Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Welcome to Rainbow Kingdom – the Gateway to Africa - a country on the southernmost tip of the African continent, marked by several distinct ecosystems. Inland safari destination Kruger National Park is populated by big game. The Western Cape offers beaches, lush winelands around Stellenbosch & Paarl, craggy cliffs at the Cape of Good Hope, forest & lagoons along the Garden Route, and the city of Cape Town, beneath flat-topped Table Mountain. Traveling in Africa can be challenging, but the smiles of the people & the sounds of the animals make it worthwhile.

Arrive in Cape Town, the ‘mother’ city.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Cape Town International Airport, subsequent to Immigration & Customs, you will be met by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel. He / she will provide assistance during Check-in and also discuss the program for the next few days.

If, for any reason you are unable to make contact with our representative within 30 minutes of waiting, please call the local Emergency telephone # listed on your Contact List. Please follow the advice given by our 24 / 7 Duty Officer.  Please do not exit the Airport & make your own way to the hotel unless advised.

Reach the hotel & Check-in.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

A coming-together of cultures, cuisines & landscapes, there is nowhere quite like Cape Town, a singularly beautiful city crowned by the magnificent Table Mountain National Park.

Occupying one of the world's most stunning locations, Cape Town is the second most populous city in South Africa, famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain & Cape Point.

African Landscapes | People & Culture| Culinary Feast | Art & Design

Long before the Dutch took a fancy to the Cape Peninsula in the 17^th century, the land was home to the Khoisan people who valued the spiritual power of the mountains and their life-providing water. While the European immigrants & the slaves they brought here, have all shaped the physical environment of South Africa's third-largest city, Table Mountain - now protected within a national park that covers some 75% of the peninsula - remains at Cape Town's heart. This ever present backdrop is the city's adventure playground, as well as a source of legend & continuing spiritual nourishment. Under the Khoisan name of Hoerikwaggo - meaning 'Mountain in the Sea' - the National Park is promoting a new series of trails that will allow visitors, for the first time, to sleep on the mountain top while hiking a world-class trail from Cape Point to the City Bowl.

There are many other equally gorgeous natural landscapes within the Park’s extensive boundaries. Cultivated areas, such as the historic Company’s Garden, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden & Green Point Urban Park, also make exploring the city a pleasure. Follow the lead of locals by taking full advantage of the abundant outdoor space: learn to surf; go hiking or mountain biking; tandem-paraglide off Lion’s Head; abseil off the top of Table Mountain - just a few of the many activities on offer.

Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu & traditional African beliefs coexist peacefully in this proudly multicultural city. Given South Africa’s troubled history, such harmony has been hard-won & remains fragile: nearly everyone has a fascinating, sometimes heartbreaking story to tell. It’s a city of determined pioneers - from the Afrikaner descendants of the original Dutch colonists & the majority coloured community to the descendants of European Jewish immigrants & more recent Xhosa (isiXhosa) migrants from the Eastern Cape. They all bring unique flavours to Cape Town’s rich melting pot.

Human creativity is also self-evident here - it's one of the things that made the city a World Design Capital in 2014. From the brightly painted facades of the Bo-Kaap and the bathing chalets of Muizenberg, to the Afro-chic decor of its restaurants & bars and the striking street art & innovation incubators of the East City & Woodstock, this is one great-looking metropolis. The informal settlements of the Cape Flats are a sobering counterpoint, but these townships also have enterprising projects that put food from organic market gardens on tables, or stock gift shops with attractive souvenirs.

Wrenching yourself away from the magnetic mountain & all the delights of the Cape Peninsula is a challenge, but within an hour you can exchange urban landscapes for the charming towns, villages & bucolic estates of Winelands destinations, such as Stellenbosch & Franschhoek. Then, there is Hermanus, a prime whale-watching location & a base from which to organise shark-cave diving. Further afield, the delights of the Garden Route unfold, with more inspiring scenery to be viewed on thrilling drives down the coast & over mountain passes.

