Waterfalls and Wildlife
NJVJ – 20 DAY WATERFALLS AND WILDLIFE
Price: R 15.600, Sgl Supp: R 280
Day 1 Botswana – Palapye
We depart Johannesburg heading north to Botswana to cross the border and spend our first night in the Khama Rhino Sanctuary, a community based wildlife project, established in 1992 to assist in saving the vanishing rhino.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Khama Rhino Sanctuary: www.khamarhinosanctuary.com
Day 2 Khama Rhino Sanctuary - Maun
This morning we go on a guided game drive through the Sanctuary before departing for Maun. Upon arrival in Maun, we will prepare for the Okavango Delta.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Delta Rain, Sitatunga – www.deltarain.com
Day 3/4 Okavango Delta
During our time in the Delta we enjoy the best nature has to offer. We go on nature walks and if possible will explore the Delta by mokoro. The Delta is the world’s largest inland delta. The rivers leading to the Okavango Delta have no passage to the ocean and irrigate instead some 15,000 square km’s of Kalahari Desert. This is a truly spectacular and unforgettable experience where wild animals are not familiar with people. We travel into the Delta on a large 4x4 vehicle - in high water season boats will be used. We join up with some of the local people and set up our bush camp for the next 2 nights. Optional activities: If you wish to participate in additional Mokoro rides or nature walks, apart from what is included in the activity package, please speak to your guide.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Bush Camping: www.deltarain.com
Day 5 Gweta
We leave the Delta behind us and travel east to Planet Baobab, which is located halfway between Maun and Nata, near the Makgadikgadi Pans. You can explore the bush around our campsite and view some of the oldest Baobab trees in the area.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Planet Baobab: www.unchartedafrica.com/page.php?p_id=59
Day 6 Kasane - Chobe National Park
Today we head north to Kasane, on the banks of the Chobe River. The afternoon is spent game viewing on a river cruise, into the renowned Chobe NP. This is an excellent opportunity to view some of Africa’s spectacular wildlife.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Thebe River Safaris: www.theberiversafaris.com
Day 7 Zimbabwe - Victoria Falls
On arrival in Victoria Falls we have time to plan the next day’s adventure activities before we visit the spectacular Victoria Falls and experience the thundering of the mighty Zambezi as it drops over 100m in to the gorge below. Optional Activities: Chobe National Park Early Morning Game Drive, Zambezi Sunset Dinner Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight: Elephant Hills Hotel: www.elephanthillsresort.com
Day 8 Victoria Falls
Most people will spend the day White Water Rafting, a not-to-be-missed experience of a lifetime! Vic Falls offers many exciting activities so we recommend you add a post-tour night here. Optional Activities: Morning Game Drive in Chobe, White Water Rafting, Bungee Jump, Walking with Lions, Elephant Excursion, Dinner
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Elephant Hills Hotel: www.elephanthillsresort.com
Day 9 Zambia - Livingstone and Zambezi River
Today we cross over the historical railway bridge that links Zimbabwe and Zambia at the Victoria Falls. This bridge was completed in 1905 and was placed, at the request of Cecil John Rhodes, so that the spray from the falls could embrace the railway carriages as they crossed from one side to the other. Once in Zambia there will be a short stop to collect any additional passengers and then we have a long drive to reach the camp for the evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Machembere camp – no website available
Day 10 Lower Zambezi National Park Canoe Trip
Today we will be beginning our canoe adventure in to the Lower Zambezi National Park. Starting early in the morning we will be taking the minimum of equipment necessary and ‘bush camping’ on an island this evening, surrounded by wildlife, including the hippo. This is a unique experience as we will be a long, long way from any form of civilisation!
