Journeys: Botswana & Zimbabwe Safari
10 days, Victoria Falls to Maun
Itinerary
Day 1Victoria Falls
Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer included.
If you are interested in spending more time in Victoria Falls, it is recommended to book pre-accommodation to fully experience everything Victoria Falls and the Zambezi area has to offer.
Arrival Transfer
You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure.
Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting
The adventure begins tonight. Feel free to explore before your welcome meeting, but make sure you’re back in time to meet the group. Check for the meeting time on the welcome note at the hotel. 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 2Victoria 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.
Examine the life and struggles faced by the Painted Dog (wild dog) population in and around Hwange national park and the efforts made by the conservancy to prevent poaching and the damage done by snare traps that have endangered the Painted Dog population in Zimbabwe. The ultimate goal of the project is to release rehabilitated animals back into the wild and to work with local children and communities in an effort to educate and shift behaviors away from poaching.
Road conditions in the region can range from good to very poor. As such, we slow our traveling speed in the rough spots and enjoy some sand and bumps – all part of the adventure of traveling in Africa.
Please note that hot water shortages, low water pressure and power outages can occur in Southern Africa. We appreciate your patience and understanding that these occurrences are outside of our control. Wifi is available in most places (extra charge may apply), but in remote areas there can be service interruptions. A/C is not generally available in the accommodations we use, really it isn't needed as evenings tend to cool down. Floor or ceiling fans are usually available.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Painted Dog Conservation
Visit Painted Dog Conservancy and meet with a senior conservationist to learn about the work being done to rehabilitate animals that have been injured from poaching. Learn about the dangers wild dogs face in and around Hwange National Park. The ultimate goal of the project is to release rehabilitated wild dogs back into the wild and to work with local children and communities in an effort to educate and shift behaviors away from poaching.
Afternoon Wildlife Safari Drive
Enjoy a wildlife safari drive in the lodge's private concession, bordering the Hwange National Park. Keep an eye out for Africa's Big Five, as well as other predators, and over 300 bird species.
Optional Activities - Day 2 HideShow
Victoria Falls Tour
50USD per personHead out for an unforgettable experience at Victoria Falls. Explore the rainforest and learn about the geology, history, and local legends of this world wonder. After your immersion, get up close to the falls and discover the beauty of “the smoke that thunders.” Be sure to have your camera ready!
Victoria Falls Helicopter Ride - 15 Mins
You don't want to miss the opportunity to see Victoria Falls from above. Watch the Zambezi River make its way toward the gorge and form the largest waterfall in the world. During your 15-minute ride, you will have time to take in the incredible views over the falls, Livingstone Island, and Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park while snapping as many pictures as you like. You may be lucky enough to see some giraffes and elephants in the surrounding landscape and even catch a rainbow over the falls. Includes pick-up and drop-off from hotel and a 12-15min flight.
Please note there is a cost for an additional park fee paid for on-site at time of the activity.
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 3Hwange 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 visiting the lodge's watering hole.
Afternoon Wildlife Safari Drive
Enjoy a wildlife safari drive in a private concession bordering Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe's largest park, and home to elephant herds, lions, and the rare African wild dog. Get your cameras ready and keep an eye out for Africa's "big five," as well as other predators, over 300 bird species, and discover a remote portion of Hwange National Park where you will seldom see another vehicle.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 4Hwange/Chobe NP
Depart Hwange and head north, crossing the border into Botswana and arriving in Kasane, gateway to the stunning Chobe National Park. This afternoon, enjoy a boat safari on the Chobe River in search of bathing elephants, hippos, and crocodiles.
Keep an eye out for Chobe bushbuck and puku antelope, which are found only in this part of Botswana. The Chobe River is home to the world’s largest elephant herds; buffalo, hippos, and lions can also be seen here.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Border Crossing (Zimbabwe - Botswana)
Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.
Chobe River Sunset Cruise
Get a fantastic perspective of one of Botswana's national parks and its thousands of resident elephants, crocodiles, and hippos on a sunset boat cruise on the Chobe River. Bring a few drinks and a camera, sit back, and enjoy the view.
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 5Chobe NP
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.
Opt into the photo wildlife safari on the Chobe River at sunset; you’ll be accompanied by an expert wildlife photographer and guide who will help you get the perfect shot.
