South West Safari (19 days)

DAY 1
Livingstone
This safari starts and spends the first day in Livingstone, allowing time to enjoy one or two activities and excursions typically available in the Victoria Falls area. If you have time to spare we would certainly recommend allowing a few extra days here to make the most of the area. Activities include white water rafting, bungee jumping, abseiling, gorge swinging, canoeing, elephant and horse riding, scenic flights (by microlight, helicopter or small plane), and – a definite ‘must!’ - visit to the thunderous Victoria Falls themselves. At times of high river levels the spray can be seen from 20 kilometres away, hence the local name Mosi au Tunya – the ‘smoke that thunders’. Overnight at camp in Livingstone.

NB For the sake of practicality, meals in the Livingstone/Victoria Falls area are restricted to breakfasts. This allows you to take on half day or full day activities (some of which include lunch) without having to be back with the group at mealtimes. The Waterfront camp restaurant overlooks the Zambezi River and offers a good selection of reasonably priced meals and snacks throughout the day (we suggest you allow US$25 per day).

DAY 2 - 3
Chobe National Park
After breakfast we leave Livingstone and travel the short distance to Botswana and the Chobe National Park. Situated in the extreme northern corner of Botswana, Chobe is home to large populations of elephant as well as lion and abundant birdlife, including the African fish-eagle. In the late afternoon, we take an afternoon cruise on the Chobe River - a delightful way to see hippo or elephant, sometimes buffalo, come to the river for bath and drink. Earlier in the day we take an early morning game drive into the park itself for a glimpse of Botswana’s premier game reserve.

DAY 4 - 6
Maun, Okavango Delta
Further south, we cross the fringes of the Kalahari Desert and make our way to Maun and the Okavango Delta. A natural wetland system spreading over some 1.6m hectares of northern Botswana, the results from rivers that rise in Angola and flow south then divide repeatedly to form an intricate floodplain of channels and islands which spreads out into a broad flat inland delta – the only one of its kind in the world. Our overnight excursion gives us the opportunity to explore some of the area on foot and by dugout canoe (makoro). This is a very unspoilt wildlife area. We search amongst the giant lily pads, tall grasses and narrow channels for hippo, crocodile and a variety of birds. We camp for a night in the Delta itself on one of the river islands - an unforgettable wilderness experience!

DAY 7 – 8
Ghanzi, Windhoek
Leaving the Okavango we travel south-west skirting the Kalahari. We stop at Ghanzi and take a guided Bushman Walk to discover some of the secrets of this immense terrain and gain a glimpse of how the indigenous people live in this area. The following day we continue west into Namibia and stop a night in the capital Windhoek, a city steeped in German atmosphere and architecture. Enjoy the contrast from the previous few nights, perhaps with a flagon of ale at one of the local taverns.

Day 9 - 12
Windhoek – Etosha – Cheetah Park - Spitzkoppe
Leaving Windhoek we travel north to Etosha National Park, a reserve surrounding a giant salt pan. We track game for two days in this vast arid region and camp beside a floodlit waterhole, on the lookout for night time wildlife. From Etosha we travel on to the Otjitotongwe Cheetah Park before heading into beautiful Damaraland, with its rocky outcrops and ancient bushman paintings, and set up camp amongst the idyllic scenery.

Day 13 – 15
Swakopmund – Namib Naukluft National Park
From Spitzkoppe we head south to the coastal town of Swakopmund where we can relax or enjoy optional activities such as quad-biking, skydiving or sand-boarding! We continue south to the Namib Naukluft Park, the world’s oldest desert. Clamber to the top of a dune for a dramatic view over the vast red sands at dawn and enjoy a walk through the dunes.

Day 16-19
Fish River canyon – Gariep (Orange) River - Western Cape – Cape Town
Further south we visit another natural wonder of Africa - Fish River Canyon, the second-largest canyon in the world. Crossing the border into South Africa we camp on the banks of the Gariep (Orange) River and enjoy a relaxing afternoon. The tour ends in the cosmopolitan city of Cape Town, one of the world’s most attractive cities where the tour ends. If time allows we recommend you spend a few days exploring the city and surrounds. Take advantage of the variety of activities normally available here – from abseiling Table Mountain and shopping at the V&A Waterfront, to wine tasting in the nearby winelands of Paarl and Stellenbosch.