As beautiful as the surrounding beaches & vineyards can be, it is the rugged wilderness of Table Mountain, coated in a unique flora that grabs everyone's attention

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Overnight.   

Complementing the mountain's natural beauty is Cape Town's eye-catching way with design & colour in everything from the brightly painted façades of the Bo-Kaap & the Victorian bathing chalets of Muizenberg, to the contemporary Afro-chic decor of the many excellent guesthouses, restaurants & bars.

The city is crammed with galleries displaying amazing artworks & shops selling wonderfully inventive craftwork. It is also getting a reputation as the fashion nexus of South Africa. This creativity seems to spring naturally from the city's multi-ethnic population, proof of South Africa’s status as the rainbow nation & a visual record of the country's tumultuous recorded history of over 350 years.

For all the city centre's visual harmony & cosmopolitan atmosphere, you don't need to be in Cape Town for long to realise that the scars of modern South Africa's violent birth & apartheid adolescence still run deep. Seeing life in the townships may shock & upset, but you will also discover it's not a one-note story of grim survival. And there is ubuntu, true African hospitality & care for fellow human beings. Look across the city & you will also see people of all skin colours working together to make Cape Town a better place for everyone. Discovering the Mother City's true diversity & spirit is all part of getting the most out of a visit here.

Reality check aside, Cape Town is an old pro at showing visitors a good time. There may not be game parks on Kruger's scale, but there are plenty of great wildlife-spotting opportunities, from the Penguins at Boulders to the antelopes, buffaloes & black rhino at Solole Game Reserve. The restaurants & bars compare favourably with those of other cosmopolitan cities. There is a lively cultural scene, particularly when it comes to music, which pervades every corner of the city, and if outdoor activities & adrenaline buzzes are your thing, you have come to the right place.

The capital of Western Cape province and the parliamentary capital of the republic, Cape Town works in a way that so few cities on the African continent do. Historic buildings have been saved, businesses are booming, inner-city crime is coming under control & you will seldom be stuck for a parking space. Factor back in those stunning mountains, magnificent surf beaches & outstanding vineyards & you will soon discover - like many before you - that it is easy to lose track of time while exploring all the wonders of this unique Southern African city. Now don't you think it's time you made a date with Cape Town?

After, around 01:00 pm, you will be met by the Tour-guide & proceed for a 4 hour exploration of Cape Town, known affectionately as the Mother City.

Your tour will take in the Houses of Parliament, the Castle (built between 1666 and 1679, this is South Africa’s oldest building), lively Greenmarket Square with its daily market, the Company Gardens  & of course Table Mountain which will give you spectacular views over the city and Peninsula (cable car fee is not included as it is weather dependent). On our descent, we stop at the Bo Kaap, home to the Cape Malay community, with its cobbled streets & brightly coloured houses.

You will have the choice of being dropped off at the Waterfront to experience this vibrant location at your own pace, with its many shops, restaurants & pubs or at your hotel at the end of the tour (in that case, you will find your own way back to the hotel).

Return to the hotel.

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Overnight.   B 

Today, embark on relaxing journey to the Cape Peninsula, an area of wild natural beauty with breathtaking scenery, wildlife and vegetation around every corner.

Early morning at 08:30 am, we embark on a full day 8 hour tour of the Cape Peninsula.

We take in the beaches of Clifton & Camps Bay, before crossing over to Hout Bay, where you may choose to join an optional boat cruise to Seal Island. From here, drive to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve via Chapman’s Peak, one of the world’s most breathtaking coastal drives, where you will board a funicular to the top of the Peninsula to witness the symbolic meeting of the Indian & Atlantic Oceans as well as have spectacular views over False Bay.

