Lars S.
The tour through South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe required, due to the varying conditions in the Central Kalahari Desert and during the wildlife excursion i...
ADVENTURE-TOURS · AFRICA
South Africa Safari Tour: Waterfalls & Wildlife
Okavango delta safari combined with a south africa safari tour — this 14-day overland adventure covers South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe in a small guided group.
How long?
14 Days
Price
$ 3,865
/ Person
The Journey
Overland safari through southern Africa
An okavango delta safari anchors this south africa safari tour across three countries. From Johannesburg the route pushes north into Botswana for a Mokoro excursion in the delta and a full-day game drive in Moremi. The overland truck then rolls east past the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans to a chobe national park safari by river boat, where elephant herds gather in the afternoon. Crossing into Zimbabwe brings two days at Victoria Falls before game drives through Hwange, rhino tracking in Matopos, Great Zimbabwe ruins, and a final night at Mapesu before returning to Johannesburg. Camping or lodge options available throughout.
Key Highlights of the Trip
Key Highlights of the Trip
01
Okavango Delta Safari
01
Okavango Delta Safari
Spend two nights in the Khwai Conservation Area with a Mokoro excursion into the world's largest inland delta. The waterways hold crocodiles, hippos, and the Big Five among channels lined with papyrus and palms.
02
Moremi Game Reserve
02
Moremi Game Reserve
A full day of game driving in Moremi Game Reserve covers wetlands, open grassland, and savanna woodland. This moremi game reserve safari regularly delivers lion, leopard, wild dog, elephant, and buffalo sightings.
03
Chobe Boat Cruise
03
Chobe Boat Cruise
The chobe national park safari runs by boat along the river rather than by road. Afternoon herds of several hundred elephants come down to drink, making this one of the most concentrated wildlife encounters on the continent.
04
Victoria Falls & Zambezi
04
Victoria Falls & Zambezi
Two days at the victoria falls tour base allow time to walk the viewing path of the largest waterfall in Africa, join a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River, or choose optional activities including bungee jumping and white-water rafting.
05
Hwange & Matopos Parks
05
Hwange & Matopos Parks
Hwange National Park offers full-day big five safari southern africa game drives through teak forest and seasonal pans. Matopos adds rhino tracking and UNESCO-listed granite formations with a local guide in the afternoon.
South Africa & Botswana
The south africa safari tour departs Johannesburg and heads north through the Kalahari into Botswana, reaching the Okavango Delta for a moremi game reserve safari and Mokoro excursion before rolling east past the salt pans to the Chobe river.
Days 1–6
Johannesburg to Palapye
The south africa safari tour begins in Johannesburg. We leave the city behind and drive northwest through the North West Province to the Botswana border. After clearing formalities, we follow the Trans-Kalahari Highway to Palapye, a growing trade center in eastern Botswana that serves as our first overnight stop. Meals: Lunch, Dinner.
Palapye to Maun
We head north through the Central Kalahari toward the gateway to the Okavango Delta. The route passes smaller towns and villages that offer a glimpse of daily Botswana life, and skirts the edge of the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park before reaching Maun. Keep your eyes open along waterholes for early wildlife encounters on this botswana safari tour leg. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Khwai Conservation Area
Today is the first major highlight of the okavango delta safari. We transfer by smaller safari vehicles to the Khwai Conservation Area and set up for two nights. This afternoon brings a sunset Mokoro excursion into the world's largest inland delta — a network of channels, papyrus islands, and floodplains home to hippos, crocodiles, and the Big Five. Optional morning flight over the delta available. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Included: Sunset Mokoro excursion.
Moremi Game Reserve
A full day in Moremi Game Reserve defines this moremi game reserve safari. We load into 4x4 vehicles and spend the day tracking animals across wetlands, open grassland, and savanna woodland. The reserve is one of Botswana's premier wildlife areas and holds lion, leopard, wild dog, elephant, buffalo, and a wide range of birds. We return to Khwai in the evening. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Included: Full-day game drive in Moremi.
Khwai to Nata via Salt Pans
We rejoin the overland truck in Maun after an early morning departure from Khwai in open 4x4s. The drive east to Nata crosses some of Botswana's widest open country. A stop at the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans — part of one of the largest salt flat complexes on earth — reveals a landscape of white pans that flood to become shallow lakes in the wet season. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Included: Views of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans.
Nata to Kasane, Chobe Safari
We drive from the Kalahari sands of Nata to Kasane, arriving in time for lunch before the afternoon chobe national park safari by boat. The Chobe River in the afternoon is lined with some of the largest elephant concentrations in Africa. The park's nearly 12,000 km² also hosts lion, buffalo, leopard, and hippo. This river cruise is one of the standout wildlife encounters of the tour. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Included: Chobe river boat cruise.
