On arrival at Victoria Falls Airport you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the afternoon may be spent at leisure enjoying one of the many activities available in Victoria Falls. This evening you will meet your guide and the rest of your group at the lodge at 18h00 for your pre-departure meeting.

Optional activities in Victoria Falls (at own expense)
Below is a list of some of the most popular optional activities on offer in Victoria Falls. Pre-booking is recommended to avoid disappointment. All activities are subject to availability and may require a minimum amount of passengers to operate. Certain activities only operate at specific times of the year. Please contact the reservations office for further information.

15 Minute Helicopter Flight Flying Fox (Cable Slide)
22 Minute Helicopter Flight Gorge Swing
Boma Dinner incl. transfers Zip Line
Guided Tour of the Victoria Falls Horse Back Safaris (novice)
Dinner Cruise Canoeing (full day)
Bungee Jump Rafting (full day, low water)
Bridge Swing Rafting (full day, high water)
Bridge Slide Batoka Gorge Hike and Ndebele Village Tour
Historical Bridge Tour Traditional Village Tour
Canopy Tour

Departure: 07h00
Distance: 390 km

After breakfast, your guide will take you on a tour of the mighty Victoria Falls, known by the local Kololo tribe as Mosi oa Tunya – “the smoke that thunders”. You will then be transferred to the airport for your flight to Kariba town. A short transfer will take you to Lake Kariba shore, where you will board a luxury houseboat for a relaxing two-night trip. (BD,BLD)

Nested in mountains, Lake Kariba is a man-made inland sea guarded by enormous reserves of game and made beautiful and savage by sun and storm, earth and water. Your voyage takes you to the Sengwe River for afternoon wildlife activities and sunset, followed by drinks and dinner on board. In the morning, you set out early for some leisurely fishing, guided walks or game viewing depending on your preference. When you return, brunch will be served whilst cruising to Elephant Bay where you will moor at one of the islands with a sandy beach. Watch the sunset over lake, relaxing around a campfire and enjoying a beach barbecue under the starry sky.

Departure: 07h00
Distance: 425 km

This morning you board a flight from Kariba Airport to Kasane, the gateway to the Chobe National Park. Chobe, which is the second largest national park in Botswana and covers 10,566 square km, has one of the greatest concentrations of elephant found on the African continent. The afternoon is at leisure to partake in optional activities or to relax by the pool.(B,B)

The next day you will start your morning with a game drive in Chobe National Park. You will return to the lodge for a late breakfast and relaxation until your boat cruise on the Chobe River starts around 3pm. Here you can watch elephants, hippos, crocodiles and a variety of birds, making for excellent up-close photo opportunities.

Departure: 08h00
Distance: 280 km

This morning you will travel across the border into Zimbabwe to your lodge situated in a private concession near Hwange National Park. Over the following two days, you will have plenty of time to explore this vast wilderness on game drives. Hwange National Park is one of Africa’s finest havens for wildlife and is home to great herds of elephant, buffalo, and zebra and has a very large concentration of giraffe. It is also home to many predators and endangered species plus varied birdlife. (BLD)

On arrival you will visit the Painted Dog Conservation Centre to witness the work that is done to protect this endangered species. If time allows, you can partake in an optional game drive on the concession in the afternoon. The whole of the next day is spent exploring this magnificent area on a full day game drive in Hwange National Park.

Departure: 08h00
Distance: 485 km

Today you travel south to the majestic Matobo Hills, an area of exquisite beauty, steeped in tribal history, ancient mystery and dramatic rock landscapes. The national park has been given UNESCO World Heritage status and is home to both white and black rhinoceros and sable antelope. Birdlife is prolific and includes the highest concentration of black eagles in the world. Once the home of the San (Bushman), this area contains the richest source of the rock art found anywhere. Not only is it here that the Ndebele people buried their great king, Mzilikazi, but Cecil John Rhodes was also laid to rest on the “Hill of the Benevolent Spirit” or “World’s View” as named by him. (BLD,BLD)

You spend the next day in the national park, starting your morning with tracking rhino spoor by vehicle and foot. In the afternoon, we further explore the scenery and wildlife of the park on game drives, ending with a visit to Rhodes’ grave.

