Kruger Park, Chobe & Vic Falls Camping or Lodge Safari

The Safari leaves Johannesburg and heads to South Africa's premier reserve, the Kruger National Park via the  Panorama Route. This Route includes God's Window, Bourke Luck Potholes and the Blyde River Canyon.

We then head across the border into Botswana where we visit the Chobe National Park in search of Africa's "Big 5". Its then a short journey across the border to the mightly Victoria Falls where we get to partake in some fantastic adventure activities including Elephant Back Safaris, White Water Rafting and Canoe Safaris to name a few.

We then head back across the border into Botswana on our journey back to Johannesburg where our adventure comes to an end.

Day 1: Panoramic Route through Blyde (Motlatse) River Canyon - South Africa

This tour departs from Johannesburg and Pretoria leaving from any of the requested backpackers hostel, guesthouse or hotels early in the morning. Our first stop will be for breakfast, before we head for Nelspruit to collect more passengers. Otherwise we head straight on to Graskop, via Dullstroom and Lydenburg, where we stop for lunch. After lunch we drive through the majestic northern Drakensberg mountain range, making various stops along the way. Along the panoramic route we will visit God's Window, Bourke Luck Potholes and the Blyde River Canyon. We stop at the Three Rondawels viewpoint in Blyde (Motlatse) River Canyon, the third largest canyon in the world.
Accommodation:
Camping at private lodge
Bedded at private lodge
Meals included: Dinner (breakfast and lunch on own account)

Day 2: Kruger National Park - South Africa

In the morning a short drive brings us to the main entrance of Kruger National Park, known as Orpen gate. Early departure ensures our arrival at Orpen as the gates are opening. Kruger Park is South Africa's premier game reserve, home to the famous Big 5 African animals. The game reserve boasts some 147 mammal, 114 reptile and 502 bird species. When we arrive at Kruger we will be transferring to an open sided safari vehicle, a customized 4 x 4, in which we will do our game viewing drives.

The Kruger National Park is a vast expanse of wilderness of roughly 20,000 km2. The Park is about the size of Israel, the Netherlands or Wales. Due to its sprawling size the reserve spans several different vegetation types, each forming the habitat of different wild animals adapted to the various areas of the park. Most of our time in Kruger is spent on game drives giving us the best opportunity to see the different animal and bird species that live in the various zones of the reserve. We focus on the central region of the park, as this is where chances of seeing the big cats and a large variety of other animals on our game drives are best.

You will get to stop throughout your game drives at the various view points and hides of the Kruger park. Both breakfast and lunch will be prepared by the guide/s on your trip, so you can sit back and enjoy your meals in the African surrounds of Kruger at one of the picnic stops.

You will get to experience the thrill of a night drive, with the three-hour adventure starting at sunset. The night safari drive is conducted in a Kruger National Park open sided game viewing vehicle accompanied by a Kruger guide.
Accommodation:
Camping at Camp site inside Kruger National Park
Bedded at Private lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Hartbeespoort - South Africa

On our last morning in the Kruger National Park you can take a walking safari if you choose. You will have the opportunity of going on a Kruger park game walk with two of Kruger national park's armed guides. The Kruger game walks offer you a chance of seeing the African bush up close and personal. It's about getting to see the smaller creatures and notice details that you usually overlook from a safari vehicle. The walking safari is not intended to offer a better chance of seeing the big animals. In fact you can almost be guaranteed to see more big game and other animals on the safari game drives in Kruger than on one of the nature walks.

For those opting out of the game walk, there will be one last game drive. This safari game drive will be a short one in a closed vehicle, aimed at spotting those yet to be seen or photographed animals.

