18 days tour

Explore Southern Africa (Including Bourke’S Luck Potholes)

$ 3,068 .00 USD

Total price per person

Reserve with $3,068.00

Explore Southern Africa (Including Bourke’S Luck Potholes)

This tour includes:

Others

Khama Rhino Sanctuary - Sunset Game Drive Open Vehicle Okavango Delta - Mokoro safari Okavango Delta - Sunrise Walk Okavango Delta - Brewery Tour Nata - Makgadikgadi Salt Pans 4x4 Excursion Chobe National Park - River Cruise Victoria Falls - Visit to Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust Hwange National Park - Guided 4x4 Game Drive Hwange - Painted Dog Conservation visit Matobo National Park - Rhino Tracking Matobo National Park - San Rock Paintings Makushu Homestay - Beading, Cooking or Dancing Black Mambas HQ - Dinner by Lantern Light Black Mambas HQ - Campfire Story Time Black Mambas HQ - Snare Walk Kruger National Park - Night Game Drive Kruger National Park - Full Day 4x4 Game Drive Panorama Route - Bourke’s Luck Potholes

Meals

16 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 14 dinners

Guide

You will be accompanied by 3 crew members - Group Leader, Cook and Driver. Your Group Leader’s role involves organizing the overall operation and smooth-running of the trip, managing trip logistics, coordinating the tipping kitty (where applicable) and will form work groups to take turns cooking, cleaning and shopping (from time to time your leader may drive as well). Your Group Leader will work towards making the trip as safe and enjoyable as possible for all travellers. Intrepid trips are built around the co–operation and participation of all the group members under the supervision of the group leader. The group leader will show the group how to set up and use the equipment. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting, especially when tracking and identifying game - we think it’s the best of both worlds. Regardless of the country of origin, our Group Leaders are chosen for their leadership skills and are wonderful ambassadors for our company and our beautiful continent and its people. Your Cook is responsible for the cooking and will help to coordinate the work groups for preparing the meals and washing up! Cooks are also responsible for organising food shopping (they are always happy to have you on board) and most importantly, they make sure high hygiene standards are kept at all times while camping. Your Driver’s main responsibility is to get you to your destination safely; they are also responsible for the maintenance of the vehicles along the way. Everyone is expected participate and carry their share of the workload/duties, making camp chores easier. The duties rota system is adopted where all members share in general camp duties – cooking, shopping, washing up etc. If the whole group participates it will be quicker, easier, and more fun. We endeavour to provide the services of an experienced leader and crew; however, situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders.

Transport

Our trucks are purpose-built, self contained safari vehicles. Our fleet of vehicles varies depending on your group size, trip route and style. In Southern Africa some departures may use vans and luggage trailers subject to group size and vehicle availability. It is also important to note that our overland vehicles are not air-conditioned, but all vehicles have windows that can be opened to allow for fresh air. There are many early starts with long hours spent driving on rough roads on all African itineraries. While most people love the chance to watch the changing landscape and daily village life, feedback shows that long periods of inactivity does not appeal to all clients. We provide the approximate distance covered each day and how many hours this normally takes to drive so that you can choose the safari experience that is right for you. African conditions are extremely tough on vehicles. While we fastidiously maintain our vehicles at our workshops, you should not expect Africa to be your traditional touring experience. While it’s certainly our aim to avoid them, it’s important that you set off on your trip knowing that the occasional breakdown can happen and are best treated as part of the African adventure. Due to wet weather there may be times when we have to take an alternative route which will mean longer travel times. Overland vehicle , Open safari vehicle , Mokoro

Accommodation

Accommodation on this trip is mainly in two-person canvas dome tents with camping mattresses supplied. The type and variety of accommodation are determined by conditions on each of our routes. Each route is different - on some, we use a mixture of campsites and wild camps; on others, we also use hotels. In Africa, it’s not usually practical to camp when staying in towns and cities, so we use hotel accommodations and eat out in local restaurants. There may be the occasional night stop when we stay on the grounds of a hotel or at a campsite, which may also have rooms/cabins available. In this case, there may be a choice of camping or upgrading to a room. Rooms cost approximately USD : 40-100 per room per night for a twin room and cannot be pre-booked. Standards of these rooms vary greatly, and we recommend viewing the room before purchasing the night’s accommodation. The day-by-day itinerary advises when upgrades may be possible (subject to availability). Keep in mind that if we are staying in dormitory accommodation, you may have to share with other passengers or be split into same-sex rooms. Campsites do have facilities, but they usually aren’t to the same standard you would find in Western countries. For example, the bathroom facilities can be very basic. Toilet paper is rarely provided, and shower facilities can be as simple as a hose pipe spurting out cold water. Wild camps have no facilities at all. At times, there may be spare tents in the vehicles. Unfortunately, these cannot be used without the purchase of a single supplement. This is to ensure the tents avoid wear and tear or are clean and ready for the customers arriving on the next section of the trip. Camping (with facilities) (13 nights), Bush camp (no facilities) (2 nights), Hotel (1 night), Homestay (1 night)