Chobe National Park Safari Drive
Immerse yourself in Chobe National Park in an open-backed, open-seated safari vehicle, and experience the stunning wilderness of the game-rich park in the care of a very knowledgeable and friendly guide. Explore with your eyes as the tour drives along routes that overlook the beautiful Chobe River and keep an eye out for the remarkable variety of animals that are drawn to this permanent water source.
During the safari drives it is not uncommon to spot several of Africa’s “big five” in the greater Chobe area and the early morning drive lasting 3 hours is a wonderful opportunity to have some unique sightings.
Free Time
Relax, or opt to improve your wildlife photography skills on a Chobe River photo safari.
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 6Kasane/Okavango Delta
Catch a flight into the “Panhandle” area of the Okavango Delta and check into our remote lodge in the wilderness. Enjoy lunch before taking a boat cruise on the waterways. In the evening, join one of the expedition members to watch and discuss the new National Geographic documentary Into the Okavango, and learn about the delta conservation projects in the area.
Planes used to fly into the Delta are small and weight restrictions are mandatory. For this reason luggage restrictions are 15kg per person for checked in luggage and 5kg for Hand luggage for a maximum of 20kg per person. As well, the airline requires the weight of each passenger, your CEO will collect this information from you privately, at the beginning of the trip.
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Okavango Wilderness Project Experience
National Geographic Explorer Steve Boyes leads the Okavango Wilderness Project, a multi-year collaboration between international and local African experts to survey the Okavango watershed's biodiversity and ensure its future protection. Join one of the expedition members to watch and discuss the new National Geographic documentary Into the Okavango, and learn about the delta conservation projects in the area.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 7Okavango Delta
Explore the stunning Okavango Panhandle with expert local guides. View wildlife from mokoros (African dugout canoes) and during bush walks. This evening, we will stay at a unique bush camp on one of the remote islands within the Okavango Delta. Here, enjoy a three-course meal around a roaring campfire while sitting back and listening to the night calls of the Delta's wildlife.
Tonight we enjoy a unique and adventurous stay in a remote bush camp (known locally as a fly camp). Accommodation will be in simple dome tents on cots, and facilities are wash basins and out house/long drop toilette (simple but clean) which are shared amongst our group. There is no electricity and lighting in the evenings is by lantern, so please bring a flashlight. While basic, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to immerse yourself into the wilds of Africa. Our local guides and staff add some comfortable touches, excellent food and spin some fantastic campfire stories.
Okavango Delta Excursion
Step into the heart of Botswana’s wilderness on an unforgettable journey into the Okavango Delta. Your adventure begins with a scenic drive in an open 4x4 safari vehicle, travelling deep into the Sankoyo Concession, a pristine area teeming with wildlife and rich in natural beauty. Your secluded camp offers a true bush experience, with comfortable, fully set-up tents and the sounds of nature all around. From here, explore the Delta the traditional way, gliding quietly through the waterways in a mokoro canoe, steered by skilled local polers who know the channels like the back of their hand. Back on land, enjoy a guided walking safari for the rare opportunity to connect with the bush on foot. Learn about the plants, animal tracks, and smaller wildlife often missed from a vehicle, while keeping an eye out for the Delta’s bigger residents.
Evenings will be spent relaxing by the campfire under a sky scattered with stars, swapping stories and listening to the night sounds of Africa. This is more than a trip, it’s an immersion into one of the world’s most remarkable ecosystems, guided by the people who call it home.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 8Okavango 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 take a swim. This evening, relax on the deck. With views overlooking the lagoon, hidden seating areas, and a fire pit, it's the perfect place for stargazing.
Okavango Islands Excursion
Continue exploring from our remote bush camp in the Delta. Options can vary, enjoy a bush walk or mokoro trip through the channels, visit a local village, or spend some time fishing. A breakfast or brunch will be served on the island before heading back to our lodge by mokoro and motor boat.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 9Okavango Delta/Maun
Fly 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.
Please note that today you will be served a brunch between 10-11 before boarding your flight to Maun.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Free Time
Relax at the hotel or head into Maun to check out the local craft markets.
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Botswana Storytelling and Traditional Dinner
Enjoy an evening of culture with celebrated author Bonty Botumile and the Thari-E-Ntsho Storytellers, a local enterprise dedicated to preserving Botswana’s heritage and providing youth with employment opportunities in the arts. Born in Maun, Bonty is a recipient of the Bessie Head Literature Award. Listen as she shares her in-depth understanding of the region’s cultural history. Cap off the night with traditional fare and storytelling around a warm fire.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 10Maun
Depart at any time.
Departure Day
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.