Itinerary

Day 1 Johannesburg
Sawubona! Welcome to South Africa.

You can arrive at any time on day 1 as there are no activities planned until the welcome meeting tonight at 6pm. Your leader will leave a note at reception telling you where this important meeting will take place. Please ask a member of reception for this information. Your leader will collect your kitty and check your passport and insurance details at this meeting.

After the group meeting there is the option of joining the group for dinner

Johannesburg is a sprawling city of remarkable contrasts: in the townships, mansions stand alongside tin shacks and there are as many green parks on the outskirts of the city as there are conglomerations of concrete in the city centre. This is a good place to spend a couple of days to get an insight into South Africa's history and it's a great base for exploring the rest of the country.

Day 2 Khama Rhino Sanctuary
Leaving South Africa behind, we cross the border entering Botswana and travel toward the Khama Rhino Sanctuary (600 km, approx 8-10 hours),

Situated on the edge of the vast Kalahari Desert, the sanctuary is a result of locals' efforts to convert a former hunting area into a conservation project. Built to protect Botswana's only remaining populations of both black and white rhinos, the sanctuary is also home to other wildlife including zebras, giraffes, leopards, ostriches and wildebeest, which have all moved in and can be seen around the many natural waterholes. Visiting this project benefits local communities as well as contributing to the protection of the highly endangered white rhinoceros.

We will head out on a dusk game drive to see the rhinos when they are at their most active before returning to our campsite for the night.

Day 3 Maun
Our destination today is Maun (520 km, approx. 7-8 hours), the gateway to one of the world's most renowned and complex ecosystems, the Okavango Delta.

The Delta is formed by the Okavango River which fans out into an intricate maze of streams, creating 16,000 sq km of wetlands. A constant water source near the Kalahari Desert, the Okavango Delta attracts a variety of wildlife including hippos, crocodiles, elephants and big cats. The wildlife can be difficult to spot however, and the prime attraction of a visit to the Delta is exploring the meandering clear waterways, green islands and lush plains of one of the world's most fascinating ecosystems.

We camp on the outskirts of town at a simple campsite with shared facilities.


Days 4-5 Okavango Delta
Today we traverse the waterways by mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe navigated by friendly local 'polers'. With luck, you might spot some of the Delta's unusual wildlife and prolific birdlife while on these safaris. We also spend time exploring the maze of lagoons, lakes and streams on foot, led by experienced and knowledgeable guides.

We camp on a remote island in the heart of the wilderness. We dig a bush toilet and go without a shower but it is all part of the Delta experience. At night, the sounds of the African bush are the only things you will hear - a true wilderness experience!

Waking up early in the morning we venture out on a sunrise walk hoping to catch a glimpse of some elephants and cape buffalo.

Returning to camp for breakfast we have the rest of the day to relax, take a swim or test your poling skills before heading out for an afternoon walk or perhaps another mokoro trip - the choice is yours.

Day 6 Maun
After taking down our camp we take the mokoro back to the poling station where we have an opportunity to visit a local rural village for an insight into the life of the people that live in the Okavango Delta before our transfer back to Maun (60 km, approx 2-3 hours).

After lunch we have the opportunity to explore the town of Maun.

For those wanting more adventure there is an opportunity to fly over the Delta in a small plane for a bird's eye view, a great way to appreciate the immensity of this watery world.
Day 7 Elephant Sands

We pack up camp this morning after breakfast and head north. We are aiming for Elephant Sands (390 km, approx. 6-7 hours), a private conservancy in Northern Botswana.

Elephant Sands is home to not only elephants, but also lots of antelope species, lions, giraffe, zebra and hundreds of different bird species. We will arrive in time to do an afternoon game drive hoping to spot some of these amazing animals.

Tonight we camp in the conservancy at a basic camp with shared facilities.

Days 8-9 Victoria Falls
From Elephant Sands we travel to Victoria Falls (330 km, approx. 5-6 hours). Crossing the border we enter Zimbabwe mid morning in time to have lunch on the banks of the Zambezi.

In the afternoon we visit to the magnificent Victoria Falls. The falls are an enormous curtain of water, about a mile wide, falling 108 m into a narrow chasm below. In the wet season, the spray created can rise up an incredible 400 m and the falls are an impressive raging torrent. The spray from the falls can sometimes be seen from kilometres away. It's no wonder the local name Mosi oa Tunya, means the "smoke that thunders". In the dry season, the view of the falls is unobstructed by spray and it's possible to see little islets in the river below.

Tonight we will share a final night dinner together. You are free to depart any time on day 9 as there are no activities planned; check out time is 10am.

