9 Day Discover Windhoek, Kalahari, Okavango, Victoria Falls

Day 1 – Arrive at Windhoek

Arrive at Hosea Kutako International Airport near Windhoek during the day and a professional guide will be there (holding a sign board with your name on it) to collect and transport you to your place of accommodation. They’ll even help you check in, upon request. If you prefer, we can arrange to collect you from the hotel.

The tour kicks off with a brief welcome meeting and the opportunity to enjoy some sightseeing in Windhoek, the capital city of the Republic of Namibia. In Windhoek, guests can explore the lively city’s many attractions after settling in to their hotel. Popular places to visit in the city include Christuskirche (Christ Church), Parliament Gardens, the Windhoek railway station, the Independence Memorial Museum and Lover’s Hill.

In the evening, you’ll be taken out for a pleasant dinner at a favourite local restaurant. Here, you will learn all about the fascinating history of Windhoek and Namibia, from the colonial era to the present day. After a good fill of satisfying food and conversation, you will return to your hotel to wash up and rest.

Included Activities: Welcome meeting and educational restaurant dinner
Meals Included: Restaurant dinner
Accommodation: Hotel in Windhoek (Namibia)
Optional Extra: Explore the city of Windhoek

Day 2 – Windhoek to Kalahari Desert

On the second day, following an early hotel breakfast in the morning, we will cross the Namibian border and drive into the heart of the Kalahari Desert. This is a 530-kilometre journey (330 miles) that is likely to last a long time. Since the drive will take up a good portion of the day, a packed lunch will be provided on the trip.

The Kalahari Desert, which covers much of Botswana, is a large semi-arid savanna filled with sand that extends for approximately 900,000 square kilometres (350,000 square miles). It is a hot, desert-like landscape that is vast and desolate. Despite its barrenness, tourists can expect to see terrain and nature elements that are quite beautiful and unique, including red Kalahari sand dunes, wild animals and mystical African sunsets.

Our journey to the Kalahari lasts 6-7 hours. Upon arrival at our destination in the late afternoon, you’ll be taken on a “Bushman Walk”, where you will tread along inspiring paths rich in wildlife and flora. The walk will be led by knowledgeable camp guides that hail from the native San Bushmen clans. After the walk, you’ll get the chance to dance and enjoy a traditional local meal around a campfire. Then, we shower and hit the sack.

Included Activities: Bushman Walk
Meals Included: Hotel breakfast, packed lunch and camp dinner
Accommodation: Camping in the Kalahari Desert (Botswana)

Day 3 – Kalahari Desert to Okavango Delta

When you wake up on day three, a tray with tea, coffee and delicious homemade biscuits will be waiting outside your tent. This will be followed by a hearty and satisfying breakfast. After breakfast, we will head out for a refreshing morning walk. This will be your last opportunity to explore the Kalahari Desert’s undulating landscape filled with hardy wildlife and unusual vegetation and take in its endless horizons.

Shortly after the brief morning walk in the Kalahari, we embark on a journey to the Okavango Delta in Botswana 686 kilometres (426 miles) away. It takes roughly 9 hours to get there by motor vehicle, which is long, but a prepacked lunch is provided to guests and short stops will be made along the way. This is your chance to see some of Africa’s most spectacular and unique landscapes. You will be driven to a private camping site on Moremi Game Reserve in the Okavango Delta for a two-night stay.

The adventure in the Okavango Delta commences with a late afternoon walk in an incredible wilderness sanctuary that stretches on for thousands of square kilometres. Here, you will find grassy plains that become lakes, channels beset by vegetation, and islands surrounded by iconic African trees, as well as a plethora of wild land and water animals. The day ends with a three-course dinner, a hot shower and good night’s sleep outdoors.

