Okavango & Beyond - 9 Days

Mhoro! Welcome to Zimbabwe. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm in Victoria Falls. If you arrive early, maybe head to the Shear Water Activity Centre to see what optional activities are available. Maybe explore the village and township or take a helicopter flight over the cascades and see the falls from a bird’s eye view. After the welcome meeting,  sit down to a traditional Zimbabwean dinner and cultural performance by a local group who celebrate and preserve African stories and values through movement, while their profits go to supporting vulnerable groups and providing free dance lessons to local youth. Dinner will feature local Zimbabwean dishes, including village-style goat stew and peanut butter rice.

Travel to Chobe National Park in Botswana this morning. You’ll stop at the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust along the way – one of The Intrepid Foundation’s projects. Here, you’ll learn about the rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife, the human-wildlife conflict and the trust’s role in anti-poaching. There may also be a chance to meet any rescued or orphaned wildlife currently in their care. Chobe National Park was the first national park to be established in Botswana and is best known for its high concentration of elephants, which can often be seen swimming in the Chobe River. The river also attracts wallowing hippos, a variety of birdlife and crocodiles that like to sun themselves by the water's edge. Cheetahs and lions also come down to drink in the river, so if you’re lucky, you might spot one of the predators, too! In the late afternoon, embark on a scenic sunset cruise on the Chobe River guided by an expert local guide and look out for wildlife.

This morning, drive to Gweta where you'll stop for lunch before heading out to explore the amazing Makgadikgadi Pans. Covering some 12,000 sq km, this is one of the largest salt flats in the world. See the region’s iconic baobab trees and visit a local meerkat colony, where you can watch these social animals play and interact in their natural habitat. Then, venture out across the seemingly endless white salt flats in time for sunset. Take in the views, perhaps with a drink in hand, followed by dinner and stargazing under the dark night sky. Tonight, you’ll sleep out on the salt flats in a comfortable bedroll, surrounded by the stillness of the Makgadikgadi and an uninterrupted view of the stars.

Wake up on the Makgadikgadi Pans this morning and enjoy breakfast before making your way back to Gweta, where you’ll have time to freshen up and have a shower. Then, continue towards the Okavango Delta and into the unspoiled wilderness for another adventurous camping experience. The Okavango Delta is unlike anything else in the world – a 16,000-square-kilometre maze of waterways, green islands and lush plains, home to wildlife including hippos, crocodiles, elephants and big cats. Explore the waterways by mokoro (a traditional dugout canoe) with local ‘polers’ and learn more about this incredible ecosystem along the way. Tonight, camp on a remote island in the heart of the delta and listen as the nocturnal creatures of the African bush come to life after sunset.

It's an early start this morning as you venture out for a sunrise walk to catch a glimpse of some local elephants and maybe a few Cape buffalo. After, return to camp for breakfast and enjoy a leisurely free day to relax. You might like to go on an afternoon walk, or there’s the opportunity to go on another mokoro trip. You may notice that the mokoros of today are made with fibreglass (rather than wood) but retain their original shape – this keeps the traditional feel of the boats while reducing the amount of tree-cutting in the delta.

This morning, enjoy a relaxing morning to say goodbye to the delta. Then, it’s on to your next stop. After taking down your camp, head out on a mokoro safari on your way out of the Delta then travel by vehicle to Maun. When you arrive, you’ll have the option to take a scenic helicopter flight over Maun and the delta, seeing things from a bird's eye view.

Travel to the Khama Rhino Sanctuary this morning. On the edge of the Kalahari Desert, the Khama Rhino Sanctuary is a community-based conservation project staffed by local village residents. Built in a former hunting area to protect Botswana's only remaining populations of both black and white rhinos, the sanctuary is also home to other wildlife including zebras, giraffes, leopards, ostriches and wildebeest, all of which can be seen around the many natural waterholes. Visiting this project benefits local communities and contributes to the protection of the highly endangered white rhinoceros. In the evening, head out on a dusk game drive in an open safari vehicle with an expert local ranger to see the rhinos (this will be replaced by a dawn game drive if the group arrives at the sanctuary too late).

Cross the border into South Africa and travel on to Johannesburg - a sprawling city of remarkable contrasts. As you come into town, you'll likely see opulent mansions alongside tin-roof shacks, and verdant city parks alongside the concrete. Enjoy a relaxing evening upon arrival.

Head to Soweto and take to the streets on a bicycle. Learn about the Soweto uprising and the resistance against apartheid. It's interesting to see how the community has changed and developed into what it is today. You'll also visit a former migrant workers' hostel and stop at many other local landmarks. Your cycling adventure should finish at around 3 pm today, whereafter you will be returned to your hotel in Johannesburg. With no further activities planned, your trip comes to an end at this point.