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Bush Camp Kakomalala - www.riverhorsesafaris.com
Day 11 Lower Zambezi National Park
This is the second day spent on the mighty Zambezi River. As we are travelling downstream with the current the physical effort required to negotiate the river is not extreme and many happy hours can be spent simply drifting and enjoying the beautiful scenery, birdlife and company. At certain times of the year it may not be possible to canoe on the river due to extreme temperatures or water levels. In this instance the 2 days normally spent on the river will be swapped for a 2-night houseboat excursion on Lake Kariba.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Bush Camp Nyakasanga Island - www.riverhorsesafaris.com
Day 12 Kariba
We finish our canoe trip in the morning and make our way to Kariba where you will have the time to relax next to this famous lake. In the evening there is the chance to enjoy and optional sunset cruise. Kariba is the largest artificial lake in the world. Lake Kariba was filled between 1958 and 1963 following the completion of the Kariba dam. Optional Activity: Sunset cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Charara Kariba: No website available
Day 13 Zimbabwe – Chinhoyi Caves
We will pass through the Chirundu Border (sometimes a time consuming process) and re-enter Zimbabwe. From Chirundu it is not a long trip to Chinhoyi. Probably best known for cave diving, the Chinhoyi caves system is the largest publicly accessible cave system in Zimbabwe and reputably a ‘mysterious’ area.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Chinhoyi Caves: www.zimparks.com/html/chinhoyi.html#1
Day 14 Harare and Chimanimani National Park
After visiting the caves it is a short drive from Chinhoyi to Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe, where we will stop for some shopping, lunch and exploration. Although Harare has not had a lot of positive press in the last 10 years, many will be surprised at just how safe and accessible this small, modern capital is. After lunch we will be travelling to the Eastern Highlands and the Chimanimani National Park. The Mountain range that separates Zimbabwe and Mozambique is the site of some simply spectacular hiking and scenery and with time permitting we will take a short walk to the well-known Bridal Veil Falls in the late afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Chimanimani NP Camp: www.zimparks.com/html/chimanimani.html
Day 15 Chirinda Forest
It is possible to spend another full day hiking in the Chimanimani, or take a day trip to Zimbabwe’s only rain forest on the Mozambique Border. Chirinda is the southernmost rain forest in Africa and home to some spectacular large mahogany trees. A short hike to ‘the big tree’ is a lovely outing and a fantastic spot for a picnic lunch.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Chimanimani NP Camp: www.zimparks.com/html/chimanimani.html
Day 16 Great Zimbabwe Ruins
No visit to Zimbabwe could possibly be complete without visiting the world-famous Great Zimbabwe ruins. Dating from around the 11th century these iron-age ruins have been the source of much speculation and disagreement over the years. Built without any mortar some of the walls are up to 5 metres high and still standing after so many centuries. This site was also home to 8 carved Zimbabwe birds, the image of which is found on the Zimbabwean National Flag.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Masvingo: No website available
Day 17 /18 Matobo - Matopos National Park
It is a long drive to reach Greater Matopos NP area. The next day we enjoy a full day Game drive with a local operator into the Greater Matopos NP area. We head towards the Matobo Hills where we view the Bushman Paintings, rock formations and scenery in the National Park. We briefly leave the National Park pay a visit to the African Villages where we have the opportunity to meet the local community. We re-enter the Game Park section of the National Park, where we track Rhino on foot with our guides, as well as looking for other game.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Big Cave Camp: www.bigcave.co.za
Day 19 South Africa – Bulawayo to Messina
After a short visit to the Bulawayo Historical Museum we start the drive back to South Africa. We cross the border at Buitbridge, which can sometimes take a long time, and return to South Africa where we will camp at the border town of Messina.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Tshipise Aventura Camp: www.forevertshipise.co.za
Day 20 Johannesburg
Today we leave early for the journey south along the Great North Road for our final destination in Johannesburg, the City of Gold. We will gradually move up from the Bushveld and Baobabs of the Limpopo Province through citrus and maize fields to the heavily populated and industrialised Highveld and Gauteng Province, the powerhouse of Africa. We will travel through Pretoria, one of South Africa’s capital cities, before arriving in Johannesburg in the late afternoon. Although this final night is not included in the tour most people choose to get together for a final meal out at one of Johannesburg’s many excellent restaurants.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch