Southern Africa Safari

Duration

18 days

Tour Type

Small Group

Accommodations

Comfortable

Physical Rating

Light

Guide Language

English

Experience Overview

On this nine-day wildlife journey, you’ll explore the epic game parks of Southern Africa. Start in Victoria Falls, where in your free time, you can experience the thunderous falls however you like.

Highlights

Explore Kruger National Park for an unforgettable experience, where lions, elephants, and rhinos roam freely amid stunning natural beauty.
Spend time at the headquarters of the world's first all-female anti-poaching unit, the Black Mambas. Visit their operations room and learn how they patrol park boundaries, dismantle poachers' snares, and manage roadblocks.
See the huge elephant populations of Hwange National Park on a 4WD game drive. This national park is also home to lots of other wildlife, with over 100 species of mammals!
Track rhinos on foot with an expert local guide in Matobo National Park – an exhilarating way to experience the animals of Zimbabwe. Then, see some of the ancient rock paintings here and learn about the local San people.
Explore the World Heritage site of Mapungubwe National Park, where the ancient ruins of a once-thriving kingdom meet stunning landscapes of baobab trees and sandstone cliffs. Then, head out on a night safari to spot nocturnal wildlife in a private game reserve next door.

Trip Details

Duration

18 days

Transportation

Overland Vehicle,4WD Safari Vehicle

Tour Type

Small Group

Guide Language

English

Starts

Windhoek, Botswana

Finishes

Johannesburg, Botswana

Accommodations

Comfortable

Travel Style

Overland Expedition

Physical Rating

Light

Itinerary

Day 1: Windhoek

Welkom! Welcome to Namibia. Your adventure begins in Windhoek, where you‘ll be met by an Intrepid representative and transferred to your hotel. If you arrive early, maybe wander the old German architecture in the town, passing the Tintenpalast (Ink Palace) and the Christuskirche (church). Tonight, you’ll have a welcome meeting at 6 pm to get to know your local leader and fellow travellers. After, you might want to join your group for an optional welcome dinner.

Included Activities:

Complimentary Arrival Transfer

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 2: Ghanzi/Central Kalahari

Today is a bit of a long travel day as you cross the border into Botswana and make your way to Ghanzi – known as the ‘Capital of the Kalahari’. Take the opportunity to grab a window seat and watch the landscape pass you by or get to know your fellow travellers a little better with some road trip games. When you arrive, settle into your lodge accommodation and soak up some Botswana sunshine or cool off in the pool.

Accommodation:

Basic Lodge (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 3: Okavango Delta Panhandle

This morning, you’ll head to the Okavango Delta – known for its sprawling grassy plains that flood seasonally, making the delta a lush animal habitat. When you arrive, board speedboats and make your way to your home for the next two nights – a houseboat in the Okavango Delta Panhandle. You can chill out on the deck or grab a few friends and attempt one of the onsite board games. For dinner, your captain will serve dinner on the deck, and you can watch the sunset while you eat and listen to the sounds of the nearby hippos on the water's edge.

Included Activities:

Okavango Delta - Speedboat Cruise

Accommodation:

Houseboat (with shared facilities) (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 4: Okavango Delta Panhandle

After breakfast, take a speedboat and a 4WD to a nearby polling station. From here, you can explore the waterways in mokoros (traditional dugout canoes) with a local guide. Your guide will take you on a short nature walk around one of the many islands in the Delta Panhandle. Then, return to the houseboat where you can relax, read a book or do some fishing. This evening, grab a sundowner, pull up a chair and watch the often striking sunset.

Included Activities:

Okavango Delta - Speedboat Cruise
Okavango Delta - Mokoro safari
Okavango Delta - Nature Walk

Accommodation:

Houseboat (with shared facilities) (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 5: Maun

Leave your houseboat behind and again board the speedboats that take you back to dry land. Drive on to Maun – the gateway of the Okavango Delta. For those seeking an extra adventure, there's an opportunity to fly over the delta in a helicopter for a bird's-eye view! Your leader can give you more information on this activity and how to book, so just ask them if you’re interested. Alternatively, the afternoon is free for you to sit by the pool and take a breather when you arrive in Maun.

Included Activities:

Okavango Delta - Speedboat Cruise

Optional Activities:

Okavango Delta - Helicopter Scenic Flight (280 USD)

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 6: Makgadikgadi Pans

Head to the Makgadikgadi Pans – the world’s largest prehistoric inland salt lake, in the middle of the dry savanna and now all that remains of the former Lake Makgadikgadi. Today you'll have an excursion in open 4WDs to spend time with a local meerkat community. Get close to them without disturbing their natural habitat and watch as they play together. Then, take a bush walk with one of southern Africa's oldest inhabitants and learn their way of life within the Kalahari Bushman group. They will teach you how they interact with nature, keeping a well-balanced relationship with the local land. After, you'll head under the baobab trees for a night of dining under the stars. Known as the 'Tree of Life' or the 'Ancient Giants,' the iconic baobab tree is a defining feature of the Botswana Bushveld, particularly in the Makgadikgadi basin where they're densely populated. Tonight's three-course barbeque will be traditionally cooked over hot coals, so you can enjoy the delicious smells of your dinner in the open air, while you stargaze under the African sky.

Included Activities:

Makgadikgadi Pans - Meerkat & Kalahari Bushman Experience
Makgadikgadi Pans – Baobab Dinner

Accommodation:

Lodge (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 7: Chobe National Park

This morning, make tracks towards Kasane, which sits on the edge of Chobe National Park. The stretch of road between Nata and Kasane is known as the 'Elephant Highway'. With no fences, elephants are free to move between Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe and Botswana. So, this is the perfect time keep your eyes peeled for roadside elephants during your drive! When you arrive in Chobe National Park – Botswana's first national park, known for its high concentration of elephants – settle into your lodge on the banks of the Chobe River and soak in the sounds of the wildlife.

Accommodation:

Lodge (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 8: Chobe National Park

Wake up nice and early this morning to take a dawn game drive in Chobe National Park. In the park, you might see the resident elephants drinking at the waters' edge, large herds of cape buffalo or one of the many impalas that call this place home. In the afternoon, you’ll take a scenic cruise on the Chobe River – ideal for spotting local bird life such as saddle-billed storks, malachite kingfishers, fish eagles and beautiful bee-eaters. As well as birds, look out for hippos, crocodiles and large families of elephants. There will also be an opportunity to enjoy a drink and watch the sunset over the river after the boat cruise.

Included Activities:

Chobe National Park - River Safari Cruise
Chobe National Park - Open Safari Vehicle Game Drive

Accommodation:

Lodge (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 9: Victoria Falls

Travel on to Victoria Falls, crossing the border into Zimbabwe. Arrive in time to have lunch on the banks of the Zambezi River. Victoria Falls is one of the world's natural wonders, and when in full flow, it forms the largest sheet of falling water on Earth. After visiting the falls, the rest of the day is yours to relax, or take part in the many optional activities available in Victoria Falls. This evening, why not share a final dinner with your travel crew, and keep the night going to celebrate a trip well-travelled.

Included Activities:

Victoria Falls - Entrance & Visit

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 10: Victoria Falls

Today is a free day to enjoy the many activities on offer. There will be another Welcome Meeting at 6pm to meet the new group members joining today. Please let you leader know if you will not take part in this meeting.

Included Activities:

Complimentary Airport Arrival Transfer (shared)

Accommodation:

(Number of Nights: 1)

Day 11: Hwange National Park

Depart Victoria Falls and travel to Hwange National Park. This afternoon, head out on a game drive in 4WDs to explore the park’s diverse landscapes and wildlife. Hwange is the largest national park in Zimbabwe and was designated as such in 1929, after previously serving as the royal hunting grounds of Ndebele warrior-king Mzilikazi in the early 19th century. The park is renowned for its elephants—one of the largest populations in the world—as well as an impressive variety of wildlife, including over 100 mammal species and nearly 400 types of birds.

