Southern Africa Encompassed: Bush Camps & Wildlife Spotting

15 days, Johannesburg to Johannesburg

Map of the route for Southern Africa Encompassed: Bush Camps & Wildlife Spotting
Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Itinerary

Day 1Johannesburg

Arrive at any time.

If you arrive a day or two early, we recommended booking an excursion to Soweto or the Apartheid Museum.

Please make sure you have all of the necessary visas for this tour by the time of the welcome meeting. It is very important to read the visa section in our trip details to make sure you have all visas you will need, if any. Please note that not all nationalities are able to obtain visas upon arrival at the border.

Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group

Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.

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Optional Activities - Day 1 HideShow

Apartheid Museum
Johannesburg1h-2h
180ZAR per person

Take a self guided tour around the complex and learn about the history of the apartheid in South Africa.

Soweto Tour
Soweto1h-2h
1100-1650None per person

Take a guided tour of bustling Soweto and learn more about its important history. The residential area was created under apartheid and played a significant role in bringing the issues of segregation to the forefront. The anti-apartheid movement was launched here by its most famous resident, Nelson Mandela.

Accommodation

Below is an example of the hotel we may use in this city. For the actual hotel your specific departure will be using, please check your voucher.

Airport Game Lodge (or similar)
Hotel

Day 2Johannesburg/Serowe

Cross the border into Botswana and enjoy a rhino drive in the Khama Rhino Sanctuary.

Today's travel takes us through a very desolate part of central-eastern Botswana. We cross into Botswana and finish the day at a campsite within the Khama Rhino Sanctuary, a unique community-based initiative in wildlife conservation.

If we do not arrive at the camp in time to do the rhino drive today, we will do it tomorrow morning before departing for Maun.

Lando
Johannesburg – Groblersbrug4h30m400km

Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!

Border Crossing (South Africa - Botswana)
Groblersbrug – Martins Drift

Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.

Lando
Martins Drift – Serowe170km

Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!

Khama Rhino Sanctuary Sundown Game Drive
Khama Rhino Sanctuary – Serowe2h

Hop into an open air safari vehicle to search for the sanctuary's rhinos, and other wildlife species.

Accommodation

Khama Rhino Sanctuary Camp (or similar)
Campground

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 3Serowe/Maun

Enjoy a drive in Khama Rhino Sanctuary before heading to Maun. Opt to take a scenic flight over the delta.

Please note: if you have pre-booked the Okavango Delta Flight, today's likely the day for this activity! Your CEO will give you final confirmation when it will take place, as it is subject to change.

Lando
Serowe – Maun6h-7h524km

Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!

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Optional Activities - Day 3 HideShow

Okavango Delta Flight
Maun

Get a fresh perspective on the vast wilderness of Africa with a once-in-a-lifetime view only a select few will ever see. Enjoy the hippos in the waterways and elephants and buffalo in the tree line. Gaze at the winding water channels as they make their way through the Delta.

Accommodation

Sedia Hotel Campsite (or similar)
Campground

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch

Day 4Maun/Okavango Delta

Enjoy a wildlife walk, traditional mokoro (dugout canoe) excursion, and birding. View wildlife up close. Sing and dance around the campfire with the locals.

Begin an exciting 2-day/1-night excursion into the delta on a safari vehicle to the "dock" where we hop into a mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe, that will take us deep into the delta. After a couple of hours in a mokoro, we arrive at our basic bush camp.

Pack a small bag for this overnight excursion; we'll leave our big bags with the Lando. Please note that there are no showers or running water for toilets. Bring along 5 litres of water for both drinking and cleaning.

Safari Vehicle
Maun – Okavango Delta1h

Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride.

Mokoro
Okavango Delta1h-2h

Climb into a traditional canoe for a closer view of the shoreline.

Okavango Delta Excursion
Okavango Delta

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.
Our secluded camp offers a true bush experience, with comfortable, fully-set-up tents and the sounds of nature all around. From here, you’ll 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, a guided walking safari gives you 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 are 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.

Accommodation

Okavango Delta Camping (or similar)
Campground

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 5Okavango Delta/Gweta

Relax on a mokoro ride out of the delta, then camp under under massive baobab trees for the night.

