Kruger, Falls & Botswana: Wildlife Walks & National Parks

Arrive at any time. Tonight, head out with your CEO and group to further explore together in Victoria Falls. Sip a drink at Shearwater Village after your welcome meeting. Sit back, relax, enjoy the rushing sound of the falls, down a beer, and get to know your fellow travel mates as the adventure begins. Victoria Falls is a great base to kick-off a southern African adventure to see some natural wonders and take part in some exciting activities. Arrive before your tour starts and opt to get up close (and wet from the spray) while awing at the immense Victoria Falls, raft the whitewater of the mighty Zambezi, or for the more adventurous, bungee jump with Victoria Falls in view.

Please make sure you have all of the necessary visas for this tour by the time of the welcome meeting. It is very important to read the visa section in our trip details to make sure which visas you will need, if any. Please note that not all nationalities are able to obtain a visa on arrival at the border. Your accommodation is in Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) and NOT Livingstone (Zambia). Please make sure you have the necessary visa. For anyone with a later arrival time on Day 1 we recommend booking a pre-night if you want to spend time seeing Victoria Falls, as the group leaves in the morning of Day 2.

• Victoria Falls Helicopter Ride - 25min: You don't want to miss the opportunity to see Victoria Falls from above. Watch the Zambezi River make its way toward the gorge and form the largest waterfall in the world. During your 25 minute ride, you will have time to take in the incredible views over the falls, Livingstone Island, and Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park while snapping as many pictures as you like. This extended ride also includes time flying over the vast and towering walls of the Batoka Gorge. You may be lucky enough to see some giraffes and elephants in the surrounding landscape and even catch a rainbow over the falls. Includes pick-up and drop-off from hotel and a 25min flight. Please note there is a cost for an additional park fee paid for on-site at time of the activity.
• Full Day Excursion to Chobe National Park: Depart Victoria Falls in the morning for a full-day guided tour of Chobe National Park in Botswana - a wildlife-abundant region covering about 11,700km² of the Northern Kalahari. Begin your adventure with a cruise down the Chobe River, taking in the sweeping views and witnessing the wildlife grazing along the riverbank. Enjoy an included lunch on land before boarding 4x4 safari vehicles for an afternoon wildlife safari drive with an expert guide. Keep an eye out for lions, elephants, and buffalos. Transfer back to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, arriving in the early evening. Please note that this activity includes two border crossings between Zimbabwe and Botswana. The ordering of activities is susceptible to change. ** Please note that you need to get a double-entry visa or a Univisa when arriving in Zimbabwe to ensure you can return again without needing to pay an extra visa fee. The border crossing will be Kazungula.
• Livingstone Island (Devil's Pool) Swim : Take a swim on the wild side. Travel to Livingstone Island and take the opportunity to swim in the Devil's Pool - a rock pool at the lip of Victoria Falls, offering visitors the incredible experience of peering over the edge of one of the largest waterfalls in the world. Please note that this activity is only offered in the low water season (August to December), and on the Lunch and High Tea excursions. Due to high demand, we strongly recommend speaking to your CEO at the beginning of the tour to book this activity in advance. Please note that this activity takes place in Livingstone, Zambia, and visa fees are not included in the price of this activity.
• Victoria Falls Helicopter Ride - 15 Mins: You don't want to miss the opportunity to see Victoria Falls from above. Watch the Zambezi River make its way toward the gorge and form the largest waterfall in the world. During your 15-minute ride, you will have time to take in the incredible views over the falls, Livingstone Island, and Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park while snapping as many pictures as you like. You may be lucky enough to see some giraffes and elephants in the surrounding landscape and even catch a rainbow over the falls. Includes pick-up and drop-off from hotel and a 12-15min flight. Please note there is a cost for an additional park fee paid for on-site at time of the activity.
• Bridge Swing over the Zambezi: Get strapped up, step over the Victoria Falls Bridge and free fall for 80 meters into the Batoka Gorge. Enjoy the views as you swing back and forth over the roaring Zambezi river, with cascading waterfalls at your side. Don't think you can hack it alone? Swing with a partner.
• Microlight Flight over Victoria Falls: Take a 12-15 Microlight flight over the falls to get an unparalleled, unobstructed view of the spectacular gorge that the Zambezi River has carved into the surrounding landscape over thousands of years. Please note that this activity takes place in Livingstone, Zambia and visa fees are not included in the price of this activity.
• Zambezi Bungee Jump: Get the adrenaline pumping with a bungee jump from the Victoria Falls Bridge over the Zambezi River. Hear the rush of Victoria Falls as you enjoy this once in a lifetime experience.
• Victoria Falls Whitewater Rafting: Take the opportunity to go whitewater rafting on the Zambezi River while Victoria Falls roars above. Depart in the morning and navigate through the canyon that forms the famous falls. The dramatic rapids will fill you with excitement and complete your experience. Includes a full-day of rafting on class III-V rapids, transfers, and lunch. Please note: River conditions and activity pricing vary depending on the seasons. High water season is from about February to July. Low water season generally runs from August to January each year - this is when the Zambezi is at its very wildest. The "closed season" is dependent on the season’s rains, and usually is from March to April; during this time rafting on the river is not permitted. Additionally, this activity requires passengers to hike down and up the Batoka Gorge (approx. 45 minutes each way) to access the river; an average level of fitness is required. This activity price excludes a $10 park entrance fee.
• Canoeing the Zambezi: Opt to canoe above the Falls on the upper Zambezi for a unique and tranquil bird and animal sighting experience.
• Livingstone Island (Devil's Pool) Morning Breezer: Take a short morning boat ride down the Zambezi River to the west side of the island overlooking Main Falls. Take in the incredible, close-up view of the rushing waters cascading over the steep rock face. Keep your eye out for rainbows on a sunny day. Due to high demand, we strongly recommend speaking to your CEO at the beginning of the tour to book this activity in advance. Please note that this activity takes place in Livingstone, Zambia, and visa fees are not included in the price of this activity.