Not included:

Insurance

Travel Insurance is not included

Optional

Other activities and services are not included

Flights

International flights are not included

Others

Other activities and services are not included

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Explore Southern Africa (Including Bourke’S Luck Potholes)

  • Day 1 Day 1: Johannesburg
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 1: Johannesburg

      Sawubona! Welcome to South Africa. Your adventure begins in Johannesburg with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, maybe visit the eye-opening Apartheid Museum to start your journey with some crucial history before meeting up with your group. After the meeting, why not head out for an optional group dinner and get to know your newfound travel companions. Your leader can point you in the right direction with the best bar and restaurant recommendations.

  • Day 2 Day 2: Khama Rhino Sanctuary
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 2: Khama Rhino Sanctuary

      Leaving South Africa behind, cross the border into Botswana this morning and travel towards the Khama Rhino Sanctuary. Situated on the edge of the Kalahari Desert, the Khama Rhino Sanctuary has drastically changed from a former hunting area to a conservation project. Built to protect Botswana’s only remaining populations of both black and white rhinos, the sanctuary is also home to other wildlife including zebras, giraffes, leopards, ostriches and wildebeest, all of which can be seen grazing the many waterholes. Visiting this project benefits local communities and directly contributes to protecting the endangered white rhino. Later, you’ll head out on a dusk game drive to hopefully spot the rhinos when they’re most active.

  • Day 3 Day 3: Maun
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 3: Maun

      This morning you’ll drive to Maun – the gateway to one of the world’s most complex ecosystems, the Okavango Delta. A 16,000 square km maze of lush wetlands and waterways teeming with wildlife, this place is unlike anywhere else in the world. When you arrive, there will be an opportunity to stock up on any supplies you might need for your adventure ahead. Look out for the resident hippos, crocodiles, elephants and big cats in the delta. The animals aren’t the only drawcard, though! The waterscapes and shimmering horizon are enough to write home about.

  • Day 4 Day 4: Okavango Delta
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 4: Okavango Delta

      Today you’ll get right in the action and jump aboard a traditional mokoro – a dugout canoe steered by friendly local ’polers’. Cruise the Okavango waterways and look out for the delta’s unusual wildlife and exotic birds. Spend some time today exploring the maze of lagoons, lakes and streams on foot too, with your experienced local guides. Tonight, you’ll camp on a remote island right in the heart of the wilderness! Fall asleep to the humming and buzzing of the African heartlands and soak up one of those ‘I’m so far from home’ moments.

  • Day 5 Day 5: Okavango Delta
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 5: Okavango Delta

      Wake up nice and early this morning and head out on a sunrise walk. Along the way, keep watch for elephants and if the timing is right, you might also come across some Cape buffalo! These noble-looking beasts are more dangerous than they look and their horns double as bone shield that’s fittingly known as a ’boss’. Return to camp for breakfast, where you’ll have the rest of the day to relax. A refreshing swim, or maybe a nap could be on the cards – both good ideas in the warmer part of the day. Alternatively, take another optional mokoro trip to soak up that serene river atmosphere.

  • Day 6 Day 6: Maun
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 6: Maun

      After taking down your camp, return to the ‘poler’ station by mokoro, before continuing to Maun by vehicle. When you arrive, you’ll visit a local brewery that produces beer with millet grown by small-scale farmers. The brewery is supported by the travellers, and they in turn support the farmers. This initiative enhances the benefits of sustainable farming and ties them to the region’s wildlife economy. After touring the brewery, you’ll sit down for an included dinner and a beer tasting. Around midday, you might also have the opportunity to take a scenic flight (depending on the flood water levels). Tonight, settle in at a camp on the outskirts of town.

