Waterfalls & Wildlife: Guided Group Tour as Camping or Lodge Safari

Today marks the beginning of an unforgettable holiday in the form of a group tour in Southern Africa. We leave behind the bustling and ambitious metropolis of Johannesburg and the country of South Africa as we drive through the North West Province to the Botswana border. After completing border formalities, we continue along the Trans-Kalahari Highway (an important trade route that runs from Walvis Bay in Namibia to Pretoria in South Africa) to our overnight stop in Palapye. Palapye is an important and steadily growing trading center in Botswana. Meals: Lunch, Dinner

We will be separated from our Overland truck for the next two nights, so it is important that you pack/gather your personal items that you may need before we set off for Maun today, as there will be little time to repack and store in Maun. Please pack lightly and only take what you need for the next two nights. Today, we have the first major highlight of this Africa group journey through Southern Africa: we are headed to the Okavango Delta. The Okavango Delta is the largest inland delta in the world and offers not only its unique and fantastic biodiversity but also a fascinating landscape made up of rivers, swamps, sandbanks, grasslands, and forests. Alongside numerous crocodiles and hippopotamuses, the Delta is also home to the Big Five. Early risers have the option to take an optional flight over the Delta (weather and time permitting). Following the optional flight, we will be picked up in Maun and drive in smaller safari vehicles to the Khwai Conservation Area. Our guide will prepare us for what to expect during our Mokoro excursion into the Okavango Delta this afternoon. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner; Included Highlight: Sunset Mokoro Excursion; Optional Activity: Okavango Delta Flight

Today's drive from Khwai to Nata takes us past the Botswana salt pans and promises a breathtaking experience on our unique Africa tour. We set off at dawn in open 4x4 safari vehicles before leaving the Okavango Delta and meeting up again with our Overland truck in Maun. The drive from Maun to Nata showcases some of Botswana's stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage. The Nata Salt Pans are part of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans complex. The landscape presents a picture of vast flat salt flats that may become temporary lakes during the rainy season. Keep your eyes peeled as there is always a chance to spot one or two wild animals before reaching our overnight stop near Nata. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner; Included Highlight: Views of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans

With countless memories of safari, culture, and nature in our luggage, our Africa journey continues. In the morning, we cross the border into Zimbabwe and take a short drive to the majestic Victoria Falls. These are the largest waterfalls in Africa, discovered in the 19th century by David Livingstone, a Briton and the first European to arrive at this site. He named the falls after Queen Victoria, who was the reigning queen of England at that time. You will have the chance to visit the spectacular Victoria Falls, also known locally as 'Mosi-oa Tunya' (the smoke that thunders), as the roar of the water creates a vapor cloud (similar to a smoke cloud) that can often be seen from afar depending on the weather. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch; Optional Activity: Visit to Victoria Falls, safari in Chobe National Park, ...

After breakfast, we leave behind the hustle and adventure of Victoria Falls and continue our adventurous group tour through southern Africa. We head south towards Hwange National Park. Hwange, at 14,650 km², is the largest of Zimbabwe's national parks and offers us excellent opportunities to observe the diversity of wildlife that calls the park home. In addition to the Big Five, you can also find antelopes, hyenas, hippopotamuses, and numerous bird species. Meals: Lunch, Dinner; Optional Activity: Visit to Victoria Falls

Today we continue south after breakfast to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second-largest city, which is an important cultural and economic hub. In the afternoon, we explore Matopos National Park with a local guide. The park was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2003 and includes an intensive protection zone where both black and white rhinoceroses live. The park is named after the Ndebele word 'Matobo', which means 'bald heads', referring to the rounded granite hills that surround it. These rock formations are a result of erosion. We return to Bulawayo and to our overnight accommodation for the night. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner; Included Highlight: Afternoon safari in Matopos National Park

To conclude our fantastic Africa group tour, we experience another touch of wildlife, as no bush adventure is alike; the bush always offers something new. We leave Zimbabwe with its stunning beauty and wealth of natural and cultural treasures, as well as numerous bush experiences including the Big Five, behind us and cross the Limpopo River to enter South Africa in the afternoon. Our overnight stop provides us the chance to end the day with a soak in the hot springs of Tshipise. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner; Included Highlight: Tshipise Hot Springs