Arrive at Cape Town International Airport in the morning. Collect your hire car then follow our directions to your accommodation to drop off your bags. With our guidance, head to a nice place for lunch and spend the afternoon relaxing after your flight. For those who don’t wish to drive, we can arrange transfers throughout the Cape stage of this tour. A dedicated guide can also be arranged should you require.

Overnight in Cape Town at one of our recommended hotels or guest houses

Enjoy a day of leisure in Cape Town, or we can arrange a guided day excursion or hike for you. One recommendation is to do a morning trip to Robben Island, then return to the V&A Waterfront in time for lunch and a wander round in the afternoon. A tour of the Cape Peninsula is also an excellent option. We will provide ideas on what to do in Cape Town and the environs.

Overnight in Cape Town at one of our recommended hotels or guest houses

Enjoy an optional guided day hike on Table Mountain. A recommendation is to ascend Platteklip Gorge to the top of Table Mountain, then traverse to McLear’s Beacon (the highest point), before descending via Smuts Track and Skeleton Gorge to the trail end point at Kirstenbosch Gardens. A superb hike (approx 5 hours + stops). Your guide will arrange transport from and back to your accommodation and provide a picnic lunch. An alternative is do a day trip along the Cape Peninsula and enjoy a guided hike along the coast in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve.

Overnight in Cape Town at one of our recommended hotels or guest houses

Drive out to the Cape Winelands at leisure. A suggestion is to take lunch in the Winelands then visit one or two estates during the afternoon. We will give you guidance on where to visit.

Overnight in or near Franschhoek or Stellenbosch at one of our recommended hotels or guest houses on a B&B basis

A full day to explore the Cape Winelands under your own steam. The vast majority of estates offer tastings and are easy to visit; many estates contain historic homesteads built in the Cape Dutch style, set in beautiful gardens, so even if wine does not interest you, there is much to enjoy and take in. The historic centres of Franschhoek and Stellenbosch are also worth exploring. If you’d like to walk, we recommend you spend the morning hiking in the Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve, where there is a network of well-marked mountain paths, accessed from the top of the Franschhoek Pass.

Overnight in or near Franschhoek or Stellenbosch at one of our recommended hotels or guest houses on a B&B basis

Drive to Cape Town International Airport in time for your morning flight to Maun in Botswana. This is a direct service and flights usually reach Maun around 1pm. Transit to a seat-rate air transfer that will take you over the centre of the Okavango to Mapula Lodge’s airstrip. Settle into the lodge, then head out on your first safari activity after tea.

Overnight at Mapula Lodge, or an alternative that we recommend according to budget and preference (eg. Khwai Leadwood, Gomoti Plains, Gunn’s Camp)

Enjoy 2 full days exploring the wonderful natural environment around Mapula Lodge. Mapula is located in a beautiful position on a large private concession in the northern reaches of the Okavango, positioned on a large tree island surrounded by a matrix of seasonal floodplains, permanent water channels, grassland and woodlands – a classic delta landscape that’s also rich in wildlife. It lies just to the north of the Vumbura and Duba Plains concessions, which are highly renowned and carry a significantly higher price tag.

In 2018, the camp was taken over by the owners of Jack’s Camp (which is located in the Kalahari and has a good reputation and following) and given a stylish makeover and reboot. Day and night game drives are offered here, along with excursions by motorboat or mekoro during the main season, as water levels permit. There’s something for everyone here, including birders, and Mapula is an excellent choice for those seeking a good quality delta experience without a luxury price tag.

Overnight at Mapula Lodge, or an alternative that we recommend according to budget and preference (eg. Khwai Leadwood, Gomoti Plains, Gunn’s Camp)

Enjoy a final early morning safari activity and brunch at Mapula before transferring to Footsteps Camp in the Shinde Concession on the central north-eastern side of the Okavango; once again you’ll travel by seat-rate air transfer and this flight takes around 20 minutes.

