This affordable Victoria Falls to Cape Town Safari visits a mix of famous and lesser-known scenic, wildlife and urban destinations in Southern Africa. Stay at a range of well-selected three-to-four star lodges and guesthouses on this memorable African lodge safari, offering a good level of comfort at an excellent price.
Enjoy an exciting combination of game viewing, sightseeing, leisure time and adventure activities in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, on this senior tour catering for budget travellers over the age of forty.
During this trip, you are likely to come across activities that encourage tourists to participate in lion, elephant or other wildlife interaction. This includes walking with lions, riding elephants and any other tourist operation putting travellers in close contact with animals that would normally live wild and separate from human contact.
We absolutely do not encourage or endorse this type of wildlife interaction operation. For more information on why this is not good for Africa's wild animals, please see our detailed blog post on the subject.
Tour Highlights:
This affordable Senior Tour begins at Victoria Falls - one of the most famous natural wonders in Africa. We start off with a group meeting at 15h00 so that your guide can tell you more about the journey ahead.
Before and after the pre-safari meeting at the lodge you have time to explore and jump into adventure activities. The following morning is also free for you to do as you please - explore the historic town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and take on exciting outdoor activities, resting at the safari lodge in between excursions.
Visiting the mighty Vic Falls waterfall is an unforgettable experience, an absolute must. This is the largest waterfall in the world - a thundering mass of water plummeting 108 metres into the Batoka Gorge. Standing before Victoria Falls you will see why it is known as Mosi-oa-Tunya, which means 'The Smoke that Thunders'. There are numerous adventure activities to choose from, including high adrenalin options such as bungee jumping off the Victoria Falls Bridge, white water rafting down the Zambezi River and flying over Victoria Falls in a helicopter, micro-light or fixed-wing plane. Other options include visiting the local market and historical attractions, taking a tram ride and canoeing on the river.
On day two of our Budget Lodge Safari, we cross into Botswana, heading to Kasane and our lodge along the Chobe River.
In the late afternoon, we take a sunset boat cruise on the Chobe River. The sunset cruise is an ideal way to spot wildlife and birds up close. Moving slowly along the river also gives us time to admire the scenery and catch a spectacular sunset.
On the morning of day three, we take a game drive inside Chobe National Park, one of Africa's most renowned game parks. Chobe Park is best known for its large population of elephants and also hosts high concentrations of other mammals, including predators such as lions and hyenas.
Day four sees us travelling north through Chobe National Park to the Caprivi Strip region of Namibia. Reaching the border we cross into Namibia and drive westwards through the Caprivi Strip. Then we cross back into Botswana and travel south to our safari lodge on the edge of the Okavango Delta. The delta is one of the last truly wild places in Southern Africa, often called the jewel of Botswana.
We spend the following day exploring the watery Okavango Delta, the largest inland delta on earth. In the morning we take a motorboat ride deeper into the delta and then explore further on foot and by mokoro. Our guided walks (subject to water levels) on the smaller islands of the delta are ideal for zooming in on the small creatures and plants of the intricate delta ecosystem. We may also come across large animals but the focus of the walks is on the small miracles of the bush. Mokoro rides are done in the traditional dug-out canoes used by locals to get around the delta. A local guide poles your mokoro along the quiet waterways of the Nxamasire area while you sit back and enjoy the scenery. Experiencing the wild delta habitat is one of the highlights of our trip through Southern Africa, a real adventure!
On day seven of our budget senior tour, we take to the boat again for our transfer back to the boating station where we reunite with our vehicle. Travelling west we leave Botswana and head back along the Caprivi Strip of Namibia to our destination set amongst lush vegetation and overlooking the river and neighbouring Angola. You can take a boat cruise this afternoon (own account) enjoying the lush surroundings and keeping an eye out for small animals and birds.
Next up - the famous Etosha National Park in Namibia, one of Africa's top game viewing destinations.
Entering Etosha Park the game viewing adventure begins! This game park is home to numerous wildlife species, including the most famous large mammals - lion, elephant, leopard, wildebeest, giraffe, cheetah and rhino, as well as the striking oryx (gemsbok) and various other antelopes. After our game drive in the eastern section of Etosha, we exit the park and head to our overnight lodge nearby.
On day eight we embark on a morning game drive that takes us westwards through Etosha Park. Exiting the park we check in at our lodge just outside of Etosha and break for lunch. Later this afternoon we return to the wilderness of Etosha in 4x4 safari vehicles for an action-packed game drive. On our game drives in Etosha, we stop at waterholes to watch the animals and birds that gather at the water to bathe and drink. Keep an eye out for lions, elephants, rhinos and other large mammals!
From the big game territory of Etosha with its shimmering saltpan, we drive into the rugged and remote wilderness of Damaraland. This arid region has an eerie beauty to it - with its barren, rocky landscapes largely free of human development.
The next lodge on our safari is perched on the ridge of a hill overlooking the open plains, rocky koppies and ancient riverbeds. Spend the afternoon soaking up the stillness of this stunning setting and splashing in the natural-stone swimming pools at the lodge, or explore the barren surrounds on foot, before settling down for some incredible stargazing.
On day 10 of our Budget Lodge Safari, we make our way to the west coast of Africa, travelling across the open gravel and dry grassland plains of Damaraland to meet the icy Atlantic Ocean. Tracing the dramatic coastline south, we arrive in the town of Swakopmund - the top seaside holiday spot in Namibia.
