Compare Botswana Wilderness Safari by Wild About Africa vs South Africa, Zimbabwe & Botswana in 13 days - Cape, Kruger, Victoria Falls & Chobe N.P. - LUXURY by Exoticca

Day 1 - Victoria Falls
On arrival at Livingstone Airport in Zambia you are met and embark straight onto a tour of the spectacular Victoria Falls. At 1,708 metres wide in full flood, the Victoria Falls is the largest curtain of water in the world, and one of its seven natural wonders. After you've had your fill of the Falls you drive west, to spend a very comfortable night at the lovely Toka Leya. Set along the Zambezi's riverbank, each of the raised en suite rooms here is spacious with an open plan lounge and bedroom, and a private deck with spectacular views. The lodge's main areas include an open-sided, comfortable lounge, a pool and nearby bar area, and a campfire below - all with views over the Zambezi River.
Includes dinner.

Day 2 - Chobe River & Linyanti Reserve
After breakfast you transfer to Livingstone Airport and leave Zambia and the Victoria Falls behind by taking short flight transfer Botswana. Your destination is Kasane Airport, and from there it's a quick transfer to the Chobe River.

Along the riverfront area of Chobe National Park the game viewing is often better from the river than from a safari vehicle, as the animals come down to the water during the heat of the day. Therefore we settle you aboard a shaded boat for a stunning adventure cruising along the Chobe River - watching the area's vast herds of elephant and buffalo come to drink, as well as a host of antelope. Sable antelope are often found here and you'll have your first opportunity to see puku - an antelope only found in a select few areas of Africa. There are also good chances of spotting the shy Chobe bushbuck.

Once back at the boat station, you board a vehicle and transfer back to Kasane Airport where a light aircraft wants to fly you to the private Linyanti Reserve in northern Botswana. Your destination is the exclusive Linyanti Tented Camp overlooking the Linyanti Marshes where a variety of animals come down to slake their thirst.
Includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Days 3 & 4 - Linyanti Reserve
The landscape of the Linyanti includes open floodplains beside the water, an adjacent band of riverine forest, and dense (mostly mopane tree) forests stretching away to the south. This variety of habitats creates a wilderness paradise for a high diversity of wildlife and bird species. Activities include day and night safari drives in the northern sector, where this private reserve borders Botswana's Chobe National Park, exploring a range of habitats from riverbanks to scrub and forest. Also on offer is an all-day game drive to the Savuti Channel. Your guide will discuss the options with you: if s/he believes the wildlife viewing to be better in Linyanti's northern sector, due to seasons and animal movements, you will probably concentrate your safari drives in that area.
Includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Days 5 to 7 - Santawani Reserve
Fly by light aircraft to the Santawani Reserve, bordering Moremi Game Reserve to the southeast. Considered one of Botswana's top wildlife areas a quarter of a century ago, tectonic movements changed the course of the waterways through this area and dried up much of the landscape. In more recent years, further earth movements and a higher Okavango Delta flood cycle have brought the water back, and wildlife is again present in very good concentrations.

Spend your time exploring the game drive trails through woodland, open plains and forests. Your guide will lead you on nature walks, spot-lit night drives and the more traditional game drives - the first two activities are not permitted in Botswana's national parks but are possible in Santawani which is a private reserve.

Your base will be the Gomoti Tented Camp where you'll sleep in large walk-in canvas tents, each with its own en-suite bathroom. The furniture is made from teak and the beds are covered with lush and comfortable linens.
Includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Days 8 to 10 - Okavango Delta
From Santawani you take a light aircraft flight deeper into Botswana's Okavango Delta. Your destination is a wilderness camp situated in a permanently flooded region of this watery landscape. Spend the next three nights in relative luxury at a true water camp: either Jacana Camp or Xigera Camp. The setting represents the essence of the Okavango Delta as abundant water, sunlight and soil combine to form a paradise bursting with life.

Activities from either camp focus on experiencing the Okavango Delta environment and include year-round mokoro excursions (traditional dug-out canoes used by tribes in Botswana) as well as island bush walks and, water level permitting, motorboat cruises. Safaris by 4WD seeking out big game are also possible when water levels are low, typically from September to May.

Each luxury safari camp is set in one of the Okavango Delta wetland areas most densely populated with the elusive sitatunga antelope and more common red lechwe. Wildlife concentrations depend on the water flow and volume, so change from season to season, but all the large animals can be found in this exclusive wilderness area including elephant, lion, leopard and buffalo. Birds such as Pel's fishing owl can be seen here as well as the greater and lesser jacanas and a variety of kingfishers.

