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Travel from Victoria Falls to Cape Town on an affordable 22-day Southern Africa overland camping safari through Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.
This small-group overland tour begins at Victoria Falls before heading to Botswana for a Chobe River cruise, a game drive in Chobe National Park and camping in the Okavango Delta. Continue across the Kalahari Desert and into Namibia for Etosha National Park, Spitzkoppe, Swakopmund and the towering dunes of the Namib Desert.
Your Victoria Falls to Cape Town tour ends in South Africa, travelling via the Orange River and Cederberg to Cape Town. Combining wildlife, desert landscapes, adventure activities and classic overland camping, this is one of the best-value Southern Africa overland tours.
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.
This Victoria Falls to Cape Town overland camping tour travels through Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa before ending in Cape Town 19 days later.
Our safari begins in Livingstone on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls. We stay at a campsite in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park overlooking the Zambezi River, where elephants, giraffe, buffalo, white rhino, hippo and other wildlife are often seen.
We begin with a visit to Victoria Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world and the world’s largest sheet of falling water. Locally known as “Mosi oa Tunya” or “The Smoke that Thunders”, the Falls stretch 1,708 m wide and plunge 108 m into the gorge below. When the Zambezi is in full flood, the spray can be seen from up to 20 km away.
There is also time to enjoy one or two of the many optional adventure activities available in Livingstone, including white-water rafting, scenic flights, bungee jumping, canoeing, game drives and Zambezi River cruises. If you have time, we recommend arriving a few days early to make the most of Victoria Falls before your overland tour begins.
Depart Livingstone after breakfast and cross into Botswana on your Victoria Falls to Cape Town overland tour. Travel to Kasane, gateway to Chobe National Park, where you enjoy a Chobe River cruise and your first wildlife experience in Botswana.
Botswana’s premier game park, Chobe National Park, covers 10566 km² of unspoiled wilderness in northwest Botswana. This diverse national park is best known for its big herds of elephants. Chobe Game Park is also home to lions, zebras, buffalo and a variety of antelope species, as well as an abundance of birdlife, including the African fish-eagle.
We take a late afternoon Chobe River cruise looking out for hippos, elephants, buffalo and a variety of birds along the river’s edge.
On day three, we embark on an open 4x4 game drive in Chobe, ranked one of the top game parks in Africa. Sightings include an array of large mammals, including predators such as lions, leopards and African wild dogs.
Then we leave Chobe Park and make our way south, skirting the fringes of the dry Kalahari Desert to Elephant Sands, Nata in northeastern Botswana. En route, look out for elephants and buffalo on the roadside. There are no fences surrounding our camp, so animals roam freely visiting the watering hole at the lodge. This offers a unique, unforgettable opportunity for close wildlife encounters.
Today we head west along the outskirts of the Kalahari Desert and salt pans en route to Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta.
We stay overnight near the safari hub of Maun before our trip into the Okavango Delta. Either this afternoon or when we return to Maun after camping in the Delta, there is usually time to take an optional scenic flight over the Okavango Delta – a breathtaking experience that enables you to view the vastness of this pristine wilderness.
The jewel in Botswana’s crown, the Okavango Delta is the world's largest inland delta, covering 1.6 million hectares of natural waterways and pristine wilderness. The delta, with its source in Angola, spreads out in an intricate web of channels on the flat plains of Botswana, emptying into the desert.
This morning, we drive to the fringes of the delta in a 4x4 safari vehicle, making our way to a mokoro (canoe) station. Knowledgeable and experienced local guides will accompany you in this extensive wetland system, “poling” you through the labyrinth of winding channels and lagoons in traditional dugout canoes, called mekoros. You will also have the opportunity to explore the delta on a thrilling bush walk. Exploring the narrow channels of the delta, we look out for wildlife including hippos, crocodiles and an array of birds amongst the giant lily pads and tall grasses of the reed-fringed islands.
We spend a night camping in the Okavango Delta, experiencing this unique wilderness area up close. Our overnight tented camp is set on the banks of a tranquil lagoon, in an area of the watery Okavango Delta often visited by elephants. We stay in tents with twin beds and en-suite bathrooms, at our basic but comfortable bush camp. At night, you can hear the sounds of the African bush surrounding you for miles as you sleep under starry skies in this remote wilderness – the wildlife adventure of a lifetime!
