Okavango & Victoria Falls

Nine days from the spray of Victoria Falls to Chobe's riverfront elephants and four nights at two fly-in camps in Botswana's Okavango Delta, with mokoro trips, walks and game drives. A classic southern Africa safari we tailor to you.

Every journey is customizable. Use our featured journeys as inspiration. We'll tailor the dates, hotels, activities, pace and budget around you.

Highlights

• Victoria Falls on foot

  A guided walk along the rainforest trail opposite the falls, with viewpoints along the gorge.

• Sunset on the Zambezi

  A relaxed cruise above the falls, with hippos, crocodiles and birdlife along the banks.

• Chobe's riverfront elephants

  Boat safaris and game drives where large elephant herds come to drink in the dry season.

• Mokoro through the Delta

  Glide through papyrus channels in a traditional canoe, poled by a local guide.

• Two fly-in Delta camps

  Water activities at one camp and game drives at another, in small camps with few vehicles.

Suggested day-by-day

A starting point, not a fixed schedule — we adjust every day to suit you.

1. 1
   Day 1Arrive at Victoria FallsVictoria Falls, Zimbabwe+

   Fly into Victoria Falls Airport, usually via Johannesburg, and transfer about 25 minutes to your hotel. In the late afternoon, board a sunset cruise on the upper Zambezi, where hippos, crocodiles and elephants are often seen along the banks.

   • Private airport transfer
   • Sunset cruise on the Zambezi
   • Evening at leisure

   Upscale hotel or lodge near the falls, or similar · Victoria Falls town
2. 2
   Day 2The Smoke That ThundersVictoria Falls+

   Walk the rainforest trail opposite the falls with a local guide, stopping at viewpoints along the gorge. Depending on the season, expect anything from drenching spray to clear views of the rock face. The afternoon is free for a helicopter flight, a walk onto the Victoria Falls Bridge or the craft markets.

   • Guided tour of the falls
   • Optional helicopter flight (extra cost)
   • Optional walk onto the Victoria Falls Bridge
   • Free time in town

   Upscale hotel or lodge near the falls, or similar · Victoria Falls townBreakfast
3. 3
   Day 3Across the border to ChobeKasane, Botswana+

   Drive to Kasane in Botswana, usually an hour or two including the border crossing. After lunch, take a boat safari on the Chobe River, where elephants often gather to drink and swim in the dry season.

   • Road transfer to Kasane
   • Afternoon boat safari on the Chobe River
   • Sundowners on the water

   Upscale river lodge or similar · Chobe riverfront, KasaneBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
4. 4
   Day 4Chobe by land and waterChobe National Park+

   Head into Chobe National Park on an early game drive along the riverfront, looking for lion, buffalo, sable and the many antelope that come to the water. After a relaxed midday, return to the river by boat for photography as the sun goes down.

   • Morning game drive in Chobe National Park
   • Afternoon photographic boat trip
   • Birdwatching along the river

   Upscale river lodge or similar · Chobe riverfront, KasaneBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
5. 5
   Day 5Fly into the Okavango DeltaOkavango Delta+

   A light-aircraft flight carries you over the floodplains to a bush airstrip near your first camp, which focuses on water activities. In the afternoon, glide through papyrus-lined channels in a mokoro, a traditional canoe poled by a local guide.

   • Scenic light-aircraft flight
   • Afternoon mokoro excursion (water levels permitting)
   • Sundowners on an island

   Upscale fly-in tented camp in a private concession, or similar · Okavango DeltaAll-inclusive
6. 6
   Day 6Channels and islandsOkavango Delta+

   Explore the waterways by mokoro or motorboat, depending on water levels, and step onto islands for guided walks to track animals and learn about plants and birds. Evenings are spent around the fire, listening to hippos and frogs.

   • Mokoro or motorboat excursion
   • Guided island walk
   • Birdwatching
   • Evening around the campfire

   Upscale fly-in tented camp in a private concession, or similar · Okavango DeltaAll-inclusive
7. 7
   Day 7A second Delta campOkavango Delta+

   Take a short flight to a second camp in a drier part of the Delta, chosen for game drives. Open vehicles, expert guides and few other visitors make for superb sightings of lion, leopard, elephant and, with luck, wild dog.

   • Short light-aircraft flight between camps
   • Afternoon game drive
   • Night drive (where permitted)

   Upscale fly-in tented camp in a private concession, or similar · Okavango DeltaAll-inclusive
8. 8
   Day 8Game drives in the DeltaOkavango Delta+

   A full day of land-based safari: a morning drive with a bush breakfast, a quiet midday in camp and an afternoon drive into the evening. Many camps also offer guided walks for a closer look at tracks, insects and plants.

   • Morning game drive
   • Guided walk (where offered)
   • Afternoon and evening game drive

   Upscale fly-in tented camp in a private concession, or similar · Okavango DeltaAll-inclusive
9. 9
   Day 9Depart from MaunOkavango Delta and Maun+

   After a final early activity, fly by light aircraft to Maun and connect to your onward flight, usually via Johannesburg. We plan the timing around your international connection.

   • Final morning activity
   • Light-aircraft flight to Maun
   • Connection to your onward flight

   Breakfast

Make it yours

A few of the ways travelers tailor this journey:

• Fly over the falls

  Add a short helicopter flight for a view of the falls and gorges you cannot get from the ground.

• Add the salt pans

  Spend two nights in the Makgadikgadi for vast horizons and, in the dry months, habituated meerkats.

• Book a private guide in the Delta

  A private vehicle and guide lets photographers and families set their own schedule (extra cost).

• Choose your water season

  The Delta flood typically peaks in the middle of the year; tell us whether mokoro trips or dry-season game viewing matter most.

• Start in Cape Town

  Begin with a few days in Cape Town or the Winelands before flying north to the falls.

Best months

1. Jan
2. Feb
3. Mar
4. Apr
5. ✓ May
6. ✓ Jun
7. ✓ Jul
8. ✓ Aug
9. ✓ Sep
10. ✓ Oct
11. Nov
12. Dec