Enjoy lunch near here (not included - own account) before continuing to Simon’s Town, the naval base, & visiting the African Penguin colony at Boulders Beach, part of the Table Mountain National Park

Two colonies were established by Penguins in the 1980s on the mainland near Cape Town, namely Boulders Beach near Simon's Town & Stony Point in Betty's Bay, among a sandy, compact cove with large boulders, offering a home to waddling penguins & their nesting areas. Like other penguins, African penguins spend most of the day feeding in the ocean. Their land habitat can get quite warm, but bare skin on their legs & around their eyes helps them stay cool. These penguins are currently on the verge of extinction.

Summer is prime time to visit Boulders, when you will see the most penguin action. However, you can see the penguins throughout the year. Between September & October the birds spend much time feeding out at sea, so there are fewer penguins on the beach.

On the way back, you will pass the beautiful scenery of Simon's Town, Fish Hoek, the popular holiday resort of Muizenberg & stopping briefly at the world renowned Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, acclaimed as one of the great botanic gardens of the world. Few gardens can match the sheer grandeur of the setting of Kirstenbosch, against the eastern slopes of Cape Town’s Table Mountain.

Kirstenbosch is an important botanical garden, one of 10 National Gardens covering 5 of South Africa's different biomes & administered by the South African National Biodiversity Institute.

Return to the hotel by early evening.

Balance of the evening is at leisure & if you are still in the mood to out, let us know (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Overnight.   B

In time, transfer to the Cape Town Airport for your flight to Nelspruit, enroute to Kruger National Park.

You will be met on arrival by a Journeys Rep & transferred to the lodge.

Check-in & relax for a short while.

Kruger is one of the world's greatest wildlife-watching destinations. Try to imagine a National Park the size of Israel with huge tracts of acacia, sycamore figs and bush willow interrupted by open savannah, rushing rivers and the occasional rocky bluff. Now fill it with lions, leopards, elephants, Cape buffaloes & black rhinos (the Big 5), plus cheetahs, giraffes, hippos & many species of smaller animals, and you will start to have some notion of what it is like to visit Kruger National Park.

Try to imagine a national park the size of Israel with huge tracts of acacia, sycamore figs and bush willow interrupted by open savannah, rushing rivers and the occasional rocky bluff. Now fill it with lions, leopards, elephants, Cape buffaloes & black rhinos (the Big Five), plus cheetahs, giraffes, hippos & many species of smaller animals, and you will start to have some notion of what it’s like to visit Kruger National Park.

The Park was established in 1898 to protect the wildlife of the South African Lowveld, and is nearly 2 million hectares. It is home to an impressive number of species: 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals. Man's interaction with the Lowveld environment over many centuries - from bushman rock paintings to majestic archaeological sites like Masorini and Thulamela - is very evident in the Kruger National Park.

It has an extensive network of sealed roads and comfortable camps, but if you prefer to keep it rough, there are also 4WD tracks, and mountain bike and hiking trails. Even when you stick to the tarmac, the sounds and scents of the bush are never more than a few metres away. Southern Kruger is the most popular section of the park, with the highest animal concentrations and the easiest access. Kruger is at its best in the far north. Here, although animal concentrations are somewhat lower, the bush setting and wilderness atmosphere are all-enveloping.

Later in the afternoon, you will meet up with others at the lodge & embark, in open safari vehicles, on your thrilling 5 hour game drive in the world famous Park, unrivalled in its diversity of flora & fauna for amazing sightings of predators & prey animals as they enter the new night.  Sunrise & sunset are when the animals are most active. The experienced Rangers & Shangaan Tracker are great at interpreting all the animal behaviours you see & whose endeavour will be to spoil you with sightings of the “Big 5”, general game & prolific bird life. 

You will be out in the Reserve for a few hours before returning back to the lodge to freshen up for dinner.

Evening at leisure.

Overnight.   B L D

The day begins with early morning coffee or tea, followed by a thrilling open vehicle game drive through Kruger National Park with pre-packed breakfast. The park offers some of the best game viewing & wildlife opportunities in the world – and the visitor will soon appreciate the challenges of managing this unique reserve.

Spend a few hours observing the animals before returning back to the lodge for breakfast.

