You can arrive at any time on day 1 as there are no activities planned until the welcome meeting tonight at 6pm. Your leader will leave a note at reception telling you where this important meeting will take place. Please ask a member of reception for this information. Your leader will check your passport and insurance details at this meeting.

After the group meeting there is the option of joining the group for dinner

Johannesburg is a sprawling city of remarkable contrasts: in the townships, mansions stand alongside tin shacks and there are as many green parks on the outskirts of the city as there are conglomerations of concrete in the city centre. This is a good place to spend a couple of days to get an insight into South Africa's history and it's a great base for exploring the rest of the country.

Days 2-3 Kruger National Park

We have an early morning as we leave Johannesburg and make our way through the Mpumalanga Province, journeying along the famous Panorama Route through some of the most stunning scenery South Africa has to offer. We stop en route at the three Rondavels (Sisters) and the view point of the magnificent Blyde River Canyon.

Our wildlife experience begins as soon as we enter the park (600 km, approx 8-10 hours) heading into prime game viewing areas where we hope to catch a glimpse of some of the amazing animals found inside the park, including the 'Big 5'.

Arriving at our camp within the park, there is time to freshen up before we head out on an open vehicle night drive, an amazing experience and a chance to witness the nocturnal activities of the many animals within the park.

We rise early the next day and have a light breakfast of coffee and rusks before embarking on a morning game drive.

Most of today will be spent game viewing, bird watching and stopping at various waterholes and viewpoints. We arrive at back at our campsite at sunset where you may want to enjoy a traditional sundowner.

Day 4 Eastern Botswana

Enjoy a final game drive while travelling out of the Kruger National Park.

Our next destination is Palapye in Botswana (600 km, approx. 8-9 hours). As we cross a border today our travel time will varying depending how long this process takes; generally it is smooth, but at times we do encounter some delays.

Arriving in the late afternoon we head out and explore the town and try some local food for dinner.

Day 5 Northern Botswana

Today we have another long driving day ahead of us as we head to the northern parts of Botswana. We depart Palapye early continuing north via the town of Francistown, we arrive at our camp north of Nata in the late afternoon (430 km, approx. 6-7 hours).

We will set out on a sunset game drive in the are, hoping to encounter some of the huge elephants and game that Botswana is famous for.

Tonight we use simple accommodation with shared facilities.

Please note: Our sunset game drive will be replaced with a dawn game drive if the tour arrives at our destination late for any reason.

Days 6-7 Victoria Falls

From our campsite near Nata we travel to Victoria Falls (330 km, approx. 5-6 hours). Crossing the border we enter Zimbabwe mid morning in time to have lunch in a new country.

In the afternoon we visit the magnificent Victoria Falls. The falls are an enormous curtain of water, about a mile wide, falling 108 m into a narrow chasm below. In the wet season, the spray created can rise up an incredible 400 m and the falls are an impressive raging torrent. The spray from the falls can sometimes be seen from kilometres away. It's no wonder the local name Mosi oa Tunya, means the "smoke that thunders". In the dry season, the view of the falls is unobstructed by spray and it's possible to see little islets in the river below.

Tonight we will share a final night dinner together for those who are leaving us here in Victoria Falls, the following morning we will have a group meeting at 10am to welcome our new group members and hear more about the second week of our adventure.

Day 7 is free for you to relax by the pool or take part in some of the optional activities available at the falls. For those of you who would like to go back to the falls, we will be taking our new group members there after our meeting.

Day 8 Chobe National Park

Leaving Zimbabwe behind we cross the border into Botswana and head towards Chobe National Park (100 km, 2-3 hours).

Botswana's first national park, Chobe is perhaps 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, crocodiles sunning themselves by the water's edge, and cheetahs and lions which come down to drink.

In the late afternoon, we enjoy a cruise on the Chobe River, a very relaxing way to spend the afternoon.

Tonight we camp on the outskirts of the park at a basic camp with shared facilities.

Day 9 Maun

This morning there is time for an optional dawn game drive (please refer to optional activities section of these trip notes for approximate prices) for those who would like to further explore this beautiful park.

We then head to Maun (600 km, approx. 8-10 hours), gateway to one of the world's most renowned and complex ecosystems, the Okavango Delta.

Tonight we camp with shared facilities.

Days 10-12 Okavango Delta/Maun

This morning we have an early start as we head into the unspoiled wilderness for an adventurous bush camping experience

Okavango Delta is formed by the Okavango River which fans out into an intricate maze of streams, creating 16,000 sq km of wetlands. A constant water source near the Kalahari Desert, the Okavango Delta attracts a variety of wildlife including hippos, crocodiles, elephants and big cats. The wildlife can be difficult to spot however, and the prime attraction of a visit to the Delta is exploring the meandering clear waterways, green islands and lush plains of one of the world's most fascinating ecosystems.

We camp on a remote island in the heart of the wilderness and explore the maze of lagoons, lakes and streams, led by experienced and knowledgeable guides. Traverse the waterways by mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe navigated by friendly local 'polers', as well as on foot. With luck, we may spot some of the delta's unusual wildlife and prolific birdlife while on these safaris. At night, the sounds of the African bush are the only things you will hear - a true wilderness experience.

You will need a sleeping bag for these night. We are able to arrange sleeping bag hire for a nominal fee - please ask us at time of booking.

For those wanting more adventure there is an opportunity to fly over the delta in a small plane for a bird's eye view, a great way to appreciate the immensity of this watery world.

We return to Maun for night 6 where we camp with shared bathroom facilities.

Day 13 Khama Rhino Sanctuary

Today we head to the Khama Rhino Sanctuary (520 km, approx. 7-9 hours).

Situated on the edge of the vast Kalahari Desert, Khama Rhino Sanctuary is a result of locals' efforts to convert a former hunting area into a conservation project. Built 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, which have all moved in and can be seen around the many natural waterholes. Visiting this project benefits local communities as well as contributing to the protection of the highly endangered white rhinoceros.

We head out tonight on a dusk game drive where we hope to have a close encounter of the rhino kind. Please note: Our dusk game drive will be replaced with a dawn game drive if the tour arrives at the sanctuary late for any reason.

Tonight we camp with shared facilities.

Days 14-15 Soweto/Johannesburg

Today we cross the border into South Africa and travel to Soweto a township of Johannesburg (600 km, approx. 9-10 hours).

The following day we take to the streets of Soweto on bicycle, where we learn about the Soweto uprising and the resistance against Apartheid, how the community has changed and developed to what it is today, and visit a former migrant workers' hostel and many other local landmarks.

We should finish our cycle adventure at around 3pm.

No accommodation is provided for tonight, but we are able to book you additional accommodation in Johannesburg. Please ask at time of booking.

Important: Please do not book any international flights until after 8pm this evening.

Included Activities

Three Rondavels and Blyde River canyon view point - en route to Kruger National Park

Sunset game drive - Kruger National Park

Game Drive - Kruger National Park

Game Drive - Northern Botswana

Visit Victoria Falls - Victoria Falls

Fish eagle cruise - Chobe National Park

Mokoro trip - Okavango Delta

Guided walk - Okavango Delta