Botswana & Zimbabwe Lodge Safari

Overview

Explore the best of Botswana and Zimbabwe on a two-week safari adventure

From the crashing Victoria Falls to the meandering Okavango Delta, this safari visits the best destinations in Zimbabwe and Botswana. Encounter the huge elephant herds of Chobe, search for rhinos and leopards in Matopos and spot wild dogs in Hwange. Starry skies and burnished sunsets complete the adventure. And where better for a sundowner than the shimmering Makgadikgadi Pans?

Highlights

Enjoy fantastic wildlife encounters
Discover two natural wonders: Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta
Look for large populations of elephants, wild dogs and rhinos
Explore diverse ecosystems and changing scenery

Key Information

14 days, travelling by minibus, 4×4 safari vehicles and mokoro canoes
Nine nights in lodges, two nights in a hotel and two nights of full-service camping
Some long drives and some bumpy roads

Included

13 breakfasts, five lunches, eight dinners
All accommodation (see below)
All transport and listed activities
Tour leader throughout

Not included

Travel insurance
Single accommodation (available on request)
Visas or vaccinations

Itinerary

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Day 1: Start Victoria Falls; to Chobe National Park
Meet the group at the airport or at the Rainbow Hotel in Victoria Falls town (see the Joining Instructions for more information, as the airport can sometimes change). We then transfer 75mi (120km) to Kasane, Botswana. The drive takes a little over two hours but there can be delays crossing the border. Once we are settled into our chalets, we meet for a full-tour briefing. Accommodation: Kwalape Lodge (or similar)
Day 2: Game drive and river safari in Chobe National Park
Chobe National Park is best known for its huge populations of elephants and buffalos. With an estimated 40,000 to 60,000 elephants this is, undoubtedly, the best place to see them in the world. The park is also home to wild dogs, lions, leopards and various other wildlife. We start the day by going on a game drive in one of the lodge’s open game-drive vehicles. It will be an early start as we aim to get to the park gates as they open. We spend about three hours on safari before returning to the lodge in time for brunch. There is time to relax at the lodge during the hottest part of the day or explore Kasane town (where we can get local currency) before heading out again, this time on a boat on the Chobe River. After a short transfer to the jetty, we board the boat for a three-hour safari. This is a great opportunity to view the vast herds of elephants and other wildlife from the water. Accommodation: Kwalape Lodge (or similar)
Day 3: Transfer to Maun
Today is a long drive as we transfer the 375mi (600km) between Kasane and Maun, the town on the edge of the Okavango Delta. We’ll stop en route for lunch at the edge of the Makgadikgadi Pan before arriving in Maun mid-afternoon. We spend time in town getting supplies (this is a chance for you to get any extra drinks or snacks you may want while in the delta). From here, it’s only a short drive out of town to our lodge. Accommodation: Crocodile Camp (or similar)
Day 4 - 5: Explore the Okavango Delta by foot and dugout canoe
The Okavango River, after travelling 995mi (1,600km) from the highlands of Angola, reaches the Kalahari and spreads into a large swamp where the water transpires into the plant life and evaporates, never reaching the sea. This makes the Okavango Delta, as this swamp is known, one of the largest inland deltas on Earth and a true natural wonder. The delta islands are home to a vast array of wildlife, including all the usual suspects, though numbers reach their peak during the dryer winter months when animals, including many of the larger ones, migrate here. We head into the delta in mokoro dugout canoes poled by local villagers who have grown up here. When we arrive our camp will be set up for us. The camp is made of tents fitted with camp beds topped by mattresses along with two communal bush showers, two communal bush toilets, and a gazebo/mess tent (depending on the size of the group). Here we get to experience African wilderness at its fullest, not least at night when the Milky Way can be seen across the sky with a billion twinkling stars. We spend the next two days exploring the waterways and islands by mokoro canoe and on foot looking for wildlife and enjoying this amazing part of Africa. Accommodation: Wild camping
Day 6: Morning walking safari; return to Maun
This morning, we have our last mokoro ride as we return to the edge of the delta before returning to Maun. The afternoon is free to relax by the pool or take an optional flight over the delta. Accommodation: Crocodile Camp (or similar)
Day 7: To Nata; visit the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans at sunset
After a brief stop in Maun to resupply, we transfer 185mi (300km) to Nata arriving mid-afternoon. In the late afternoon, we head to the Nata Sanctuary to watch the sunset on the Makgadikgadi Salt Pan. The Makgadikgadi Pan covers more than 6,175sqmi (16,000sqkm) and forms the bed of an ancient lake, now dried up, which once spread as far as the Okavango Delta. Sunsets on the pan are among the best in Africa. Accommodation: Nata Lodge (or similar)
Day 8: Enter Zimbabwe; to Matobo National Park
Today we continue our journey back to Zimbabwe. We go via Francistown and Bulawayo on our way to Matobo National Park. The journey is about 235mi (380km) and driving time shouldn’t be much more than about five hours; however, the border crossing can be busy and may take between two and three hours. We stay in chalets just outside the park and can enjoy sundowners from the granite ridge overlooking the park. Accommodation: Hermits Peak Lodge (or similar)
Day 9: Game drive and walking safari in Matobo National Park
Matobo National Park, also known as Matopos National Park, is an area known for wildlife and kopjes (giant boulders that seem to be stacked precariously). The park is one of the best places to see both black and white rhinos and has a very dense population of leopards (though these predators are still elusive). It is also home to a third of all eagle species. These hills were once populated by the indigenous San people, who have left their mark with rock paintings depicting giraffes, elands and kudu. It was also the colonialist Cecil Rhodes’ favourite place and where he asked to be buried. We enter Matobo National Park early in the morning and go on a game drive followed by a game walk where we hope to see rhino. We visit World’s End, where Cecil Rhodes is buried, and see some of the granite formations and rock paintings. We spend most of the day inside the park returning to the lodge in the afternoon. Accommodation: Hermits Peak Lodge (or similar)
Day 10: Drive to Hwange National Park
After a breakfast we make a quick stop in Bulawayo this morning to resupply before driving 210mi (335km) north to Hwange National Park. The largest national park in Zimbabwe, Hwange covers 5,640sqmi (14,600sqkm) of mopane and teak woodlands and grasslands. It is home to more than 100 mammal species and 400 bird species including all of the specially protected animals in the country. The most famous inhabitants are the elephants and wild dogs, and it is the only place where gemsbok and brown hyena live in reasonable numbers in Zimbabwe. We stay in a property within a game-management area that neighbours the park. Accommodation: Hwange Safari Lodge (or similar)
Day 11: Full-day safari in Hwange National Park
We spend all day on a 4x4 open game drive in search of Hwange wildlife. Accommodation: Hwange Safari Lodge (or similar)
Day 12: Visit Victoria Falls
After a slightly later start to the day, we take a short, final drive back to Victoria Falls, arriving at Victoria Falls town around lunchtime. In the afternoon, we head out towards the mighty falls themselves. Measuring 5,580ft (1,700m) wide and 330ft (100m) high, Victoria Falls is the largest waterfall in the world. The volume of water changes with the seasons but, when full, the spray rises into the sky – a phenomenon that has given the falls their local name Mosi o Tunya, the Smoke that Thunders. They are a site to behold and one that impressed Dr David Livingstone so much that he said: 'Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.’ Accommodation: The Rainbow Hotel (or similar)
Day 13: Full day at Victoria Falls for optional activities
Today is a free day to enjoy the many activities on offer here, such as white-water rafting, taking a flight over the falls, going on a sunset cruise or crossing into neighbouring Zambia to see the falls from another perspective. Accommodation: The Rainbow Hotel (or similar)
Day 14: End Victoria Falls
The trip ends after breakfast. If you’d like more time to explore, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.

