From Cape Town to Botswana
South Africa, Victoria Falls, and Botswana Private Safari
Overview
On this Private Journey, discover the captivating beauty and unlimited adventure of South Africa, Victoria Falls, and Botswana. In South Africa, begin in glorious Cape Town, a wonderful base for exploring the Cape's striking landscapes and renowned wine estates, then head to an exclusive private game reserve for the ultimate in big-game viewing and a chance to encounter lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo, and cheetah in a mosaic of spectacular habitats. Heading to Victoria Falls, experience the majesty of the world-famed Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world, where optional activities include a helicopter trip over the falls, bungee jumping, and whitewater rafting. Your safari ends with a flourish in Botswana's legendary Chobe National Park, with its massive herds of elephants along with great herds of buffalo, zebra, giraffe, and incredible birdlife along the Chobe River.
Arrive: Cape Town, South Africa
Depart: Kasane, Botswana
Highlights
- Thrilling leopard viewing in famed Greater Kruger National Park
- Watch hundreds of elephants bathe in the Chobe River
- Delightful accommodations from Cape Town to Botswana
Itinerary
Join your private guide for fascinating explorations in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Your choice of tours include the Cape Peninsula, a township, historic Robben Island, Table Mountain, the National Botanical Gardens at Kirstenbosch, or a tour of South Africa's centuries-old wine estates, with their beautiful Cape Dutch architecture.
With no restricting fences between private gamelands and renowned Kruger National Park, wildlife roams free throughout the open savannas and riverine thickets of this enormous conservancy. Two perennial rivers supply Sabi Sands Game Reserve with invaluable water sources, ensuring some of the largest and most biodiverse wildlife populations in Africa. With your safari guide, enjoy the best leopard viewing in Africa, and track lion, buffalo, rhino, and elephant on morning and evening game drives.
After an overnight in Johannesburg, enjoy the splendor of mile-wide Victoria Falls, one of the wonders of the world. Optional activities include a helicopter ride over the falls, a guided walk along the falls, bungee jumping, and rafting the wild Zambezi (extra day needed for this option).
Elephants reign supreme in legendary Chobe, where permanent rivers ensure large concentrations of game, including huge herds of buffalo, wildebeest, many prides of lion, and a breathtaking annual zebra migration. Head into the heart of Chobe's amazing wilderness by 4WD and by small boat on the Chobe River, where elephants gather by the hundreds. Depart on Day 10.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is rated Level 2, Easy to Moderate, according to our trip rating system. It is a luxury camping and lodge safari with game viewing by 4WD vehicle and can be enjoyed by anyone in reasonably good health. On safari, there are long driving days over rough roads and rugged dirt tracks. Guided bush walks are available and they take place at a moderate pace.
Review Trip Level Details
The lodges on this program offer excellent gameviewing year round. Game viewing is often at its best from the end of March to the end of August, the drier season, when vegetation becomes sparser, causing greater animal congregations around waterholes. Most rainfall occurs usually between December and February in the form of afternoon or evening thunderstorms. In general, there is a warm climate with cool nights in “winter” (March-August in the Southern Hemisphere).
Cape Town's peak season is September to March, with highs of 65°F in September up to 80°F in February. September to February, there is little rain. Southeasterly winds occur in November and early December. In the cooler months, the daily highs are in the mid-60s. The highest rainfall is in July and August. For those who are interested in the shark diving option, the best season is May to August, and the intermediate season is March/April and September/October. At Victoria Falls, the months of May to September are like Mediterranean summers, with warm, sunny days and cool nights. Frosts at night are not uncommon. Most of the rain comes between October and April in the form of afternoon thunderstorms.
Client Testimonials
"An excellent holiday to the highest standards for quality and comfort."
Anthony C.
Singapore
"Thank you for planning such a spectacular adventure for us! We enjoyed each and every stop of our journey, and how efficiently and pleasantly we got from location to location. And thank you, too, for listening to our hopes and dreams for this adventure and for all your effort to make those dreams come true. Our African private journey was the best trip of our lives."
Beth and Raoul E.
Shoreline, WA
"This was the best adventure of our lives! Every day had a fun first of some sort. The private journey suited us very well."
Beth E.
Shoreline, WA
"The lodges where we stayed were all excellent. The Sanctuary accommodations especially, in Chobe, have moved the bar higher for our expectations of a hotel."
Gregory J.
Prince Frederick, MD
"Loved every part of itinerary, a once-in-a-lifetime trip."
Jane B.
Santa Barbara, CA
"All three of our safari guides were really outstanding—knowledgeable, hardworking, and friendly. We felt like we established great relationships with all of them."
Jill G.
Wilmette, IL
"A flawless trip. It could not have better met our expectations of a dream vacation."
Jim B.
Carrollton, TX
"We had a spectacular time and Wilderness Travel did a wonderful job of organizing, hiring local guides, and getting us where we should or needed to be."
John S.
Lafayette, CA
"A wonderful trip—it could not have been better. Absolutely everything was first class."
John W.
Greensboro, NC
"We had a wonderful time and so appreciate the great work of Wilderness Travel!"
Katie P.
Pacific Palisades, CA
"Thank you for planning such an amazing trip. From beginning to end, it was perfect in every way. We will treasure our memories from this trip for the rest of our lives."
Lawry M.
Pacific Palisades, CA
"Absolute trip of a lifetime! Food and accommodations were amazing and transport was perfect. We could not have done it without Wilderness Travel."
Nancy M.
Moraga, CA
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Book your trip today
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
Itinerary
Submit the form below to download itinerary
Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
- Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
- Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.