Departure: 06h00
Distance: 375 km

Today you will leave Matobo Hills and drive through the savannahs of southern Matebeleland enroute to Botswana. (BLD)

In the afternoon visit the Nata Bird Sanctuary, where you will have the opportunity to enjoy the magnificent view over the Sowa pan which is part of the Greater Makgadikgadi Pans (please note a visit to the pans is subject to the road conditions and water levels as well as time constraints). You will arrive at your lodge in the late afternoon.

Departure: 05h00
Distance: 200 km

A very early morning departure leads you to Planet Baobab near Gweta, from where you will embark on an expedition to Ntwetwe Pan to encounter some of Botswana’s distinctive landscapes and extraordinary creatures. (BLD)

Ntwetwe Pan Excursion
The Ntwetwe Pan is one of the two major pans that make up the Makgadikgadi Pans, and is amongst the largest saltpans in the world. The pan was fed by the Boteti River until it was left permanently dry following the construction of the Mopipi Dam, which provides water for the diamond mines in Orapa. The waters may have returned to the river but Ntwetwe is now famous for its extraordinary lunar landscape, particularly the rocky outcrops, dunes, islets, and channels found along the western shore. Explore the area, in search of uniquely adapted desert species such as bat eared foxes, springbuck, kori bustards, and some of the Kalahari’s most fascinating inhabitants, the meerkats. By spending quality time with these incredibly social, superbly adapted animals, you will be able to see how they interact with each other and their environment. Due to an ongoing habituation programme it’s possible to get up-close-and-personal with these captivating creatures.

After lunch you will have the opportunity to explore a nearby village to experience modern African village culture. Learn about the history and traditions of the Batswana people from a local guide whose knowledge has been inherited from their forefathers. Visit the local primary school, ‘Sekolo’ with its outdoor classes and meet the children, visit the Kgotla – a traditional court that governs the village and get a glimpse of rural Botswana life.

In the late afternoon take a stroll with your guide through an impressive baobab grove, as he explains the local ecology, geology and the unique biology of the baobabs, which are in fact not trees but the largest succulents in the world.

Departure: 07h00
Distance: 225 km

Today you will travel to Maun, a bustling safari town which serves as the gateway to the Okavango Delta. The name Maun is derived from the San word “maung”, which means “the place of short reeds”. The afternoon is yours to spend at leisure, either relaxing next to the pool at the lodge or if you are keen for some excitement, why not book an optional scenic flight (at own expense) over the delta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and truly glorious oasis. (B)

Optional activities in Maun (at own expense)
Below is a list of some of the most popular optional activities on offer in Maun. Pre-booking is recommended to avoid disappointment. All activities are subject to availability and may require a minimum amount of passengers to operate. Please contact the reservations office for further information.

Scenic Flight over the Delta (3, 5 or 6 passengers)
Scenic Helicopter Flight from Boro (22 min, 3 seater)**
Scenic Helicopter Flight (45 min, 3 seater)
Scenic Helicopter Flight (60 min, 3 seats)
Scenic Helicopter Flight (45 min, 4 seater)
Scenic Helicopter Flight (60 min, 4 seater)

**The 22 min flight is available from the mokoro station at Boro only. It is advisable to book this for the same day as the mokoro excursion.

 Departure: 07h00
Distance: 80 km

After breakfast, you take a drive to the mokoro station. From here, you will float in dugout canoes through the thick vegetation of the Okavango Delta discovering a variety of birds and wildlife. Unlike other deltas, it flows into the Kalahari Desert without ever reaching the coast. After this spectacular excursion and lunch, you make your way to your camp, which is situated in a private concession in the Greater Moremi area. (BLD,BLD)

After settling into your camp, you will enjoy dinner and embark on a night game drive in the concession – a fantastic opportunity to spot some nocturnal animals that are more difficult to encounter during the day. The next day you head into the famous Moremi Game Reserve known as one of the most beautiful and varied reserves in Africa with an unprecedented concentration of wildlife. The full day is spent in the unspoiled nature of the Moremi Game Reserve.

Your safari ends after breakfast. You will be transferred to Maun Airport for your onward flight. (B)

From time to time it may be necessary to change a property or camp due to various problems out of the control of Bench Africa. In this situation we will make every effort to give you as much warning as possible.

Your itinerary may include long road journeys. Road surfaces vary from tarmac, gravel, sand and occasionally vehicles may travel “off road”. This tour is recommended for healthy, active participants looking for an adventurous holiday.