Departs: Johannesburg
Ends: Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)
South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe
A guided safari through Botswana. Experience the enormous Magadikgadi pans, the Okavango Delta by traditional dug-out canoes, and Moremi game reserve’s abundant wildlife. Explore Chobe National Park by boat and enjoy spectacular views of Victoria Falls!
Limited Participation: An essential part of your safari is some participation. From carrying your own bag to cleaning your window and packing the truck in the morning – it’s all part of your adventure and when everyone puts in a little effort the trip will run smoothly. Where the tour leaders provide meals we ask that clients help (on rotation) with the washing up.
Botswana is considered Southern Africa’s premier game viewing destination. Get the best wilderness experience in Southern Africa by bush walk, game drive – and even by dug-out canoe. Cruise past hippos in the Okavango Delta and watch thirsty elephants at the river in Chobe National Park. End with a very grand finale: Victoria Falls.
JOHANNESBURG to KHAMA RHINO SANCTUARY [chalets – LD]
(B=breakfast, L=lunch D=dinner)
Departing Johannesburg at 06:30am we head north into Botswana and the Khama Rhino Sanctuary. The Khama Rhino Sanctuary Trust is a community based wildlife project established in 1992 to assist in saving the vanishing rhino, restore an area formerly teeming with wildlife to its previous natural state and provide economic benefits to the local Botswana community through tourism and the sustainable use of natural resources. This reserve situated on the Kalahari sandveld, has several natural waterholes and provides prime habitat for white rhino, zebra and wildebeest.
MAUN [lodge BL-]
We drive through the Kalahari to Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta. Since Maun’s founding in 1915 as the capital of the Motswana people, it has had a reputation as a hard-living ‘Wild West’ town helping the local cattle ranching and safari operations. The name Maun is derived from the San word ‘maung’, which translates ‘the place of short reeds’.
OKAVANGO DELTA [tented camp x2 BLD]
We drive into the Okavango Delta to the launch station where we board our mekoro’s and pole to our tented camp in the heart of the largest inland delta in the world. This amazing environment has large numbers of red lechwe, buffalo, elephant and birds, particularly kingfishers! One of the best experiences in the Okavango Delta is to be poled along reed-lined channels in a mokoro (dug-out canoe). Sit back and relax as the water gurgles gently under the mokoro while your skilled poler points out the fauna and flora.
MOREMI [3x tented bushlodge BLD, 1x lodge BL-]
We take an open 4WD into Moremi Game Reserve for fantastic game viewing! Chief’s Island is the largest landmass within Moremi and was the Batswana tribe’s richest hunting ground, before being declared a game reserve by the tribe. We spend 4 days on game drives watching the abundant wildlife including elephant, hippo, buffalo, lion & other game, both in Moremi Game Reserve and in private concession reserves surrounding the park. For an extraordinary wildlife experience we have a session in an underground hide. As the only water source in the area, wildlife is attracted to this waterhole, particularly the large bull elephants. You are so close these magnificent creatures that you can hear them breathing. We return to Maun midday on day 8 for an evening restaurant meal (own expense).
MAKGADIKGADI PANS [tented lodge or chalets BL -]
We have time for an optional game flight over the Okavango (own expense) before we head to Nata. The shimmering saltpans of Makgadikgadi appear as a glaring white, endless plain. When the rain comes a dramatic change takes place as thousands of wildebeest and zebra migrate to the sweet nutritious grasslands and clouds of flamingo feed in its algae rich waters. It is an area of low rainfall so this spectacle only lasts a short while. (Please note due to high rainfall in the area over the last few years that there is water in the section of the pans we visit)
CHOBE NATIONAL PARK [lodge BL -]
The Chobe River is a stunning feature of Botswana and will be the focus of our lodge stay. The Chobe River flows lazily along the northern boundary of the Chobe National Park attracting some of the largest herds of elephant in Africa. Early morning 4WD game drive in the Chobe National Park and an afternoon game viewing “sundowner” cruise to see the mighty elephant herds return to the Chobe River to quench their thirst.