Balance of the day is at leisure. If you want, you can go for another Optional (extra payment) game drive at sunset when the animals are most active, if you want. .

Or you can join on our afternoon Community visit to the Sizabantwana Children Care Centre for a tour & a brief look into the lives of the children that attend the centre. This visit offers you the opportunity to understand more about the rural communities &their lifestyles and to interact with them in a secure and optimistic environment. 

Today also, you will enjoy another game drive at dawn.

Spend a few hours observing the animals before returning back to the lodge for breakfast.

Balance of the day is at leisure. If you want, you can go for another Optional (extra payment) game drive at sunset when the animals are most active. if you want.

Overnight.  B L D 

In time, you would be transferred to Hoedspruit Airport for your flight to Johannesburg or Jo’burg or ‘Jozi’ as it’s more commonly known.

Arrive in Jo’burg - nicknamed the city of the gold.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Johannesburg Oliver Tambo International Airport, you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel. He / she will provide assistance during Check-in & also discuss the program for the next few days.

If, for any reason you are unable to make contact with our representative within 30 minutes of waiting, please call the local Emergency telephone # listed on your Contact List. Please follow the advice given by our 24 / 7 Duty Officer.  Please do not exit the Airport & make your own way to the hotel unless advised.

Reach the hotel & Check-in.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

Johannesburg is the the biggest metropolis in South Africa., is without a doubt the great big beating heart of South Africa, and has long played a Jekyll-and-Hyde role in the global consciousness. Often the stage on which the epic of this extraordinary nation has been played out, the colossus of Jo’burg - with all its thrills and foibles - is today a fascinating, multitudinous city, where all the ups and downs of 21^st  century South Africa can be witnessed in  multicolour dimensions. With its 3.2 million citizens the city on the Witwatersrand is the predominant commercial centre and the economic motor of the Republic of South Africa.

In the past, the city’s darker personality proved the most enduring. The Jo’burg of the newsflash was a city where fear & loathing reigned supreme; a city where spiralling gun crime & poverty had manifested itself in a society where one half of the population stagnated, while the other looked on impassively through coils of razor wire.

As ever, there is an element of truth to the stereotypes. Jo’burg does bear scars of the country’s turbulent 20^th century, and may take time to heal. Stark inequalities persist, but armed with a new self-confidence - ironically most pronounced in the infamous township of Soweto - Africa’s giant hub is beginning to introduce itself to a healthier diet of urban renewal and social regeneration. 

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Overnight.   B    

Morning, you will be picked up at 09:00 am to embark for a 6 hour tour to experience Johannesburg.

We first take a look around the northern suburbs, then continue to the hustle & bustle of Hillbrow & Braamfontein, home to the Constitutional Court of South Africa.

Drive through the downtown area to the Carlton Centre, to view a "mini-Manhattan" from the viewing deck on the 50^th floor.

The sightseeing drive includes all the major points of interest, such as Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Baragwanath taxi rank, Freedom Square, Hector Peterson Memorial & Nelson Mandela’s former home.

Onward to Soweto (South Western Township), largest black residential area in South Africa, where you will see a fascinating contrast to Rosebank & Sandton in the north and get a taste of the vibrant street life this township is famous for. This sprawling “city within a city” is home to approximately 2-million people, many of whom work in various parts of the greater metropolitan area of the Witwatersrand.

More of a city than a township, Soweto has its roots in the gold mines that drew workers to Johannesburg in the beginning. However, after the National Party was voted into power in 1948, Soweto grew rapidly as apartheid tightened its grip on the country & forced black people out of “white areas”.

The township significant for its role in the struggle against apartheid, has transformed from a legacy of the apartheid era to a vibrant, energetic hub that will ignite your senses & immerse you in true South African culture.

After a lunch stop (direct payment), continue on to visit the Apartheid Museum.

The extraordinarily powerful Apartheid Museum illustrates the rise & fall of South Africa’s era of segregation & oppression, and is an absolute must-see.