Accommodation will be in a spacious en suite room linked by pathways through the vegetation. Each is on a wooden deck overlooking the floodplains or surrounding waterways. The safari camp has a plunge pool for cooling off from the midday sun, a dining area and a lounge with a view. It's a lovely small camp offering relaxed comfort with a touch of luxury during your safari in Botswana.
Includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 11 - Flight home
From the Okavango Delta, you transfer by light aircraft to Maun. It's the end of your Botswana Wilderness Safari and you bid farewell your safari guide and the rest of your group before taking your scheduled flight home.
Includes breakfast.

Day 1: US - Night on board

Arrival at your US departure airport ready to check-in for a flight * to Johannesburg. Night on board. * If your outbound flight leaves at dawn (before 4:00 a.m.) you must arrive at the airport the night before the selected departure day. Why not make the most of your time in South Africa by adding one of our optional excursion packages. Choose between our Gastronomic or Adventure packages in the next step of the booking process! Our Gastronomic Package includes two meals at excellent restaurants in Cape Town plus a Bo-Kapp Cooking Tour and Cape Winelands Excursion. Our Adventure Package includes a Full-Day Kruger Game Drive, an exciting Shark Cage Diving Experience and an Atlantis Dunes Quad Biking Excursion. Please note: you can only choose one of the optional excursion packages (Adventure or Gastronomic).

Day 2: Johannesburg

Arrive in Johannesburg and transfer to the hotel. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure exploring the city and it's diverse and vibrant neighbourhoods. Tuck into the vibrant food scene and pop-up eateries. The city is a real cultural hub and it a great place to catch live music performances and indulge in trendy bars and restaurants. Overnight stay in Johannesburg.

Day 3: Johannesburg - Mpumalanga - Kruger

Breakfast at the hotel. At the indicated time transfer by road to Mpumalanga. You're headed for Kruger, home to some of the most iconic wildlife in South Africa. Along the way, see some of the most iconic sights of the Panorama Route such as Blyde River Canyon and the Three Rondavels (entrance fees not included). You'll fall in love with the natural beauty of South Africa's landscapes!* Arrive and transfer to the hotel to check-in. Dinner and overnight stay in Kruger. * Please note: The journey today takes approximately 7-8 hours by road and includes stops along the way for lunch (at own expense) and sightseeing. There will be no accompanying guide for this journey so take the opportunity to enjoy the passing landscapes as you travel through some of the most spectacular regions in South Africa.

Day 4: Kruger National Park

Enjoy a Full-Day 4x4 Game Drive at Kruger National Park. Begin the day early on safari in the southern area of South Africa's most famous game reserves with breakfast on the go. The game viewing area is known as the 'Southern Circle' and is renowned for its rhinos and lions. Enjoy an afternoon game drive in Kruger National Park and discover the amazing diversity of animals in one of the world's largest game reserves. Remember to bring comfortable shoes, warm and rainproof jackets, sunhat and protection and cameras to capture the beautiful wildlife. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 5: Kruger National Park

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a day at your leisure to explore the beautiful natural landscapes of Kruger and the White River. We recommend an optional day trip to Kruger National Park to experience more of its wildlife-rich eco-systems.* Dinner and overnight stay in the Kruger Region. * Optional Kruger National Park Day Trip: Set off to the wilds of Kruger for your chance to spot the famous Big Five. Enjoy a slow drive through the national park, home to elephants, buffalos, giraffes, impalas, zebras and, of course, lions. An unforgettable day in the wilds of Southern Africa. Packed lunch included.

Day 6: Kruger - Johannesburg - Cape Town

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer by road back to Johannesburg, stopping to see the exterior of the Union Buildings in Pretoria, the official headquarters of the South African government.* Arrive in Johannesburg and transfer to the airport to catch a flight to Cape Town. Arrive in Cape Town, known as the 'Mother City', and transfer to the hotel. Overnight stay in Cape Town. * Please note: The journey today takes approximately 7-8 hours by road and includes stops along the way for lunch (at own expense) and sightseeing. There will be no accompanying guide for this journey so take the opportunity to enjoy the passing landscapes as you travel through some of the most spectacular regions in South Africa.