Enjoy the towering baobab trees found around tonight's campsite and go for a dip in the pool if you need to cool off.

Mokoro
Okavango Delta1h-2h

Climb into a traditional canoe for a closer view of the shoreline.

Safari Vehicle
Okavango Delta – Maun1h

Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride.

Lando
Maun – Nata4h301km

Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!

Accommodation

Planet Baobab (or similar)
Campground

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 6Gweta/Kasane

Hop on an optional wildlife viewing boat cruise on the Chobe River in Chobe National Park.

Today we journey to Chobe National Park, home to the largest elephant population in southern Africa. The best way to appreciate one of Botswana's national parks and its thousands of resident elephants, crocodiles, and hippos is on an optional sunset boat cruise on the Chobe River. You may also choose to embark on a open vehicle safari drive in search of lions, antelope, and, of course, elephants.

Lando
Nata – Kasane6h420km

Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!

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Optional Activities - Day 6 HideShow

Chobe River Sunset Cruise
Chobe National Park – Kasane

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.

Chobe National Park Safari Drive
Chobe National Park 100km

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.

Accommodation

Thebe River Safari Lodge Campsite (or similar)
Campground

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch

Day 7Kasane/Victoria Falls

Start your visit to Zimbabwe with traditional lunch prepared by the G Adventures supported Lusumpuko Women's Club.

Opt to prebook the Chobe National Park Safari Drive and head out early into the park before crossing the border into Zimbabwe, then continue on to the town of Victoria Falls. Opt to get up close (and wet from the spray) to the awesome Victoria Falls, or bungee jump (with the waterfall in sight).

Your accommodation is in Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) and NOT Livingstone (Zambia). Please make sure you have the necessary visa.

Lando
Kasane – Kazungula45m20km

Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!

Border Crossing (Botswana to Zimbabwe or vice versa)
Kazungula

Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.

Lando
Kazungula – Victoria Falls1h30m-2h65km

Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!

Your G for Good Moment: Lusumpuko Women's Club Lunch

Start your visit to Victoria Falls off on the right foot by sitting down to a traditional, Zimbabwean meal, cooked by the Lusumpuko Women’s Club, a group of women from a nearby township. A demonstration by the ladies will show you exactly how Zimbabweans traditionally eat their food, and you’ll be served a farm-to-table meal made with traditional, local, in-season ingredients. This meal provides much-needed income to the cooperatives’ 20 members – changing their lives and families in the process.

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Optional Activities - Day 7 HideShow

Victoria Falls Visit
Victoria Falls
50USD per person

Take in the natural splendour of thundering Victoria Falls while viewing the massive falls from the Zimbabwean side. Entrance fee for the park - self guided.

Zambezi River Sunset Cruise
Victoria Falls
57USD per person

Climb aboard and cruise along the beautiful Zambezi River. Enjoy some snacks, drinks, a festive atmosphere, and gorgeous views of the sunset. It's the ideal way to end an eventful day in Victoria Falls.

Please note that National Park Fees are included at 10 USD per person.

Accommodation

Explorers Village Camping (or similar)
Campground

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch

Day 8Victoria Falls

Get up close and personal with one of the largest waterfalls in the world on this free day in Victoria Falls. Feel the strength of the water splashing your skin on the observation deck, taking in the sound of tons of water thundering in over the edge of the falls in the distance, and make your day as relaxing or hair-raising as you like.

Opt to try whitewater rafting. Maybe take a scenic helicopter flight over the falls (epic selfies anyone?), or take the plunge (literally) while bungee jumping with Victoria Falls in sight.

Want to do more with your tour? Pre-book any two of the following activities: Zambezi Whitewater Rafting, Victoria Falls Helicopter Ride, or the Zambezi River Sunset Cruise. You can pre-book on the checkout page, or through your Global Connection Officer or travel agent.

Any optional activities listed on this day can also be booked upon arrival in Victoria Falls.

Your Discover Moment
Victoria Falls Full Day

There's plenty to see and do in Victoria Falls, and we wanted to make sure that you had some time to take it all in. Feel free to relax or try optional activities like whitewater rafting, helicopter ride, and sunset cruise. Your CEO has more ideas if you need them. Just ask!