There are no planned activities in the afternoon or on the morning of day 11 in Swakopmund, allowing you to do what you like. The town offers activities suitable for families, cultural buffs and adventure-seekers. Walking in the town you can see old European architectural styles in the churches, monuments, colonial-era buildings and other traces of this African town's colonial German-influenced history. Stroll along the sandy beach or on the jetty, brave a dip in the cold waters, visit the aquarium or museum and sit at a sidewalk cafe.
You can go sea kayaking, take a dolphin cruise or go fishing for the day. More adventure-based activities (own account) include sandboarding and quad biking on the dunes near Swakopmund, skydiving and hot air ballooning and scenic flights over the desert and ocean terrain of this stunning area.
Moving further south we drive inland into the ancient Namib Desert where dune fields stretch out as far as the eye can see. We cross open gravel plains driving into the famous red-orange dunes of Namibia. Our next lodge sits on the outskirts of the desert - surrounded by sandy scrub-covered hills and flats of the semi-arid desert terrain.
On day 12 we wake early and head into the Namib Desert to visit Sossusvlei. Driving into Namib-Naukluft National Park as day breaks we watch the dunes light up in glowing warm colours. We see some of the world's highest dunes in the Sossusvlei Dunes area, walking 5km through the desert to reach the actual pans of Sossusvlei and Deadvlei. The stark pans consist of pale-coloured, clay ground dotted with dead trees, fringed with low shrub and acacia vegetation, and encircled orange to red sand dunes. Photographic opportunities are superb in this natural setting of contrasts, where cracked clay earth, blue skies, ochre dunes and silhouetted tree skeletons meet.
This afternoon we walk through the narrow Sesriem Canyon to see the effects of ages of erosion in the layers of sedimentary rock exposed in the gorge.
Journeying further south we transition from sandy desert dunes to the rocky lunar landscapes of the Fish River Canyon. Late in the afternoon, we head to the famous Fish River Canyon, to view this massive geological wonder. The Fish River Canyon is arguably the second largest canyon in the world, formed over millions of years - an unforgettable sight to behold.
From grand and dramatic canyon to the Kalahari Desert, a fossil desert spanning seven Southern African countries.
Our next destination is the vast Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park of the Kalahari - one of Africa's largest protected areas covering some 3.6 million hectares of wild semi-desert habitat. The Kalahari is best known for the local San Bushmen, the original inhabitants of Southern Africa and for the black-maned lions found here.
Driving to and from our lodge in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park we are likely to spot desert-adapted animals and birds in the sparsely vegetated wilderness, especially predators, raptors and striking gemsbok. During our stay in the South African section of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, you can spend time with the local Kalahari Bushman community and set off on optional activities (extra cost). Options include taking a night game drive in search of nocturnal animals roaming under the starry skies, embarking on a sunset drive to a nearby pan and doing a nature walk in the fascinating Kalahari habitat, getting a closer look at the flora and fauna.
Today we travel south to the Gariep (formerly Orange River) in South Africa, making our way to Augrabies Falls.
This afternoon we visit the Augrabies Falls National Park to see the 56m tall waterfall flowing into the rocky gorge below. The local name for Augrabies means ‘place of great noise’ given the crashing sound of the falls. We walk around the barren area stopping at viewpoints along the river and taking in the stark scenery.
On day 17 we drive southwest into the Northern Cape Province - passing into the wild daisy lands of Namaqualand. The otherwise bland rural area of Namaqualand is famous for its profusion of colourful wildflower blooms in springtime (August to October).
Our guesthouse is located at the foot of the Van Ryn's Pass in the Great Karoo area of South Africa. During our stay at the guesthouse, you have the option of doing a wine tasting (own expense) to sample some of the local Cape wines.
The final leg of our Budget Lodge Safari from Victoria Falls takes us to Cape Town. We traverse Van Ryn's Pass enjoying the breathtaking views as we descend from the escarpment. By the end of the afternoon, we arrive in Cape Town - the top city destination in South Africa.
The last full day of our senior tour is spent touring the Cape Peninsula - from the picturesque city to the rugged Cape Point Nature Reserve and back. This day trip offers stunning scenery, travelling along the dramatic Atlantic and Indian Ocean coastline, via Hout Bay and Chapmans Peak. On the final morning or afternoon, we take a cable car ride up Table Mountain (weather permitting) for spectacular views over Cape Town, Table Bay, the Atlantic Seaboard and surrounding hills.
Spend your evenings sampling the fine local wines and world-class cuisine of Cape Town, or experiencing the nightlife of this cosmopolitan city.
Our Overland Lodge Safari from Victoria Falls to Cape Town finishes after a delicious breakfast at the lodge in Cape Town.
This senior tour also runs in the reverse order from Cape Town to Victoria Falls (following the same itinerary but in the opposite direction), for the same price, but on different dates. See the Overland Lodge Safari from Cape Town to Victoria Falls
Arrival & departure transfers in Cape Town & Victoria Falls are included. Pre-tour accommodation in Victoria Falls and post-tour accommodation in Cape Town can be pre-booked through African Budget Safaris. For more details contact African Budget Safaris.
For up-to-date and confirmed pricing info for optional items, please drop us an enquiry.
This tour does not take children.
1. Okavango Delta, Botswana
2. Etosha National Park, Namibia
3. Fish River Canyon, Namibia
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