Okavango & Beyond
Okavango & Beyond
Okavango & Beyond
9 Days Starting in Victoria Falls and ending in Johannesburg
Visiting: Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park, Maun, Okavango Delta, Khama Rhino Sanctuary, Johannesburg, Johannesburg (Soweto)
Tour operator:
Tour code:
YBSB
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 16
Age range:
15-99 years
Tour operated in:
EnglishInterests:
Tour Overview
Soak up the sights and sounds of peaceful waterholes, meandering creeks and mighty rivers on this overland African adventure from Victoria Falls to Soweto. Calling all wildlife lovers! Some of the continent's most iconic animals call Southern Africa home, including elephants, rhinos, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles and ostriches. Explore the remote waterways of the extraordinary Okavango Delta in Botswana, be awed by the thunder of Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls and travel down the Chobe River at sunset as the animals come out to play. The contrast of Africa's wild plains and bustling cities makes for an enriching and thrilling travel experience.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Victoria Falls
Location: Victoria Falls
Accommodation: Permanent Tented Overland Camp
Mhoro! Welcome to Zimbabwe. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm in Victoria Falls. If you arrive early, maybe head to the Shear Water Activity Centre to see what optional activities are available. Maybe take on the flying fox, the gorge swing or explore the village and township. You can even take a helicopter flight over the stunning cascades and see this land from a bird’s eye view! After tonight’s welcome meeting, maybe head out for dinner to get to know your group a little better.
Optional Activities:
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Day 2: Chobe National Park
Location: Chobe National Park
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, dinner
Travel to Chobe National Park in Botswana this morning. You’ll stop at the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust along the way – one of The Intrepid Foundation’s projects. Here, you’ll learn about the rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife, the human-wildlife conflict and the trust’s role in anti-poaching. There may also be a chance to meet any rescued or orphaned wildlife currently in their care. Chobe National Park was the first national park to be established in Botswana and is 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 and crocodiles that like to sun themselves by the water's edge. Cheetahs and lions also come down to drink in the river, so if you’re lucky, you might spot one of the predators, too! In the late afternoon, embark on a scenic sunset cruise on the Chobe River guided by an expert local guide and look out for wildlife.
Included Activities:
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Day 3: Maun
Location: Maun
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast, dinner
This morning, there's time for a morning game drive for those who would like to further explore this beautiful park. As well as elephants, you might see some of Chobe National Park's other noble creatures – from giraffes and zebras to impala and tsessebe (African antelope). Then, it's time to head to Maun. This town is the gateway to one of the world's most famous and most complex ecosystems – the Okavango Delta. It’s a bit of a long drive to get there, so grab a window seat if you can and take the opportunity to soak in the everchanging landscape.
Optional Activities:
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Day 4: Okavango Delta
Location: Okavango Delta
Accommodation: Bush camp (no facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Travel into the unspoiled wilderness this morning for an adventurous camping experience. The Okavango Delta is unlike anything in the world – a 16,000 square km maze of wetlands made up of waterways, green islands, lush plains and prolific wildlife. The delta is filled with diverse flora and fauna, including hippos, crocodiles, elephants and big cats, but the main attraction is really the incredible ecosystem. You'll explore the waterways by mokoros (traditional dugout canoes navigated by friendly local 'polers'). Spend some time exploring on foot with your experienced and knowledgeable guides and learn more about how the delta works. Tonight, camp on a remote island in the heart of the wilds and listen to the nocturnal creatures of the African bush come to life as the sun goes down.
Included Activities:
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Day 5: Okavango Delta
Location: Okavango Delta
Accommodation: Bush camp (no facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
It's an early start this morning as you venture out for a sunrise walk to catch a glimpse of some local elephants and maybe a few Cape buffalo. After, return to camp for breakfast and enjoy a leisurely free day to relax. You might like to take a swim or go on an afternoon walk. There’s also the opportunity to go for another mokoro trip. You may notice that the mokoros of today are made with fibreglass but retain their original shape – this strikes a balance between tradition and sustainability.
Included Activities:
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Day 6: Maun
Location: Maun
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
This morning, there’s the option to take a scenic helicopter flight over the delta. Then, it’s on to your next stop. After taking down your camp, head out on a mokoro safari on your way out of the Delta then board the vehicle once again back to Maun. When you arrive, you’ll take a tour of a local brewery that uses millet grown by small-scale farmers in their beer production. This supports the farmers' efforts to coexist with local elephants and promotes an inclusive economy. This initiative helps sustainable farming practices and contributes to the region's wildlife economy.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 7: Khama Rhino Sanctuary
Location: Khama Rhino Sanctuary
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Travel to the Khama Rhino Sanctuary this morning. On the edge of the Kalahari Desert, the Khama Rhino Sanctuary is a community-based conservation project staffed by local village residents. Built in a former hunting area 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, all of which can be seen around the many natural waterholes. Visiting this project benefits local communities and contributes to the protection of the highly endangered white rhinoceros. In the evening, head out on a dusk game drive in an open safari vehicle with an expert local ranger to see the rhinos (this will be replaced by a dawn game drive if the group arrives at the sanctuary too late).
Included Activities:
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Day 8: Johannesburg
Location: Johannesburg
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch
Cross the border into South Africa and travel on to Johannesburg (approximately 10–11 hours). Johannesburg is a sprawling city of remarkable contrasts. As you come into town, you'll likely see opulent mansions alongside tin-roof shacks, and verdant city parks alongside the concrete. Enjoy a relaxing evening upon arrival.
