29 Days | The wild waterways, wildlife and savannas of Africa are calling
Travel through South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania towards Zanzibar on this northbound overland adventure. Your 29 days will be spent getting up close to rare black and white rhinos at the Kharma Rhino Sanctuary, taking a traditional mokoro through the fertile waterways of the Okavango Delta, tracking rhinos on foot in Matobo National Park with expert trackers, admiring Victoria Falls from all angles, exploring the highland villages, clear-water lakes, ruins and wide-open plains of Zambia and Malawi, and winding up on the idyllic shores of Zanzibar. Local guides and a knowledgeable crew have got all your needs covered, plenty of time for independent activities will have you curious to see more, and a travel group eager to explore will ensure the epic memories made are shared.
Trip overview
- Start
- Johannesburg, South Africa
- Finish
- Zanzibar, Africa
- Theme
- Overland, Wildlife
- Destinations
- Zimbabwe, Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Basix
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 22
- Trip code
- UBOBC
- Track rhinos on foot in Matobo National Park, home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, including warthogs, leopards and klipsingers. Also, learn about the park's cultural significance and San rock paintings.
- Camp on a remote island in the heart of the Okavango wilderness and listen as night falls and the sounds of the remote African bush come alive!
- Go wildlife-spotting along the river at Chobe National Park – home of the world's highest concentration of African elephants – and keep the safari going in South Luangwa National Park on a dawn game drive.
- Experience the rumble and roar of Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwe side, which gives you the broadest view. Looking for something special? Why not book a scenic helicopter experience?
- Support local conservation efforts by visiting the Khama Rhino Sanctuary – the only place left in Botswana where both black and white rhinos sit side by side.
- This is an overland trip. That means you’ll be travelling with a group in a purpose-built vehicle, visiting remote communities, setting up your own tent, occasionally roughing it in the bush with no facilities, and getting the best possible views of the Big Five. While the trucks don’t have air conditioning, they do have sliding windows which let in the breeze and make it even easier to take spectacular snaps of the local wildlife. The drive days can be long, but it’s as much about the journey as the destination, and half the fun is the camaraderie. For more info on this style of travel, see our Africa overland page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/africa/overland
- Camping out in the Okavango wilderness means digging a bush toilet and going without a shower. For most travellers this is a small price to pay for such a gorgeous remote island location.
- The African wild comes alive at sunrise, so there will be some early starts. The thrill of spotting your first lion or rhino is well worth any loss of sleep.
- You may also want to check out our Johannesburg to Kenya trip if you have more time to explore in Africa.
View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2025 - 31 December 2025
Itinerary
Inclusions
28 breakfasts, 16 lunches, 21 dinners
Overland vehicle, 4x4 Safari Vehicle, Mokoro, Ferry, Minibus
Camping (with facilities) (22 nights), Bush camp (no facilities) (2 nights), Hotel (2 night), Bunglow (2 nights)
- Khama Rhino Sanctuary - Sunset Game Drive Open Vehicle
- Okavango Delta - Mokoro safari
- Okavango Delta - Sunrise Walk
- Okavango Delta - Brewery Tour
- Nata - Makgadikgadi Salt Pans 4x4 Excursion
- Chobe National Park - River Cruise
- Victoria Falls - Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust (The Intrepid Foundation partner) visit
- Matobo National Park - Rhino Tracking, Park Visit & San Rock Paintings
- Masvingo - Great Zimbabwe Ruins guided visit
- South Luangwa - Anti-Poaching Jewelery Project
- South Luangwa National Park - 4x4 Afternoon Game Drive
- South Luangwa National Park - 4x4 Dawn Game Drive
- Mikumi National Park - 4x4 Game Drive
- Okavango Delta - Helicopter Scenic Flight - USD280
- Victoria Falls - Victoria Falls Entrance Fee - USD50
- Chobe National Park - Open Safari Vehicle Morning Game Drive - BWP580
- Victoria Falls - Sunset Cruise - USD50
- Victoria Falls - Canoe trail (full day) - USD185
- Victoria Falls - Helicopter Flight of the Angels (12 mins - Excludes US$25 fuel surcharge and NP fees) - USD150
- Victoria Falls - Helicopter Flight (25 mins - Excludes US$30 fuel surcharge and NP fees) - USD284
- Victoria Falls - Rafting & river boarding (half day) - USD218
- Victoria Falls - Village & township tour - USD61
- Victoria Falls - Canoe trail wine route - USD55
- Victoria Falls - Victoria Falls entrance - USD50
- Bulawayo - Railway Museum - USD5
- Balawayo - Natural History Museum - USD10
- Harare - National Archives - USD3
- Harare - National Botanical Gardens - USD5
- Harare - National Gallery - USD10
- South Luangwa National Park - Game Walk - USD50
- Lake Malawi - Guided village walks - USD15
- Lake Malawi - Bike Hire - USD25
- Lake Malawi - Snorkelling - USD25
- Stone Town Tour - Dharajani Market, Joseph's Cathederal, Palace Museum, Forodhani Food Market - USD20
- Zanzibar - Prison Island Tour - USD25
- Stone Town - Handicraft & Music Urban Adventure - USD50
- Zanzibar - Spice tour - USD25
- Zanzibar - Snorkelling - USD50
- Zanzibar - Dhow Trip - USD35
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. 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.
2. This trip is a combination of UBOO, YXOS and YXON our most popular itineraries. As such the make-up of your group and your leader may change on days 10 and 26.
3. The Zanzibar portion of your itinerary may have a few more passengers than the maximum group size of 22 as we have a crossover of trips starting and finishing in Zanzibar.
4. This trip finishes upon arrival in Stone Town on Day 29. Please do not book any flights until after 2 pm this afternoon.
5.Border crossing delays in the region have been sporadic and difficult to predict. 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.
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.
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