Amazing Southern Africa

23 Days | Uncover the incredible wildlife, culture and landscapes of Southern Africa on this adventure through South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.

4.6 out of 5 based on 18 reviews submitted.
Overland
Wildlife
From
USD $8,969
View dates and book

Travel to Africa and jump onboard an exhilarating journey through the magnificent nations of South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. Southern Africa is bursting with a diverse array of wildlife, culture and landscapes - all waiting to be explored and celebrated. Travel through stunning scenery and watch as lush green landscapes give way to harsh desert dunes and rocky mountain peaks. Take to the water on mokoros and in a houseboat, embark on thrilling game drives, be immersed in unique ecosystems and be blown away by the sheer force of Victoria Falls. With welcoming locals and genuine experiences around every corner, this trip is full of surprises.

Trip overview

Map of Amazing Southern Africa including Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe
Start
Cape Town, South Africa
Finish
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Theme
Overland, Wildlife
Destinations
Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe
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
Comfort
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1 - Max 13
Trip code
UBKEC
This trip generates 31 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
  • Venture out on an exhilarating morning game drive in open 4WDs through Chobe National Park, home to an impressive concentration of African wildlife. You may encounter elephants, buffalo, giraffes, antelope, and many other fascinating animals that thrive here.
  • The summit of Dune 45 offers a breathtaking view of the vibrant orange sand dunes of Sossusvlei, set against a backdrop of azure sky.
  • Discover the vast expanse of Makgadikgadi Pans, one of the world's largest salt flats, with Southern Africa's oldest inhabitants, the Kalahari Bushman. Be enchanted by the adorable meerkats and majestic elephants, then watch the sunset over the magnificent baobab trees while enjoying some refreshments amidst the wild.
  • Explore the captivating wilderness of Etosha National Park and witness an abundance of wildlife on two exhilarating game drives.
  • Experience the breathtaking Okavango wilderness by spending two nights on a houseboat, where you can enjoy the enchanting melodies of African wildlife at sunset and nightfall.

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, and getting the best possible views of Africa's iconic wildlife. While the trucks don’t have air conditioning, they do have sliding windows that 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/au/africa/overland
  • Namibia summer ( Nov-Mar ) can be very hot and humid with maximum temperatures around 30-35°C and peaks of over 40°C in the desert.
  • This itinerary includes two nights on a houseboat at the Okavango Delta Panhandle. Cabins are very small and basic, with shared facilities.
  • Botswana temperatures rise in the hot dry period of September and October before the rains hit and temperatures can get as high as 34 to 38°C. Not all accommodation will have air-conditioning. This is quite common across Africa, particularly in remote locations where lodges or camps operate on solar power or generators.
  • Botswana is a very seasonal destination. What you see and experience can differ quite dramatically depending on the time of year you visit. Please consider this before you choose your departure date. See the 'Climate and seasonal information' section of the Essential Trip Information for more details.
  • 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.

Itinerary

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

Map of Amazing Southern Africa including Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe

Inclusions

Meals

21 breakfasts, 16 lunches, 16 dinners

Transport

Overland vehicle, Mokoro, Open Safari Vehicle, Boat

Accommodation

Lodge (10nights), Hotel (8 nights), Desert Camp (2 nights), Houseboat (2 nights)

Activities
  • Complimentary Arrival Transfer
  • Fish River Canyon - Canyon entrance
  • Sesriem - Sesriem Canyon Visit
  • Sossusvlei - Dune 45
  • Damaraland - Petrified Forest
  • Damaraland - Twyfelfontein Bushman Paintings
  • Damaraland - Burnt Mountain
  • Damaraland - Living Museum
  • Etosha National Park - Overland Vehicle Game drives
  • Etosha National Park - 4x4 Vehicle Game Drive
  • Okavango Delta - Speedboat Cruise
  • Okavango Delta - Mokoro safari
  • Okavango Delta - Nature Walk
  • Makgadikgadi Pans - Meerkat & Kalahari Bushman Experience
  • Chobe National Park - River Safari Cruise
  • Chobe National Park - Open Safari Vehicle Game Drive
  • Victoria Falls - Entrance & Visit
  • Victoria Falls - Brewery Tour and Tasting
Add on activities
  • Cape Town - Cape Peninsula and SUP Tour - Full Day - ZAR2100
  • Cape Town - Robben Island Ferry & Table Mountain Tour - Full Day - ZAR1800
  • Cape Town - Best of the Cape Combo Tour - Full Day - ZAR2000
  • Cape Town - Cape Peninsula & Kirstenbosch Tour - Full Day - ZAR2000
  • Cape Town - District Six & Bo-Kapp Cultural Tour - Half Day - ZAR965
  • Cape Town - Winelands Tour - Full Day - ZAR1800
  • Cape Town - Township Experience - Half Day - ZAR965
  • Cape Town - City and Waterfront Tour - Half Day - ZAR1100
  • Cape Town - Cape Malay Cooking Tour - Half Day - ZAR1200
  • Cape Town - Winelands Tour - Half Day - ZAR1350
  • Cape Town - Cape Peninsula & Table Mountain Tour - Full Day - ZAR2000
  • Cape Town - Harbour cruise - ZAR200
  • Cape Town - Table Mountain Aerial Cable - ZAR380
  • Cape Town - Table Mountain Hike - ZAR1600
  • Cape Town - Robben Island tour - ZAR550
  • Orange River - Canoe trip - NAD550
  • Swakopmund - Swakopmund Museum - USD2
  • Okavango Delta - Helicopter Scenic Flight - USD280
  • Victoria Falls - Whitewater rafting (Seasonal - excludes USD10 NP Fee) - USD126
  • Victoria Falls - Jet Boat (Seasonal - excludes USD10 NP Fee) - USD110
  • 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
  • Victoria Falls - River Song Sunset Cruise (excludes USD10 NP Fee) - USD75
  • Victoria Falls - Standard Sunset Cruise (excludes USD10 NP Fee) - USD45
  • Victoria Falls - Bridge Tour - USD68
  • Victoria Falls - Traditional Village Tour - USD55
  • Victoria Falls - Bridge Swing - USD168

