Day 1 & 2: Victoria Falls
(2 nights)

How’s this for a showstopping start to the tour – the chance to experience one of the seven wonders of the natural world – Victoria Falls. It’s a location overflowing with sights and sounds that never fail to thrill.

First up, it’s time to check into your lodge at Pioneers Victoria Falls and check out your comfy room. You’ll be surrounded by lush grassy gardens which you can view easily from your large air conditioned room with kingsize bed (or twins) plus ensuite bathroom. Pioneers has two pools in which you can cool off after your journey before spending your first afternoon in any way you choose.

Chances are that will involve heading to Victoria Falls which you can do by yourselves or with a guide. Who knows how long this wonder of the world will keep you entranced, especially considering you have the option to pre-book white water rafting, canoeing or a helicopter flight in the area. If you can tear yourself away before it gets dark, a sunset Zambezi boat cruise is another optional extra that comes highly recommended.

You’ll likely have worked up an appetite by the time you return to Pioneers, where the boma restaurant is your destination for African style food, plus entertainment and the chance to rub shoulders with fellow guests.

You’ll spend a full day at Pioneers Victoria Falls, giving you time to do all the things you couldn’t fit in on Day 1. Breakfast at the camp will set you up for whatever you’ve got planned, but where you eat lunch and dinner is up to you – perhaps you’ll find your ideal restaurant in Victoria Falls town?

Accommodation: Pioneers Victoria Falls - includes breakfast

Day 3 & 4: Chobe National Park
(2 nights)

Today, it’s bye-bye Pioneers and hello Chobe National Park, renowned for elephant, buffalo and all kinds of predators who call this unspoilt wilderness home.

On the way: After an early breakfast and check out at Pioneers, you’ll hit the road, destination Chobe Elephant Camp. You’ll be heading west for a touch over 140km on a journey that takes just under 2 hours. As you cross the border from Zimbabwe into Botswana, your safari guide will give you a warm welcome to the new country, and you’ll have the chance to enjoy your first views of the park and its inhabitants.

When you’re there: Did you know that a third of Africa’s elephants live in Chobe National Park? Well, you do now, and you’ll soon see why the camp is named after these magnificent mammals. But they’re far from the only star attraction, as you can expect to see crocodile, hippo and buffalo in and around the great Chobe river that dominates this part of northern Botswana. Booking a boat cruise or canoeing experience along the river is possible too.

But you might choose to spend your day away from the wet stuff on a game drive in country where the predators roam, namely elephant-hunting lion, lion-hunting hyena, plus cheetah, leopard and wild dog. There are no guarantees you’ll see them all, of course, as wildlife roams free in Chobe. But nearly every guest gets to see large herds of buffalo and elephant.

The cruise and game drive are both activities you can take part in after you’ve checked into Elephant Camp for your 2-day, 2-night stay. There are 18 rooms in total, each accommodating two guests. You’ll have an ensuite private bathroom with showers inside and out, plus a private verandah.

The camp has a traditional farmstead look and feel about it, with plenty of polished wood and furnishings with rustic charm, particularly in the open plan communal area where you’ll find the dining area, bar, and a sitting area with reading corner full of comfy couches. It all leads out into the boma, where you can choose to relax and refresh under the stars and around the firepit, and to the pool where you can take a dip to cool off.

Accommodation: Chobe Elephant Camp - all meals provided as part of your package

Day 5 - 7: Khwai Community Area
(3 nights)

Today, you’ll check out of Chobe and head for the Khwai Community Area, specifically the Khwai Guest House which will be your base for the next 3 days and nights. Khwai is a private concession situated on the northern border of the Moremi Game Reserve.

On the way: After leaving the Elephant Camp with a good breakfast inside you, you’ll be driven through the southern reaches of the Chobe National Park. A stop for lunch in the Savuti area will break up the journey southwest to Khwai which takes a little over 5 and a half hours, covering some 200 km of varied terrain.

When you get there: The guest house is located on the edge of the traditional style village of Khwai. Your accommodation is actually a collection of six thatched bungalows that take their design inspiration from homes in the nearby village. You’ll have either a twin or double bed plus ensuite bathroom and outside shower, along with a desk and chair.

Activities include safari experiences in the Moremi, with a guide showing you all the local wildlife. You’ll also get the opportunity to try out a traditional canoe (mokoro) and a chance to observe village life in the area.

However you spend your day, you can head back to the guest house where there’s a dining room, bar, lounge area, boma and pool for you to enjoy along with other guests who you should be getting to know pretty well by now.

Accommodation: Khwai Guest House - all meals included and a choice of activities

Day 8: Makgadikgadi
(1 night)

After breakfasting, packing and checking out of the guest house, the next leg of the tour takes you to the Boteti River Camp in central Botswana, home to lion, hyena, wildebeest, zebra and more.

On the way: It’s 340km south from Khwai to Boteti, a journey that takes about 6 hours. You can choose to travel half the way by helicopter, via a 45-minute transfer to Maun, where you can shop, eat in a local restaurant as you wait for the rest of the group travelling by road to catch up (it’s a two and half hour journey by road). After lunchtime refreshments, everyone continues by road to the Boteti, located on the boundaries of the Makgadikgadi National Park near Khumaga village.

When you get there: Check in to your chalet, one of eight in the camp and spend the afternoon relaxing, perhaps by the deck pool or in the communal restaurant, bar or lounge. You could choose to head out from camp and explore one of the world’s biggest salt pans or take part in a game drive or a guided walk to the local village.

Accommodation: Boteti River Camp - full board

Day 9 - 11: Central Kalahari Game Reserve
(2 nights)

After your night in the Boteti River Camp, it will be time to head south into the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and The Dune Camp. This is some of the most remote country on the planet, pure wilderness in which wildlife is left to roam free, making it the ideal location for tracking expeditions and game drives.

On the way: The day will begin with breakfast at Boteti, followed by a game drive along the Boteti River, then heading south into the Kalahari Private Reserve.

When you get there: You’ll have two days at Dune Camp in the Deception Valley Private Reserve, taking part in game drives and guided nature walks as you please.

Trackers with unparalleled knowledge of the bush will lead the way, taking you to the areas where lion, hyena and cheetah are regularly seen. You’ll also have a chance to learn more about San bushman culture, as locals are ready to share with you information about their way of life in the Kalahari.

Your accommodation is chalet-style – eight in total, each with a double or twin bed with an attached bathroom and private verandah overlooking the beautiful Kalahari.

As this is the final stop on the tour, you’ll have a last chance to socialise with fellow tour guests in the bar, dining area, boma and viewing lounge at Dune Camp. There’s also a swimming pool, and all meals are included in the package price you pay.

Accommodation: The Dune Camp - full board

Day 11: Maun (Departure)

Your tour concludes with breakfast at Dune Camp before travelling north to Maun International Airport and a flight home, or to the next destination on your African adventure.

It’s possible to take this tour in reverse – starting in the Kalahari and ending at Victoria Falls. See Botswana & Victoria Falls 11-Day Group Tour – Northbound for more details.