Botswana and Zimbabwe

Johannesburg, Moremi Game Reserve, Chobe River Front, Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe), Eastern Hwange National Park and Matobo National Park

Custom safari in Botswana and Zimbabwe featuring:

  • Permanent water experience high in the Okavango Delta, including boating safaris, mokoro ride and optional nature walk
  • Luxury lodge near the Chobe
  • Victoria Falls Hotel, the Grand Old Lady of African Tourism
  • Game viewing lodge in Hwange
  • Rhino trekking in historic Motopos National Park

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Botswana and Zimbabwe Itinerary

Day 1 - 2

Peermont D'oreale Grande Hotel at Emperors Palace (1-Night)

Spend the night relaxing and refreshing after your long flight. 

Day 2 - 5

Setari Camp - Moremi Game Reserve (3-Nights)

Setari Camp is located on a picture-perfect palm island in the very heart of the Okavango. Situated within a private concession of 120,000 acres of unspoilt wilderness, exclusivity and seclusion are guaranteed. Enjoy a pure Delta experience, inhabited by a myriad of birdlife and wildlife unique to this exceptional ecosystem. The area is a birder’s paradise, boasting a huge number of migrant birds, aquatic birds, raptors, a seasonal heronry and to top it all, the hauntingly beautiful Pel’s Fishing Owl.

Setari Camp accommodates 20 guests in 8 light and airy tents and 1 suite designed for families. Each tent cleverly combines understated luxury with an authentic and relaxed home-from-home atmosphere. The camp resembles an enormous tree-house where the entire construction is elevated with wooden walkways linking the impressive sitting and dining areas, pool-with-a-view, gym and curio shop. All of the tents have private decks with spectacular views over the Okavango.

Safari activities available at Setari include bush walking, boating or gliding gently through the waterways in a traditional Mokoro (dug-out canoe). Delicious home-cooked food, super-comfy accommodation and superb guiding all combine to making Setari a hidden treasure in the iconic Okavango Delta.

Moremi Game Reserve

Situated in the east of the Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve ranks as one of the most beautiful reserves in Africa. It covers more than 4871 square kilometres of pristine wilderness, and this varied terrain includes savanna, winding waterways, and dense forest.

The diverse ecosystem supports an incredibly wide spectrum of wildlife, ranging from large herds of buffalo, wildebeest and zebra, to the rare sitatunga and lechwe antelope, lion, cheetah and packs of wild dog in the open grasslands. The birdlife is prolific and includes most of the 550 bird species recorded on Botswana’s national bird list. A range of luxury lodges in the reserve offers visitors the perfect base to experience this corner of paradise.

Day 5 - 7

Chobe Elephant Camp - Chobe River Front (2-Nights)

Located high on the edge of a rocky ridge overlooking the famous Chobe River is the newly developed Chobe Elephant Camp. This uniquely designed lodge has been built to take advantage of the incredible views overlooking the sweeping floodplains while offering a comfortable refuge from the harsh African conditions.

Entirely built out of sandbags from the red Kalahari sands that dominate the northern part of Botswana, this eco-friendly lodge presents an original design reminiscent of traditional African farmsteads and can accommodate up to 24 guests in eleven chalets. All rooms are en-suite with both indoor and outdoor showers and have private verandas to fully enjoy the views and surroundings. The lodge also boasts a large open-plan main area featuring a cosy arrangement of couches, bar, dining area and reading corner, along with a swimming pool with viewing deck onto a private water hole.

Chobe River Front

The Chobe River forms the northern boundary of the Chobe National Park which is renowned for its diverse and abundant game viewing opportunities. This section of the park is best known for its dense concentration of wildlife including elephant and hippo populations, but the waters attract all manner of game including large herds of buffalo and the lions that prey on them.

A visit to the Chobe River Front guarantees close encounters with an array of African wildlife. Visitors can look forward to a range of exciting activities such as: driving along the game-dotted river banks in a 4WD; cruising along the river in a motorboat, spotting rare birdlife and for a unique, luxury safari experience, hire a houseboat.

Day 7 - 10

Victoria Falls Hotel - Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) (3-Nights)

The Victoria Falls Hotel, popularly known as “the grand old lady of the Falls”, is situated in the Victoria Falls National Park, a world heritage site. The hotel is a member of the exclusive Leading Hotels of the World group. It is one of only three IS0-accredited hotels in Zimbabwe.