Wake up in the Okavango Delta, surrounded by the untamed bush. Enjoy the natural setting at camp before we glide out of the delta in the mokoros, watching for animals and birds along the way.
Reaching the collection point beside the waterways, we switch to a 4x4 vehicle and return to Maun, arriving at camp in time for lunch. In the afternoon, you can cool off in the pool and rest at camp, or head off on an optional scenic flight. The flight takes you over the winding waterways and wild plains of the unique delta just visited. Elephants, hippos and other animals are often spotted from above, so keep an eye out.
On Day 7 of our safari, we bid farewell to Botswana and journey from Maun, traveling through Ghanzi, where the road winds along the edge of the vast Kalahari Desert, heading toward the Namibian border. Our camp is nestled in the peaceful Omaheke region near Gobabis, just a stone's throw from the border. In this tranquil setting, we have the opportunity to meet the San/Bushman people and join them for a guided bush walk, offering a rare glimpse into their ancient way of life. During the walk, we learn how these remarkable people live in close harmony with nature, expertly managing the land’s renewable resources without disrupting the fragile ecosystem around them. It's a powerful lesson in sustainability that we can all take to heart. By supporting this ecotourism initiative, you’re not only helping to sustain the San/Bushman’s income but also playing a role in preserving their rich cultural heritage.
Note: Due to the long travel day and border crossing into Namibia, the Bushman walk may be rescheduled to the morning of Day 8.
This morning, we continue our safari in Namibia. Leaving Gobabis in the Omaheke Region, we make our way to Windhoek.
Tonight, we stay in Windhoek, Namibia’s capital city, and get to enjoy some nightlife after our days spent out in the untamed wilderness areas of Southern Africa. Eat out tonight (own account) and explore Windhoek, located in the centre of Namibia, discovering its colonial German heritage and architecture.
Departing from Windhoek, our journey takes us north to Etosha National Park, the "Great White Place" dominated by a vast salt pan. We stay inside Etosha for the next two nights, camping at one or two of the well-established rest camps. The camps feature watering holes, which are floodlit at night, offering exciting nocturnal game viewing. These two days are one of the highlights of the Namibia section of your Victoria Falls to Cape Town overland tour.
We embark on a short afternoon game drive upon arrival in Etosha and spend the whole of day 10 game viewing.
The 20,000 sq km Etosha Park is home to thousands of wild animals and is considered one of the most important game reserves in Southern Africa. This vast game park is inhabited by around 340 bird species and over 100 mammal species, notably the endangered cheetah and black rhino, as well as black-faced impala, tsessebe, roan antelope and gemsbok. In the rainy season, shallow lakes form on the pan, with the watering holes supporting Etosha’s wildlife all year round.
We leave Etosha National Park game viewing en route to spot some animals not seen on the previous days. Next, we make our way back south traveling through the eerie landscapes of the Spitzkoppe area in the Erongo Region.
The Spitzkoppe area is scattered with exposed granite formations that we explore to see the ancient rock paintings of Bushman tribes. The most impressive of these rock paintings is called “Bushman Paradise”. The peculiar rock formations reach up to 1728m above sea level, offering spectacular views. Explore this dramatic area of Namibia, soaking up its stillness. Witness the ever-changing colours of the rock formations, especially at sunrise and sunset, when they take on intense red shades.
Our Spitzkoppe Camp, located at the base of the rocky mountain, is owned and maintained by the local community. All proceeds from our stay contribute to a better future for the local community at Spitzkoppe.
We drive along some of the striking Atlantic coastline, known as the Skeleton Coast, en route to Swakopmund, located between the dry Namib Desert and the Atlantic Ocean.
The quaint colonial town of Swakopmund is Namibia’s premier seaside resort, featuring palm-lined avenues and beachside promenades. Take a sightseeing stroll through the unique town and relax at one of the street-side cafes or get your adrenaline pumping on one of the adventure activities. There are plenty of adventure activities to choose from at Swakopmund, including kayaking, quad biking, sandboarding and skydiving, as well as scenic flights and guided desert walks.
Leaving Swakopmund, we drive south, stopping to take snapshots as we cross the Tropic of Capricorn. Our next overnight stop is the smallest town in Namibia - Solitaire. Located in the Khomas Region, time slows down to a crawl in this remote settlement.