Afterwards we leave the magnificent Kruger National Park for a private lodge lying just beyond its borders. Here we get to enjoy a home cooked and well-deserved breakfast. From the private lodge we head to Johannesburg and Pretoria where some of our travel companions leave the safari group. Next we drive on to Hartbeespoort, which lies in the North West province of South Africa. We then sleep at the backpackers lodge in the valley below the Magaliesberg Mountains for the night.
Accommodation: Backpackers lodge
Meals included: Breakfast only

Day 4: Nata - Botswana

Early in the morning we set off northwards in the direction of the Botswana-South Africa border. We will stop for breakfast en-route (at your own cost). We also stop for last minute shopping and banking inside South Africa, before crossing the border. Once in Botswana, your guide will help you with currency exchange. We keep heading north for a night of camping in Nata.
Accommodation: Camping (optional upgrade to bedded)
Meals included: Dinner only

Day 5: Chobe National Park - Botswana

An early morning start sees us continuing in a northerly direction, through the Kasane forest. It is here in the Kasane forest that we will almost certainly get to see herds of roaming elephants. Visitors frequently see various antelopes and even lion, wild dog and hyena. At around noon we arrive in Kasane, where we will set up camp on the shores of the Chobe River. We will sleep in the campsite, located close to the gate of Chobe National Park. This stop is the perfect chance for you to relax at the swimming pool or get those last minute things done, such as changing some money.

In the afternoon we enter Chobe park and enjoy a game drive in an open-air safari vehicle. The game drives are always a great success with Chobe National Park being well known for its great numbers and wide variety of wildlife making for some very impressive game viewing. After spotting large numbers of wildlife we get to enjoy dinner, served back at the camp.
Accommodation: Camping (optional upgrade to bedded)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Victoria Falls - Zimbabwe

This overland trip is the only scheduled tour offered by a budget tour operator to include two game drives into Chobe. At sunrise we head off on our second and very early morning game drive into Chobe park, in search of the animals that have thus far evaded us. A short drive after breakfast and we reach the border, crossing into Zimbabwe. Victoria Falls is an hours drive further, which is where we spend the following three nights. We will be staying within 10 minutes walk from everything, at a campsite in the heart of the town. The tour guide will help you if you want to make bookings for the extra activities and also to assist with changing money. On one of the three days spent here we will go to the Victoria Falls waterfall as part of the paid trip. At 1700 meters (1,1 mile) wide, Vic Falls is a spectacular sight to behold. This waterfall is recorded as the largest sheet of falling water in the world. Victoria Falls is also classed as one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

We take a sunset cruise in the late afternoon on the mighty Zambezi River. This relaxing experience is almost certain to present you with many fantastic photo opportunities of the river at sunset, weather cooperating. The river forms the natural border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. The Zambezi is flanked by national parks on both sides of the river, giving us a fantastic opportunity to game watch. Numerous animals and birds are often seen at the water's edge bathing and drinking. The animals sighted from the riverboat include elephants, zebra, blue wildebeest, rhino, buffalo and a variety of antelope species. It goes without saying that hippo and crocodile are found in abundance in this part of Africa. On the cruise drinks, including all soft drinks, wine and beer, are included in the trip cost.
Camping (optional upgrade to bedded)
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7 & 8: Victoria Falls - Zimbabwe

At Victoria Falls and surrounds there are plenty of different activities and attractions to keep you entertained. There will be ample time at Vic Falls to explore the town at your leisure, meet the local people or lounge by the swimming pool.

There will also be loads of time to visit the African markets to shop for authentic arts and crafts made out of beads, wood and stone at affordable prices.

The Victoria Falls area is considered the adventure capital of Africa and rightly so. Around Victoria Falls there are a large variety of exciting activities to choose from including bungi jumping and elephant back safaris. On the Zambezi River you can take a white water rafting excursion, considered by some to be the best one-day rafting trip in the world. There is the 111-meter high bungi jump off the bridge connecting Zimbabwe and Zambia to tempt the adventurous. If the elephant back safari is not what you're looking for, you can go on one of the horse riding safaris. The optional day trips take you into one of the national parks, fishing, or on game walks. There are also scenic flights over the Victoria Falls waterfall, or for water sports enthusiasts there are canoe safaris. Enjoy eating out at a local restaurant for dinner on day 8 (own account).
Accommodation: Camping (option upgrade to bedded)
Meals included: Day 7 Breakfast, Dinner
Meals included: Day 8 Breakfast

