Cape Town to Johannesburg via Victoria Falls and Kruger Tour

Below is the basic day to day brief,

The Full downloadable Itinerary is at the bottom of this window

Please download the dossier should you want more detailed information on the route and tour.

Day 1: Cape Town to Cederberg Mountains
The adventure begins in Cape Town with a visit to the townships on the “Cape Flats”, where we get an insight into the local culture. Leaving Cape Town behind, we head north to our first camp near the Cederberg Mountains. In the afternoon we have a chance to sample the local wines and to meet our fellow travelers.

Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Included Highlight: Township tour (included in Adventure Pass)
Optional Activity: Wine Tasting

Day 2: Orange River
Tonight we set up camp on the bank of the Orange River (South Africa side). The Orange River flows through the Richtersveld, a unique area of South Africa. The afternoon is time to relax. There is an opportunity to do a canoe trip or just chill at the camp and swim in the river. The evening is spent around the camp fire.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Optional Activity: Canoe Safari US$40

Day 3: Fish River Canyon
This morning we have time for further exploring before crossing the border into Namibia. We head to the Fish River Canyon with its spectacular scenery. The Fish River Canyon is known to be the world’s second largest and provides amazing vistas.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Optional Activity: Canoe Safari US$40

Day 4: Namib Desert
The Namib Desert is definitely one of the highlights of any Namibia tour. Today we head to the Sesriem area, bordering on the Namib Naukluft National Park. We set up camp in this immense desert and spend the evening under the desert stars. The Namib Desert is the oldest desert in the world and also boasts the highest sand dunes.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 5: Namib Desert
The day begins with sunrise over the desert. We head to Dune 45 which we have an opportunity to climb this huge dune– not as easy as it sounds. A photographer’s dream as the shifting shade and colour provide incredible beauty. The “Dead Vlei” (pan) is in the heart of the desert and the old dried out trees backed by dunes offer an airy landscape. Next we visit the Sesriem Canyon to gain some interesting insight into the local rock formations. This evening we set up camp in the quaint desert town of Solitaire.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Included Highlights: Sossusvlei 4x4 shuttle & guided “Dead Vlei” walk (included in Adventure Pass)
Optional Activity: Desert Experience US$25

Day: 6 & 7: Swakopmund
Swakopmund – the adventure capital of Namibia. We spend the next two nights in backpacker accommodation. The town (second biggest in Namibia) offers all the modern facilities and is a welcome break from the heat of the desert. Take time out to relax, enjoy the local cuisine, take a dip in the ocean, or partake in one of the numerous activities available. Quad biking in the desert and skydiving over the desert are popular activities.

Meals: 2 x Breakfasts

Optional Activities:

• Sand boarding US$50

• Quad biking US$45

• Sky Diving US$200

• Scenic flight US$360

• Deep sea fishing US$120

Day 8: Spitzkoppe
Leaving Swakopmund, we head to the Spitzkoppe – with its massive boulders and ancient Bushman rock paintings. We spend the afternoon exploring and there is a chance to do some “bouldering” for the more active. Once again, the shadows and changing light offer fantastic photographic opportunities.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 9 & 10: Etosha National Park
Etosha is one of the main highlights and offers excellent wildlife viewing – elephant, rhino, leopard, lion and hyena are just some of the animals that are regularly sighted in the reserve.The next two days are spent doing game drives around the park. The guides are familiar with all the popular waterholes and time is spent watching an array of animals coming down to drink. We spend the next two nights camp at one of the official campsites which boast flood lit waterhole and one can spend the evening watching the wildlife. This is definitely one of the highlights of any Etosha safari.

Meals: 2 x Breakfast, 2 x Lunches, 2 x Dinner

Day 11: Windhoek
We do a short game drive as we leave Etosha and head to Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. Here we have time to catch up on some modern amenities and enjoy the comforts of this colonial town.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 12: Ghanzi - Botswana
Leaving Windhoek, we head for Botswana and the town of Ghanzi – home to the Bushman/San tribe. An encounter with this ancient culture provides insight into how to survive in the harsh Kalahari area. We enjoy a guided walk where we learn about the various plants and local animals.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 13: Maun
We leave the dry Kalahari and head towards Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta. This is a real frontier town and is an interesting mix of modern and “native” huts/dwellings. The town’s early growth was based on hunting and cattle ranching, but has developed into a tourist hub for tours heading into the wilderness of the Okavango Delta.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Optional Activity: Scenic flight over the Okavango Delta US$650, Maun Horse Riding US$65, Helicopter flight US$450

Days 14 & 15: Okavango Delta / Maun
An exciting day begins with a 4x4 transfer into the delta where we meet our local “polers”. We wind our way through the waterways and channels of this famous wilderness area. The Okavango Delta is an immense area and is renowned for its bird and wildlife. We set up bush camp and take an afternoon game walk where we enjoy the wildlife and take in the beauty of the area. The next morning we pole out in our “mokoros” (traditional canoes) and head back to Maun. The afternoon is spent at relaxing around the pool, exploring this unique town or taking the scenic flight. The Okavango Delta is definitely one of the highlights of the tour.