VICTORIA FALLS (ZIMBABWE) [hotel Bx2 – -]
We visit “Mosi oa Tunya” or “the smoke that thunders” – Victoria Falls. These magnificent falls are one of the seven natural wonders of the world. A rich and fertile rain forest, fed by the spray or “smoke”, surrounds the falls attracting colourful birdlife. Opportunities to white water raft on the mighty Zambezi River,bungi jump, or take a “flight of angels” (own expense).
VICTORIA FALLS – TOUR ENDS [- B – -]
Tour ends after breakfast at 08:00am.
This tour departs at 06:30 from the pre-tour accommodation hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa. You will therefore need to fly into OR Tambo International airport (JNB) in Johannesburg the day before the tour starts. (Depending on your flight arrival time, you can book an own expense, optional afternoon excursion to either SOWETO or Maropeng, bookable and payable on arrival in Johannesburg.)
The tour ends at approximately 08:00 after breakfast at the accommodation in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. You can therefore book your outbound flight from Victoria Falls Airport, Zimbabwe (VFA) for the last day of the tour. (You can also book an outbound flight from Livingstone Airport, Zambia (LVI) but this may require a visa into Zambia).
If you would like to book any pre-tour or post-tour accommodation, please indicate your required airport transfers and the number of nights required when you submit your enquiry below.
Start Date | End Date | Tour Code | Language | Departure Status | Price | Trip Status | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023-04-23 | 2023-05-06 | BTa14 | German | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Fully Booked | FULL |
2023-04-30 | 2023-05-13 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Available | BOOK NOW |
2023-05-14 | 2023-05-27 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Fully Booked | FULL |
2023-05-28 | 2023-06-10 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Limited | BOOK NOW |
2023-06-04 | 2023-06-17 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Fully Booked | FULL |
2023-06-11 | 2023-06-24 | BTa14 | English | 2 to Guarantee | €3,190.00 | Available | BOOK NOW |
2023-06-18 | 2023-07-01 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Limited | BOOK NOW |
2023-06-25 | 2023-07-08 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Limited | BOOK NOW |
2023-07-02 | 2023-07-15 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Available | BOOK NOW |
2023-07-09 | 2023-07-22 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Waitlist Only | BOOK NOW |
2023-07-16 | 2023-07-29 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Fully Booked | FULL |
2023-07-23 | 2023-08-05 | BTa14 | German | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Available | BOOK NOW |
2023-07-30 | 2023-08-12 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Fully Booked | FULL |
2023-08-06 | 2023-08-18 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Fully Booked | FULL |
2023-08-13 | 2023-08-26 | BTa14 | German | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Limited | BOOK NOW |
2023-08-20 | 2023-09-02 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Fully Booked | FULL |
2023-08-27 | 2023-09-09 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Limited | BOOK NOW |
2023-09-03 | 2023-09-16 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Fully Booked | FULL |
2023-09-10 | 2023-09-23 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Limited | BOOK NOW |
2023-09-17 | 2023-09-30 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Limited | BOOK NOW |
2023-09-24 | 2023-10-07 | BTa14 | German | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Limited | BOOK NOW |
2023-10-01 | 2023-10-14 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Available | BOOK NOW |
2023-10-08 | 2023-10-21 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Available | BOOK NOW |
2023-10-15 | 2023-10-28 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Available | BOOK NOW |
2023-10-22 | 2023-11-04 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Available | BOOK NOW |
2023-10-29 | 2023-11-11 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Available | BOOK NOW |
2023-11-05 | 2023-11-18 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Available | BOOK NOW |
2023-11-12 | 2023-11-25 | BTa14 | German | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Available | BOOK NOW |
