Map of Premium Southern Africa including Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe

Embark on a wild adventure through southern Africa's finest scenery

Experience an abundance of wilderness, wildlife and waterfalls on an eight-day Premium adventure through South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Spend three unforgettable days in the Greater Kruger region, cruise down the Zambezi River at sunset, marvel at the showstopping Victoria Falls and search for a wealth of elephants in Chobe National Park. From exhilarating game drives to nights spent under the stars, the glorious south of Africa has so much to fall in love with.


Start
Johannesburg, South Africa
Finish
Kasane, Botswana
Destinations
Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe
Style
Premium
Theme
Wildlife
Code
UBPK
Physical rating
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1, Max 12

Why you'll love this trip

premium accommodation

Our best accommodation and highest level of service.

premium experiences

Unusual, exceptional and authentic on-trip experiences.

premium knowledge

Led by our most experienced and highest rated local leaders.

  • Seek out the Big Five of Africa – lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino with two full days in South Africa’s biggest reserve, Kruger National Park, in 4x4s with an expert local guide.

  • Visit the thundering Victoria Falls, one of the world's most spectacular natural wonders. Admire their power then return to your comfortable lodge boasting magnificent views of uninterrupted wilderness.

  • Spot Chobe National Park's abundance of wildlife and the world’s highest concentration of elephants from multiple vantage points with an early morning 4x4 Game Drive, and an afternoon boat cruise along the picturesque Chobe River.

  • Spend three spectacular nights in touch with nature at your lodge Feature Stay in a private reserve within the Greater Kruger Region. Sleep in comfortable chalets with outdoor showers, and private terraces connected by wooden pathways through the bush.

  • Enjoy a small and intimate sunset river cruise on the Zambezi River, a Premium Exclusive Experience. A private chef will prepare canapes and drinks as your boat navigates the islands above the thundering Victoria Falls.

Is this trip right for you?

  • Our lodge is located in the Guernsey Private Game Reserve which is located within the Greater Kruger Park ecosystem. It’s about a 40-minute drive to Kruger National Park’s Orpen Gate. On this itinerary you will have Game Drives in both the Kruger National Park and neighbouring Private Game Reserves.

  • As the early bird catches the worm, the early riser sights the animals. There will be many early starts either to make use of the better safari time or to beat the morning traffic on long travel days.

  • The Game Drive's in Chobe National Park and Kruger National Park are in an open 4WD vehicle, and it can be quite cold in morning and evening. It's important to bring some warm clothes with you.

Itinerary

Welcome to South Africa! Your trip begins in Johannesburg, where you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Please ensure that you organise the details of your arrival transfer well in advance. You'll meet the rest of your group and leader for a welcome meeting at 6pm, but if you do happen to arrive early, the day is yours to spend at leisure. After your meeting, join your leader and fellow travellers for dinner at a local family owned grill house. South Africa enjoys a diverse food scene flavoured by its multicultural influences. This evening you may like to try some boerewors, a spiced South African sausage, or perhaps some springbok carpaccio.
Accommodation
  • Rivonia Premier Lodge or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Johannesburg - Welcome Dinner
Meals Included
  • Dinner
Special Information
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.
Set off early for a drive to Greater Kruger National Park, arriving just in time for lunch at an exceptionally intimate lodge, your Feature Stay accommodation for the next three evenings. Hidden away on a private reserve in Greater Kruger, the lodge is in perfect harmony with its wild surroundings. Chalets feature first-class amenities, with private en suites, indoor and outdoor showers, air-conditioning and a gorgeous swimming pool for cooling off. Sit back and relax in the cosy lounge of the main lodge or one of several viewing decks and take in spectacular views of the Drakensburg Mountains. In the afternoon you'll be taken to a neighbouring game reserve for your first open 4x4 vehicle game drive. Experience close encounters with wild animals in their own habitat, and if you’re lucky, you may meet lions, elephants, rhinos and leopards. Retire to your lodge in the evening.
Accommodation
  • Panzi Lodge (Feature Stay) or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Private Game Reserve - 4x4 Game Drive
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Special Information
Today’s total driving time is approximately 6.5 hours.