The 6,000 square metres Museum on a 7-hectare site which consists of natural recreated veld & indigenous bush habitat containing a lake & paths, alongside its stark but stunning building is located next to the Gold Reef City Casino, 5 km south of the city centre.

It uses a broad variety of media to provide a chilling insight into the architecture and implementation of the apartheid system, as well as inspiring stories of the struggle towards democracy. It is invaluable in understanding the inequalities & tensions that still exist today and his extraordinarily powerful Museum has already become the city's leading tourist attraction, an obligatory stop for visitors & residents alike.

The sheer volume of information can make it an overwhelming experience; particularly distressing is a small chamber in which hang 131 nooses, representative of the 131 government opponents who were executed under anti-terrorism laws. The Museum, with its large blown-up photographs, metal cages & numerous monitors recording continuous replays of apartheid scenes set in a double volume ceiling, concrete & red brick walls and grey concrete floor,

After spending an hour inside, return to the hotel.

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Overnight.   B

In time, you will be transferred to Johannesburg Airport for your flight to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.

Arrive in Victoria Falls - one of the natural wonders of the world!  .

Welcome to  Zimbabwe. A journey to Zimbabwe will take you through an attractive patchwork of landscapes, from high-veld, balancing boulders & flaming msasa trees, to laidback towns, lush mountains & lifeblood rivers. Here you can spot the Big 5 (leopard, lion, rhino, elephant & buffalo) in its national parks, discover World Heritage–listed archaeological sites & stand in awe of one of the natural wonders of the world, Victoria Falls.

Throughout its past two decades of governmental mismanagement, Zimbabwe continued to welcome visitors with the same grace & politeness that they were famed for. And as a result those who did travel here usually left insisting that that the country was hands down one of the safest, friendliest & most spectacular countries on the continent.  Traveling in Africa can be challenging, but the smiles of the people & the sounds of the animals make it worthwhile

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Victoria Falls Airport, subsequent to Immigration & Customs, you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel. He / she will provide assistance during Check-in & also discuss your program in the cty.

If, for any reason you are unable to make contact with our representative within 30 minutes of waiting, please call the local Emergency telephone # listed on your Contact List. Please follow the advice given by our 24 / 7 Duty Officer.  Please do not exit the Airport & make your own way to the hotel unless advised.

Reach the hotel & Check-in.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

The town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe used to be the primary destination at the falls, but recent political tensions have reduced the number of visitors. The town abounds with hotels, restaurants & bars, souvenir markets & other local attractions and there are enough adrenaline activities on offer to make you think twice about leaving town immediately after stopping to see the falls.

When an awestruck David Livingstone first saw Victoria Falls in 1855, he wrote in his journal ‘on sights as beautiful as this, angels in their flight must have gazed’. He named the falls after the queen of England at the time, but they were (& still are) known as Mosi-oa-Tunya in the Kololo language (means ”the Smoke that Thunders”).

While Zimbabwe struggles to maintain its crumbling infrastructure, the recent tourist swing to Livingstone & the Zambian side of the Falls has initiated a construction boom in the area. Local business owners are riding the tourism wave straight to the bank & the Zambezi waterfront is rapidly being developed as one of the most exclusive destinations in southern Africa.

Taking its place alongside the Pyramids & the Serengeti, Victoria Falls, situated in southern Africa on the Zambezi River between the countries of Zambia & Zimbabwe, is one of Africa’s original blockbusters.

And although shared between both countries, Victoria Falls is a place all of its own. The Falls are, by some measures, the largest waterfall in the world, as well as being among the most unusual in form, and having arguably the most diverse & easily seen wildlife of any major waterfall site. As a magnet for tourists of all descriptions - backpackers, tour groups, thrill seekers, families, honeymooners - Victoria Falls is one of Earth’s great spectacles.

Balance of the afternoon is at leisure to relax or perhaps walk around on your own.

Early evening, you will be transferred to the docks to join a Sunset Cruise. The Victoria Falls cruise vessels range from, perhaps the most famous & luxurious Zambezi Explorer, to the more rustic or historic vessels that represent the grace of a bygone era & honour the rich history of Victoria Falls.

The classic Zambezi River Sunset Cruise upstream to see the setting of the African sun on the mighty Zambezi is a great outing enjoyed by the whole family. An ideal way to end an eventful day in Victoria Falls, providing an opportunity to unwind & relax in the timeless environment.

Sit back & relax as the boat sails along the Zambezi River. See the wildlife whilst enjoying a range of complimentary cocktails served with an accompaniment of delectable hors d’ oeuvres. Share the end-of-day ritual which sees wild herds streaming to the river banks for their last drink. Flocks of birds skim the waterline as the sun sets behind the African skyline.

Although wildlife sightings are not guaranteed on a Zambezi River cruise, with the banks of the Zambezi National Park flanking the river, you will be likely to spot elephants, hippos, crocodiles, a range of antelope species & sometimes even rhino and a range of exciting birdlife in their home environment.

There are great photo opportunities against often-spectacular African sunsets. The guides & crew are a font of knowledge about the river wildlife and will regale you with numerous tales about local culture & historical exploration.

(if you want to splurge, you can choose from a number of variations of the Luxury or Signature Sunset Cruises and sip gin & tonics as the sun sinks into the mighty Zambezi River. Or spoil yourself to a romantic Dinner Cruise and enjoy a four course meal as you float above the Victoria Falls – Optional – extra payment).

Come back to the hotel.

Balance of the evening is at leisure for independent explorations (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Overnight.   B 

Morning, you will be met by the Driver / Tour-guide day at 08:30 am & proceed for a 3 hour guided tour of the Falls, a sight that never fails to impress.

Victoria Falls is a truly awe-inspiring experience - the sight, the sound, the smell; the humbling feeling that here indeed is Nature’s Supreme Masterpiece. No photograph can begin to depict the reality…& nothing prepares you for your first sight.

Whether you are here purely to take in the sight of a natural wonder of the world, or for a serious hit of adrenalin via rafting or bungee jumping into the Zambezi, Victoria Falls is a place where you're sure to tick off numerous items from that bucket list.

Accompanied by the Tour-guide Guide who will provide insights into Victoria Falls that you might miss on your own, walk to the Falls’ key attractions & best vista points as the Guide shares information about Victoria Falls’ formation & provides insight into the local environment. You will be given a brief history of the Falls themselves, as well as detailing the flora, fauna, bird & wildlife and other points of interest.

View it directly as a raging mile-long curtain of water, in all its glory, from a helicopter ride (not included – optional, direct payment) or peek precariously over its edge from Devil's Pools; the sheer power & force of the Falls is something that simply does not disappoint.

Walk through the Rainforest & stop en-route at the ‘Big Tree’ where you may stop for photos (the friendly Guide will assist). Waterproof clothing (plastic poncho) is provided for the drenching spray as you approach via the Devil’s Cataract, one of the best vantage points.

Return to the hotel.

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options that this area has to offer, including helicopter flights over the Falls, elephant back safaris, lion cub encounters, jet boating, tour of a local village & the craft market  (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Overnight.   B

Early morning, proceed to cross over to Botswana.

Welcome to Botswana, one of the great safari destinations in Africa blessed with some of the greatest wildlife spectacles on earth. The Okavango Delta – there'is nowhere quite like it on earth. This is a place where wild creatures roam & rule, where big cats & much bigger elephants walk free in one of the world's last great wildernesses. The Delta is a byword for abundance – for animal numbers, for the variety of species, for the birdlife, for floods of Biblical proportions. Traveling in Africa can be challenging, but the smiles of the people & the sounds of the animals make it worthwhile.

Botswana is a place of singular & unparalleled beauty where safari possibilities can seem as endless as the waters themselves.

