20 Day Unlocking Africa’s Secrets: Victoria Falls to Cape Town Tour

Day 1: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe (A Waterfall Welcome)

The waterfall symbolizes peace and serenity in most cultures around the world. It is a demonstration of power and tranquility at the same time. Nature’s waterfalls serve as a constant reminder that everything is constantly changing and moving. Come and discover your inner waterfall at Victoria Falls and in Africa.

You can arrive at any time. Dinner will be served on the hotel veranda after the welcome meeting. Taking a break, resting, and preparing for the upcoming adrenaline rush will help you prepare.

Accommodation: Victoria Falls Safari Lodge (or similar)
Meals: Dinner
Included: Arrival Transfer (Victoria Falls International Airport – Victoria Falls)

Day 2: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe (A day to remember)

A name originally given to Victoria Falls, Mosi-oa-Tunya, means “the smoke that thunders”. Just hearing those words can almost make you feel the cold mist on your face and the loud cracking noise. You can explore the smoke and thunder from above or below, on foot or by boat, depending on your preferences. Is there anything stopping your first adventure from being as you imagined?

Start your tour of Victoria Falls with a fully guided tour. It is an essential part of every trip. The afternoon is at your leisure. Visit Victoria Falls Bridge and learn about over 100 years of history. With an exceptional birds eye view of the falls, guides give you an intriguing look into the past and provide an engaging look into the past. A jet boat ride will keep your blood pumping.

Accommodation: Victoria Falls Safari Lodge (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included: Hike and Adventure Jet Boat Excursion or Historic Bridge Tour, Victoria Falls Guided Tour, The Eatery Pot Dinner Experience

Day 3: Chobe, Botswana (An insight into Africa’s past)

An explorers camp from the turn of the century is recreated in this scene straight from the past. Listen to stories of those who explored this place before you as you sip gin and tonic by the fire. With the sound of lions calling and your breath keeping time in the distance, sleep in the bush.

Enter Chobe National Park in Botswana, like the true adventurer you are. See elephants, crocodiles, and hippopotamuses on a small boat as you float down the river. In our exclusive bush camping experience, we continue our safari on land. Suddenly, your tent is up, the sun sets, you attach your headlamp, and Africa fills your ears with sounds.

Accommodation: Chobe Glamping Experience (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included: Chobe River Cruise, Chobe National Park Safari Drive
Route: Victoria Falls – Chobe National Park

Day 4: Hwange National Park, Botswana (An Elephant Express Ride)

Second day of safari starts, and it begins to sink in how fast safari life is. Seeing wildlife emerge in Africa at dawn is a unique experience. Return to Zimbabwe via Botswana. Your chariot is waiting you. You’ll be whisked through Hwange National park in a converted 22-seat train car while spotting elephants and zebras.

We leave Botswana and return to Zimbabwe across Hwange National Park, saying farewell to Botswana. On board a purpose-built railroad car, you’ll catch a glimpse of Hwange after brunch en route. We meet Hwange’s wildlife before we’ve even reached our lodge in the open air train car.

Accommodation: Camelthorn Lodge (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Included: Elephant Express
Route: Chobe National Park – Hwange National Park

Day 5: Hwange National Park, Botswana (An overview of the Circle of Life)

You gain a greater understanding of the life cycle of life in Africa while walking through the bush. Seeing the dung beetles waddling through the dirt from above is difficult, as they are equally crucial to the eco-system as the lion, the giraffe, and the elephant. Take a guided safari bushwalk in the morning and observe Africa’s smaller creatures in the afternoon before you take a safari drive in search of those bigger elephants.

Lunch in the open bush is the perfect culmination to a full safari day on foot and by road. Our adventure-filled day ended with a swim in the pool after a long day of adventures.

Accommodation: Camelthorn Lodge (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included: Afternoon Wildlife Safari in Hwange National Park, Morning Walking Safari in Hwange National Park

Day 6: Hwange National Park, Botswana (Bringing the elephants to play)

A large population of elephants inhabits Hwange National Park. Their majestic nature cannot be overstated in person. Experience the elephants’ daily routine in an underground hide where you can watch them drinking from the watering hole and moving about their daily lives.