You may hear of the opportunity to see or interact with Lion Cubs within the Guernsey Private Nature Reserve. We recommend that travellers bypass this activity, as it is contrary to our Responsible Travel guidelines. Professional wildlife conservation organisations, including Born Free and the World Society for Protection of Animals (WSPA), advise that habituating lions to humans can shorten their life and may result in lion-human conflict issues. While there is some merit in the argument that the money that you pay for the activity goes towards lion research, we feel that the negative impacts on the lions' rehabilitation far outweigh this.
Rise early and make the journey into the heart of Kruger National Park. Upon entry, you'll find yourself in the perfect position to catch a glimpse of one, or hopefully all, of the Big Five. Take a packed breakfast at a picnic spot then proceed with a full day of wildlife safari, stopping off at waterholes and various other points to observe these animals in their natural habitat. One of the largest game reserves in Southern Africa, Kruger National Park is not only home to members of the Big Five, but also 500 bird species, 100 species of reptile and 150 mammal species. The endangered African wild dog, herbivores like hippo, zebra, giraffe and numerous different types of antelope also enjoy the park’s rich mosaic of habitats, including savanna, mixed acacia woodland, rocky hills and mopane woodland. Return to the lodge this evening to relax and relive your favourite moments from the day.
Accommodation
  • Panzi Lodge (Feature Stay) or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Kruger National Park - Full Day Open Safari Vehicle Game Drive
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Special Information
Today’s total driving time is approximately 1.5 hours (excluding safari).
Return to Kruger National Park for another thrilling game drive. This is an opportunity to catch a glimpse of any animals the group didn't see the day before. Today's game drive will finish in time for sunset and dinner on one of the viewing decks at your lodge. Enjoy a wonderful meal and take a moment to sit back and hear the sounds of the bush – maybe even the roar of a lion in the distance. After to dinner, retreat to a bonfire under a canopy of stars.
Accommodation
  • Panzi Lodge (Feature Stay) or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Kruger National Park - Full Day Open Safari Vehicle Game Drive
  • Greater Kruger - Private Alfresco Dinner on the viewing Deck
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Rise early and depart for Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, where you will say goodbye to South Africa and board a mid-morning flight to Livingstone airport in Zambia, your gateway to the Victoria Falls. On arrival, cross the Victoria Falls bridge into Zimbabwe and get your first preview of the magnificent cascades. Continue to your lodge accommodation, which serves up stunning views of uninterrupted wilderness and a waterhole frequented by elephant, buffalo, kudu and more. Spend the afternoon relaxing by the pool or spotting wildlife from any of the multiple viewing decks around the lodge. This evening head above the falls onto the Zambezi River and embark on a small and intimate Sundowner River Cruise. The specially designed jet-propelled boats allow you to reach the shallow water among the islands directly above the Victoria Falls. Your own chef will prepare canapes and serve drinks while the captain navigates the islands above the thundering Victoria Falls. Sit back in your comfortable lounge chair and look out for crocodiles lazing on the banks or elephants and hippos submerging themselves in the river – this is truly an experience to remember.
Accommodation
  • Victoria Falls Safari Lodge or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Victoria Falls – Zambezi River Premium Sunset Cruise
Optional Activities
  • Victoria Falls - Helicopter Flight (25 mins - Excludes US$30 fuel surcharge and NP fees) - USD284
  • Victoria Falls - Helicopter Flight of the Angels (12 mins - Excludes US$25 fuel surcharge and NP fees) - USD150
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Special Information
Today’s total driving time is approximately 4 hours, and your flight is approximately 2 hours.
This morning, visit the unforgettable Victoria Falls – one of the world's true natural wonders, forming the largest sheet of falling water in the world when in full flow. Once inside the park, your guide will take you through the falls area, stopping at different vantage points along the way to explain the history of the falls and their surrounds. After an exciting morning at the falls, depart Zimbabwe and make the journey to Chobe National Park in Botswana. The afternoon is free to walk in Kasane town (watch out for wandering warthogs!), sit poolside on the edge of the Chobe River and watch the sun set, or perhaps opt for an optional afternoon Game Drive in the Chobe National park.
Accommodation
  • Chobe Safari Lodge or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Victoria Falls - Victoria Falls tour Zimbabwe Side
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Special Information
Today’s total driving time is approximately 3 hours (excluding border crossing).
Start the day with a game drive through Chobe National Park, the first designated national park in Botswana. Chobe is known for its huge population of elephants and buffalo and you may well see them drinking at the local watering hole during the drive. Then head back to the lodge for breakfast. Afterwards embark on a cruise along the picturesque Chobe River, an ideal location for spotting bird life such as saddle-billed storks, malachite kingfishers, fish eagles and beautiful bee-eaters as well as hippos, crocodiles and large families of elephants often seen crossing the river between the boats. You will be joined by other travellers on the boat cruise which has a toilet and small bar to purchase drinks. Enjoy a drink on board and watch the sun set over the river.
Accommodation
  • Chobe Safari Lodge or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Chobe National Park - River cruise
  • Chobe National Park - Morning 4x4 Game Drive
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Your adventure comes to an end after breakfast this morning. If you would like to spend more time in Chobe, or Victoria Falls, we’ll be happy to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability). Your lodge provides complimentary transfers to Kasane Airport. Airport transfers can also be booked (for an additional fee) for flights departing from Victoria Falls or Livingstone.
Included Activities
  • Complimentary Departure Transfer
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Meals