The Edwardian-style five-star hotel, built in 1904, combines the charm of the old with the convenience of the new. Set in lush tropical gardens with lily ponds, palm trees and semi-tropical shrubs, it provides the tranquillity and seclusion that many guests seek. The famous Victoria Falls are just a ten-minute walk away using the hotel’s private pathway, and “the smoke that thunders” or “Mosi-O-Tunya” in the local dialect, is clearly audible and visible from this luxurious landmark.

World-class service, and food and beverage choice and preparation second to none, make the hotel a magnet for international visitors and locals alike. The opulent Livingstone Room for fine dining and dancing, the Jungle Junction with its famous breakfast and dinner buffets and ethnic entertainment in the evenings, offer variety and wide choice. Stanley’s Terrace, with its clear view of the Victoria Falls Bridge, connecting Zimbabwe and Zambia, is renowned for its cocktails and afternoon teas. The Terrace has been a rendezvous for adventurers in Africa for over a century.

The ambience of the hotel is steeped in that history with all suites decorated in the gracious Edwardian style of Zimbabwe’s colonial era. Small executive meetings and private dining facilities are easily arranged for those who wish to combine a little business with a lot of pleasure, and all in a secluded and discreet environment.

A large swimming pool, two tennis courts, a library, reading rooms and chapel are part of the complex. Golfers can enjoy 18-holes on the championship course of the nearby sister hotel, Elephant Hills Resort.

But it is the Victoria Falls Hotel that remains the major attraction for visitors. Waking up to the sound of “the smoke that thunders”, seeing the sun rise beneath the mist of one of the seven natural wonders of the world and the lunar rainbow at night, all the while soaking up the history and ambience of a bygone era, is more than unforgettable – it is unique.

 

Day 10 - 13

Ivory Lodge - Eastern Hwange National Park (3-Nights)

An accessible family run safari camp located on a private concession of 6000 acres. A favourite destination for those interested in seeing elephant herds in great numbers from the comfort of their room or the luxury of the camp. It is also here that the famous Presidential Herd drinks – these elephants’ home-range is amongst the dense feeding areas of the Sikumi Vlei and where they find refuge from the scorching heat at Ivory’s water hole.

All the comforts of a 3-star camp with amazing wildlife and game activities in camp. Family friendly and consists of 1 family room and 2 suites that can be converted to triples for families with children U12.

Eastern Hwange National Park 

Located in western Zimbabwe, Hwange National Park (formerly Wankie Game Reserve) is the largest natural reserve in the country and is famous for its rich diversity of wildlife. Home to one of the biggest elephant populations in the world, as well as around 100 mammal species, the park is a wonderland for animal lovers.

Several protected animals inhabit the awe-inspiring open landscapes, including the endangered wild dog, critically endangered black rhino, and rare roan and sable - along with lion, cheetah, and around 500 bird species.

Adventurers can look forward to guided bush hikes, game drives, and horse riding safaris, all of which offer excellent photographic opportunities. Hwange boasts several unique natural features, most notably the natural seeps such as Nehimba and Shakwanki animals dig for water.

Day 13 - 16

Amalinda Lodge - Matobo National Park (3-Nights)

Amalinda Lodge is a unique four-star luxury lodge set in the granite boulders of The Matobo Hills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This exclusive, privately owned & family-run safari lodge is the premier accommodation in the area.

Tucked away in an ancient bushmans shelter, Camp Amalinda boasts a spa, infinity rock pool, library, wine cellar, sunset lounge, show kitchen and many varied activities. Ranging from game drives to rhino trekking, cultural tours, hikes to the renowned San bushman paintings & a chance to follow in the footsteps of Cecil John Rhodes at his world famous tomb known as "View of the World.”

Matobo National Park

Idyllically located in the spectacular Matobo Hills, the renowned Matobo National Park is known for its rich human history, its remarkably diverse flora and fauna and its magnificent rugged terrain.

This unspoiled natural wilderness features a range of massive red-tinged, granite boulders interspersed with gorgeous wooded valleys making it a dream destination for hikers, climbers and nature lovers alike.

The reserve is compact, easily accessible and is home to an impressive range of African wildlife including the highly endangered black and white rhinoceros, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, cheetah, hippo, warthog and crocodile as well as Africa's largest concentration of leopard and black eagles. This unforgettable national park serves as an ideal stopover for travellers heading to the popular tourist sites of Hwange and the majestic Victoria Falls.

Rates

INCLUDED

  • Accommodation on basis indicated
  • Charter flights (seat in charter basis) in Botswana with Mack Air
  • Meals as indicated
  • All transfers

EXCLUDED

  • International flight from Johannesburg to Maun
  • All international flights
  • Anything not mentioned herein
  • Travel Insurance (compulsory)
  • All items of a personal nature
  • Tips and gratuities