Experience Southern Africa

Reiseverlauf 2026

1. Tag 1

   Johannesburg

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   Sawubona – welcome to South Africa! Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. 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 your meeting this evening, why not head out for an optional group dinner and get to know your new travel companions. Your leader can point you in the right direction with the best bar and restaurant recommendations.
   It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place. Please make sure that if you explore Johannesburg on your own that you get local advice as to where it is safe to walk, especially in the evening. The level of crime here may be higher than what you are used to.
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   Kruger National Park

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   Rise and shine for an early departure from Johannesburg, the 'City of Gold' and head off on an adventure of a lifetime. Be prepared for a long drive, but rest assured, it is well worth it. A truly unique African experience unfolds as you enter the Greater Kruger National Park ecosystem on the way to your campsite. In the evening, relax and have dinner with your group at your camp, located in Kruger National Park.
   Your total driving time for today will be approximately 6.5 hours. On occasion, especially during the peak periods during May to September and December, we are unable to secure campsites within Kruger National Park. In this instance, we will camp outside the park.
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   Kruger National Park

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   After breakfast, embark on a full day 4WD safari through 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 elephants, rhinos, buffalo, giraffes and more! It’s home to many vulnerable species including the southern ground hornbill, the blue crane and the endangered African wild dog. You’ll spend your day game viewing, birdwatching and stopping at various waterholes and viewpoints. Your camp tonight will be within Kruger National Park.
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   Kruger National Park

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   Head to the outskirts of Kruger National Park, where you'll be lucky enough to camp for the evening with the Black Mambas at their headquarters. The Intrepid Foundation is proudly partnered with Helping Rhinos, which directly supports the work of the Black Mambas – the world's first all-female anti-poaching unit. Made up of a team of 42 young African women, the Mambas patrol 20,000 hectares of the Greater Kruger National Park. 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 join them on a bush walk to learn how they find and destroy snares firsthand. Enjoy a special dinner by lantern light, and later, relax by the campfire with the Mambas as they share stories about their path to becoming Black Mambas and conservation work.
   Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours.
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   Moremi Gorge

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   Say farewell to the Black Mambas and head straight for the Botswana border as you travel towards Goo Moremi Gorge. Perennial streams have carved deep gorges into the hills at this beautiful national heritage site. Here, waterfalls cascade into deep pools surrounded by lush vegetation. The gorges are home to many birds that feed on fish and small crabs in the pools and are breeding grounds for the endangered Cape vulture. Baboons and rock rabbits live on the cliffs above the gorge and, though very elusive, leopards, hyenas and kudu can also be found here.
   Your travel time today will be approximately 9 hours, excluding border crossings. Chalets are solar powered, so hot water is reliant on the weather.
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   Nata

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   Today, you'll journey from Palapye to Nata. Your lodge is situated on the edge of the amazing Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, covering some 12,000 square kilometres, this is one of the largest salt flats in the world. When you arrive, take a 3-hour excursion in an open 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 to it as heat mirages disorientate the senses. Then, after the rains hit, it becomes a grassy refuge for migratory birds and animals. Tonight, enjoy a good night's rest in a comfortable lodge.
   Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours. Tonight’s lodge has a restaurant, swimming pool, gift shop and bar/lounge area.
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   Victoria Falls

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   Today you'll travel on to Victoria Falls, crossing the border into Zimbabwe. Have lunch, then continue to your permanent tent, set within a large rest camp. After settling in, you may want to set out on a highly recommended optional trip to visit Victoria Falls. Spanning about a mile wide and falling 108 m into a narrow gorge below, the spray from the falls can sometimes be seen from kilometres away. In the dry season, the view of the falls is unobstructed by spray and it's possible to see little islets in the river below. Otherwise, a range of other activities are available through the local activity centre. This evening, why not join your group for dinner and celebrate the adventures you've shared.
   Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours. Victoria Falls entrance fee is not included in the price of the trip as it is mandatory for tour groups with pre-purchased tickets to have a local guide escort. We feel that seeing these waterfalls for the first time should be an uninterrupted sensory experience. You may notice businesses offering an optional 'Walk with the Lions' experience. We ask all Intrepid travellers to avoid this activity as it is contrary to our Responsible Travel policy. While wildlife viewing is a big part of many of our itineraries, we strive to only view animals in their natural habitats and to do so with the greatest level of respect. The lion walking industry directly contributes to the captive breeding and canned hunting of lions. Read more about animal welfare and our ‘Born to Live Wild’ pledge here: intrepidtravel.com/animal-welfare.
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   Victoria Falls

