12 days - Cape Town to Chobe National Park
Twelve days from Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula through Matobo, Hwange and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, ending in Chobe National Park in Botswana.
The journey
Green and humid; game is dispersed and the Matobo trails are slippery. The rains lift the Zambezi and the falls begin to build; hot and humid with storms. Green and hot; game is more scattered and the river is high.
Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula, then a flight to Bulawayo.
Upon arrival at Cape Town airport, a driver will be waiting to transfer you to your accommodation in the city.
You will have the rest of the day free to settle in and relax.
After breakfast at the hotel, we will pick you up for an exciting half-day excursion with one of our experienced guides. You will have the opportunity to discover and explore the contrasted and charming nooks of this colourful city.
The day will take you to the City Hall, the Castle of Good Hope: this pentagonal fort is the oldest surviving building in South Africa; the Company's Garden – a large public park, originally Jan van Riebeeck's orchard, which he cultivated to feed the original colony as early as 1652; and Signal Hill which has spectacular views of the city and the famous Noon Gun plus various other interesting locations.
At the end of your excursion through the city, we will transfer you back to your hotel, and you can spend the rest of the day relaxing or exploring the city at your leisure.
After an early breakfast, we will pick you up at your hotel and proceed to your full-day excursion to the Cape Peninsula—the Atlantic and Indian Ocean coasts.
The first stop is in the charming fishing village of Hout Bay. Afterwards, you will continue along the Atlantic coast to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Cape Point, the most southern tip of Africa and the mythical meeting place of the two great oceans.
On the return journey, you will pass through the naval town of Simon's Town and then through the fishing port of Kalk Bay and the lush suburb of Constantia. End the day with a visit to the famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens before returning to your hotel.
Matobo National Park, Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls.
Safari Arrival at Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe
Fly from Cape Town to Bulawayo (international flight not included). Upon arrival, a driver will transfer you to Matobo National Park. Check in at Matobo Hills Lodge, relax by the pool, and enjoy the stunning scenery and starry night skies.
Matobo National Park is famous for its balancing rocks and dramatic granite kopjes, Matobo covers 3,000 km², with 400 km² protected. The rugged hills support diverse vegetation and wildlife, including kudu, zebra, waterbuck, and white rhino.
In the morning, you will have the chance to enjoy any activity included in your stay. A popular one is a game and sightseeing drive, in an open safari vehicle, to the famous “Silozwane” caves. There, you will discover the ancient cave paintings that give one the feeling of travelling back in time to ancient Zimbabwe.
Afterwards, you will hike up the mountain (light climbing) to enjoy the impressive views of the surroundings of the park, an almost aerial experience.
You will return to the lodge for lunch and some downtime; after which you can either spend the day relaxing by the pool or in your room, or you can go out for another safari and sightseeing adventure.
Just after sunset, those who have gone out will return to the lodge for dinner.
Early in the morning, you will head to your next safari experience, in the famous Hwange National Park.
The road trip is approximately 4 hours (for those departing from Matobo) and 3 hours (for those departing from Victoria Falls), you will likely arrive at your destination around lunchtime.
After lunch and a short rest, an experienced safari guide will take you on a 3 to 4-hour game drive through the area and maybe the Park, in search of its diverse and abundant wildlife.
You will return to the lodge, freshen up and enjoy a delicious dinner in the tranquility of the wild and remote surroundings.
*Optional night safaris can be done if the lodge offers this activity—not included.
Today you have choices to do a full day game drive in the park, a morning and/or a late afternoon game drive through a private concession or the park, a walking safari, a cultural tour. Or maybe you would prefer to stay at the lodge and simply relax in the beautifully wild surroundings.
Whatever your choice, breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served at the lodge unless you are out on a game drive during meal times, in which case you will have a packed meal.
Today you will depart for Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) in the morning, which is approximately 3 hours by road.
Upon arrival in Victoria Falls, you will have the morning at leisure and be free to walk around the town, do some shopping, try out one of the many restaurants, or simply relax at your accommodation. You may also opt for any of the other activities offered in Victoria Falls this afternoon. Note: these extra activities are not included.
In the evening, the dinner will be in pure "Zimbo" style at the exceptionally unique and charming “Dusty Road” restaurant. You will have the chance to sample some of the most typically traditional Zimbabwean dishes in an ambiance inspired by the African township vibe. In this case, those of Chinotimba and Mkhosana, the two main residential suburbs of the city of Victoria Falls. Moreover, the restaurant is in "Chinotimba Township”, making the experience even more authentic if that is possible.
