Compare Explore Cape Town and Botswana by Lion World Travel vs 9-Day Ultimate Botswana and Victoria Falls by Ker & Downey Africa

Day 1: Arrive Cape Town

Accommodation: Mount Nelson Hotel - Superior Room

On arrival in Cape Town you will be met by a Lion World Travel representative and transferred to your hotel.

Set in the vibrant heart of Cape Town at the foot of Table Mountain, the luxurious 5-star Mount Nelson Hotel offers easy access to all that's happening in this dynamic city.  A short stroll away are the vibrant areas of Kloof and Long Streets, renowned for their bustling markets, restaurants and bars. Also close by is the Museum Mile, a pedestrian avenue home to South Africa’s best museums, art galleries and monuments. The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is just 15 minutes away by car. It can be reached via a complimentary shuttle service, available at scheduled times from the hotel reception.

Superior and Deluxe rooms offer views of the extensive and beautiful hotel gardens or Table Mountain. Each room has a mini-lounge area and elegant marble bathroom, luxury toiletries, plus all the amenities you would expect of a 5-star hotel. The hotel features a number of outstanding restaurants and bars as well as a luxurious spa.

Day 2: Cape Town

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Mount Nelson Hotel - Superior Room

Today is at leisure to explore your surroundings at your own pace. Our African Specialists will be pleased to assist in pre-planning and arranging sightseeing tours to suit your interests.

Perhaps take the cable car to the top of Table Mountain for panoramic views of the city, take the ferry to Robben Island for a moving experience to see where Nelson Mandela spent many years imprisoned, or stroll through stunning Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. The Cape Peninsula tour is a favorite option for enjoying Cape Town’s breathtaking scenery and watching the adorable penguins at Boulders Beach.

Day 3: Cape Town

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Mount Nelson Hotel - Superior Room

Today is again at leisure to experience Cape Town’s scenery, culture and food.

We suggest a day tour to the magnificent Winelands. The Cape Winelands region with its classic Cape-Dutch homesteads, scenic mountainous vistas, picturesque towns and fine restaurants is the Cape’s Culinary Capital. You will enjoy the area’s historical charm, culture, architectural heritage and of course visits to wine cellars to taste South Africa’s world class wines. Apart from the fine wine estates visitors may discover a variety of local cheeses, olives and olive oil.

Day 4: Cape Town

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Mount Nelson Hotel - Superior Room

Your final day in Cape Town!  Time to do some last minute shopping or enjoy another sightseeing tour - time spent in Cape Town will not be forgotten.

Day 5: Cape Town/Johannesburg/Maun

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge - Standard Room

Today you will be transferred from your hotel to Cape Town Airport for your flight to Johannesburg. On arrival at Johannesburg Airport you will connect to your scheduled flight to Maun where a representative of Belmond Safaris will assist you to your light aircraft to the Savute airstrip. On arrival you will be met and transferred to your camp, where you will spend two nights on a fully inclusive basis with daily game activities.

Savute Elephant Lodge is located within Botswana's Chobe National Park on the Savute Channel.  The Savute Channel is flowing freely again after nearly 30 years of lying dormant, one of Northern Botswana’s greatest mysteries.

Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge hosts a cluster of twelve tented residences raised on wooden platforms. Each has an outdoor lounge and is shaded by a traditional thatch roof. The large, private decks are furnished with easy chairs and a hammock. These are ideal for viewing wildlife, or for enjoying a private dinner in complete privacy.

Luxurious room interiors include a four-poster bed complete with mosquito netting, lavishly appointed bathroom and dressing room, a fully-stocked minibar and discreet air conditioning.

After settling in and enjoying the camp, you will venture out this afternoon on your first game drive.  Anticipate untamed beauty of sand, savannah and awesome wildlife.

Day 6: Savute Elephant Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge - Standard Room

Early morning game drives take you out into a wild landscape. Expect to see a huge range of creatures, from big cats to rhino, antelope, and buffalo.

Equally atmospheric and exciting are evening drives. Animals and birds emerge from their siesta, and suddenly the bush is alive with sights and sounds.

In addition to game viewing you can discover an exceptional collection of Bushmen paintings, thought to be more than 1,500 years old, in the wide open landscape. After viewing the paintings, continue to the spectacular baobab grove, a cathedral-like cluster of 13 giant trees.  Standing among the towering columns at sunset is sure to be one of many inspiring highlights of your trip.

In the evening the clear African skies provide amazing stargazing.   The open, unpolluted skies of Botswana are the perfect place to experience the vast dome of the African night sky.  Learn how Bushmen used the stars to locate the true south. Use powerful telescopes to witness constellations that you may never have seen before, including the Southern Cross.

Day 7: Savute Elephant Lodge/Khwai River Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Belmond Khwai River Lodge - Standard Room

After a morning game activity, fly by light charter to the Moremi Game Reserve and Khwai River lodge.