2023-11-19 | 2023-12-02 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Available | BOOK NOW |
2023-11-26 | 2023-12-09 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Available | BOOK NOW |
2023-12-03 | 2023-12-16 | BTa14 | English | Guaranteed | €3,190.00 | Available | BOOK NOW |
2023-12-10 | 2023-12-23 | BTa14 | English | €3,190.00 | Available | BOOK NOW | |
2023-12-17 | 2023-12-30 | BTa14 | English | €3,190.00 | Available | BOOK NOW | |
2023-12-24 | 2024-01-06 | BTa14 | English | €3,190.00 | Available | BOOK NOW |
![]() | Overnight: a total of all 13 nights accommodation in lodges, chalets and tented camps. Of which; 10 nights on safari we stay at small and intimate lodges, with en suite facilities. |
![]() | 1 night in Khama is in self catering chalets where two bedrooms share a bathroom. |
![]() | 2 nights tented camp in the Okavango. Each tent has twin camp beds with linen and en suite chemical toilet. Shared bucket shower tent with hot water off the fire. |
![]() | Meals: 13 breakfasts, 11 lunches and 6 dinners are included. Of which 9 breakfasts, 3 lunches & 3 dinners are provided by the lodges. The remaining included meals are provided by the Sunway crew, prepared at the vehicle and eaten around the camp fire. |
![]() | Transport: for the majority of this safari you travel in a custom-built Sunway Safari trucks with 12 forward facing seats; or (on 10% of tours) Mercedes Sprinter minibuses with 12 forward facing seats and air conditioning. For the game drives in Moremi and Chobe and the transfer into the Okavango we use open sided 4WD vehicles with local guides. |
We accept children 12-18 with accompanying adults on scheduled tours (for private groups we can accept younger children).
If the clients are older than 65 years, then we require a medical certificate too (stating client is fit and healthy to embark on a multi-day tour covering long distances etc)
Botswana is centrally located in Southern Africa and has a sub-tropical climate. Largely Kalahari Desert, there are sizeable differences between the day and night temperatures and being a semi-desert environment, very limited rainfall. In the Delta temperatures are more moderate due to the abundance of water. The Okavango Delta provides a lifeline of water in the desert as the summer rains fall in Angola and take 6 months to arrive in the Okavango. Thus the Okavango Delta is actually expanding as the surrounding desert dries out through winter. This phenomenon creates an incredible wildlife spectacle all year round.
Dry season is from May to October: The game viewing is superb and wildlife is very easy to spot.
May:- Autumn temperatures are typically 10°C/50°F to 28°C/80°F.
June, July & August:- Winter morning game drives can be cold at around 6°C/42°F, but it warms to +-25°C/78°F, so dress in layers with a windproof jacket and beanie.
September & October:- Spring begins and temperatures warm up to +- 34°C/100°F. October is the hottest month in Botswana and the migration of the Southern Carmine Bee-eaters is a sight to behold and a must-see for this time of year.
Green season is from November to April: The intermittent rains bring much needed relief to the bushveld, many antelope have their young, and the world around you is brimming with new life. The rains also settle the dust, and the sunlight provides gorgeous photographic opportunities.
November & December:- As the clouds build up this time is typically cooler than October at between 20°C/69°F and 33°C/91°F but there can still be some very hot days. After the first rains the roads can become muddy in places!
January & February:- The Summer or “Green” months, have occasional spectacular thunderstorms in the afternoons. Temperatures are around 32°C/90°F at midday.
March and April:- The waters of the Okavango Delta start to rise and large herds of elephant and buffalo begin to make their way back to the Okavango as winter approaches. Lovely, clear weather and few clouds prevail, but the nights are cooler and the days very comfortable at around 30°C/87°F.
Please note: This is merely a provisional reservation. One of our Safari Experts will be in contact with you to confirm and finalise your chosen reservation. PLEASE do not book any flights or make ANY travel arrangements until we have confirmed your reservation.
A 20% deposit secures your space and then the balance is paid 60 days prior to departure. If you have any queries, contact our Safari Experts today on 0203 4759929.