Zimbabwe
The route crosses into Zimbabwe for the victoria falls tour days and Big Five game drives through Hwange, followed by cultural stops at Matopos and Great Zimbabwe before returning to South Africa.
Days 7–12
Crossing to Victoria Falls
We cross the border into Zimbabwe and reach the town of Victoria Falls, site of the largest waterfall in Africa. Named 'Mosi-oa-Tunya' (the smoke that thunders) by local Kololo people, the falls were documented for the West by David Livingstone in 1855. The afternoon is free to walk the viewing path and feel the spray rising 300 meters. Optional activities begin today. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Questions about the tour itinerary?
Our tour guide is happy to answer any questions about the day-by-day route, stops, and details.
Victoria Falls Free Day
The full day is dedicated to the victoria falls tour experience. The Zambezi River drops 108 meters into Batoka Gorge and the mist is visible from kilometers away. Optional activities include a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River, bungee jumping, helicopter flight, and white-water rafting through Grade V rapids. Craft markets and riverside cafes offer a quieter alternative. Meals: Breakfast. Optional: bungee jump, helicopter, rafting, sunset cruise.
Victoria Falls to Hwange
After leaving Victoria Falls, we drive south to Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe's largest protected area at 14,650 km². Hwange's varied terrain — teak forest, desert pans, and seasonal wetlands — supports the Big Five alongside hyena, antelope, and over 400 bird species. This overland safari africa leg sets up a full game drive day tomorrow. Meals: Lunch, Dinner.
Hwange Full-Day Game Drive
A full day in Hwange National Park in a 4x4 vehicle covers the park's mix of dense teak woodland, open grassland, and waterhole edges. This big five safari southern africa game drive searches for elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, and rhino against a backdrop of grassland and desert-edge landscape. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Included: Full-day game drive in Hwange.
Matopos National Park
We drive south to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second city, then spend the afternoon in Matopos National Park with a local guide. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the best places on the continent for tracking both black and white rhinoceros on foot. Its granite kopjes — named 'Matobo' (bald heads) in Ndebele — are sculpted by thousands of years of erosion. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Included: Afternoon guided safari in Matopos.
Great Zimbabwe Ruins
Today we reach Masvingo and the Great Zimbabwe Ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage site from the late Iron Age that was once the capital of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe. A guided walk through the stone enclosures and conical tower offers insight into the civilization that built this complex between the 11th and 15th centuries. This is a key stop on a south africa botswana zimbabwe tour. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Included: Guided tour of Great Zimbabwe Ruins.
South Africa — Return
The final stretch crosses the Limpopo back into South Africa for one last wildlife night and the return drive to Johannesburg.
Days 13–14
Mapesu Game Reserve
We cross the Limpopo River back into South Africa and check in at Mapesu Private Game Reserve. This is the final wildlife overnight of the africa overland tour, offering one more chance for bush encounters before the journey ends. End the evening with a soak in the natural hot springs at Tshipise. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Included: Tshipise Hot Springs.
Return to Johannesburg
After breakfast, we take the highway south to Johannesburg, arriving in the afternoon to complete the botswana zimbabwe safari loop. With 14 days covering the Okavango Delta, Chobe, Victoria Falls, Hwange, Matopos, Great Zimbabwe, and two South African game reserves, the overland truck delivers one of the most complete southern Africa itineraries available. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Want a detailed description of all tour days?
Our expert will walk you through the full itinerary and answer all your questions.
Verified Reviews
What participants say about Adventure-tours in Africa
4.7
Jan H.
The organization of the tour through South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe was consistently well-structured. The relaxed pace allowed enough time for exploration...
Peter W.
The tour through South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe in the 4x4 Overland Truck was well organized. The daily briefings and the detailed route planning provided...
PRICE
from
$ 3,865
/ person
Price Options
Camping safari per person
$ 3,865
Lodge safari per person
$ 4,515
Additional Options
Single room supplement
/ Person
$ 409
Trip includes
- Meals as described in the itinerary (prepared & served on the Overland Truck)
- Accommodation in fixed lodgings/lodges/permanent tents (Lodge variant) or in a tent (Camping variant)
- Trained English-speaking tour guide (unless otherwise noted)
- Transport in a 4x4 Overland truck
- Camping equipment (tent & sleeping mat) on the camping safari
- Entrance fees to national parks
- Included highlights according to the travel description
- Information for trip preparation & tour folder
FAQS
-
This adventure trip takes place in a comfortable overland truck.
-
OVERCROSS note on itinerary
The above travel description is a non-binding online proposal and does not represent a binding travel itinerary. We expressly reserve the right to make changes to the route, schedule, and accommodations (§ 651d BGB in conjunction with Art. 250 EGBGB). The terms and conditions of OVERCROSS apply.Terms and Conditions of OVERCROSS
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