe Marina Lodge or similar (rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, bar & restaurant)
Day 20
Breakfast: At Chobe Marina Lodge or similar
Lunch: For your own account
Today, we make our way into Zimbabwe to Robins Camp, situated in the northwest corner of Hwange National Park, the largest national park in Zimbabwe, covering an area of approx. 14 650 km2. Named after a local chief, Hwange is situated in the northwest corner of the country about one hour south of the Victoria Falls. Due to its close proximity to the Falls, Hwange boasts an incredible biodiversity of flora and fauna, and a plethora of African wildlife. There are over 100 species of mammals and nearly 400 bird species recorded here. Upon your arrival, you’ll have the afternoon at leisure.
The following morning, you will be accompanied by an experienced guide on a game drive where you will discover a variety of animals, including some predators among them. The multifaceted landscape allows you to experience everything that the park has to offer. To end off the day you will get the opportunity to experience a sunset game drive to continue your search for African wildlife.
Distance: 193 km
Departure: 08h00
Accommodation: Robins Camp or similar (chalets with en-suite bathroom, swimming pool & bar area)
Day 21
Breakfast: At Chobe Marina Lodge or similar
Lunch: At Robins Camp or similar
Dinner: At Robins Camp or similar
Accommodation: Robins Camp or similar (chalets with en-suite bathroom, swimming pool & bar area)
Day 22
Breakfast: At Robins Camp or similar
Lunch: Lunch pack from Robins Camp or similar
Dinner: At Robins Camp or similar
Continuing our trip, we turn northwards to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Your guide will take you on a tour of the mighty Victoria Falls, known by the local Kololo tribe as Mosi oa Tunya- “the Smoke that thunders”. In the afternoon we have a relaxing sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi River, basking in the afterglow of the day. The rest of the day may be spent at leisure or partaking in one of the many optional activities on offer (at own expense).
Distance: 111 km
Departure: 09h00
Accommodation: Ilala Lodge or similar (rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, bar & restaurant)
Breakfast: At Robins Camp or similar
Lunch: For your own account
Dinner: For your own account
Our safari ends after breakfast. You will be transferred to Victoria Falls Airport in time for your departure flight. We hope to welcome you again one day on another of our African adventures.
Breakfast: At Ilala Lodge or similar
From Tourist
