Cape Town to Victoria Falls Group Safari

Day 1 Marcuskraal, Cederberg

Leaving Cape Town, our view of Table Mountain gradually disappears as we head out of the city and head to the beautiful Cederberg area. This region not only boasts spectacular mountains and orange farms, but it is also the home of the Rooibos bush and today we will visit a working Rooibos and Bochu tea farm and see the plants that occur naturally in the wild.

Day 2 Gariep (Orange) River, Namibia

Namaqualand presents us with our first experience of the stunning desert vistas that will accompany us in the days ahead. Our camp tonight is on banks of the Orange River and if travelling in Spring and after rains, you may be lucky enough to encounter the wild flowers covering the desert floor in blazing colours.

Day 3 Fish River Canyon

While the Orange River was named after the Dutch Royal House, in recent times it has been referred to by its original name of Gariep, which simply means “river” in the indigenous KhoeKhoe language. As the longest river in South Africa its journey begins in the mountains of Lesotho, and offers a unique contrast to the desert landscapes along its banks. This morning we have the opportunity to join an optional canoe trip on the river and is one of the best ways to experience it and the surrounding area. From here we enjoy the hot springs at Ai Aiba near Fish River Canyon

Day 4 Fish River Canyon/ Quiver Tree Forest

This morning head to the rim of the massive Fish River Canyon, reputed to be the second largest canyon, enjoy a walk along the rim to gaze at the stunning views in the morning light and to its depths of around 550m! From here drive via Keetmanshoop and onto the strange aloes of Quiver Tree Forest and the rocks of Giants Playground – named for the way in which the massive dolerite boulders appear to be haphazardly placed on each other – creating bizarre formations and a series of mazes.

Day 5 Namib–Naukluft National Park region

Today is a long travelling day, as we make our way to the Namib Desert. Our destination is the dune fields that cover the western reaches of the desert and we traverse dusty but near empty gravel roads and distant farms as we make our way through this rural region of Namibia. The slowly changing landscapes from grasslands to rocky outcrops and hills, with seemingly huge empty spaces are all part of this unique desert country. We spend tonight close to the dune fields and listen to the calls of the barking geckos.

Day 6 Namib Naukluft for Sossusvlei Dunes

Entering the national park early in the morning and enjoying the incredible morning ight when shadows are cast over the dunes, we enjoy a brisk climb up Dune 45, this landmark dune offers the perfect vantage point to marvel at the endless sea of red sand from this elevated position. We continue deeper into the dune fields, and a transfer takes us to the pans of Sossusvlei and Deadvlei – the most famous of all. Our final stop for the day is a late afternoon visit to the Sesriem Canyon, where we explore evidence of a wetter period in the history of this dry land.

Days 7&8 Swakopmund

After an informative desert excursion, we cross the Tropic of Capricorn and head to the coastal town of Swakopmund, where adventure and a dose of civilization await along with an often–brisk cool wind from the Atlantic Ocean. After a brief stop at the Walvis Bay lagoon, to see flamingos that feed in the shallows we arrive in Swakopmund and have the opportunity to take part in one or two of the many adventures on offer. Not to be missed is the selection of famed coffee shops and bakeries that offer a delightful range of German inspired treats and its colonial style buildings

Day 9 Brandberg

Today’s journey takes us to the massive granite formations of Spitzkoppe which tower 700m above the desert plains below. Among the boulders are collections of rock paintings attributed to the San people who lived here many years ago. Alocal guide will take us on a walk and we’ll enjoy the spectacular views and paintings before setting off to Brandberg arriving later in the afternoon. The peak here is the highest in Namibia and home to the famous White Lady, one of more than 45,000 rock paintings in the area.

Day 10 Kamanjab

This morning we will make the 1–hour hike to visit the famous White Lady painting that is said to be around 2,000 years old, crossing across rocks and rough terrain.  After our exploration, our journey continues to the area of Kamanjab and the opportunity to meet with a local Himba community – one of the traditional tribes of Namibia

Days 11&12 Etosha National Park

This morning is an early start as we head to Etosha National Park famed for some of the most incredible game viewing experiences in Africa. This afternoon and tomorrow explore the edges of Etosha Pan in search of the abundant wildlife that occurs in the park along with numerous waterholes dotted throughout the park. No day on safari is ever the same – you may encounter that once in a lifetime sighting and is the motivation that keeps our eyes wide open. Perhaps enjoy an optional night drive to see nocturnal game found or sit at the floodlit waterhole to see what animals come to drink – during the dry season it’s not unusual to see hundreds of plains game as well as giants such as elephant and rhino.

Day 13 Windhoek

Onward to Windhoek, the capital city of Namibia. And the cultural, social and economic centre of the country. Our guide will take us on a short walk through Windhoek City Centre before continuing to the lodge outside of the capital.

Day 14 Ghanzi, Botswana

We bid farewell to Namibia and make our way to neighbouring Botswana and the Kalahari Desert. Starkly different to the Namib Desert after which Namibia is named, the Kalahari is actually a fossil desert and covers over 900,000sq kms. The San people have long been associated with this harsh landscape and where they have eeked out an existence over milennia, tonight  enjoy a dance evening that provides an insight into their culture of story–telling, song and dance – and of their traditional lifestyle.

Day 15&16 Khwai/Greater Moremi Game Reserve/Okavango Delta

Today we head to Maun, where you will have the opportunity to go on an optional scenic flight over the Delta (time and weather permitting). We leave our overland truck in Maun so pack lightly for the adventure over the next two days and we head out to Khwai Reserve in smaller 4×4 safari vehicles. The guide will discuss our activities ahead and on day 16 take an excursion into the Delta with a mokoro. It is one of the most rewarding and enjoyable ways to explore and experience the beauty and serenity of this intricate system of lily covered channels and lagoons. The polers will steer us through the serene area of narrow, reed lined channels which open out onto beautiful lagoons stopping at an island to enjoy a nature walk in this unique and famous landscape of Botswana. After lunch, return to Khwai for an afternoon game drive in an open 4×4 vehicle to look out for some of the animals from elephant, kud, giraffe, impala and zebra, along with predators!  Note routes/itinerary options can vary according to season and there are some changes for the camping and accommodated options for the Delta.

Day 17&18 Savuti & Chobe National Park

Onward to Saviuti with its savannah woodland, plains and grasslands, and reputed to have superb and dense animal populations, making our way to the banks of the Chobe Rive arriving later in the afternoon.  On day 17, those who have joined the optional game drive will depart early to explore the park returning later in the morning and after some time to relax, the afternoon brings a wonderful boat cruise and the chance to see water–dependent species such as buffalo, crocs, hippos and more, allowing us an close up experiences with the many elephants that bathe and cross the river in the afternoons.

Day 19 Victoria Falls

We cross the border to Zimbabwe and travel the short distance to Victoria Falls and the chance to visit the spectacular Victoria Falls, known by the local name of “Mosi–oa Tunya” (the smoke that thunders). Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, is 1700 m wide and 108 m high – said to be the largest falls in the world. David Livingstone, the Scottish explorer, is believed to have been the first European to view the Victoria Falls, and wrote: “It has never been seen before by European eyes, but scenes so wonderful must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight”. Enjoy optional activities during your stay

Day 20 Victoria Falls – end

Your tour officially finishes after breakfast, but there is the option to book extra nights or join optional activities