After dinner, each guest can either return to the accommodation or enjoy the city's nightlife.
An early morning breakfast cruise on the Zambezi River is highly recommended and can be added as an optional activity, hence it is not included. Bookings can be arranged the day before if travellers are keen.
Finally, today you will experience the majestic Victoria Falls after a reasonable walk from your accommodation to the park entrance of the Falls. During this spectacular experience, you will see the Zambezi River fall from 108 m into the Gorge from various viewpoints situated along the cobbled pathways.
You will have the morning and afternoon at leisure and free to walk around the town, do some shopping, try out one of the many restaurants for lunch or simply relax at your accommodation. You may also opt for any of the other activities offered in Victoria Falls to fill the gap this afternoon. Note: these extra activities are not included.
Extra activity options: Helicopter flight over the falls; bungee jumping; rafting; zip line; and many more!
A little later in the afternoon, you will take a trip to the local markets to buy some ingredients for dinner, while experiencing the local township and traditional foods of the area.
You will return to a selected location for a "braai" – the local term for a barbeque - and with the help of the tour leader, everyone will take part in the preparation and cooking of the typical African braai dishes. Limited local wines, beers, sodas included, other beverages as per request and on guests own account.
Tonight coincides with Africa Day and often there will be different live concerts and events which you can join to celebrate this magical land after the braai or return to your accommodation.
Chobe National Park, with game drives and river cruises.
After breakfast, you will hit the road for a 1 hour’s drive to Kazungula, the Zimbabwe-Botswana border. Upon entry into Botswana, you will head in the direction of Chobe National Park to your lodge.
After check-in and lunch, you can choose between a game drive in the Chobe National Park or a game cruise on the Chobe River—both highly recommended experiences.
Suggestion: Game cruise first and save the game drive for a full day safari tomorrow.
Whether exploring the Park from land or from the River, incredible sightings of wildlife and beautiful landscapes are abundant and vast. You will not tire of enjoying one of the best safaris experiences and scenery in Africa.
After your safari, you will return to your accommodation for a delicious dinner and a good first night, close to such an impressive stretch of River.
Today you can choose a combination: Two game drives (morning and afternoon) or two game cruises on the river (morning and afternoon), or a combined drive and cruise (one in the morning and one in the afternoon). And of course, you can also just relax at your lodge.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served at the lodge after the activities.
The detail
Embark on an exciting 12-Day South Africa journey through some of the most remarkable places. Your adventure begins at the very edge of the continent in Cape Town. Here you'll discover the wonders of the city and explore its stunning surroundings.
Continuing your expedition, you'll travel to the stunning Victoria Falls, a natural wonder of Africa. Here you will be offered a variety of activities. You can relax and take a leisurely stroll around the area, enjoying the beauty of the falls from various viewpoints. For a more colourful experience, try thrilling activities like rafting, bungee jumping, and zip-lining.
The last leg of the journey takes you to Botswana, where you can take part in a thrilling safari in Chobe National Park. Travelling through the park's unspoiled landscapes, you will witness an astounding variety of wildlife.
Good to know
Photographs from the route, not stock library scenery.
Work down the list. Each step depends on the one above it.
The practical detail that decides whether a trip runs smoothly.
Day 5 starts with a drive in an open vehicle to the Silozwane caves, followed by a light hike for views over the hills. White rhino, kudu and zebra live in the park.
The drive from Matobo to Hwange takes about four hours, and Hwange to Victoria Falls about three. Start early and keep a snack in the vehicle.
You walk to the falls from your accommodation. The Zambezi drops 108 m into the gorge, and viewpoints along the cobbled paths show it from several angles. Extra activities are not included.
Day 10 starts with a one-hour drive to Kazungula for the border. Keep your passport and entry papers at hand, and expect some waiting.
Chobe holds one of Africa’s largest elephant populations. A game cruise on the first afternoon leaves the full day of drives for the next day.
Tip guides, drivers and lodge staff at each stay. Your final documents include a general guide.
Plan this journey
Every journey is planned around your dates and your party. Tell us who is travelling and when, and a specialist will come back with a tailored itinerary and a quote. Payment is by invoice.