Included Activities:

Hwange National Park - Guided 4x4 Game Drive
Victoria Falls - Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust (The Intrepid Foundation partner) visit

Accommodation:

(Number of Nights: 1)

Day 12: Matobo National Park

Leave Hwange as you make tracks for Matobo National Park. Along the way, you’ll stop at the Painted Dog Conservation Centre. Learn how the loss of quality habitats and poaching are driving the painted dogs towards extinction, and how the centre protects painted dogs and the Hwange ecosystem. After, it's onto Bulawayo – Zimbabwe's second-largest city. Take a stroll through the streets and stop in at a local restaurant for lunch. Continue to Matobo, where you'll spend the next two nights. The rocks balanced in Matobo Hills are thought to be the seats of God and ancestral spirits. The park is home to the grave of Cecil John Rhodes, founder of Rhodesia and the De Beers diamond company, and is especially known for its rhino population.

Included Activities:

Hwange - Painted Dog Conservation visit

Accommodation:

(Number of Nights: 1)

Day 13: Matobo National Park

Enjoy an unforgettable day of tracking rhinos on foot with your local guides. You'll learn about the local plants and trees and their traditional uses, and there'll be plenty of chances to spot wildlife other than rhinos. The park is home to leopards, hippos, antelope and more! Learn about the San people who have called this area home for thousands of years and visit their rock paintings in the hills. Spend some time in the nearby villages to meet some of the local community before returning to your lodge for the evening.

Included Activities:

Matobo National Park - Rhino Tracking

Accommodation:

(Number of Nights: 1)

Day 14: Mapungubwe National Park

Say goodbye to Zimbabwe and cross the border into South Africa. Your bush lodge for tonight sits inside Mapesu Private Game Reserve – a 12,500 hectares property surrounded by unique sandstone formations, woodlands and wildlife. The reserve focuses on biodiversity, conservation and the protection and reintroduction of species including efforts specifically on endangered animals. When you arrive, have dinner here with your group and watch the night sky come alive with stars.

Accommodation:

(Number of Nights: 1)

Day 15: Mapungubwe National Park

Today, you’ll explore Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site – home to South Africa’s most significant Iron Age site. Visit the 13th-century grave site on Mapungubwe Hill, which contains ornaments, jewellery, bowls and amulets covered in gold foil. The most spectacular of these pieces is a small, gold-covered rhinoceros. Apartheid kept this discovery a secret as the regime attempted to suppress any historical information that proved black cultural sophistication. Later, you have free time to relax at the lodge or you can take an optional game drive in through the park. Tonight, you’ll head out on a night safari in Mapesu Private Game Reserve. Look out for bush babies (galagos), bushpigs, hyenas, genets and tiny chameleons – all of which don’t come out much during the day. Maybe you’ll even get lucky and encounter a leopard!

Included Activities:

Mapesu Private Game Reserve - Night Safari
Mapungubwe - Heritage & Museum Tour

Accommodation:

(Number of Nights: 1)

Day 16: Kruger National Park

Wake up early this morning and drive to Greater Kruger National Park, stopping at the Black Mambas headquarters along the way - the world’s first all-female anti-poaching unit made up of courageous African women. With support from the Intrepid Foundation, the Black Mambas are challenging the norms of a male-dominated field and taking an unconventional approach to protecting Kruger National Park’s wildlife. Learn how they patrol the park’s boundaries, run roadblocks, and dismantle snares left by poachers, before stepping inside their operations room for a special behind-the-scenes look.

Included Activities:

Kruger - Visit to Black Mambas HQ

Accommodation:

(Number of Nights: 1)

Day 17: Kruger National Park

Start the day early and head into Kruger National Park – one of the largest game reserves in Southern Africa and home to over 500 bird species, 100 species of reptile and 150 mammal species including all the big cats. Your wildlife experience begins as soon as you enter the park, as you're taken into prime viewing areas. Enjoy a picnic breakfast here before spending the rest of the day wildlife-spotting in the park, watching game, birds and stopping at various waterholes as you go. The group will leave the park in the late afternoon and return to the lodge for another relaxed evening.

Included Activities:

Kruger National Park - Full Day 4WD Safari

Accommodation:

(Number of Nights: 1)

Day 18: Johannesburg

Enjoy the scenic route back to Johannesburg filled with beautiful views of stunning landscape. Along the way, you’ll visit the breathtaking Three Rondawels Viewpoint and the impressive Bourke's Luck Potholes, perfect stops to break up the drive and enjoy the scenery. When you arrive in Johannesburg, your adventure comes to an end. If you’d like to extend your stay here, and it’s recommended that you do, just get in touch with your booking agent ahead of time.

Included Activities:

Panorama Route - Bourke's Luck Potholes
Panorama Route - Three Rondawels

Exclusions

Flights to and from origin and destinations
Airport transfers (arrival and departure)
Anything else not explicitly listed in tour inclusions
Recommended gratuities/tipping
Optional activities/tours
Personal expenses
Travel insurance
Visas, meals and beverages not stated in the list of inclusions.

Important Information

Meals

When meals are not included, your tour leader (where available) will be happy to help with restaurant recommendations, bookings, and directions. Please let us know if you have any dietary needs or preferences. We willdo our best to accommodate these, though we cannot guarantee that every request can be met.

Luggage

You are responsible for your personal belongings throughout the tour. You will need to carry your own bags between the vehicle and your hotel room. Drivers will assist with loading and unloading luggage from the vehicle.

Mobility

Travellers requiring wheelchair access should contact our sales and service team, who can make enquiries on your behalf.

Fitness Level

This tour requires an Average level of fitness. Activities are paced gently and include leisure time. You may be expected to join guided walks of up to one hour, navigate short stairways and mild inclines, and manage your own luggage. You should also be able to board and exit all transport without assistance.

Travellers are expected to be self-sufficient and capable of handling all aspects of their journey. Please discuss your circumstances and support needs with your booking agent to confirm this trip is suitable.

If you are unsure, we recommend consulting your doctor before booking or travelling. (Note: I assume each tour has a different description depending on level of fitness required).

Sightseeing

If a planned site visit is unavailable due to changes in operating hours or holiday closures, the itinerary may be altered, or a comparable activity will be substituted where possible and subject to availability.

Visas

Visa conditions can change. Once you receive your travel documents, check with the relevant embassy, consulate, or immigration office of your destination for the latest information.

It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct and valid travel documents and to comply with all entry requirements.
Non-Australian citizens must also confirm visa and identification requirements with the appropriate consulate or visa agency.
Certain occupations (for example, journalists, government officials, or those working in charities) may face additional restrictions when applying for visas, which could affect the type of application required.

Departure Dates & Surcharges: See checkout for live dates and availability.

AUD $14,280

(Tour only)

Per Person Twin Share

Duration: 18 days

Trip Type: Small Group

Activity Level: Light

On this nine-day wildlife journey, you’ll explore the epic game parks of Southern Africa. Start in Victoria Falls, where in your free time, you can experience the thunderous falls however you like.

Check Availability Brochure

Price based on per person in Double Room for departure 19 Mar 2026

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Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel is a global adventure travel company, dedicated to providing sustainable, experience-rich travel opportunities. They’ve been the leader in ethical, small-group travel since 1989 - taking people around the world for more than 30 years. They’re the world’s largest travel B Corporation - dedicated to being the best travel company for the world. In 2002, they established The Intrepid Foundation so their travellers could make a lasting impact on the communities they had visited. Although Intrepid Travel absorbs all administrative costs of The Intrepid Foundation, they are separate legal entities, allowing The Intrepid Foundation to grow independently. Intrepid Travel is made up of a collection of tour operator brands and 28 destination management companies all united by one vision: To change the way we all see the world.

In Business Since 1989

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