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Optional Activities - Day 8 HideShow

Bridge Swing over the Zambezi
Victoria Falls
168USD per person

Get strapped up, step over the Victoria Falls Bridge and free fall for 80 meters into the Batoka Gorge. Enjoy the views as you swing back and forth over the roaring Zambezi river, with cascading waterfalls at your side. Don't think you can hack it alone? Swing with a partner.

Victoria Falls Helicopter Ride - 25min
Victoria Falls
284USD per person

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 25 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. This extended ride also includes time flying over the vast and towering walls of the Batoka Gorge. 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 25min flight.

Please note there is a cost for an additional park fee paid for on-site at time of the activity.

Zipline over the Zambezi
Victoria Falls
50USD per person

Glide along a zipline track for 300 metres over the rapids of the Batoka Gorge below. Take in incredible views of the Victoria Falls along the way.

Princess Laundry Service
Victoria Falls
20USD per person

Get your laundry done, while giving back to the local community! The laundry service is provided by the G Adventures supported Princess Laundry and Sewing Co-op, a group of 10 women from the nearby community of Mkhosana, who will pick up and drop off your laundry at the campsite in Victoria Falls. This service provides the cooperative with much-needed income to support their families, and in particular, support their children's school fees.

Victoria Falls Helicopter Ride - 15 Mins
Victoria Falls

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.

Victoria Falls Visit
Victoria Falls
50USD per person

Take in the natural splendour of thundering Victoria Falls while viewing the massive falls from the Zimbabwean side. Entrance fee for the park - self guided.

Zambezi Bungee Jump
Victoria Falls
168USD per person

Get the adrenaline pumping with a bungee jump from the Victoria Falls Bridge over the Zambezi River. Hear the rush of Victoria Falls as you enjoy this once in a lifetime experience.

Victoria Falls Whitewater Rafting
Victoria Falls4h-7h
120USD per person

Take the opportunity to go whitewater rafting on the Zambezi River while Victoria Falls roars above. Depart in the morning and navigate through the canyon that forms the famous falls. The dramatic rapids will fill you with excitement and complete your experience. Includes a full-day of rafting on class III-V rapids, transfers, and lunch.

Please note: River conditions and activity pricing vary depending on the seasons. High water season is from about February to July. Low water season generally runs from August to January each year - this is when the Zambezi is at its very wildest. The "closed season" is dependent on the season’s rains, and usually is from March to April; during this time rafting on the river is not permitted. Additionally, this activity requires passengers to hike down and up the Batoka Gorge (approx. 45 minutes each way) to access the river; an average level of fitness is required.

This activity price excludes a $10 park entrance fee.

Accommodation

Explorers Village Camping (or similar)
Campground

Day 9Victoria Falls/Matobo National Park

Rise early to the sounds of Victoria Falls thundering in the distance before the group heads out on the long, but scenic drive to Matobo National Park. Take this time to enjoy the scenery, get to know your group more, and reflect on what you hope to gain from taking this trip.

Lando
Victoria Falls – Matobo National Park6h08:00475km

Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!

Accommodation

Big Cave Campsite (or similar)
Campground

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 10Matobo National Park

Huge granite masses, land that has been walked on for forty thousand years, and a peaceful quiet that will have you wondering why you would ever want to return to the hustle and bustle of the modern world are what await you on this visit to Matobo National Park in Zimbabwe. Hop aboard an open wildlife safari vehicle and have an immersive experience in the park focussing on edible plants, visit a Khoisan cave with historic cave paintings, and enjoy close encounters with wildlife, while learning about rhino conservation efforts.

Guided Rhino Walk
Matobo National Park – Bulawayo

Set off on foot into the bush and enjoy a guided walk while tracking white rhinos.

Open Vehicle Wildlife Safari Drive
Matobo National Park

Set off in an open safari vehicle and be on the lookout for wildlife, particularly the white rhinos this national park is known for -- it's one of the best places to see these magnificent animals in the world.

Accommodation

Big Cave Campsite (or similar)
Campground

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 11Matobo National Park/Tshipise

Another day, another slice of adventure! Make the most of your day getting to know the people in your group. Share past travel stories, take backseat bus selfies, and watch as the African scenery passes you by on your way across the border into South Africa. In the evening sit back, relax, tip your head to the sky and bask in the warm water of the mineral pool at our campsite.