Included Activities: Kalahari Morning Walk and Afternoon Okavango Delta Walk
Meals Included: Breakfast/refreshments at camp, packed lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Camping in the Okavango Delta (Botswana)

Day 4 – Okavango Delta

In the early hours of the morning, you will receive a wakeup call and be treated to a hot cup of tea or coffee. A full breakfast will be served, as well. After breakfast, we will begin the day with a relaxing Mokoro Safari. On this safari, you will experience the tranquil nature of the Okavango Delta in Botswana, where floodplains have produced a stunning network of waterways, lagoons and islands and game viewing is unsurpassed.

The mokoro (or makoro) is a type of canoe that is propelled through shallow waters from the rear with a long pole. It is commonly used in the Okavango because it allows tourists to glide through peacefully and experience the sounds and sights of nature without disturbing the native wildlife. The Okavango Delta is home to elephants, impala, giraffe, hippos and many other terrestrial and aquatic animals, and birdlife is abundant.

A scrumptious lunch (prepared for you ahead of time) and well-deserved break follow the dreamy Mokoro Safari in the afternoon. Once you’re rested, one of our Okavango guides will escort you to a well-known site nearby where it is safe to swim. This will be followed by another Mokoro/Walking Safari. At the end of the day, you will be served an appetizing dinner and refreshments before showering and retiring for the evening.

Included Activities: Mokoro Safari, Walking Safari and swimming
Meals Included: Breakfast at camp, packed lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Camping in the Okavango Delta (Botswana)

Day 5 – Okavango Delta to Maun to Nata

Next destination, Maun. But not before we enjoy some breakfast and take one last walk through the elaborate Okavango Delta, where winding channels slice through carpets of emerald marsh and spill into lagoons occupied by hippos and other amazing creatures. All the wild animal inhabitants of the Okavango spring to life in the morning (expect many close encounters), and Okavango sunrises are breathtaking.

Maun is the fifth-largest town in Botswana and the largest town in the Okavango Delta region. Known for its large populations of donkeys, goats and other farm animals (these creatures can often be spotted roaming freely here), it’s a good place to purchase supplies. The drive from the Delta to Maun (68 kms away) takes about an hour. In Maun, you’ll have a packed lunch and rest. Then we’re in our way to Nata, 300 kilometres away.

Once in Nata, a village in Central Botswana, we will check into a lodge and settle in. Then, we will drive out onto the Makgadikgadi Pan at sunset for sightseeing. This is the perfect time to do this, as watching the African skies change from blue into pink and gold over the pans as the sun goes down is truly magical. After the late drive, we head back to the guest lodge for dinner and freshening up before turning in to get some shuteye.

Included Activities: Okavango Morning Walk and Makgadikgadi Pan Tour
Meals Included: Camp breakfast, packed lunch and lodge dinner
Accommodation: Lodge in Nata (Botswana)

Day 6 – Nata to Kasane

We wake up and have breakfast in Nata, which lies along the Nata River. This river carries its seasonal rain flow to the Makgadikgadi Pan. The Makgadikgadi is one of the largest salt pans in all the world, although technically it isn’t a single salt pan but multiple salt pans. When the rains come during the year, these pans are covered with water and grass, forming a breeding ground for water birds – a bird watching enthusiast’s dream.

After breakfast, guests will have time to explore Nata. Alternatively, you can relax at the lodge with family and friends and kick back a little before the tour continues. In the afternoon, we will drive to Kasane, a town situated in the north-eastern corner of Botswana. The distance between Nata and Kasane is about 389 kilometres. The scenic journey is anything but boring, though. A packed lunch is provided en route.

We will arrive at Kasane late in the afternoon and check into our hotel, after which you will be able to rest and get acquainted with the establishment and the area. Then, you’ll have the opportunity to freshen up in your room before sitting down to a hotel dinner. The food and accommodation in Kasane are commendable. Peaceful slumber will top off the evening, preparing you for your adventures in Victoria Falls the next day.