For those of you who are planning on spending a few extra days in Vic Falls there are various activities and excursions to choose from both on the water, on land or high above it all. Choose from white water rafting and canoeing, or go horse riding, abseiling or gorge swinging (please see Trip Notes, Optional Activities for more details on what you can see and do around Victoria Falls).

Included

Accommodation: Participatory camping (7 nts)

Max Group Size: no more than 16 passengers

Evening game drive - Khama Rhino Sanctuary
Mokoro trip - Okavango Delta
Guided walk - Okavango Delta
Fish-eagle river cruise - Chobe National Park
Victoria Falls - Livingstone

Excluded

Optional Activities
Gold Reef City and heritage mine tour, Johannesburg - ZAR300
Museum Africa, Johannesburg - ZAR25
Apartheid Museum, Johannesburg - ZAR75
Art Gallery, Johannesburg - ZAR50
Scenic flight, Okavango Delta - prices vary depending on number of pax
Rafting/River boarding combo, Victoria Falls US$155
Half Day Canoe Trail - Victoria Falls US$100
Jet boat, Victoria Falls - US$95
Kayaking, Victoria Falls - US$150
Abseil, Flying Fox, Gorge Swing, Victoria Falls - US$115
Horse riding (2 hours), Livingstone - US$75
Flight over the falls (Microlight), Victoria Falls - US$120-240
Flight over the falls (Helicopter), Victoria Falls - US$130-260
Full Day Canoe Trail, Victoria Falls - US$115
Bungy jumping, Victoria Falls - US$110
Wine route canoe trail, Victoria Falls - US$55
Sunset Cruise, Victoria Falls - US$40
Tour of Local Village & township, Victoria Falls - US$50
***Discounts are available for multi activity packages in Victoria Falls

Departures

Starts: Johannesburg - Finishes: Victoria Falls/Livingstone
Sat 14 Jan 2012 - Sun 22 Jan 2012
Sat 28 Jan 2012 - Sun 05 Feb 2012
Sat 25 Feb 2012 - Sun 04 Mar 2012
Sat 10 Mar 2012 - Sun 18 Mar 2012
Sat 24 Mar 2012 - Sun 01 Apr 2012
Sat 07 Apr 2012 - Sun 15 Apr 2012
Sat 14 Apr 2012 - Sun 22 Apr 2012
Sat 28 Apr 2012 - Sun 06 May 2012
Sat 12 May 2012 - Sun 20 May 2012
Sat 19 May 2012 - Sun 27 May 2012
Sat 26 May 2012 - Sun 03 Jun 2012
Sat 02 Jun 2012 - Sun 10 Jun 2012
Sat 09 Jun 2012 - Sun 17 Jun 2012
Sat 16 Jun 2012 - Sun 24 Jun 2012
Sat 23 Jun 2012 - Sun 01 Jul 2012
Sat 30 Jun 2012 - Sun 08 Jul 2012
Sat 07 Jul 2012 - Sun 15 Jul 2012
Sat 14 Jul 2012 - Sun 22 Jul 2012
Sat 21 Jul 2012 - Sun 29 Jul 2012
Sat 28 Jul 2012 - Sun 05 Aug 2012
Sat 04 Aug 2012 - Sun 12 Aug 2012
Sat 11 Aug 2012 - Sun 19 Aug 2012
Sat 18 Aug 2012 - Sun 26 Aug 2012
Sat 25 Aug 2012 - Sun 02 Sep 2012 
Sat 01 Sep 2012 - Sun 09 Sep 2012
Sat 15 Sep 2012 - Sun 23 Sep 2012
Sat 29 Sep 2012 - Sun 07 Oct 2012
Sat 13 Oct 2012 - Sun 21 Oct 2012
Sat 27 Oct 2012 - Sun 04 Nov 2012
Sat 03 Nov 2012 - Sun 11 Nov 2012
Sat 10 Nov 2012 - Sun 18 Nov 2012
Sat 17 Nov 2012 - Sun 25 Nov 2012
Sat 24 Nov 2012 - Sun 02 Dec 2012
Sat 08 Dec 2012 - Sun 16 Dec 2012
Sat 22 Dec 2012 - Sun 30 Dec 2012

Feedback

Hi Tina,

the safari was great! I really enjoyed it, especially the walks in the Delta (we saw a buffalo from really close distance) and swimming in the waters of the Delta. As our guide put it: there shouldn't be any crocs around, but you never know for sure! Anyway we told him to jump into the water first:-) I also did the scenic flight over the Delta - great views and first chance for me to fly in such a small aircraft.
Our guide and driver were fantastic guys and everything was perfectly as set out in the tour description. Also, excellent food!
Best regards and thanks for fantastic safari - this was my second encounter with Package Tours and I will definitely return to you next time I am in South Africa!

Piotr
Poland
12 Feb 11