Lando
Matobo National Park – Tshipise7h600km

Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!

Border Crossing (Zimbabwe - South Africa)
Beitbridge

Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.

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Optional Activities - Day 11 HideShow

Hot Springs Soak
Tshipise

After a long day of traveling, take a relaxing soak in the warm water mineral pool at the campsite. “Tshipise” meaning “something warm”, refers to the mineral springs feeding the pool. The famous Tshipise koppie (hill) towers protectively over the charming resort, set amongst a host of indigenous trees.

Accommodation

Tshipise Aventura Resort (or similar)
Campground

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 12Tshipise/Kruger National Park

Welcome to wildlife country! Kruger is the kind of place that you’ll visit, but still want to return to over and over again. With nearly 5 million acres this park offers some of the best access to wild animals in Africa, so prepare for an epic time… (but you already knew that!) Keep those cameras at the ready and experience your ultimate African safari fantasy become a reality.

Search for lions, elephants and many other animals on a full-day wildlife safari drive. Word of advice? Remember that it’s not all about the animals. This sprawling sanctuary is home to much more; think giant baobab, fever, and marula trees towering over the savannah in a place that feels older than time itself. Stop at prime viewing areas like Hippo Pool, the Kruger Tablets, and the Red Rocks, while you simply revel in your primitive surroundings as nature moves around you.

Lando
Tshipise – Kruger National Park1h-1h30m

Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!

Kruger Wildlife Safari Drive
Kruger National Park6h

Jump into our touring vehicle and get ready to spot elephants, hippos, giraffes, zebras, lions, and many other species in one of Africa's greatest wildlife areas.

Accommodation

Satara Campsite (or similar)
Campground

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 13Kruger National Park/Greater Kruger Area

Yesterday was only a taste of the beauty that resides in the National Parks of South Africa. Today, you will head out into Kruger NP again on another wildlife safari drive in the Lando. (Upgrade alert! You can choose to embark on this experience in a 4x4 safari vehicle instead.)

Take your gaze to the sky today and try to search for all of the things you didn’t get to yesterday. In the evening fill your bellies with a traditional dinner together, then grab someone’s hand and work up a sweat with some local dancing as the night settles around you.

Kruger Wildlife Safari Drive
Kruger National Park6h

Jump into our touring vehicle and get ready to spot elephants, hippos, giraffes, zebras, lions, and many other species in one of Africa's greatest wildlife areas.

Lando
Kruger National Park – Hazyview7h200km

Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!

Traditional Dinner and Local Dancing
Hazyview

Enjoy a cultural evening with the local community. Dive into local fare with a delicious traditional dinner, then watch a local dance performance.

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Optional Activities - Day 13 HideShow

Kruger Open Vehicle Safari Drive
Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park has been dubbed the most famous safari destination in the world. Whenever it is mentioned images of African wildlife and wilderness immediately spring to mind. The vastness of this park is what sets it apart. The breath-taking area with expansive and varied nature makes it a wonderful place to view the African “Big Five”.

Hop in a 4x4 safari vehicle and get yourself one step closer to the surrounding nature. Be ready to spot elephants, giraffes, hippos, lions, zebras, and many other species in this impressive South African national park.

Accommodation

Aan de Vliet Camping (or similar)
Hotel

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 14Greater Kruger Area/Johannesburg

While you may be leaving the bush behind today, the memories will stay with you forever. So don’t despair, instead look ahead with excitement as you journey back to Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city and economic heart.

Lando
Hazyview – Johannesburg8h407km

Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!

Accommodation

Airport Game Lodge (or similar)
Hotel

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch

Day 15Johannesburg

Depart at any time.

Alas, it’s time to go home, but not before giving "Jozi" some love! Perhaps you’ll extend for a few days and enjoy this vibrant, up and coming South African city? Wander through important cultural spaces like the Apartheid Museum and the Mandela House, soaking in the history that shaped Johannesburg. Sample food, music, and art in the city’s trendy neighbourhoods like Melville and give yourself time to relax and unwind before returning home.

Meals included:

Breakfast

Southern Africa Encompassed: Bush Camps & Wildlife Spotting

| 15 days - Johannesburg to Johannesburg - from $2649 USD