In the morning, we enjoy an early safari drive before relaxing at the lodge in the heat of the day. The pool is the perfect place to cool off. During our nighttime safari drive, we will have the opportunity to observe nocturnal wildlife after viewing elephants from our unique vantage point this afternoon.

Accommodation: Camelthorn Lodge (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included: Hwange Safari Lodge Morning Drive, The Look Up Hide, Night Safari Through Hwange National Park

Day 7: Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe (Safari by the lake)

Since 1959, the Zambezi river was dammed to create Lake Kariba, the world’s largest artificial lake by volume. A crocodile, hippo, cormorants, and tigerfish call the area home. Your lakeside lodge offers you the unique opportunity to marvel at Africa’s water dwelling wildlife, but swimming in the lake is out of the question unless you wish to swim with a hippo.

Take one last experience of the serenity of Hwange on a morning safari drive. Travel from Hwange to Kariba by short flight. You will travel across Lake Kariba to your lodge by boat. With its location on the lakeshore and close proximity to Matusadona National Park, your lodge is one of the only places in the area to experience wildlife both on land and in the water.

Accommodation: Changa Safari Camp (Amazing Stay)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Includ8ed: Hwange Safari Lodge Morning Drive, Flight from Hwange Airport to Kariba, Lake Kariba Visit

Day 8: Lake Kariba: Matusadona National Park and Kariba Sundowners

An inspiring story of revitalization can be found at Matusadona National Park. As a permanent home for elephants and black rhinos, Matusadona is quickly returning to its former glory under the 20 year agreement with African Parks. The investment into local communities has prompted a return to legal fishing practices and a renewed sense of pride among locals in being stewards of the environment.

Elephant, cape buffalo, and impala can be seen early in the morning during a safari walk in Matusadona. You can traverse Sanyati Gorge in the afternoon by getting out onto the lake. Aside from great views, you can also see a variety of birds and even an occasional antelope in the vicinity of the gorge, which rivals the Fjords of Europe and New Zealand. This evening, we’ve earned a sundowner back at the lodge.

Accommodation: Changa Safari Camp (Amazing Stay)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included: Walking Safari or Game Drive, Kariba Sundowner, Lake Kariba Fishing

Day 9: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe (It’s time to close the curtain)

A spectacular performance brings an exciting end to the evening as you return to Victoria Falls. Join us for the opening night performance of Simunye-We are one. A thrilling and poignant way to end your African adventure, this fusion of theatre, dance, and song is an unforgettable experience.

A final day of adventure awaits you at Victoria Falls. In the morning, you’ll take off for your flight, and in the afternoon you’ll have time to relax. To conclude your lifetime adventure, take a helicopter ride over the falls before the performance in the evening.

Accommodation: Victoria Falls Safari Lodge (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included: Theatre Performance & Dinner, Flight from Kariba – Victoria Falls
Route: Kariba – Victoria Falls

Day 10: Johannesburg, South Africa(Kruger’s gateway)

Johannesburg is the gateway to Kruger National Park, but before you leave tomorrow, there are plenty of things to do and see here. Experience downtown Johannesburg’s thriving art and culture scene this afternoon on a guided tour of Maboneng.

During your tour, your guide will take you to Fox Street, which is a vibrant shopping district. You can learn about the history of Maboneng through the street art that can be seen there. See how we’ve overcome obstacles and rebuilt this community over the years. The Museum of Africa Design is the continent’s first design laboratory and a trans-African cultural centre.