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   Spend the day soaking in the sights and sounds of Victoria Falls until your next welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. Maybe explore the magnificent falls – a thundering curtain of water approximately 1.5 km wide, falling 108 m into a narrow gorge below. In the wet season, the spray created can rise to an incredible 400 m, and the falls become a raging torrent. In the dry season, the view of the falls is unobstructed by spray, and you can see little islets in the river below. After the welcome meeting,  sit down to a traditional Zimbabwean dinner and cultural performance by White Star, who celebrate and preserve African stories and values through movement, while their profits go to supporting vulnerable groups and providing free dance lessons to local youth. Dinner will feature local Zimbabwean dishes, including village-style goat stew and peanut butter rice.
   Your campsite tonight has shared facilities and wi-fi. Accommodation upgrades are possible (subject to availability). As this trip is a combination of shorter itineraries, the travellers in your group and your group leader are likely to change today. If you are interested in the optional helicopter flight (12 minutes or 25 minutes), Intrepid only endorses Zambezi Helicopter co CAA Zimbabwe.
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   Kasane

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   Travel to Chobe National Park in Botswana this morning. You’ll stop at the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust along the way – one of The Intrepid Foundation’s projects. Here, you’ll learn about the rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife, the 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. Chobe National Park was the first national park to be established in Botswana and is best known for its high concentration of elephants, which can often be seen swimming in the Chobe River. The river also attracts wallowing hippos, a variety of birdlife and crocodiles that like to sun themselves by the water's edge. Cheetahs and lions also come down to drink in the river, so if you’re lucky, you might spot one of the predators, too! In the late afternoon, embark on a scenic sunset cruise on the Chobe River guided by an expert local guide and look out for wildlife.
   Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours. Your camp tonight is located outside of the park and has flush toilets, showers, intermittent wi-fi and optional accommodation upgrades.
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    Maun

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    This morning, there's time for a morning game drive for those who would like to further explore this beautiful park. As well as elephants, you might see some of Chobe National Park's other noble creatures – from giraffes and zebras to impala and tsessebe (African antelope). Then, it's time to head to Maun. This town is the gateway to one of the world's most famous and most complex ecosystems – the Okavango Delta. It’s a bit of a long drive to get there, so grab a window seat if you can and take the opportunity to soak in the everchanging landscape.
    Your travel time today will be approximately 11 hours.
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    Okavango Delta

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    Travel into the unspoiled wilderness this morning for an adventurous camping experience. The Okavango Delta is unlike anything in the world – a 16,000 square km maze of wetlands made up of waterways, green islands, lush plains and prolific wildlife. The delta is filled with diverse flora and fauna, including hippos, crocodiles, elephants and big cats, but the main attraction is really the incredible ecosystem. You'll explore the waterways by mokoros (traditional dugout canoes navigated by friendly local 'polers'). Spend some time exploring on foot with your experienced and knowledgeable guides and learn more about how the delta works. Tonight, camp on a remote island in the heart of the wilds and listen to the nocturnal creatures of the African bush come to life as the sun goes down.
    Camping in the remote delta is an incredible experience, but it means the toilets will be dug, and no showers will be available.
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    Okavango Delta

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    It's an early start this morning as you venture out for a sunrise walk to catch a glimpse of some local elephants and maybe a few Cape buffalo. After, return to camp for breakfast and enjoy a leisurely free day to relax. You might like to go on an afternoon walk, otherwise there’s an opportunity for you to go for another mokoro trip. You may notice that the mokoros of today are made with fibreglass but retain their original shape – this strikes a balance between tradition and sustainability.
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    Maun

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    This morning, enjoy a relaxing morning to say goodbye to the delta. Then, it’s on to your next stop. After taking down your camp, head out on a mokoro safari on your way out of the Delta then board the vehicle back to Maun. When you arrive, you’ll have the option to take a scenic helicopter flight over Maun and the delta, seeing things from a bird's eye view.
    Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours. The price of the optional scenic flights will vary depending on the number of travellers that participate.
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    Khama Rhino Sanctuary

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    Travel to the Khama Rhino Sanctuary this morning. On the edge of the Kalahari Desert, the Khama Rhino Sanctuary is a community-based conservation project staffed by local village residents. Built in a former hunting area 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 around the many natural waterholes. Visiting this project benefits local communities and contributes to the protection of the highly endangered white rhinoceros. In the evening, head out on a dusk game drive in an open safari vehicle with an expert local ranger to see the rhinos (this will be replaced by a dawn game drive if the group arrives at the sanctuary too late).
    Your travel time today will be approximately 10 hours. Your camp tonight has shared facilities and optional upgrades.
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    Soweto

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    Cross the border into South Africa and travel on to Johannesburg (approximately 10–11 hours). Johannesburg is a sprawling city of remarkable contrasts. As you come into town, you'll likely see opulent mansions alongside tin-roof shacks, and verdant city parks alongside the concrete. Enjoy a relaxing evening upon arrival.
    Your travel time today will be approximately 11 hours.
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    Soweto

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    Head to Soweto and take to the streets on a bicycle. Learn about the Soweto uprising and the resistance against apartheid. It's interesting to see how the community has changed and developed into what it is today. You'll also visit a former migrant workers' hostel and stop at many other local landmarks. Your cycling adventure should finish at around 3 pm today, whereafter you will be returned to your hotel in Johannesburg. With no further activities planned, your trip comes to an end at this point.
    No accommodation is provided tonight, but this can be arranged when booking this trip. If you are departing, it's best to book a flight for 8 pm or later. You will have the option to head straight from Soweto to the airport.