Others

Victoria Falls - Brewery Tour and Tasting Hwange National Park - 4x4 Game drive Victoria Falls - Visit to Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust Kruger National Park - Overland Vehicle Game drive

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. Overland vehicle , 4WD safari vehicle

Accommodation

Accommodation on this trip is mainly in two-person canvas dome tents with camping mattresses supplied. The type and variety of accommodation are determined by conditions on each of our routes. Each route is different - on some, we use a mixture of campsites and wild camps; on others, we also use hotels. In Africa, it’s not usually practical to camp when staying in towns and cities, so we use hotel accommodations and eat out in local restaurants. There may be the occasional night stop when we stay on 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 approximately USD : 40-100 per room per night for a twin room and cannot be pre-booked. Standards of these rooms vary greatly, and we recommend viewing the room before purchasing the night’s accommodation. The day-by-day itinerary advises when upgrades may be possible (subject to availability). Keep in mind that if we are staying in dormitory accommodation, you may have to share with other passengers or be split into same-sex rooms. Campsites do have facilities, but they usually aren’t to the same standard you would find in Western countries. For example, the bathroom facilities can be very basic. Toilet paper is rarely provided, and shower facilities can be as simple as a hose pipe spurting out cold water. Wild camps have no facilities at all. At times, there may be spare tents in the vehicles. Unfortunately, these cannot be used without the purchase of a single supplement. This is to ensure the tents avoid wear and tear or are clean and ready for the customers arriving on the next section of the trip. Camping (with facilities) (8 nights)

Guide

You will be accompanied by 3 crew members - Group Leader, Cook and Driver. Your Group Leader’s role involves organizing the overall operation and smooth-running of the trip, managing trip logistics, coordinating the tipping kitty (where applicable) and will form work groups to take turns cooking, cleaning and shopping (from time to time your leader may drive as well). Your Group Leader will work towards making the trip as safe and enjoyable as possible for all travellers. Intrepid trips are built around the co–operation and participation of all the group members under the supervision of the group leader. The group leader will show the group how to set up and use the equipment. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting, especially when tracking and identifying game - we think it’s the best of both worlds. Regardless of the country of origin, our Group Leaders are chosen for their leadership skills and are wonderful ambassadors for our company and our beautiful continent and its people. Your Cook is responsible for the cooking and will help to coordinate the work groups for preparing the meals and washing up! Cooks are also responsible for organising food shopping (they are always happy to have you on board) and most importantly, they make sure high hygiene standards are kept at all times while camping. Your Driver’s main responsibility is to get you to your destination safely; they are also responsible for the maintenance of the vehicles along the way. Everyone is expected participate and carry their share of the workload/duties, making camp chores easier. The duties rota system is adopted where all members share in general camp duties – cooking, shopping, washing up etc. If the whole group participates it will be quicker, easier, and more fun. We endeavour to provide the services of an experienced leader and crew; however, situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders.

Meals

8 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 6 dinners

Not included:

Optional

Victoria Falls - Victoria Falls Entrance Fee - USD50 Victoria Falls - Bridge Tour - USD68 Victoria Falls - Standard Sunset Cruise (excludes USD10 NP Fee) - USD45 Victoria Falls - Traditional Village Tour - USD55 Victoria Falls - Bridge Swing - USD168 Victoria Falls - Jet Boat (Seasonal - excludes USD10 NP Fee) - USD110 Victoria Falls - Whitewater rafting (Seasonal - excludes USD10 NP Fee) - USD126 Victoria Falls - Helicopter flight (12 mins - excludes USD25 Fuel & NP Fee) - USD150 Victoria Falls - River Song Sunset Cruise (excludes USD10 NP Fee) - USD75 Victoria Falls - Helicopter flight (25 mins - excludes USD30 Fuel & NP Fee) - USD284 Matobos National Park - Cook-led Cooking Class - Free Matobo National Park - Rhino Tracking - USD140 Kruger National Park - Night Game Drive - ZAR290 Kruger National Park - Sunset Game Drive (from) - ZAR380

Others

Other activities and services not included.

Insurance

Insurance is not included. Travel insurance is required for this tour. Please make sure you are adequately covered. If you require travel insurance, TourRadar has partnered up with World Nomads to provide a hassle-free experience. More information can be found here (https://www.tourradar.com/travel-insurance).

Flights

International flights are not included.