Moremi Reserve is situated at the heart of the Okavango Delta and was the first wildlife area to be protected by the local tribal people.  Extending north and east to join Chobe National Park, it is a wildlife haven that allows free movement of animals according to seasonal migration.

Belmond Khwai River Lodge is home to 12 luxury tents seated on raised wooden platforms with a traditional African thatch roof. Private decks with easy chairs and hammocks provide panoramic views.  Large, comfortable rooms feature a netted four-poster bed, elegant bathroom, stocked mini bar and discreet air conditioning.

Facilities include an Al fresco dining area with views of the reserve, gym and spa facilities, swimming pool, laundry service and Internet access.

You will arrive in time for an afternoon at leisure before heading out on your evening game drive. Here at Khwai, exclusive night time safaris provide a rare opportunity to witness the nocturnal life of the African bush.  Night vision goggles allow you to capture the action like never before. With a 455ft viewing range and numerous state-of-the-art features, you can truly admire the mysterious night-time domain.

Day 8: Khwai River Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Belmond Khwai River Lodge - Standard Room

Experience another day spending time spotting the famed Big Five in the forested Moremi Wildlife Reserve. Elephant and buffalo are found year-round in large numbers, and you're likely to see a lot of other wildlife throughout the Okavango Delta. Lion and leopard have thriving populations as well.

In addition to exciting game drives, you may participate in a walking safari to totally immerse yourself in nature. Set out from camp early in the morning, and as you become attuned to your surroundings you will pick up the sounds and smells of animals nearby.

You may also enjoy a visit to a local San Bushmen Community.  Khwai River Lodge enjoys a unique location close to a San Bushmen’s village and fortunate visitors may be invited into a private home to experience aspects of their unique way of life. 

Day 9: Moremi/Maun/Johannesburg

Meals: Breakfast

Make the most of your last morning as you take in all the sights and sounds on your final game activity of this trip.

You will then transfer to the airstrip for your light charter flight to Maun and connection to Johannesburg.

Days 1 - 3: Khwai Community Area

ouch down at Maun Airport where you will make your way to your charter flight to Saguni Safari Lodge. Your base for the next 3 nights, situated in Moremi East, in the Okavango Delta, NG17 Concession.

Saguni Safari Lodge is nestled in an island of mature riparian trees, typical of the Okavango Delta, the lodge overlooks the ‘Mbudi Lagoon’, in the beautiful game-rich area of Khwai. The name ‘Saguni’ is a bushman name for Khwai, meaning “an area with abundance of game and spectacular sights”

Besides the day-time game drives, which can feature Africa’s big attractions – lion, cheetah, leopard, wild dog, elephant, buffalo, hippo and giraffe, there is also the option to experience a night drive. Cultural visits, and mokoro excursions are all available at Saguni.

Days 4 - 6: Savuti - Chobe National Park

On this morning you have the choice to wake and go on another game drive or choose to relax at the lodge and enjoy a hearty breakfast, before being transferred to the airstrip for your charter flight to you next location in Botswana, Chobe.

Upon landing at the airstrip you will be met by your guide and tracker who will take you back to the lodge, your next 3 nights will be at Ghoha Hills Savuti Lodge, a mere 40 minutes from the airstrip.

Perched high on the eastern side of the Ghoha Hills, this hilltop retreat boasts unparalleled 180 degree views across the Savannah and the natural waterhole which attracts birds and wildlife year round. To the south east of the lodge, the Savuti Marsh beckons with its unique game viewing opportunities.

An exclusive and intimate ambiance permeate this understated luxury lodge affording even the most discerning of travelers to Botswana a truly unique safari experience.

Activities and Services:

High Tea and Sunset Game Drive

Savuti Marsh Excursion (Minimum 2-night stay)

Ghoha Hills Restaurant

Outdoor dining on Safari

Optional

Day of Departure

Recommended

Stay Longer - Scenic Helicopter Flight

Days 7 - 8: Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)

This morning marks the end of the Botswana portion of your trip, after your last game drive and breakfast, you will be transferred to the airstrip for your charter flight to Kasane Airport. Once you have landed at Kasane Airport you will be transferred by road to Ilala Lodge, located on the Zimbabwean side of Victoria Falls, where you will spend the next 2 nights.

Ilala Lodge Hotel is a family-run hotel that offers luxury and comfort in the heart of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Nestled in attractive gardens, the well-appointed hotel is a mere eight-minute walk from Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Ilala Lodge Hotel is ideally located and it is very easy for guests to access all the historical sites, restaurants and activities available in and around Victoria Falls.

Activities and services:

The Palm Restaurant

Recommended

Ra-Ikane Birdwatching Cruise

Ra-Ikane Breakfast Cruise

Lunch Cruise

Ra-Ikane Sunset Cruise

Day 9: End of Itinerary

Departure

Today marks the end of your journey, after a hearty breakfast you will be transferred to Victoria Falls Airport, to start your journey home.

Activities and services:

The Palm Restaurant