Once at Shinde, you’ll assemble with the others who will be joining the Footsteps Across the Delta walking safari and then game drive out to Footsteps Camp. This usually takes a minimum of 1 hour and 15 minutes and normally involves a short section in a mokoro. Settle into Footsteps Camp, which involves a safety briefing and time to relax and take tea, before heading out on your first afternoon walk, returning to camp before the light fades.

Overnight at Footsteps Camp on a fully inclusive basis

Footsteps Across the Delta, as it is known, is one of the best walking-focussed safaris in the Okavango owing to its excellent setting, its genuine bush camp atmosphere, and it’s friendly, dedicated camp team headed by a personable, very client-focussed Matswana guide. Emphasis is placed on flexibility and as the camp only accommodates 6 guests, activities can be planned consensually – the main focus is walking, but mekoro are also available, and there’s a single vehicle which is useful for taking you off to other walk start points, or for very discretely dropping off a small table of drinks at strategic sundowner spots. Footsteps is operated by Ker & Downey Botswana, which is a first rate and consistent safari company that we have worked with for many years.

Spending 2 full days at this intimate bush camp, exploring on foot in different parts of the concession, and mixing this with occasional game drives or outings in mekoro as you see fit, is a very immersive experience and a great way to end your safari in the Okavango. The first camp you will have visited offers a great experience, but you’ll find you’ll get even closer to nature at Footsteps and will be ready for the change of pace, taking notice of the smaller fauna and flora as you explore on foot. For more detailed information on Footsteps, click … HERE.

Overnight at Footsteps Camp on a fully inclusive basis

Enjoy a last morning walk and brunch before departing Footsteps and heading to the airstrip. You’ll then fly to Kasane Airport in eastern Botswana. You’ll be met there by a driver who will drive you into Zambia and on to your chosen accommodation near Victoria Falls (around 1.5 hours). A nice way to start your stay here is to enjoy a sundowner cruise on the upper Zambezi – all the lodges we recommend have their own boats for this purpose.

There is a wide choice of accommodation in the vicinity of Victoria Falls and we will help you choose from a selection we recommend. If you wish to stay on the Zambian side, we recommend lodges that are located a little way upriver from the falls. The river environment is quieter and you’ll escape the clatter of helicopters buzzing over the falls. Coincidently, the nicest lodges are all positioned well-upstream of the falls.

Walks in Africa’s preferred lodges, which span a range of budgets, are: Chundukwa River Lodge, Sindabezi Island Camp (and its sister lodge, Tongabezi), Waterberry Lodge and Thorntree River Lodge. Good choices also exist on the Zimbabwean side if you wish to cross the border – the Victoria Falls Hotel is a colonial gem and an institution; Ilala lodge, also located in close proximity to the falls, is a reliable second choice. Both are situated within a short walk of the falls, on the edge of Victoria Falls Town, which has quite a lot going for it.

Overnight at one of our recommended lodges near Livingstone-Victoria Falls on a full board basis

In this sample itinerary, 2 nights are spent at Victoria Falls, which is worthwhile, but we recommend you add a third night in the Victoria Falls environs if you can. This allows for a day to explore the falls area, as well as a day to focus on the environs of your lodge and the Zambezi River.

All the Zambian lodges we like have wonderful locations on the river, which can be explored by boat. A range of gentle activities close to the lodge door are well-worth doing, eg. village visits, horse-riding, walking, boating and birding. It’s all too easy to come to Victoria Falls and end up spending too much time dashing from one activity to the next – time to relax in-lodge is important, especially in such idyllic natural locations as Sindabezi Island.

Overnight at one of our recommended lodges near Livingstone-Victoria Falls on a full board basis

Enjoy an optional early morning activity such as a birding trip out on the river or perhaps a ride. Return to the lodge for a relaxed brunch before departure. You’ll then be driven to Livingstone Airport in time for your international departure. Flights to Johannesburg typically depart Livingstone in the early afternoon and connect with evening departures to the UK and Europe.

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