Day 7: Cape Town

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy the ticket hop on hop off tour in Cape Town. South Africa's capital combines cosmopolitanism, culture, architecture, and the best of nature. With the hop-on and hop-off ticket, you will be able to do over 30 stops to enjoy some of the most remarkable attractions of the 'Mother City'. Take the Cableway and go up to Table Mountain where you can enjoy one of the most breathtaking views of Africa's landscapes.* Transfer to the hotel and overnight stay in Cape Town. * Please note: the Table Mountain Cableway in Cape Town will be closed for maintenance from the 25th of July until the 28th of August 2022. If your trip coincides with these dates, you will enjoy an included Sunset Cruise instead and your included Hop-On Hop-Off bus tickets will still enable you to visit the lower station of the cableway if you wish.

Day 8: Cape Town

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a free day by discovering the city further. We recommend taking the optional Cape Winelands excursion, especially if you're a wine lover as this region is known for its award-winning whites and reds.* Overnight stay in Cape Town. * Optional Full-Day Wine Route Excursion with Wine Tasting: Set off into the lush Winelands outside of Cape Town and visit the wine producers in Stellenbosch for delicious wine tasting and a cellar tour.

Day 9: Cape Town

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a free day by discovering the city further. We recommend taking the optional Full-Day tour of the Cape Peninsula, a paradise of natural beauty, vineyards and coastal seal and penguin colonies!* Overnight stay in Cape Town. * Optional Full-Day Cape Peninsula Excursion: Enjoy the delights of the Cape Peninsula including Clifton, Camps Bay, Llandudno and the amazing Twelve Apostles. Pass through Noordhoek and see the local ostriches before visiting the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Cape Point. Fall in love with the Penguin Colony and Boulder's Beach and see Simons Town and Muizenberg Beach.

Day 10: Cape Town - Victoria Falls

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport to board a flight to Victoria Falls. Named after Queen Victoria of England by the explorer David Livingstone, these impressive waterfalls are just one of the gifts that nature has given to southern Africa. Arrive and transfer to the hotel. Get comfortable at the hotel and perhaps explore the surroundings at your leisure. We recommend an optional Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River, an unforgettable way to spend your first night in Zimbabwe.* Overnight stay in Victoria Falls. * Optional Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River: Transfer to the jetty for a Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River. Includes drinks and snacks on board.

Day 11: Victoria Falls

Breakfast at the hotel. Today visit the Zimbabwe side of the awe-inspiring UNESCO World Heritage Site of Victoria Falls. Described locally as 'The Smoke That Thunders', Victoria Falls sits at the south of the Zambezi River, between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Spend some time being amazed by the power of the falls and visit different vantage points to discover the sheer scale of this natural wonder. During the afternoon we recommend the optional Flight of the Angels Helicopter Experience * or the optional Guided Tour of the Falls from Zambia and Zimbabwe sides.** Return to the hotel for an overnight stay in Victoria Falls. * Optional Flight of the Angels Helicopter Experience (13 Minutes): To put the Victoria Falls into a true perspective, they must really be seen from the air. The sheer size and grandeur of the spectacle become all the more clearer from above. The huge Zambezi River flowing slowly south as the water spreads across the full width of a great rent in the earth before crashing over the lip in a burst of spray and then squeezing into a narrow, foaming, blast of water rushing down the zigzag funnel of the gorges. ** Optional Guided Tour of the Falls (Zambia and Zimbabwe): A guided tour of the falls enables you to delve into the local customs and traditions while gaining insight into how such an exquisite creation came to be. An aura of excitement envelopes everyone who lays eyes on this incredible spectacle and guided tours are conducted from both Zambia and Zimbabwe sides.

Day 12: Victoria Falls - Chobe National Park

Breakfast at the hotel. At the indicated time cross the border into Botswana and to Kasane, the gateway to the Chobe National Park. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure to explore the beautiful natural landscapes of Botswana. Dinner and overnight stay in Chobe National Park.

Day 13: Chobe National Park

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, set off for Chobe National Park, Botswana’s first national park which stretches for 11.700 sq. metres. The park is well known for its huge population of elephants, who bath in the waters of the Chobe River. Explore the park on a game drive in open safari vehicles. In the late afternoon, embark on a boat cruise on the Chobe River. Watch the animals by the river. Hippos and crocodiles, as well as a lot of birds, are often seen on the river banks. Enjoy the sunset whilst sipping on a sundowner drink. Return to Kasane. Dinner and overnight stay in Chobe National Park.

Day 14: Chobe National Park - Victoria Falls - Night on board

Breakfast * at the hotel. At the indicated time, transfer to the airport for a flight back to US. Night on board. * Depending on the return flight schedule and the hotel breakfast service, you may not be able to enjoy the included breakfast on the last day.

Day 15: US

Arrive in US and end your trip.