15-day Botswana and Zimbabwe Wildlife Breakaway

This classic 15-day Botswana and Zimbabwe Wildlife ourney takes you through Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe, which are all part of the international Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area.  KAZA is a multi-country effort to create a vast network of interlinking reserves and provide corridors for wildlife movement along natural migration routes, particularly for elephants. The lodges are beautiful, comfortable and make for a great adventure safari.

DEPARTS: VICTORIA FALLS on Sunday at 14:00pm
ENDS: VICTORIA FALLS on Sunday at +/-11:00am

Highlights
*Victoria Falls – adventure activities
*Hwange – game drives in open vehicle
*Matobos – game drive
*Moremi game reserve – game drives
*Okavango Delta – river cruise
*Chobe National Park – sunset river cruise

This classic journey covers Botswana, Namibia & Zimbabwe & the core of the international Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area.  This initiative is a multi country effort to create a vast network of interlinking reserves and provide corridors for wildlife movement along natural migration routes, particularly for elephants.  The lodges are beautiful, comfortable & make for a great adventure safari.

Overnight The accommodation throughout this classic journey is of 3 to 4 star style and are chosen not only for their service and comfort level but also for their wonderful locations and local wildlife viewing opportunities.  All rooms have private en suite facilities.  The Moremi lodge on a private concession between Chobe NP and Moremi GR is a particular highlight.

Meals 14 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 9 dinners are included. All of which are provided by the lodges at which we are staying.  Due to travel arrangements or game viewing activities, 2 of the lunches will be packed picnic lunches.  Where meals are not included there will be an opportunity to buy a meal en route, but these are mostly travel days so a quick stop is required.

Transport for the majority of this safari you travel in a Mercedes Sprinter bus with 12 forward facing seats and air conditioning; or (on 30% of tours) in a Sunway Safari truck with 12 seats.  For the game drives in Hwange, Matobos, Moremi and Chobe we use open sided 4WD vehicles with local guides.

Non participation This is an adventure tour, and as such please expect to get involved.  Where there are porters, they’ll help you, otherwise you’ll need to carry your own bag.  Included meals are all lodge provided.  If you have a particular interest, please let your safari leader know, and he/she will endeavour to make your journey more rewarding.

Highlights

  • Maun
  • Chobe River Front
  • Guma Lagoon
  • Kwando River
  • Matobo National Park
  • Nata
  • Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
  • Hwange National Park
  • Zimbabwe
  • Botswana
  • Namibia

Tour Summary

Full Day by Day Itinerary

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Day 1 : Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

The majestic sight of the mighty Zambezi River plunging over the Victoria Falls, welcomes you to your Zimbabwe and Botswana adventure.  We check into our lodge before we explore the falls and tropical rain forest surrounds on foot in the afternoon before heading out to a local restaurant for dinner (own expense).

Day 1: Breakfast not included
Day 1: Lunch will be an own expense meal
Day 1: Dinner will be an own expense meal at a local restaurant

Includes:                    Entrance fees to see the Victoria Falls
Overnight:                 PheZulu Guest Lodge, twin rooms with en-suite facilities. Swimming pool, restaurant, bar and telephone.  Free WiFi available
Distance/time:           N/A
Optional Activities:    Scenic flights & many more

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Day 2 – 3 : Hwange National Park

Hwange National Park is a wildlife jewel, famous for its big game and large herds of elephant.  Hwange is home to a wide variety of habitats, from its western regions on the edge of the Kalahari through large grass plains to the forested woodland in east Hwange.  Our comfortable lodge for two nights is situated on the private concession on the eastern boundary of the park, our time is spent on a full day game drive, in open 4WD vehicles, in the park in search of big game.

Day 2: Breakfast provided by the hotel
Day 2: Lunch will be an own expense meal
Day 2: Dinner will be a set menu provided by the lodge

Day 3: Breakfast provided by the lodge
Day 3: Lunch will be an own expense meal
Day 3: Dinner will be a set menu provided by the lodge

Includes:                    Entrance fees, full day game drive in open 4WD game viewing vehicle
Overnight:                  Miombo Lodge – for 2 nights at Hwange National Park, we stay in deluxe tented chalets with en-suite facilities, swimming pool and central boma area. WiFi not available
Distance/time:           200kms ± 3 hours, excluding stops for sightseeing.

