Compare Botswana & Zimbabwe Safari by National Geographic Expeditions
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| Trip |
3.5 | Average
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| Duration | 10 days |
| Price From | $ 5,599 |
| Price Per Day | $ 560 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Private guided tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | |
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included |
9 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches & 8 Dinners |
| Description |
Experience an unforgettable wildlife adventure through some of southern Africa’s most spectacular national parks. Keep your camera at the ready to capture lions and elephants in Hwange National Park; fly to the panhandle of the pristine Okavango Delta for bush walks with expert local guides; and cruise along the waters of the Chobe River to watch elephants drink and hippos bathe along the shore. |
Day 1: Victoria Falls
Accommodations: Cresta Sprayview Hotel (or similar)
Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer is included.
Day 2: Victoria Falls/Hwange National Park
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Optional Activities: Victoria Falls Guided Tour , Victoria Falls Helicopter Ride - 15min
Accommodations: Ivory Safari Lodge & Khulu Lodge (or similar)
Explore Victoria Falls at leisure this morning, and opt to take a guided tour of this thundering natural wonder and UNESCO World Heritage site. Later, transfer to the headquarters of Painted Dog Conservation. Learn about this non-profit organization’s work to protect and rehabilitate injured painted dogs (also known as African wild dogs), and hear from a conservationist about the threats to these endangered animals. Afterward, venture out on safari in Hwange National Park, one of Zimbabwe’s largest wildlife reserves and an important elephant sanctuary.
Day 3: Hwange National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodations: Ivory Safari Lodge & Khulu Lodge (or similar)
Set out on a full-day safari through the sweeping grasslands of Hwange National Park. Track the park’s resident elephant and buffalo herds, as well as giraffes, lions, zebras, and the rare African wild dog. This evening, relax on the deck of your lodge, keeping an eye out for the wild creatures that visit the lodge’s watering hole.
Day 4: Hwange/Chobe Np
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodations: Chobe Safari Lodge (or similar)
Depart Hwange and head north, crossing the border into Botswana and arriving in Kasane—the gateway to the stunning Chobe National Park. Settle into your lodge and embark on a boat safari on the Chobe River, the lifeline of the park. Look out for submerged hippos, basking crocodiles, bathing elephants, and an abundance of birdlife from the boat’s deck, and witness a spectacular fiery sunset over the river.
Day 5: Chobe Np
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Optional Activities: Chobe River Photo Safari
Accommodations: Chobe Safari Lodge (or similar)
This morning, continue your exploration of Chobe National Park, home to one of Africa’s largest elephant populations. On a safari along the banks of the Chobe River, keep an eye out for elephants, buffalo, lions, zebra, and rare semi-aquatic antelope, as well as an incredible variety of birds. In the afternoon, opt to take a photography river safari on a specialized photography boat.
Day 6: Kasane/Okavango Delta
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodations: Mopiri Camp (or similar)
Catch a flight to the Okavango Panhandle in Botswana, the narrow arm of the Okavango River that feeds into the famed Okavango Delta. Check in to our remote lodge, and enjoy a boat cruise on the winding waterways. This evening, hear about National Geographic’s Okavango Wilderness Project, a multi-year collaboration between international and local experts to survey the Okavango watershed’s biodiversity and ensure its future protection. Watch the National Geographic documentary “Into the Okavango,” and learn about delta conservation projects in the area.
Day 7: Okavango Delta
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodations: Mopiri Camp (or similar)
Explore the breathtaking Okavango Panhandle with expert local guides. Navigate the wildlife-rich channels of the Okavango River aboard a mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe, and spot all manner of bird life on bush walks. Settle into your tent in our remote bush camp this evening. Enjoy a three-course meal around a roaring campfire while listening to the night calls of the delta.
Day 8: Okavango Delta
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodations: Mopiri Camp (or similar)
Continue exploring the Okavango Delta’s untamed habitat on foot and by mokoro, spotting herons, storks, egrets, and other wading birds. Return to the lodge later this afternoon and opt to relax by an open fire, or take a swim.
Day 9: Okavango Delta/Maun
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodations: Cresta Maun (or similar)
Fly to the frontier town of Maun for an evening of storytelling and traditional foods with celebrated local author Bonty Botumile. Born in Maun, Bonty’s work is dedicated to preserving Botswana’s literary heritage and providing youth with employment opportunities in the arts. Listen as she shares her in-depth knowledge of the region’s cultural history, and cap off the night with a delicious meal and colourful stories around a warm fire.
Day 10: Maun
Meals: Breakfast
Depart at any time.