African Landscapes | Nature's Abundance| Stark Desert Beauty| Best Camping

Botswana didn't just turn its back on mass tourism & all the potential pitfalls it can bring. It ushered in an era of utterly exclusive safari experiences, the likes of which no other country on mainland Africa can match. These are sumptuous lodges & remote tented camps, especially in the Okavango Delta & surrounds that are sometimes contemporary in style & at other times awash in safari nostalgia. Best of all, they provide a front-row seat for fabulous wildlife spectacles that you may just have all to yourself. And a place of singular & unparalleled beauty where safari possibilities can seem as endless as the waters themselves.

The Kalahari Desert, the largest unbroken stretch of sand on the planet, is not your ordinary desert. From the salt pans of Makgadikgadi, the baobabs of Nxai Pans & the spare magnificence of Kubu Island in the north, to the wonderful wildlife of Kgalagadi in the south, this is a desert of exceptional variety. Throw in the fossil river valleys, swaying golden grasses, black-maned lions & the echoes of the indigenous San people in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and there are few more beautiful deserts on Earth.

Botswana can also be experienced by renting your very own 4WD vehicle that doubles as an ingenious camping home away from home. This is about experiencing wild Africa at your own pace, travelling from one campsite to the next, where you may lie awake at night listening to lions roar their bone-trembling roar, or hippos, elephants, or the chilling saw-like grunt of a leopard. Build a campfire, gaze at the stars & feel at one with this gloriously beautiful country.

Drive to Kasane, enroute to Chobe National Park in Okavango Delta

Kasane township sits in a riverine woodland at the meeting of 4 countries - Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe - and the confluence of the Chobe & Zambezi Rivers. It is also the gateway to Chobe National Park. As such, this town of just a few thousand people is a focus of activity in northern Botswana. Immediately to the east, the tiny settlement of Kazungula serves as the border crossing between Botswana & Zimbabwe & the landing for the Kazungula ferry, which connects both with Zambia.

On arrival in Kasane, board a light aircraft which will fly you straight to the Camp in Chobe.

On arrival at the Camp Airstrip, you will be welcomed & transferred to the Camp, a short drive away.

Check-in & relax.

The Okavango Delta is a labyrinth of lagoons, lakes & hidden channels covering an area of over 17,000 square km and the largest inland delta in the world. Trapped in the parched Kalahari sands, it is a magnet for the wildlife who depend on the permanent waters of this unique feature. Sometimes called a 'swamp', the Okavango is anything but. Moving, mysterious, placid, gentle and beautiful, from a wide & winding channel it spreads through tiny, almost unnoticeable channels that creep away behind a wall of papyrus reed, into an ever expanding network of increasingly smaller passages.

Here in the Okavango lives some of the most spectacular & varied wildlife on Earth. Famed for its big cat & bird population, the delta is a peaceful haven where animals have been protected for decades & know they will not be disturbed. It is the largest freshwater delta in Africa & in the inhospitable environment of Botswana, it is an oasis where one of the greatest concentrations of animals are found in Africa. 

Chobe National Park in Botswana's far northeastern corner is one of the great wildlife destinations of Africa famed for some of the world's largest herds of massive elephants which has built up from a few thousand to over 50,000 & is considered the highest elephant concentration in Africa. In addition to the mighty pachyderms, a full suite of predators & more than 440 recorded bird species are present.

Chobe was first set aside as a Wildlife Reserve in the 1930s & became Botswana’s first National Park in 1968, encompassing 3 iconic wildlife areas that all carry a whiff of safari legend: Chobe Riverfront, which supports the Park's largest wildlife concentration; the newly accessible & Okavango-like Linyanti Marshes; & the remote and soulful Savuti, with wildlife to rival anywhere.

The rainless winter begins in May and, by September and October, Chobe National Park is completely parched, driving gigantic concentrations of animals (especially elephant & buffalo) to the Chobe River. Naturally the large predators follow suit, like prides of hungry lions looking for any opportunity to kill. This makes for sensational up-close photography, particularly on boating safaris amid snoozing hippos & titanic crocs. The Chobe River undeniably provides the stage for some of the best boat-based game viewing on the planet.