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Day 4 – 5 : Matobo National Park

The rounded granite boulders and undulating valleys of the Matobos National Park are home to some of the last of the rhino in Zimbabwe.  We spend our day on an excursion into the park that includes a game walk to see the rhino, discovering the ancient Bushmen paintings that adorn the rocks, and admiring the landscapes from Worlds View, the site of Cecil John Rhodes’ grave.

Day 4: Breakfast provided by the lodge
Day 4: Lunch will be an own expense meal
Day 4: Dinner will be a set menu provided by the lodge

Day 5: Breakfast provided by the lodge
Day 5: Lunch provided by the lodge
Day 5: Dinner will be a set menu provided by the lodge

Includes:                    Entrance to Matobo National Park and game walk
Overnight:                  Big Cave Camp – chalets - twin rooms with en-suite facilities (hot showers), swimming pool, restaurant, bar & telephone. WiFi not available
Distance/time:           360kms, ± 6 hours, excluding stops for sightseeing, shopping & lunch

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Day 6 : Nata

This morning we leave Matobos and head west towards the Botswana border, we cross at Plumtree and we make our way to the Nata area for our overnight stop.  In the late afternoon we will head out onto the Makgadikgadi Pans, vast saltpans that seem to stretch on to infinity.  We will explore the area and have some fun taking photographs before the sunsets golden over the horizon.

Day 6: Breakfast provided by the lodge
Day 6: Lunch will be an own expense meal
Day 6: Dinner will be an own expense lodge meal

Includes:                    Entrance fees to Nata Sanctuary
Overnight:                   Nata Lodge – twin share chalet with en suite facilities. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, telephone. WiFi not available
Distance/time:           325 kms ± 4½ hours, excluding stops for border, sightseeing & lunch

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Day 7 : Maun

Maun’s name is derived from a San word meaning “place of the short reeds” is nestled at the southern end of the Okavango Delta where our lodge overlooks the beautiful Thamalakane River.  Here we prepare for our trip into Moremi Game Reserve and our afternoon is free to bird watch along the river, relax around the pool or take a optional scenic flight over the Okavango Delta (own expense).

Day 7: Breakfast provided the lodge
Day 7: Lunch will be an own expense meal
Day 7: Dinner will be an own expense meal at a local restaurant

Includes:                    -
Overnight:                  
Thamalakane River Lodge, twin share bedrooms with en suite facilities. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, telephone. WiFi not available
Distance/time:           330kms. ± 4½ hours, excluding stops for sightseeing
Optional Activities     Scenic flight over the Okavango Delta (+/-US$ 95-120) per person depending on number of people in each aircraft)

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Day 8 – 9 :

Startling and unexpected contrasts are created as the waters of the Okavango flood into the drier Kalahari creating the magnificently rich wilderness area with amazing wildlife of the Moremi Game Reserve. Rivers, lagoons, savannah, woodland, Moremi offers some excellent game viewing.  With over 400 species of birds, Moremi is also a great place to sight leopard, lion, wild dog, elephant, giraffe and a variety of antelope.  We spend our time on game drives in Moremi GR and the surrounding concession along the Khwai River where the lagoons attract the thirsty animals to drink in late afternoon.  Our lodge is on a private concession north of Moremi, where our boma overlooks a large pan.  We enjoy our meals while watching the animals drinking and enjoy the wilderness far from civilization.

Day 8, 9: Breakfast provided the lodge
Day 8, 9: Lunch provided by the lodge
Day 8, 9: Dinner will be a set menu provided by the lodge

Includes:                    Entrance fees to Moremi Game Reserve, morning & afternoon game drives in open 4WD vehicle
Overnight:                   2 nights Elephant Pools Lodge – exclusive private tented bush lodge in Khwai Private Reserve, bordering Moremi Game Reserve. Twin share permanent tented lodge with en-suite facilities. WiFi not available
Distance/time:           200kms ± 4 hours, excludes game drives & stops for wildlife viewing (Maun – Lodge)

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Day 10 : Maun

On the morning of day 10 we have a game drive on the concession before heading back to our lodge in Maun.