Included Activities: Explore Nata and Relax in Kasane
Meals Included: Lodge breakfast, a packed lunch and hotel dinner
Accommodation: Hotel in Kasane (Botswana)

Day 7 – Kasane to Victoria Falls

On this morning, you will have breakfast at your hotel. Then, you’ll have the option of going on a Morning Game Drive or doing a Photo Safari in Chobe, which has one of the largest game populations in Africa. The drive takes place in a customised 4×4 safari vehicle with experienced safari guides. If you prefer, you can use this time to rest before driving 81 kilometres to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. We’ll have a packed lunch on the way.

On arrival in Victoria Falls, we’ll check you in to your hotel where you’ll have some time to relax. In the evening we’ll make our way to the Zambezi River at sundown for a relaxing boat cruise. This is a wonderful time to take a cruise because the river is filled with wildlife (animals flock there to drink water) and visitors can witness one of the most beautiful sunsets in Africa. Dinner will be served on the boat once the sun goes down – the perfect ending to a week packed with fun and adventure. Then, you will be transferred to your hotel.

Included Activities: Sunset Boat Cruise
Meals Included: Hotel breakfast, packed lunch and boat cruise dinner
Accommodation: Hotel in Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)
Optional Extra: Book a Game Drive or Photo Safari on the Chobe River

Day 8 – Victoria Falls

After breakfast at your hotel, your guide will pick you up for a guided Tour of Victoria Falls. This experience takes you near the cliffs opposite the massive waterfall via the Victoria Falls Rainforest, where you’ll be able to take in spectacular views. The next activity, The Flight of Angels, provides even better views of the Falls. It’s a 15-minute helicopter flight that provides a bird’s-eye perspective of Victoria Falls and the mighty Zambezi River. This is the best way to take in Victoria Falls, both on the ground and in the air.

For lunch we’ll go to Victoria Falls hotel, which overlooks a manmade waterhole offering an excellent opportunity to view wildlife including elephant, kudu, buffalo, impala as well as a variety of birds. After lunch you’ll walk down for the Vulture Culture Experience which is a feeding programme that aids the survival of these very endangered birds. Enjoy the remarkable sight of hundreds of raptors swooping down a few feet away.

Included Activities: Guided Tour of the Falls, Helicopter Flight and Vulture Culture Experience
Meals Included: Hotel breakfast, lunch at Victoria Falls lodge
Accommodation: Hotel in Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)
Optional Extra: Book an afternoon activity. Speak to your local guide for recommendations.

Day 9 – Depart Victoria Falls

You depart from Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe on the ninth day. Depending on your onward travel arrangements, there may still be time for optional activities before departing.

• Comfortable vehicle (a 4×4 safari vehicle in parks, a minivan for transfers)
• Airport transfers
• All transportation (unless labelled as optional)
• All activities (unless labelled as optional)
• All accommodation, 3 nights camping, 5 nights hotel/lodge
• All taxes/VAT
• All camping equipment
• Meals (as specified in the day-by-day section)
• Water and some soft drinks/refreshments

• The cost and bookings of local and international flights
• National Park fees (please bring cash)
• Accommodation before and after tour
• Personal items (souvenirs, visa fees, travel insurance, etc.)
• Most meals, as specified in the day-by-day section
• Alcoholic beverages
• Tips (tipping at your discretion – guideline is US$10.00 pp/day)

• This tour starts in Windhoek, Namibia and ends in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
• Tourists must book their own flights
• Fly to Hosea Kutako International Airport near Windhoek
• Depart from Victoria Falls Airport near the town of Victoria Falls
• Airport transfers and accommodation are included
• Additional accommodation before and after the tour can be arranged (extra cost)

• Please ensure that you have the necessary visas for the tour. If you’re unsure about the visa requirements, please contact us
• Note that you will need to disclose your nationality as indicated on your passport
• Children must be accompanied by an adult
• Minimum drinking age is 18 years
• Dress code: No bright colours for game drives, bring warm clothing for river cruise
• A small amount of walking is involved
• Wheelchair accessible, please advise at time of booking if wheelchair assistance is required