Accommodation: Da Vinci Hotel and Suites (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included: Flight from Victoria Falls – Oliver Reginald Tambo International, Maboneng Walking Tour, Dinner in Nelson Mandela Square
Route: Kariba – Victoria Falls

Day 11: Pridelands Conservancy, South Africa (Wildlife Tracking)

In South Africa, what are the requirements for becoming a guide? How can you discover the imprints that every species makes on its environment? How does it feel to walk through the African jungle at dawn and dusk? Your African adventure begins with an exclusive two-day experience learning what it takes to be a guide in these famous national parks and conservancies, hosted by Ecotraining, the top guide training organization in Africa. This is more than just a safari; it’s a chance to immerse yourself in a different world for two short days. We assure you that Ecotraining will leave its guides as “passionate guardians of nature,” and that you will acquire the same fervor while visiting the Pridelands.

For the next two days, Pridelands Conservancy, a 4500-acre former buffalo hunting property, is your playground. The conservancy is close to Kruger National Park, right outside the town of Hoedspruit. Following a brief flight to Hoedspruit, go on a wildlife search with your guides and get knowledge about animal habits and behaviours.

Accommodation: Raptors Lodge (Amazing Stay)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included: Pridelands Conservancy Wildlife Safari, Flight from liver Reginald Tambo International – Hoedspruit
Route: Johannesburg – Oliver Reginald Tambo International – Hoedspruit – Raptors Lodge

Day 12: Pridelands Conservancy: Nocturnal Wildlife, South Africa

Get up early in the morning to go in search of elephants, buffaloes, and zebras on foot with your guides. As you dine out in the bush, wildlife roams freely around you. Animal identification and behaviour are the focus of safari drives in the afternoon with a special emphasis on situational awareness when near large animals.

The Ndlovu Dam is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing evening after a long day of exploring. You spend a lot of time immersed in this special environment if you eat most of your meals in the bush. As you eat dinner with your fellow travelers, work on perfecting your bird calls.

Accommodation: Raptors Lodge (Amazing Stay)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included: Pridelands Morning Walking Safari, Afternoon Wildlife Safari In Pridelands

Day 13: Kruger National Park, South Africa (Safari Sundowners)

Travelers frequently return to Kruger National Park because it is so large and rich in wildlife, history, and culture, and they always find something new to discover. Safari drives and sundowners never grow old, whether it’s your first or twenty-first time. On the way to the lodge, you have a safari drive to start the day. An amazing first day in the park is capped off with another afternoon safari drive.

The morning and afternoon safari drives in Kruger National Park are hard to top. But we believe a little downtime by the pool and sundowners in the forest might be precisely what’s needed.

Accommodation: Mdluli Safari Lodge (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Route: Raptors Lodge – Kruger National Park
Distance: 120 km
Time: 2 – 3 hours
Included: Sunset Wildlife Safari Drive Through Kruger National Park, Pridelands Morning Walking Safari, Kruger National Park Wildlife Safari Drive

Day 14: Kruger National Park: Walking Safari, South Africa

There’s nothing like visiting Kruger at first light. If you want to have the best opportunity of seeing animal behavior first thing in the morning, you must wake up when the animals do. You go on a walking safari in the national park with the assistance of your local guides. Take a stroll to Granite Rock later in the day to have a picnic there.

Your final chance to get into the woods to view wildlife is during an afternoon safari drive. When you’re on an experience of a lifetime, time flies. Join your fellow travelers for a bush braai this evening to celebrate.

Accommodation: Mdluli Safari Lodge (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included: Morning Bushwalk in Kruger National Park, Picnic Lunch at Granite Rock, Kruger Wildlife Safari Drive, Bush Braai Dinner

Day 15: Franschhoek, South Africa

A welcome contrast to the safari adventures so far, Franschhoek is known as the food and wine capital of the world. With the towering Drakenstein mountains in the distance and verdant green vineyards all around, it’s easy to imagine just sitting and “being”, in this tranquil setting. First things first, eat at Sauvage restaurant for a three-course dinner. Head chef Kyle Norris leads Sauvage, a restaurant located within the Le Franschhoek Hotel and Spa. After dinner, your toughest choice will be whether to drink wine or coffee.

Taking a flight from Kruger to Cape Town takes you southbound. Discover Franschhoek’s vineyards two days before your Cape Town explorations begin. A delicious meal and a delicious glass of wine await you.