Day 9: Johannesburg (Soweto)
Location: Johannesburg (Soweto)
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch
Head to Soweto and take to the streets on a bicycle. Learn about the Soweto uprising and the resistance against apartheid. It's interesting to see how the community has changed and developed into what it is today. You'll also visit a former migrant workers' hostel and stop at many other local landmarks. Your cycling adventure should finish at around 3 pm today, whereafter you will be returned to your hotel in Johannesburg. With no further activities planned, your trip comes to an end at this point.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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What's Included
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Accommodation
Permanent Tented Overland Camp (1 night), Camping with facilities (2 nights), Hotel (2 nights), Basic Camping with no facilities (2 nights), Guesthouse (1 night). -
Chobe National Park - River cruise
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Victoria Falls - Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust Visit
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Okavango Delta - Mokoro safari
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Okavango Delta - Sunrise Walk
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Khama Rhino Sanctuary - Sunset Game Drive Open Vehicle
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Soweto - Cycle tour
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Meals
8 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 6 dinners
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Okavango Delta - Brewery Tour
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Victoria Falls - Visit to Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust
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Victoria Falls - Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust (The Intrepid Foundation partner) visit
What's Not Included
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Tipping and Gratuities
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International Travel
Included Activities
- Chobe National Park - River cruise
- Victoria Falls - Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust Visit
- Okavango Delta - Mokoro safari
- Okavango Delta - Sunrise Walk
- Okavango Delta - Mokoro safari
- Khama Rhino Sanctuary - Open Safari Vehicle Game Drive
- Soweto - Cycle tour
Transport
- Our trucks are purpose-built, self contained safari vehicles. Our fleet of vehicles varies depending on your group size, trip route and style. In Southern Africa some departures may use vans and luggage trailers subject to group size and vehicle availability. It is also important to note that our overland vehicles are not air-conditioned, but all vehicles have windows that can be opened to allow for fresh air.
- There are many early starts with long hours spent driving on rough roads on all African itineraries. While most people love the chance to watch the changing landscape and daily village life, feedback shows that long periods of inactivity does not appeal to all clients. We provide the approximate distance covered each day and how many hours this normally takes to drive so that you can choose the safari experience that is right for you.
- African conditions are extremely tough on vehicles. While we fastidiously maintain our vehicles at our workshops, you should not expect Africa to be your traditional touring experience. While it's certainly our aim to avoid them, it's important that you set off on your trip knowing that the occasional breakdown can happen and are best treated as part of the African adventure. Due to wet weather there may be times when we have to take an alternative route which will mean longer travel times.
Accommodation
- This trip includes a mixture camping, hotels, lodges and permanent tents. While camping, tents, sleeping mats and sleeping bags will be provided and the crew & camp hands will set these up for you.
- There may be the occasional night stop, when we stay in the grounds of a hotel or at a campsite which may also have rooms/cabins available. In this case there may be a choice of camping or upgrading to a room. Rooms cost between approximately USD60-120 per room per night for a twin room and cannot be pre-booked.
Important Information
- 1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
- 2. This trip includes a mixture camping and other accommodation. While camping, tents, sleeping mats and sleeping bags will be provided and set up for you by our crew.
- 3. This trip finishes in Soweto on Day 9 after our cycle adventure. Please don't book any international flights until after 8pm this evening.
- 4. Border crossing delays in the region have been sporadic and difficult to predict. What takes an hour one day may take four hours the next. This may affect the order of activities in the itinerary. We understand this uncertainty can be frustrating, and we strongly recommend packing a bit of patience and flexibility.
Mode of Transport
- Our trucks are purpose-built, self contained safari vehicles. Our fleet of vehicles varies depending on your group size, trip route and style. In Southern Africa some departures may use vans and luggage trailers subject to group size and vehicle availability. It is also important to note that our overland vehicles are not air-conditioned, but all vehicles have windows that can be opened to allow for fresh air.
- There are many early starts with long hours spent driving on rough roads on all African itineraries. While most people love the chance to watch the changing landscape and daily village life, feedback shows that long periods of inactivity does not appeal to all clients. We provide the approximate distance covered each day and how many hours this normally takes to drive so that you can choose the safari experience that is right for you.
- African conditions are extremely tough on vehicles. While we fastidiously maintain our vehicles at our workshops, you should not expect Africa to be your traditional touring experience. While it's certainly our aim to avoid them, it's important that you set off on your trip knowing that the occasional breakdown can happen and are best treated as part of the African adventure. Due to wet weather there may be times when we have to take an alternative route which will mean longer travel times.
Check out our Q&As
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Is this trip right for you
This is an overland trip. That means you’ll be travelling with a group in a purpose-built vehicle, visiting remote communities, occasionally roughing it in the bush with no facilities and getting the best possible views of the Big Five. While the trucks don’t have air conditioning, they do have sliding windows, which let in the breeze and make it even easier to take spectacular snaps of the local wildlife. The drive days can be long, but it’s as much about the journey as the destination, and half the fun is the camaraderie. For more info on this style of travel, see our Africa Overland page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/au/africa/overland
Camping out in the amazing Okavango wilderness means digging a bush toilet and going without a shower. It's all part of the delta experience.
You will need a reasonable level of fitness for the cycle tour in Soweto, as the town isn't totally flat.
As the early bird catches the worm, the early camper sights the animals. There will be many early starts either to make use of the better safari time or to beat the morning traffic on long travel days. -
What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room
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Free Date Changes
Intrepid Travel allows you to make 10 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 56 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Intrepid Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform intrepid travel, 56 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Intrepid Travel requires a minimum deposit of 400 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of intrepid travel charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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Terms and Conditions