  • Day 7 Day 7: Nata
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 7: Nata

      Get up early and hit the road for Nata. This small town sits near the stunning Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, which are some of the largest on Earth covering around 12,000 square km. This afternoon, you’ll take an excursion in an open-air vehicle to explore these seemingly endless plains in the Nata Bird Sanctuary. Surrounded by the Kalahari Desert, the pans are naturally dry and salty for a large part of the year. During this time, the arid landscape has an eerie feel and the heat mirages can make you feel disoriented. After the rains hit, the pans become a grassy refuge for migratory birds and animals – a perfect setting for wildlife lovers!

  • Day 8 Day 8: Chobe National Park
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 8: Chobe National Park

      Hit the road this morning and make tracks for Chobe National Park – Botswana’s first ever national park. This area is perhaps best known for its high concentration of elephants, which can often be seen swimming in the Chobe River. The river also attracts wallowing hippos, crocodiles by the water’s edge, cheetahs, lions and a huge variety of birdlife. When you arrive, you’ll be treated to a sunset cruise on the Chobe River – an ideal way to spend the afternoon, watch the sun descend and toast to another day in Africa.

  • Day 9 Day 9: Victoria Falls
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 9: Victoria Falls

      Why not wake up early and see Chobe National Park from a different perspective with an optional morning game drive. After, the group will travel to Victoria Falls, crossing the border into Zimbabwe just in time to have lunch on the banks of the Zambezi River. Then, you’ll have free time to experience the sights and sounds of the mighty falls at your own pace. This thundering curtain of water is about 1.7 km wide, falling 108 m into a narrow gorge below. In the wet season, the spray can rise an incredible 400 m as the falls become a raging torrent. In the dry season, the view of the falls is unobstructed by spray, and you can see the little islets in the river below.

  • Day 10 Day 10: Victoria Falls
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 10: Victoria Falls

      Today, why not check out the Zimbabwe side of the falls, which offers the broadest view of this colossal natural wonder. Alternatively, the scenic helicopter flights are incredible – if you opt for one, the Zambezi Helicopter Company (CAA Zimbabwe) is the only operator Intrepid endorses. Explore as you wish, but please be sure to return to camp by 6 pm for a meeting with your new group. After, you could get your new group together and get acquainted over a pint at one of the local breweries or watch as the sun goes down on an optional river cruise.

  • Day 11 Day 11: Hwange National Park
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 11: Hwange National Park

      After a little time to explore in the morning, you’ll leave Victoria Falls behind and head to Hwange National Park via the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust – one of the projects The Intrepid Foundation supports. Here you can learn about the rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife, human-wildlife conflict and the Trust’s role in anti-poaching. There may also be a chance to meet any rescued or orphaned wildlife currently in their care. Hwange National Park became the royal hunting grounds of the Ndebele warrior-king Mzilikazi in the early 19th century and was set aside as a national park in 1929. Today, Hwange boasts a tremendous selection of wildlife, with over 100 species of mammals and nearly 400 bird species. The elephants of Hwange are world famous – here you’ll find one of the largest elephant populations in Africa. Spend this afternoon exploring Hwange National Park and discover this stunning wildlife arena in an open 4WD vehicle with expert local guides. Keep your eyes out for wildlife and listen closely as your guides explain more about this area and the animals that call this place home.

  • Day 12 Day 12: Matobo National Park
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 12: Matobo National Park

      Leave Hwange in your dust as you make tracks for Matobo National Park this morning. Shortly after leaving Hwange, stop at the Painted Dog Conservation Centre. The loss of quality habitat and poaching are driving the painted dog (also known as African wild dog) towards extinction. Learn about how they protect and increase the range and numbers of painted dogs in Zimbabwe and the Hwange ecosystem as a whole. Then it’s on to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second-largest city. Take a stroll through the streets lined with old colonial buildings and stop in at a local cafe or restaurant for lunch before heading to your camp for the next two nights. Home to a large population of black and white rhinoceroses that can be tracked on foot, Matobo National Park is also the site of the grave of Cecil John Rhodes, the founder of Rhodesia and the De Beers diamond company. The Matobo area has great spiritual and cultural significance to the local people and there are many sites within the park where important ceremonies still take place.