Meals: 2 x Breakfasts, 2 x Lunches and 2 x Dinners
Included Highlight: Okavango Delta Excursion

Day 16: Elephant Sands – Nata
We leave the green oasis of the delta and head east across Botswana. Passing the Makgadikgadi Pans, we head to our camp at Elephant Sands. We set up camp in an unfenced area which is teaming with wildlife. We spend the afternoon and evening watching the animals coming to drink at the waterhole. It is a unique experience to observe animals at such close proximity.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Optional Activity: Evening game drive US$25, Morning bush walk US$20

Day 17: Chobe National Park - Kasane
We head north to Kasane – the gateway to the Chobe National Park. The Chobe is the most diverse of Botswana’s national parks. It is home to Africa’s Big 5 and famous for its huge herds of elephants and antelope. We do a memorable afternoon wildlife boat cruise down the Chobe River. Expect to see elephants, hippos, crocodiles and other numerous species as well as an abundance of birdlife.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 18 & 19: Victoria Falls
Our day begins with an early morning open vehicle game drive through the Chobe National Park. The experienced guides know all the best spots to locate the animals. Good chance that you will encounter lion, elephant buffalo and more, so have your cameras handy. We then head to our final destination – Victoria Falls. We cross the Zambezi by ferry and head to our camp on the Zambian side of the Victoria Falls. We visit the falls in the afternoon and marvel at this wonder of nature. The locals refer to the Victoria Falls as “Mosi oa Tunya” - the smoke that thunders. The spray from the falls creates a natural rain forest around the waterfall. Our camp is based at the Zambezi Waterfront and is right on the banks of the Zambezi River. The Victoria Falls is the adventure center of Africa and has loads of activities available.

Meals: 2 x Breakfasts
Included Highlight: Chobe National Park morning game drive

Optional Activities – Victoria Falls – some of the popular options

• Bungee Jumping US$160

• Sunset Zambezi cruise US$70

• Full day White water rafting US$180

• Gorge swing US$95

• Helicopter Scenic flight US$195

Days 20 & 21: Bulawayo – Matopos
Leaving Victoria Falls, we cross the border into Zimbabwe and head for the Matopos area. We pass through Bulawayo, the second largest city in Zimbabwe, and set up camp. We participate in a half day excursion on foot on search for wildlife. The Matobo National Park, with its unusual boulder formations is a rich cultural heritage area and has many Bushman paintings dispersed across the park. It is also the burial site of the infamous Cecil John Rhodes – a major player in the colonisation of Southern Africa. If we choose the full day tour we visit several Bushman paintings and the grave site. Matobo National Park is also known for its concentration of Black and White rhino, as well as a large number of leopards and Black eagles.

Meals: 2 x Breakfasts, 2 x Lunches & 2 x Dinners

Day 22: Tshipise – South Africa
Heading south, we cross the Limpopo River into South Africa. We head for our camp which is located just outside Tshipise. The resort where we camp has natural hot pools and one can spend the afternoon soaking in the pools or strolling in the surrounding woods. A great place to unwind before the Kruger Park part of adventure begins.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Days 23 & 24: Kruger National Park
Kruger Park is our next destination. The Kruger National Park is South Africa’s largest game reserveand a Kruger safari is a must do for travellers visiting Southern Africa. The park is known for its high concentration of wildlife, including the Big 5 and visitors are bound to see a large variety of game. We set up camp on the outskirts of the Kruger and on the first evening enjoy Shangaan tribal dancing. The Shangaans are the dominant local tribe of the Greater Kruger area.

After an early morning breakfast, we head to the gate of the Kruger Park. Note that the game drives are conducted in specially adapted open game vehicle. These 4x4 vehicles offer great viewing as well as excellent photographic opportunities. The local guides have a load of experience and know all the best spots to find the animals. The guides are very informative regarding the animals. We enjoy a morning game drive, before having a welcome break for lunch and a rest. The afternoon is spent searching for any elusive species that may have eluded us. After a long day in the park, we head for camp for a well-deserved rest.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 25: Pretoria
After breakfast we leave the Kruger area and head to the bustling city of Pretoria. Our tour ends late afternoon or early evening.

Meals: Breakfast