Day 10: Breakfast will be provided by the lodge
Day 10: Picnic lunch provided by the lodge
Day 10: Dinner will be an own expense meal at a local restaurant

Includes:                    Entrance fees to Moremi Game Reserve, morning & afternoon game drives in open 4WD vehicle
Overnight:                1 night Thamalakane River Lodge, twin share bedrooms with en suite facilities. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, telephone. WiFi available
Distance/time:           200kms ± 4 hours, excludes game drives & stops for wildlife viewing (Maun – Lodge)

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Day 11 – 12 : Guma Lagoon

We drive around the Okavango Delta, and north to our lodge on the banks of the Okavango Pan handle.  From the lodge we’ll explore the Okavango by mokoro and motor boat.  Tranquil reed lined rivers, crystal clear water and abundant bird life.  Time to rest, relax and enjoy the views of the Okavango Delta.

Day 11-12: Breakfast will be provided by the lodge
Day 11-12: Lunch will be provided by the lodge
Day 11-12: Dinner will be a set menu provided by the lodge

Includes:                    Okavango mokoro and motorboat excursions
Overnight:                   Guma Lagoon – twin en-suite canvas chalets. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant. WiFi available in lounge
Distance/time:           320km ± 5½ hours, excluding stops

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Day 13 : Kwando River

Crossing out of Botswana into Namibia and the Mahango Game Reserve.  We game drive through the reserve to our lodge on the Kavango River.  We spend our afternoon exploring on a river cruise.

Day 13: Breakfast provided by the lodge
Day 13: Lunch will be an own expense meal
Day 13: Dinner will be a set menu provided by the lodge

Includes:                    Mahangu NP entrance fee & game drive in tour vehicle
Overnight:                   Camp Kwando – twin share permanent tents with en-suite facilities. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, telephone. WiFi not available
Distance/time:           380km ± 5½ hours, excluding border formalities

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Day 14 : Chobe River Front

The Caprivi Strip, Zambezi Region, is a thin wedge of Namibia, which separates Botswana in the south and Angola in the north.  We cross the Caprivi, back into Botswana at Ngoma and head to our lodge in the town of Kasane.  The Chobe river attracts large herds of elephant as it flows lazily along the northern boundary of the Chobe National Park. Our final afternoon is spent on arguably the best wildlife activity in Southern Africa, the game-viewing cruise.  See herds of elephants, large crocodiles, pods of hippo and other wildlife as they quench their thirst at the end of the day.  The magnificent river sunset is a photographer’s dream.

Day 14: Breakfast will be provided by the lodge
Day 14: Lunch will be an own expense meal
Day 14: Dinner will be an own expense meal

Includes:                    Chobe N.P entrance fees & sunset cruise on Chobe River
Overnight:                   Chobe Safari Lodge – twin chalets with en suite facilities. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, telephone. Alternative Chobe Bush Lodge.  WiFi available
Distance/time:           85kms ± 1 hour, excluding border formalities

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Day 15 : Departure

Enjoy an optional early morning game drive (own expense) before our last breakfast together.  We bid a sad farewell before we embark on a road shuttle transfer to either Kasane airport in Botswana, or Victoria Falls airport in Zimbabwe, in time for midday flight departures.  Our tour ends 11:00am.

Day 15: Breakfast will be provided by the lodge
Day 15: Lunch own expense
Day 15: Dinner not included

Includes:                    Transfer to either Kasane airport BBK (Botswana), or Victoria Falls airport VFA (Zimbabwe) or the town of Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)
Overnight:                   N/A
Distance/time:           85kms ± 1.5 hours to Victoria Falls, excluding border formalities (or 10 minutes to Kasane airport)
Optional Activities:    Chobe National Park morning game drive

Included

Accommodation as per itinerary
Meals as per itinerary
Transport
Professional guides

Excluded

International flights
Pre / Post tour accommodation
Airport transfers
Travel insurance
Visas
Vaccinations
Gratuities
Optional activities