From Solitaire, we continue our drive southwards, heading into one of the oldest deserts in the world, the Namib Desert. We make our way to the Namib Naukluft Park, where we visit some of the world’s highest sand dunes, reaching up to 300m in the Sossusvlei area.
First, stop in the Namib Naukluft Park - the towering Dune 45. Climb to the top of this much-photographed dune to view the immense expanse of dune fields. This is one of the largest game parks in Africa and Namibia’s largest conservation area, covering 50,000 sq km of dunes, plains, mountains and pans. Following a hearty breakfast, we continue deeper into the park with a nature walk to Dead Vlei. A walk amongst these tall, red-orange dunes provides ideal photo opportunities of Namibia's unspoilt natural beauty.
From the spectacular dunes and flat pans, we travel to Sesriem Canyon to walk in the narrow gorge and see layer-upon-layer of sedimentary rocks revealed through erosion over the ages. Tonight we stay near Sesriem, at a camp with a watering hole where gemsbok are often spotted in the late afternoon.
Today, we travel south through barren landscapes scattered with quiver trees. Next highlight - the Fish River Canyon, arguably the largest canyon in Africa and the second largest in the world. This beautiful natural wonder is around 500m deep and over 160km in length. We explore this scenic area, enjoying spectacular views over the sharp “Hell’s Bend” corner of the canyon, another awesome photo opportunity.
Next, we travel down towards South Africa, leaving the unforgettable deserts and vast game parks of Namibia behind. Continuing south, we drive to the Gariep River, which forms the border between South Africa and Namibia.
We spend the night camping on the Namibian banks of the river, enjoying the rugged natural setting. With its source in the Drakensberg Mountains, the Gariep, formerly named the Orange River, is South Africa’s longest river, traversing almost the entire continent.
Relax at our camp along the water’s edge, taking a swim and enjoying nature. Or embark on an optional canoeing trip, looking out for the abundance of birdlife in this remote area.
Leaving the rugged Orange River area, we proceed south into the Namaqualand region of South Africa. Namaqualand is best known for its prolific display of blooming wildflowers in spring (best seen between August and October).
We overnight at a picturesque campsite near the Olifants River and enjoy the opportunity to sample some of the fine wines of the Western Cape Province of South Africa.
We travel south, passing the rich fruit-growing area of Citrusdal, and admire the spectacular views as we meander down the Picketberg Pass towards Cape Town.
Arrive in Cape Town in the afternoon, where your Victoria Falls to Cape Town overland camping tour comes to an end. We recommend spending a few extra days exploring Cape Town after your Southern Africa safari adventure.
This is one of our best-value Victoria Falls to Cape Town overland tours, combining wildlife, camping and iconic Southern African landscapes in one trip.
This tour comes with a highly recommended Adventure Pass, which is charged in addition to the tour price. We strongly recommend the Adventure Pass, as it includes major tour highlights and activities. The Adventure Pass can be pre-purchased when booking your tour, or at the start of your trip, payable in cash, directly to your tour guide.
Prefer more comfort? See our Victoria Falls to Cape Town accommodated safari for the same route with lodge accommodation instead of camping.
Contact African Budget Safaris for a detailed and up-to-date itinerary description, showing exactly what is included in the Adventure Pass. See Full Pricing Info above for the Adventure Pass cost.
Transport on this tour is in a 24-seater, custom-built safari truck. The self-contained truck is fitted with onboard tables, individual lockers (70 litres) (700mm deep x 330mm height x 540mm wide) and a freezer, as well as safety features. The safari truck also features a USB charging station, a drinks cooler box, an external water tank and a small library. Other transport includes mokoro canoes, a river boat, and a 4x4 purpose-built safari vehicle.
The group prepares the included meals at camp and travellers are invited to help with preparation. Most dietary requirements can be catered for on the road if requested at the time of booking.
Some of our National Park visits and game viewing drives are conducted using local services, to ensure the best quality game driving and to comply with local authority rulings. Using local African guides and service providers also adds to our safari experience and allows us to contribute to the local communities.
For up-to-date and confirmed pricing info for optional items, please drop us an enquiry.
This tour does take children.
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