Day 9: Palapye - Botswana

After a light breakfast we depart from Victoria Falls crossing into Botswana once more to drive southwards stopping for lunch on the way to Palapye, where the next night is spent.
Accommodation: Camping (option upgrade to bedded)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 10: Return to Johannesburg & Pretoria - South Africa

Early morning departure puts us on the road heading south and back over the border into South Africa. In Johannesburg and Pretoria the guide will take you to your choice of backpackers hostel, hotel, guesthouse or to the airport, making en-route stops for breakfast and lunch (your own account).
Meals Included: None of the meals are included

Accommodation description:

On the Kruger National Park stretch of the safari trip, you can choose to camp or sleep in bedded accommodation.

Kruger National Park (Camping option):
 
We camp, with the option of upgrading to bedded accommodation at the same lodge, on the first night at a private lodge. Guests sleep in safari tents that have been permanently erected at the lodge. The tents are spacious at 3m x 3m with 2 mattresses the size of single beds in each. Guests will need to bring their own sleeping bags. The safari tents are fitted with mosquito netting in the windows and entrance for the comfort of guests. You will be served a three course dinner on the first night of staying at the lodge.
We depart for Kruger park the following morning, where we settle in at a permanent campsite inside the game park. The campsite has separate bathroom facilities for male and female visitors with a permanent supply of hot water.
The tents in this campsite are also permanently set-up on platforms and fitted with two single bed mattresses each. At this camp we also have tent dedicated to kitchen facilities fitted with gas stoves and a refrigerator ensuring that foods are kept fresh and drinks chilled.

Kruger National Park (Bedded accommodation):
 
The guests staying in the bedded accommodation on this package will continue to stay at the private lodge for the rest of the time spent in Kruger park. We will depart for the gates of Kruger National Park early in the mornings to ensure that we arrive at the gates as they open. Full days will be spent exploring the park with evenings spent back at the lodge where you will be served three course dinners.

First night camping and remainder in bedded accommodation:
Children from the neighbouring rural villages often dance at the lodge as part of their own initiative. The children's dance group developed their own dance and song routine requesting permission from the lodge to perform for guests at the lodge. The lodge showed its support for the kids group by making traditional dancing outfits for them to perform in and welcomed them to perform for the lodge's guests. These children are self-supporting, earning tips from guests at the lodge from their singing and dancing. The lodge does not pay the children to perform and at times the children are unable to make performances, although this is seldom the case.
   
Chobe National Park and Victoria Falls stretch:
 
Camping is the accommodation included on this tour.
Every camp we stay at on this tour offers a variety of chalets, private rooms and bedded accommodation. Therefore clients do have the option to upgrade from camping accommodation to bedded accommodation. The Guide will pay the camping rate and clients who upgrade their accommodation will be asked to pay the balance. Upgrades depend on availability and cannot be booked in advance.  You can change to bedded on the tour, once you have arrived and viewed the bedded accommodation.
You will be provided with all camping equipment, except sleeping bags (available for hire).   

   
Backpackers Lodge, Hartbeespoort:
 
The Hartbeespoort backpackers Lodge is set on an 8-hectare property in a farming district, outside of both town and city. The backpackers' property is located at the foot of the Magaliesberg Mountains in a scenic valley.
Dependent on availability single guests will sleep in small dormitories, single rooms, or twin rooms with 2 single beds sharing a bathroom. Couples will be accommodated in either a double or twin room with or without bathroom, depending again on availability.
The guide or driver will stop at a supermarket so that guests can shop for fresh food or get take-away food on this day, as dinner is not included. Cooking facilities are available at the backpackers lodge for guests to cater for themselves. Alternatively guests can choose to dine at one of the local restaurants, with the driver taking you to and collecting you from your choice of eatery.

Note:

You can end this Safari in Victoria Falls after breakfast on day 9.

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