Important Information

The trip destination

14 days, travelling by minibus, 4×4 safari vehicles and mokoro canoes
Nine nights in lodges, two nights in a hotel and two nights of full-service camping
Some long drives and some bumpy roads

Food

This trip includes 13 breakfasts, five lunches and eight dinners. We stay in lodges most nights, but meals are prepared by our crew. Breakfast is generally cereal or toast with tea and coffee with the occasional fried breakfast/brunch Lunch is normally a simple picnic of cheese, cold meats, salads, bread or rolls Dinners are cooked meals such as potjies (stew), braais (barbecues), stir-fries etc The trip leaders do all the shopping and meal planning for the group. They always try to obtain fresh produce wherever possible. Each tour has one cool box for the meats and the fresh produce only and one cool box for cold drinks. We supply the following drinks: squash, tea or coffee served with meals. All other beverages will be at your own expense. We do not supply bottled drinking water although it is available at many shops on tour if you want to buy it yourself. On some days where early morning game drives are included, lunch may be substituted for a large brunch on return from the game drive – this is customary. We ensure the number of meals detailed in the Trip Notes are provided. Please note, we need at least two weeks’ notice to deal with special dietary requirements (eg vegetarian or allergies.) For this reason, if you did not indicate these on your booking form, please advise us as soon as possible. The water provided on this trip is safe and clean drinking water, normally from boreholes. It is not bottled water, however. If you would rather have bottled water then this will be at your expense, though we encourage you to make use of the safe drinking water provided as this helps diminish plastic consumption.

Weather

There is no best time to go in terms of game viewing or conditions in the Delta, as the Delta flows year-round, despite its flood periods. The wettest season is January and February, when travel on dirt roads becomes difficult. March to September, although dry and bright, can be cold at night (in June and July it really can be chilly on occasions so bring appropriate gear). Water levels in the Delta will be at their highest in July. From December to June, water levels in the Zambezi are at their highest, and the spray can be seen several miles away as it soars sometimes as much as 152m (500ft) in the air. October and November are the hottest months, and midday temperatures can be very uncomfortable. The rains normally start slowly in late November. December can be wet, but it does not rain for long periods and should definitely not put anyone off travelling, as there is always plenty of sunshine.