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Victoria Falls
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Victoria Falls

Mhoro! Welcome to Zimbabwe. Your adventure begins with an important welcome meeting at 6 pm. If you arrive early, why not check out some of the optional activities around Victoria Falls? The Zimbabwe side of the falls offers the broadest view of this colossal natural wonder. Scenic helicopter flights are incredible and takes you over the thundering cascades.
Day 2 Day 2: Victoria Falls
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Victoria Falls

Guess what? You’re at the edge of the greatest curtain of falling water in the world. After a leader-led orientation walk of the town, enjoy a day of free time to take up one of many activities on offer in the area including a helicopter flight, gorge swing, or even a white-water rafting experience! There are many ways to take in the thundering sight and sound of the falls. These staggering cascades are about a mile wide, falling 108 metres into a narrow gorge below. In the wet season, the spray rises high and the falls become a torrent; in the dry season, the lack of spray gives way to a nice view of the little islets in the river below. Meet up in the afternoon for a local brewery tour and tasting in town and get to know your new travel pals. Then perhaps kick on with an optional sunset cruise down the Zambezi River .
Day 3 Day 3: Hwange National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Hwange National Park

Leave Victoria Falls behind and head to Hwange National Park (approximately 5 hours, depending on traffic). En route, stop via the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust – one of the Intrepid Foundation’s projects - where you can learn about the rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife, human-wildlife conflict and their role in anti-poaching. There may also be a chance to meet any rescued or orphaned wildlife currently in their care. Afterwards, explore the stunning arena of Hwange in an open 4x4 vehicle. This national park became the royal hunting grounds of the Ndebele warrior-king Mzilikazi in the early 19th century and was set aside as a national park in 1929. Today, Hwange boasts a massive selection of wildlife, with over 100 species of mammals and nearly 400 bird species. But it’s the elephants this place is famous for – here you’ll find one of the largest elephant populations in Africa.
Day 4 Day 4: Matobo National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Matobo National Park

Make tracks for Matobos with a short detour through Bulawayo, checking out its cool colonial buildings, before heading to your camp for the next two nights. Home to a large population of black and white rhinoceros that can be tracked on foot, Matobo National Park is also the site of the grave of Cecil John Rhodes, the founder of Rhodesia and the De Beers diamond company. The Matobos area has great spiritual and cultural significance to the local people and there are many sites within the park where important ceremonies still take place. For those interested in the culinary side of southern African food, tonight your cook can provide an in-depth cooking class while you help prepare this evening’s delicious meal.
Day 5 Day 5: Matobo National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Matobo National Park

Good morning from mighty Matobos. You’re free to do as you please, but what is highly recommended is heading to Matobo Hills and spending the day tracking rhinos and other game animals with the help of your guide on an optional tour. The park is home to so much wildlife, including klipspringers, leopards, warthogs and springhares. Along the way, learn about the flora in the area. After your tour lunch, head to another region of the park to find old bushman paintings, see rock formations and learn some history of the area. Then it’s off to nearby African villages to meet some of the local community. It’s definitely a day you won’t want to miss.
Day 6 Day 6: Mapungubwe National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Mapungubwe National Park

Up early, today will be a long day with a very busy border post – the only direct border crossing between Zimbabwe and South Africa. The drive is approximately 400km long, but it can take us anything between 6 and 8 hours to reach our destination. Today’s destination is the Mapungubwe National Park in South Africa. This park is set hard against the northern border of South Africa, joining Zimbabwe and Botswana. It is an open, expansive savannah landscape at the intersection of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers. Sip sundowners overlooking the rivers or visit Mpungubwe Hill, where a far developed African civilisation prospered in the 13th century. The Interpretation Centre is the ideal place to catch up on all of this.
Day 7 Day 7: Kruger National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Kruger National Park

After breakfast, set off for renowned Kruger National Park. This world-famous park is known for the Big Five game of Africa – lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino. On top of that, it’s home to some 336 kinds of trees, 49 fish species and over 500 species of bird. See how many of these you can spot on a game drive in your overland vehicle. You cover over 300km, but taking all day, you’ll be sure to spend time staking out the locals. Continue from your safari to your overnight camp, where there’s the option of a further game drive – this time at night. You never know what’s going to come out and play on your safari after dark!
Day 8 Day 8: Kruger National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Kruger National Park

Wake up early for a light breakfast of coffee and rusks before embarking on a full-day game drive in the truck. Today is another full day in Kruger, heading down to the central part of the park towards your last campsite. Stop at some of the designated picnic spots for a bite to eat en route to camp. Depending on the season, you might catch a saddle-billed stork with its colourful red beak, or maybe a blue waxbill. In the afternoon when it’s warm, take some time out to chill. This evening there will be another optional night drive to spot nocturnal animals and perhaps even a predator or two.
Day 9 Day 9: Johannesburg
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Johannesburg

Venture out for one last safari adventure this morning and soak up all Kruger has to offer. Keep your eyes peeled, ‘cause you never know what will pop out from behind the shrubs! Continue back to Johannesburg (approximately 9–10 hours). This trip finishes on arrival in Johannesburg at a designated hotel drop-off point.

9 days tour

Essential African Safari

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Essential African Safari

Day 1: Victoria Falls

Day 2: Victoria Falls

Day 3: Hwange National Park

Day 4: Matobo National Park

Day 5: Matobo National Park

Day 6: Mapungubwe National Park

Day 7: Kruger National Park

Day 8: Kruger National Park

Day 9: Johannesburg

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