Accommodation: Le Franschhoek Hotel & Spa (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Route: Hazyview – Nelspruit – Cape Town International Airport– Franschhoek
Included: Flight from ,Nelspruit – Cape Town International Airport, Dinner at Sauvage

Day 16: Franschhoek, South Africa (South African vineyards on a bicycle)

Among the top 50 places to visit in 2022, Franschhoek is no surprise. Pedaling an e-bike between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek will allow you to experience the vineyards and small towns to the fullest. The Babylonstoren Gardens serve lunch, so you don’t have to worry about stuffing yourself. It is impossible to describe these gardens in words- 8 acres of fruit and vegetable gardens, with beautifully manicured paths throughout.

The countryside of Franschhoek is synonymous with food and wine, making it an iconic destination. Mountain ranges rise against rows of vines as the vineyards stretch out to the horizon. Use your e-bike to travel around and visit several vineyards, where you can sample wine, gourmet foods, and delicious coffee. Last but not least, you will visit Babylonstoren Garden. Lunch in the Greenhouse is included, and you are welcome to explore the gardens at your leisure in the afternoon.

Accommodation: Le Franschhoek Hotel & Spa (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Route: Franschhoek – Stellenbosch
Included: E-bike Through the South African Winelands, Lunch at Greenhouse Restaurant at Babylonstoren

Day 17: Cape Town, South Africa (Kayaking in Three Anchor Bay)

Cape Town continues to delight with its culinary delights even after the culinary adventure comes to an end. You can feel a million miles from the bustle of a city when paddling through Table Bay with views of Signal Hill and Table Mountain. During your paddle, you may encounter Heaviside’s dolphins.

As Franschhoek and Cape Town are just a short drive away, this day is ideal for a late start. Explore the city with your guide once you arrive in Cape Town. Your adventure in Table Bay isn’t complete until you join your fellow travellers for a delicious dinner on Cape Town’s iconic waterfront after your two-hour paddle

Accommodation: The Victoria & Alfred Hotel (or similar)
Meals: Beakfast, Dinner
Route: Franschhoek – Cape Town
Included: Orientation Drive of Cape Town, Kayak in the Table Bay

Day 18: Cape Town, South Africa (Table Mountain)

Its flat top touches the clouds behind Cape Town, making it one of the most recognizable symbols of the city. There are two ways to reach new heights. Explore Table Mountain’s oldest and most popular route, the Platteklip Gorge, with a local guide. Take a cable car ride up the mountain with your CEO if you’re ready to relax.

In either case, you will reunite with your fellow travellers at the top and descend together via the cable car, whether you climb Table Mountain yourself or take a cable car. Kirstenbosch National Botanic Gardens will be explored throughout the afternoon. Discover the newly constructed Centenary Tree Canopy, a winding, dipping steel and timber walkway that goes through and over trees in the Arboretum.

Accommodation: The Victoria & Alfred Hotel (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Included: Experience Table Mountain, Explore Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

Day 19: Cape Town, South Africa

Getting the most out of your day in the Mother City is easy with the abundance of options you have to choose from. Take advantage of your last day in South Africa to the fullest. There is a half-day Urban Cycle tour and a Black Route walking tour to choose from. Before your trip home, you can choose from both options and cover a lot of ground.

Enjoy a farewell dinner with your guide and fellow travellers after your unique adventures.

Accommodation:he Victoria & Alfred Hotel (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Included: City Walking Tour & Cooking Class Or Urban Explorer Cycle Tour, Cape Town Farewell Dinner

Day 20: Cape Town, South Africa

Today marks the end of your adventure, and you can depart at your convenience.

Meals: Breakfast

Onward Travel Plans

Due to circumstances beyond our control while on tour (such as border crossings, traffic, breakdowns and delays, etc), the end time on the last day cannot be guaranteed. Therefore we strongly recommend you stay the night and fly out the next day. Please consult with your booking consultant.