Johannesburg to Zanzibar

29 days51 reviews
Overland
Wildlife
From
GBP £3,173

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.

Map of Johannesburg To Zanzibar including Botswana, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, United Republic Of, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Trip code: UBOBC
Start
Johannesburg, South Africa
End
Zanzibar, Africa
Destinations
Botswana, South Africa, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Meals
28 breakfasts, 16 lunches, 21 dinners
Transport
Overland vehicle, 4x4 Safari Vehicle, Mokoro, Ferry, Minibus
Accommodation
Camping (with facilities) (22 nights), Bush camp (no facilities) (2 nights), Hotel (2 night), Bunglow (2 nights)
Days
29
Group size
Min 1 - Max 22
Ages
Min 15
Theme
Every trip caters to specific interests and activities, such as wildlife or family.
Overland, Wildlife
Style
Basix: Simple accommodation, local transport and lots of free time

Original: Tourist-class hotels, some meals included and a great mix of included activities and free time

Comfort: Comfortable accommodation, with a relaxed pace of travel and many included meals and activities

Premium: 4+ star accommodation, exclusive premium inclusions, our most experienced leaders
Basix
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
This trip generates 22 kg of CO2-e per person per day.
We offset these emissions on your behalf. But we know that is not enough, so we also have a carbon reduction target.

Why you'll love this trip

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 itinerary is valid for departures from 01 January 2025 to 31 December 2025.

View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2024 - 31 December 2024

Itinerary

Map of Johannesburg To Zanzibar including Botswana, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, United Republic Of, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Inclusions and activities

Meals

28 breakfasts, 16 lunches, 21 dinners

Transport

Overland vehicle, 4x4 Safari Vehicle, Mokoro, Ferry, Minibus

Accommodation

Camping (with facilities) (22 nights), Bush camp (no facilities) (2 nights), Hotel (2 night), Bunglow (2 nights)

Included activities
  • 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

Optional activities
  • 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

Is this trip right for you?

  • 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.

Dates and availability

Loading trip dates and availabilities...

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.

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.

Read Essential Trip Information

Reviews

5 out of 5 based on 1 reviews submitted.
Reviews are from travellers who have completed their trip and want to share their experience. We show all reviews, but may remove any that include profanity or inappropriate content, are unrelated to the trip or reveal personal details.

Filter by rating

Athina · Traveled March 2024
Review submitted 29 Mar 2024
Johannesburg to Zanzibar
From
GBP £3,173