7 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 7 dinners

Transport

Open 4x4 Safari Vehicle, Private vehicle, Plane, Riverboat

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night), Lodge (6 nights)

Included activities

  • Johannesburg - Welcome Dinner
  • Private Game Reserve - 4x4 Game Drive
  • Kruger National Park - Full Day Open Safari Vehicle Game Drive
  • Greater Kruger - Private Alfresco Dinner on the viewing Deck
  • Victoria Falls – Zambezi River Premium Sunset Cruise
  • Victoria Falls - Victoria Falls tour Zimbabwe Side
  • Chobe National Park - River cruise
  • Chobe National Park - Morning 4x4 Game Drive
  • Complimentary Departure Transfer

Premium Inclusions

  • Arrival airport transfer
  • Tipping for accommodation, activities and transport
  • Luggage transfer
  • Daily breakfast and signature local meal experiences
  • 24/7 on-ground support

Dates & availability

Trip departures are unavailable.

There are currently no scheduled departures on our Premium Southern Africa trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.

Prices may go up, so secure your trip today!
Jump to a departure month

Important notes

1. A complimentary airport arrival transfer is included; valid if you are arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-tour accommodation through us. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information. 
3. This trip includes a flight.The luggage allowance is 23kg for check in luggage and 8kg for carry on.
4. Travel is always an adventure and, as destinations reopen, there are a few challenges as everyone gets back up to speed and adjusts to the new normal. Our leaders are experts when it comes to dealing with anything unexpected along the journey, so pack your understanding and flexibility, sit back and relax while they take care of the rest.
5. Our operator has advised that customers with the J&J vaccine and no booster may have difficulty crossing the border into Botswana (and potentially Zimbabwe) without a negative test result. This information conflicts with various government travel advice websites. We recommend you check with your local consulate before travel to ensure you have the most up to date information.
6. Border crossing delays in the region have been sporadic and difficult to predict as travel rebounds. What takes an hour one day may take four hours the next. This may affect the order of activities in the itinerary. We understand this uncertainty can be frustrating, and we strongly recommend packing a bit of patience and flexibility.

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

View Essential Trip Information

Reviews