Rise early to the sounds of Victoria Falls thundering in the distance before the group heads out towards the Kazangula Border crossing into Botswana. On this long, but scenic drive, take the time to enjoy the views, get to know your group more, and reflect on what you hope to gain from taking this trip. Your stop tonight is a little north of Francistown. Enjoy dinner together at camp before a night under the vast sky.

Depart Francistown after breakfast and cross the border into South Africa at Martins Drift. Enjoy a packed lunch along the way. Upon arrival to Mapungubwe National Park area, the group will embark on a guided bush walk in the Mapesu Private Wildlife Reserve. This is the area where archaeologists excavated the famous golden rhino and other evidence of a wealthy African kingdom. Home to elephants, leopards, and an abundance of birdlife, set against a backdrop of forests and towering cliffs, this is a wonderful place to explore on foot.

Another day, another slice of adventure! Travel into Mapungubwe National Park after breakfast at camp. Visit the Interpretation Centre and Museum for a self-guided experience and short film. Learn about the ancient civilizations that inhabited the area before a packed picnic lunch at the spot where the Limpopo River splits Zimbabwe and Botswana. Then, the main event! A safari drive in the park to spot wildlife before returning to camp this evening. After dark, you can choose to go on a night wildlife drive in the private reserve near the campsite.

• Mapesa Night Safari Drive: It's no secret that the bush comes alive at night. Choose to immerse yourself in its electric sounds and discover the secrets of nocturnal animals under a canvas of stars. The evening offers opportunities to spot species that are seldom seen during the day like bushpigs, hyenas, genets, and even tiny chameleons. Please speak to your CEO about arranging this activity at an additional cost while you stay at Mapesu Private Game Reserve.

Welcome to wildlife country! Kruger is the kind of place that you’ll visit, but still want to return to over and over again. With nearly 5 million acres this park offers some of the best access to wild animals in Africa, so prepare for an epic time… (but you already knew that!) Keep those cameras at the ready and experience your ultimate African safari fantasy become a reality. Search for lions, elephants and many other animals on a full-day wildlife safari drive. Word of advice? Remember that it’s not all about the animals. This sprawling sanctuary is home to much more; think giant baobab, fever, and marula trees towering over the savannah in a place that feels older than time itself. Stop at prime viewing areas like Hippo Pool, the Kruger Tablets, and the Red Rocks, while you simply revel in your primitive surroundings as nature moves around you.

Yesterday was only a taste of the beauty that resides in the National Parks of South Africa. Today, you will head out into Kruger NP again on another wildlife safari drive in the Lando. (Upgrade alert! You can choose to embark on this experience in a 4x4 safari vehicle instead.) Take your gaze to the sky today and try to search for all of the things you didn’t get to yesterday. In the evening fill your bellies with a traditional dinner together, then grab someone’s hand and work up a sweat with some local dancing as the night settles around you.

• Kruger National Park Full Day Wildlife Safari Drive: Kruger National Park has been dubbed the most famous safari destination in the world. Whenever it is mentioned images of African wildlife and wilderness immediately spring to mind. The vastness of this park is what sets it apart. The breath-taking area with expansive and varied nature makes it a wonderful place to view the African “Big Five”. Hop in a 4x4 safari vehicle and get yourself one step closer to the surrounding nature. Be ready to spot elephants, giraffes, hippos, lions, zebras, and many other species in this impressive South African national park.

While you may be leaving the bush behind today, the memories will stay with you forever. So don’t despair, instead look ahead with excitement as you journey back to Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city and economic heart.

Depart at any time. Alas, it’s time to go home, but not before giving "Jozi" some love! Perhaps you’ll extend for a few days and enjoy this vibrant, up and coming South African city? Wander through important cultural spaces like the Apartheid Museum and the Mandela House, soaking in the history that shaped Johannesburg. Sample food, music, and art in the city’s trendy neighbourhoods like Melville and give yourself time to relax and unwind before returning home.