Great Trans-African Lodge Safari

On arrival at Windhoek Airport, you will be met and transferred to your accommodation – at the AVANI Windhoek Hotel. The rest of the afternoon may be spent at leisure in Windhoek. There is a great museum and a number of colorful local markets to discover. This evening you will meet your guide and the rest of your group at the lodge at 18h00 for your pre-departure meeting and the start of your safari.

Overnight: AVANI Windhoek Hotel (or similar)

Moving south we make our way towards the Namib Naukluft National Park and our accommodation for the next two nights, Agama River Camp. The park contains what is considered to be the oldest desert in the world. The next morning we wake up early to see the sun rise over the world’s highest sand dunes at Sossusvlei and Deadvlei. These dunes, which can reach heights of over 300 meters, are absolutely spectacular and provide for fantastic photo opportunities. With luck, there may even be water in the vlei (lake). We also stop to view the Sesriem Canyon, which was carved millions of years ago by the Tsauchab River.

Overnight: Agama River Camp (or similar)

The day is spent driving through the Namib Naukluft National Park on our way to Swakopmund. The Namib-Naukluft Desert is an ancient land with an ageless spirit. It is home to some of the rarest plant and animal species in the world. The animals of this harsh landscape include the oryx, springbok and Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra. En-route we make a stop in the small town of Walvis Bay where you may spot a variety of birds including flamingos in the lagoon. We arrive at the quant coastal city of Swakopmund in the late afternoon, where you can soak up the charming atmosphere of this little German enclave and enjoy its beauty and beaches. You will have the opportunity to visit a local urban sustainability center and explore the ways in which they preserve energy, water, waste and biodiversity, on a semi-guided tour. On day 5 you can partake in optional activities or just relax in Swakopmund.

Overnight: Hotel Pension A La Mer (or similar)

Leaving the Atlantic coastline behind us, we continue our journey towards Namibia’s best-known highlight of the north – Etosha National Park. The first night is spent at our lodge which neighbors the park, situated on an outcrop of dolomite rocks and overlooking a forest of Mopane and white Seringa trees. Spend the afternoon relaxing at the pool, or take a leisurely stroll through the natural bush and gardens. Optional game drives are also available.

Overnight: Etosha Safari Lodge (or similar)

After breakfast we enter the Etosha National Park via the Anderson gate. We fill the next two days with game drives in the hopes of spotting lion, leopard, elephant and rhino as well as cheetah, giraffe, zebra and the numerous types of antelope the park has to offer. Our nights are spent at the flood-lit waterholes or viewpoints encountering the park’s various nocturnal animals that come to drink. Etosha was declared a National Park in 1907 and it is home to approximately 114 mammal species, 340 bird species, 110 reptile species, 16 amphibian species and, surprisingly, one species of fish.

Overnight: Namutoni Resort (or similar)

Departing from Etosha we drive further north to the town of Rundu. Here we visit the Mbunza Living Museum, a traditional cultural school and communal business for the local Kavango people who make a living from fishing, tending cattle and cultivating crops. After this cultural interaction, we make our way Kaisosi River Lodge on the banks of the Okavango River. We will arrive in the late afternoon to relax by the pool with a sundowner listening to the sounds of Mother Nature.

Overnight: Kaisosi River Lodge (or similar)

Day 10

This morning we travel eastward onto our camp in the western Caprivi region, Nunda River Lodge. Before departure however, there will be time for optional activities such as an early morning boat cruise at the lodge. Continue to your lodge situated on the banks of the Okavango River. In the late afternoon you will enjoy a sunset cruise to Popa Falls.

Day 11

In the morning we drive to Mahangu, meaning ‘food of the local people’, which is situated next to the Okavango River. Enjoy a morning game drive in the Greater Bwabwata National Park, which extends from the Kavango River in the west to the Kwando River in the east and incorporates the Mahangu Game Reserve. Elephant, roan, kudu and buffalo are amongst the animals likely to be seen, as well as prolific birdlife. In the afternoon return to your lodge and spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure. This will be the last night on safari in Namibia.

Overnight: Nunda River Lodge (or similar)

We leave the Caprivi and travel south to Maun, known as the gateway to the Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve. You have a free afternoon to relax and enjoy the lodge’s pool at your leisure. There’s also a chance to book some optional activities, like a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta by light aircraft.

Overnight: Thamalakane River Lodge (or similar)

Day 13

After breakfast we will be picked up by our local Botswana guides and take a short drive to the mokoro station. It’s time for the start of your delta safari in Botswana. From here, you will be poled in traditional dug-out canoes through the thick vegetation of the Okavango Delta to discover a variety of birds and wildlife. Unlike other deltas, the Okavango River flows inland into the Kalahari Desert, and without ever reaching the coast, creates an inland delta. After this excursion, we make our way to our safari camp, which is situated in the Greater Moremi region. Once settled into our camp, we will enjoy dinner and go out on a night drive to spot nocturnal animals in this private concession.

Day 14

Today we will explore the Moremi Game Reserve in open four wheel drive game vehicles and spot a variety of game in the bush. There is a high concentration of mammals and especially some good sightings of plains game. Within the boundaries of the reserve all of the big five can be found. Game viewing is seasonal but the best local Botswana guides will do their utmost to find good wildlife on your safari drives in Moremi.

Overnight: Camelthorn Bush Camp (or similar)

We leave the Botswana bush behind and travel eastwards towards one of the flattest places on earth. The Makgadikgadi Pans were once a large river-fed lake but have now dried up and are empty for most of the year. The area oozes solitude and the vast open spaces are something to marvel at. In the afternoon we visit the Nata Bird Sanctuary, which is a community managed project. Enjoy the magnificent view over the Sowa pan, which is part of the Greater Makgadikgadi Pans. With over 165 bird species found in the area it is a bird lovers paradise. Around two hundred and fifty thousand flamingos visit the Sowa Pan each year to breed. It is a sight to behold with these massive flocks stretching across the horizon.

Overnight: Nata Lodge (or similar)

This morning we head north to Kasane, the gateway to the Chobe National Park. Chobe covers 10,566 square km, has one of the greatest concentrations of elephant found on the African continent. The afternoon is at leisure to partake in a number of optional activities or to relax by the pool. The next day you will get to see the wildlife of the Chobe National Park on a morning game drive, with the hope of spotting big game up close, and perhaps even have an encounter with one of the large predators. In the afternoon we take a cruise on the Chobe River – a truly unforgettable experience and one of the best ways to view the spectacular African sunset and the animals as they come down to the water to drink.

Overnight: Chobe Marina Lodge (or similar)

On this day we make our way across the border into Zimbabwe and on to Hwange National Park where we spend the next two nights on safari. Hwange National Park is one of Africa’s finest havens for wildlife and is home to vast herds of elephant, buffalo, and zebra, as well as a very large concentration of giraffe. It is also home to many predators and endangered species, plus varied birdlife. A full day game drive in the park is included on the second day.

Overnight: Robins Camp (or similar)

Continuing our trip, we head north to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Your guide will take you on a tour of the mighty Victoria Falls. In the afternoon, relax on a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River, and spot the crocodiles and hippos along the way. The rest of the day may be spent at leisure or partaking in one of the many optional activities on offer (at own expense).

Overnight: Ilala Lodge (or similar)