You will have the opportunity to see animals up close when expert rangers accompany you on morning & evening game drives in open 4 x 4 vehicles. The Park also boasts a diversity of landscape with desert, dry savannah, lagoon & swamps in close proximity - cheetah, crocodile & elephant can also be seen on a game drive. Specific sightings cannot be guaranteed but elephants are almost a given, as Chobe has the highest concentration of these fascinating giants in the world!

Snorting rafts of hippopotamus, great herds of buffalo and elephant and rare birds are among our likely encounters.  Herds of antelope smaller animals attract a particularly high number of predators.  Watch for roan & the rare oribi antelopes.

Late evening, proceed for a night game drive in a custom built 4×4 safari vehicle, with open sides which offer exceptional views, a perfect means to see some of the nocturnal animals you wouldn’t see during the day time. Buffalo, zebra, hyena, giraffe, red lechwe, hippo and crocodiles are often spotted.

Return to the camp.

Overnight.   B L D

The Okavango Delta features some of the best game viewing in all of Africa including Africa’s largest concentration of elephant & the legendary fish eagle.  Chobe is elephant country, where vast herds roam the untamed wilderness. 

Before first light, embark on your early morning 6 hour game drive in an open safari vehicle for amazing sightings of predators & prey animals as they enter the new day.

The experienced Rangers & Trackers are great at interpreting all the animal behaviours you see & whose endeavour will be to spoil you with sightings of the “Big 5”, general game & prolific bird life. With their local knowledge, you will learn about the Parks distinct ecosystem & its diverse range of animals. This is a fantastic opportunity for photographers to capture wildlife in a stunning landscape.

Spend a few hours observing the animals drinking & bathing in the swamps & rivers, young males sparring, and old bulls relaxing under the trees.  While elephants are the uncontested rulers of this domain, we are also likely to witness the age-old drama of hunter and hunted, as predators stalk the huge herds of grazers occupying the area.

Chobe National Park can get extremely busy during peak safari season (about July to October) & most of the time you will share animal sightings with other vehicles & groups, including self-drivers & day-trippers.

Return back to the lodge in time for a late breakfast.

Rest of the morning free to relax.

Afternoon, proceed for another exciting game drive. Sunrise & sunset are when the animals are most active.

Return to the lodge.

Balance of the day, in between, is at leisure.

Overnight.   B L D

Morning, drive to the Airstrip & board the small plane to for the short flight to Maun, where you will immediately connect with the fight to Gaborone, the capital of Botswana.

Arrive at Gaborone Sir Seretse Khama International Airport & after a little wait, board your short flight to Johannesburg.

Alas, the experience comes to an end & it is time to say good-bye to Africa’s warm hospitality & go home. It is the spirit of the people - pushing, shoving, sweating, dancing, singing & laughing - that infects so many visitors with a travel bug so powerful they will never stop coming back, sometimes against all sense or reason.

An astonishingly diverse region fused by its prolific wildlife, breathtaking landscapes & remnants of ancient culture, Africa’s natural history alone would make a dozen visits worthwhile - where else on earth can you fall asleep to the sound of lions roaring, or watch a million flamingos take off from the waters of a remote soda lake? Parts of Africa boast scenery so spectacular they will damn near blow your mind, but the essence of this incredible continent isn’t in any desert, mountain or lake. Southern Africa is Africa at its most memorable. Black-maned lions framed against Kalahari dunes; powdery beaches lapped by two oceans; star-studded desert skies; jagged, lush mountains - this truly is a region of astounding diversity.

“When you leave Africa, as the plane lifts, you feel that more than leaving a continent you are leaving a state of mind. Whatever awaits you at the other end of your journey will be of a different order of existence.”  – Francesca Marciano

You will be transferred to the hotel if you are staying longer or to Terminal? - Johannesburg Oliver Tambo International Airport, for your onward journey.   B  

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