Iconic Southern Africa

As the sun rises over Kruger National Park – and an elephant and her young calf wander past you – greet another remarkable day in southern Africa. Keep your sense of wonder at the ready on a 21-day adventure that takes in the iconic sights of this exciting region. Fall for Cape Town’s remarkable beauty, feel the power of Victoria Falls reverberate in your core, and watch for the Big Five alongside a researcher from National Geographic's Big Cats Initiative.

Day 1 Cape Town
Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer included.

Day 2 Cape Town
Visit Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden with an expert guide on a tour exclusively designed for our groups — the garden has been named one of the top gardens in the world by National Geographic Traveler magazine. Continue on to explore vibrant Cape Town and Cape Point, with a visit to the penguins at Boulders Beach.

Day 3 Cape Town
Enjoy a day of leisure and choose from a variety of optional activities including a visit to Table Mountain or a Stellenbosch wine tour.

Day 4 Cape Town/Johannesburg
Fly to Johannesburg. Enjoy a traditional South Africa Braai (barbecue) for dinner with your local CEO and fellow travellers.

Day 5 Johannesburg/Kruger National Park
Enjoy a full day scenic drive along the famed Panorama Route with stops at Blyde River Canyon, Bourke's Luck Potholes, and God's Window. Continue to our tented camp located near the Kruger National Park and this evening enjoy a delicious South African dinner in the boma.

Day 6 Kruger National Park
Enjoy a morning wildlife safari drive through Kruger National Park in an open vehicle. Take in views of the abundant wildlife including elephants, lions, and giraffe. In the afternoon, opt to extend your safari drive or head back to the lodge where you can take a short nature walk or relax on the deck with views of the surrounding area.

Day 7 Kruger National Park/Karongwe Private Game Reserve
Continue on to a private nature reserve in the Greater Kruger area. This afternoon, meet with a researcher from the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Cheetah Metapopulation Project who will share information about their efforts to protect cheetahs and other carnivores. This National Geographic-sponsored project is part of the Big Cats Initiative. After, the researcher will join us on our evening wildlife safari drive.

Day 8 Karongwe Private Game Reserve
Enjoy early morning and afternoon safari drives with our local guides, searching for buffaloes, elephants, leopards, lions, and rhinos – Africa's famed Big Five. In our down time, relax at the camp, take a walk around the grounds, or enjoy a cool drink on the deck.

Day 9 Karongwe Private Game Reserve/Johannesburg
After one last wildlife safari drive, head back to the city. In the evening, enjoy dinner at our local guest house.

Day 10 Johannesburg/Victoria Falls
Fly to Zimbabwe and meet our local CEO. Gain insight into what life is like here with a walk through a local market and dinner at a family homestead. Meet our host, learn their history, and discuss daily life and culture in Zimbabwe. Share stories as you enjoy a traditional Zimbabwean dinner.

Day 11 Victoria Falls
Enjoy a morning tour of the beautiful Victoria Falls, then the rest of the day is free to explore the area. Take part in a river safari, cultural tours, whitewater rafting, canoeing, or a helicopter ride over the falls.

Day 12 Victoria Falls
Spend the day exploring your beautiful surroundings. Opt to visit Victoria Falls, go whitewater rafting, or take a helicopter flight over the falls.

Day 13 Victoria Falls/Okavango Delta
Cross the border into Botswana, via Namibia, and head to the Okavango Panhandle to our houseboat, your home for the next two nights in the world's largest inland delta. Travelling by houseboat allows you to explore a more secluded area of the delta.

Day 14 Okavango Delta
Enjoy your day on the houseboat with early morning and late afternoon wildlife excursions. Your small boat takes your into channels and waterways for optimal wildlife viewing and birdwatching. Opt to enjoy a cultural excursion to Tsoldilo Hills to view ancient San Bushman rock paintings or choose to relax on deck with a cool drink as you watch the scenery pass by.

Day 15 Okavango Delta/Maun
Transfer to the frontier town of Maun and enjoy an evening of culture and traditional foods with celebrated author Bonty Botumile and the Thari-E-Ntsho Storytellers. This local enterprise is dedicated to preserving Botswana’s heritage and providing youth with employment opportunities in the arts. Option to take a scenic flight over the delta.

Day 16 Maun/Moremi Game Reserve
Drive to the Khwai River area bordering Moremi Game Reserve. With astounding wildlife, this area has been rated one of the best for wildlife viewing in the world. Relax this evening on the camp deck, admiring the stunning views with a cool drink.

Day 17 Moremi Game Reserve
Embark early on an open vehicle wildlife safari drive in Moremi and surrounding concession areas. Break for lunch before continuing on with the wildlife safari drive. Return to camp in the afternoon with time to relax at the comfortable tented camp.

Day 18 Moremi Game Reserve/Chobe National Park
Travel deeper into the Chobe wilderness to Ghoha Hills. Enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding bush. Relax at our camp and learn more about the Savuti and Chobe parks and reserves during a talk with a local wildlife and bush-survival expert. Embark on a late afternoon wildlife viewing in open vehicles around the hills and waterholes. Be on the lookout for elephants, giraffes, hippos, and lions.

Day 19 Chobe National Park/Kasane
In the morning, take a slow drive along the southern bank of the Chobe River. In the afternoon, opt to take a sunset river cruise or photography river safari for wildlife viewing.

Day 20 Kasane/Victoria Falls
Cross the border back into Zimbabwe for our final evening. Opt to enjoy a helicopter ride over the falls, or a cruise on the Zambezi at sunset to ring in the day.

Day 21 Victoria Falls
Depart at any time.