Dates and availability

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Important notes

1. If you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip, you may purchase a single supplement, subject to availability. The single supplement excludes Days 16 & 17 (House Boat), where you will be in shared accommodation. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.

2. 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.

3. This is a combination trip made up of two shorter trips. This means the composition of your group may change in Windhoek as some group members leave and new ones join you.

4. The weight of baggage that can be brought on this tour is limited by the packing space and weight restrictions of the truck. The weight limit for luggage on all of our trucks is a maximum of 15-20kgs per person, plus a maximum of 5kgs for your day pack. Backpacks shouldn’t have an external frame unless it can easily be removed and stored separately to avoid damaging other people’s luggage. We strongly advise passengers to travel with a backpack or a duffel bag, and it is essential that no hard suitcases be brought on tour. For valuables, like passports, we offer a safe on each vehicle that is shared by all passengers to keep their documentation safe during their journey.

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.

6. The minimum age for this trip is 15 at the time of travel. Any travellers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian, or in lieu of a legal guardian, by an escort over the age of 18, appointed by their legal guardian. The legal guardian or their designee will be responsible for the traveller under the age of 18 day to day’s care. If a legal guardian elects to designate an escort in their lieu, they will be required to complete and sign a relevant document to delegate their authority.

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

4.6 out of 5 based on 18 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.

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Wendy · Traveled July 2024
The inclusions including the early morning safari's to the sunset cruises were beautiful and relaxing. Reminder to everyone, to bring a warm beanie and scarf for the early mornings on the speedboats and the safari trips. Thank you to Sandile and Goodman for being knowledgable and always professional. A trip well worth experiencing!
Review submitted 16 Aug 2024

Wendy · Traveled July 2024
You will love this trip! Yes all the comments about long drives are true. Long dusty drives. There are plenty of them and some days you will think this is too much. But then you'll reach your destination where the welcome will be warm, the cold drinks plentiful, the accommodation mostly excellent, the locals smiling and friendly, and the sights and animals unimaginably fantastic. We were lucky with what we saw; not all visitors see the animals living their lives like we did. But our crew played a huge part in this. Spha's experience and understanding of the areas we were in was outstanding and he always managed to get us to the right place at the right time for the best wildlife experiences. Patience and a sense of humour will be helpful, and there was plenty of humour every day on our trip of a lifetime.
Review submitted 27 Jul 2024

Don romesh · Traveled June 2024
Amazing!
Review submitted 28 Jun 2024

Jennifer · Traveled June 2024
I highly recommend this trip. Southern Africa truely is Amazing Combined with our leader Tshepo and our driver Mr Chris contributed to expanding my limited knowledge of this area and enjoyment of my time while there.
Review submitted 28 Jun 2024

ANITA · Traveled May 2024
This trip was ideal for our first visit to Africa, it’s a destination we often hear many negative things about but we always felt safe and all the people we came in contact with were wonderful, smiling and so helpful. Food was excellent, accommodation very comfortable, particularly the Gondwana properties and the long travel days on some bad roads were tolerable to see a good cross section of scenery and so many animals! Would definitely recommend arriving early and spending extra days in Cape Town if you can. We also did an extra afternoon game drive in Chobe on the day of arrival, this was well worth it as the animals we saw were completely different to the included early morning game drive, both were great. Would have liked to spend an extra night in Windhoek to have the chance to see the city as we arrived late in the afternoon and left early the next morning.
Review submitted 22 Jun 2024
Amazing Southern Africa
From
USD $8,969