Is this trip for you?

This trip has been rated Activity Level 1 (Leisurely). Please see our Activity Level guidelines page for more information.

Drives: This two-week safari covers a lot of ground but connects some of the best places in Botswana and Zimbabwe. It does mean, however, there are some long drives on a combination of paved and dirt roads, though you never know when you may spot wildlife, even outside the parks. The longer drives between the sites are done in a more comfortable minibus while the game drives are done in special safari vehicles.

Accommodation: This is a safari for people who want to see wildlife and get immersed in nature but do it in more comfort. While not luxury, accommodation is in lodges apart from the two nights in the Okavango Delta, which are in our wild campsite.

Weather: October and November are hotter months but are also good for wildlife viewing.

Legal note: All group members joining this tour will be asked to sign an indemnity form at the start of the trip. This indemnity form is a requirement of the South African Tourism Service Association, of which our local supplier is a member. As a client of Exodus Travels Ltd, your rights under the Package Travel Regulations (1992) are unaffected, and Exodus remains liable for the actions of our sub-contractors.

Prices / Dates

By accepting our offer in writing, you/you confirm that our terms and conditions have both been read and understood and that cancellation fees may apply if the trip is cancelled.

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AVAILABLE DATES	PRICE (1 ADULT)	PRICE (1 CHILDREN)	Single room supplement	TRAVEL STATUS
Sun, 28 Apr 2024 / Sat, 11 May 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	Available
Sun, 19 May 2024 / Sat, 01 Jun 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	Available
Sun, 16 Jun 2024 / Sat, 29 Jun 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	Available
Sun, 14 Jul 2024 / Sat, 27 Jul 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	Available
Sun, 21 Jul 2024 / Sat, 03 Aug 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	Available
Sun, 04 Aug 2024 / Sat, 17 Aug 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	Available
Sun, 11 Aug 2024 / Sat, 24 Aug 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	Available
Sun, 18 Aug 2024 / Sat, 31 Aug 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	Available
Sun, 25 Aug 2024 / Sat, 07 Sep 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	Available
Sun, 01 Sep 2024 / Sat, 14 Sep 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	Available
Sun, 08 Sep 2024 / Sat, 21 Sep 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	Available
Sun, 15 Sep 2024 / Sat, 28 Sep 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	Available
Sun, 22 Sep 2024 / Sat, 05 Oct 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	Available
Sun, 29 Sep 2024 / Sat, 12 Oct 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	Available
Sun, 06 Oct 2024 / Sat, 19 Oct 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	Available
Sun, 13 Oct 2024 / Sat, 26 Oct 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	Available
Sun, 20 Oct 2024 / Sat, 02 Nov 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	Available
Sun, 03 Nov 2024 / Sat, 16 Nov 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	Available

AVAILABLE DATES	PRICE (1 ADULT)	PRICE (1 CHILDREN)	SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT	TRAVEL STATUS
Sun, 28 Apr 2024 / Sat, 11 May 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	On request
Sun, 19 May 2024 / Sat, 01 Jun 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	On request
Sun, 16 Jun 2024 / Sat, 29 Jun 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	On request
Sun, 14 Jul 2024 / Sat, 27 Jul 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	On request
Sun, 21 Jul 2024 / Sat, 03 Aug 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	On request
Sun, 04 Aug 2024 / Sat, 17 Aug 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	On request
Sun, 11 Aug 2024 / Sat, 24 Aug 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	On request
Sun, 18 Aug 2024 / Sat, 31 Aug 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	On request
Sun, 25 Aug 2024 / Sat, 07 Sep 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	On request
Sun, 01 Sep 2024 / Sat, 14 Sep 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	On request
Sun, 08 Sep 2024 / Sat, 21 Sep 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	On request
Sun, 15 Sep 2024 / Sat, 28 Sep 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	On request
Sun, 22 Sep 2024 / Sat, 05 Oct 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	On request
Sun, 29 Sep 2024 / Sat, 12 Oct 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	On request
Sun, 06 Oct 2024 / Sat, 19 Oct 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	On request
Sun, 13 Oct 2024 / Sat, 26 Oct 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	On request
Sun, 20 Oct 2024 / Sat, 02 Nov 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	On request
Sun, 03 Nov 2024 / Sat, 16 Nov 2024	NOK 60 010	On request	NOK 8 935	On request

We will get back to you with an offer on the requested trip / package within 48 hours. All offers are non-binding and are usually valid for 7 days. Please note that reserved services can be canceled within these 7 days and that price may change until a final order is received.

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Botswana & Zimbabwe Lodge Safari

Overview

Itinerary

Photos

Important Information

Prices / Dates