  • Day 13 Day 13: Matobo National Park
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 13: Matobo National Park

      Matobo National Park has an incredibly diverse range of birdlife and wildlife, and is home to both Black and White rhino. This morning, you have a unique opportunity to track white rhinos on foot with the help of an expert local guide. There will also be the chance to spot other game – the park is home to klipspringers, leopards, warthogs and springhares, among others. You can also learn about the various local plants and trees, including wild pear and paperbark, while discovering San paintings and the intriguing rock formations of the park. After a cold lunch, venture to a nearby village and meet some of the local people. You’ll gain a better understanding of the lives of these people when they were living in the hills, as well as meet with some of the local communities and personalities – including elderly chief Pondo, a character in his own right.

  • Day 14 Day 14: Tshipise
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 14: Tshipise

      This morning we leave Matobo National Park and Zimbabwe behind and cross a very busy border post, the only direct border crossing between Zimbabwe and South Africa. We should arrive at our camping site located on the edge of Honnet Nature Reserve in the late afternoon. Relax and enjoy the extensive facilities available including an indoor and outdoor pool, putt putt, nature trail, and optional Game Drives.

  • Day 15 Day 15: Makushu Village
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 15: Makushu Village

      Make your way to Makushu – a small village in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Upon arrival in Makushu, you’ll be met by a local village guide, who will ensure you are well taken care of. You’ll be staying with homestay host mothers in their family homes. With your own room within the family home, you will get a true feeling of what it’s like in the village – certainly a unique and memorable experience for travellers. With no two days the same for local villagers, some things you may get up to include beading, dancing, beer tasting and cooking. This evening is a true opportunity to interact with the local villagers and learn of traditional Venda ways.

  • Day 16 Day 16: Greater Kruger National Park - Black Mambas Hq
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 16: Greater Kruger National Park - Black Mambas Hq

      After breakfast today you’ll make the epic journey towards Greater Kruger National Park. Along the way, there will be an opportunity to stop at a shop or market for any camping supplies you or the group might need. Tonight you’ll get the extraordinary opportunity to camp at the Black Mambas headquarters, located just outside of Kruger National Park. Supported by the Intrepid Foundation, the Black Mambas are the world’s first all-female anti-poaching unit, made up of 36 young African women.​ Turning a traditionally male-dominated industry on its head, they’re putting their female prowess to work protecting the wildlife of Kruger National Park in an unconventional kind of way. You’ll accompany them on a bush walk to discover how they find and destroy snares left by poachers. In the evening, enjoy dinner by lantern light then relax by the campfire and listen to the inspirational personal stories from The Black Mambas.

  • Day 17 Day 17: Kruger National Park
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 17: Kruger National Park

      Rise early and have a light breakfast of coffee before embarking on a full-day 4WD game drive in Kruger National Park. One of the largest game reserves in Southern Africa, Kruger National Park is home to over 500 bird species, 100 species of reptile and 150 mammal species, including the Big Five and the endangered African wild dog. Your wildlife experience begins as soon as you enter the park. You will head straight into prime game viewing areas, spotting anything from antelopes and elands to cheetahs and rhinos. Later on, head out on a night drive with local park guides to spot nocturnal animals and perhaps even a night-time predator or two. Night drives provide the opportunity to spot Kruger National Park’s secretive nocturnal creatures and watch their activities in their natural environment. This drive traditionally lasts between 2 and 3 hours and you can expect to see a vast selection of nocturnal animals such as nightjars, servals, African wild cats, springhares and owls.

  • Day 18 Day 18: Johannesburg
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 18: Johannesburg

      It’s time to head to Johannesburg. There’s plenty of time to stop and explore along the way. A notable stop – you’ll take in amazing vistas at the 3 Rondavals viewpoint over Blyde River Canyon and Bourke’s Luck Potholes. This is a magnificent lookout where cloud cover is usually at a minimum. Your African safari adventure comes to an end once we arrive in Johannesburg this evening.

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Experience Style

Experience Style

Mixed

There will be challenging activities such as hiking, biking, canyoning and trekking, but you’re also going to have other means of transportation and relaxed moments to just chill.

Accomodation level

Accomodation level

Medium

This accommodation includes essential services like a hot shower, electricity, and a nice and comfy bed.

Experience Type

Experience Type

Small Group

You’ll be accompanied by a small group of travelers just like you.

Physical Rating

Physical Rating

Basic

Almost everyone is fit for these activities. Every hike or physical exercise last less than 30 minutes, such as paragliding and horseback riding. Please ask about specific conditions.

Age range

Age range

Min: 15 / Max: 99

Age range allowed for this experience.

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