Arrive at any time and transfer to your hotel. Enjoy a traditional South African braai (barbecue) for dinner tonight.
Transport: You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure.
Activity: Enjoy a spread of grilled meats, vegetables, homemade salads, and the opportunity to taste some of the South African flavours after your welcome meeting.
Activity: The adventure begins tonight. Feel free to explore before your welcome meeting, but make sure you're back in time to meet the group. Check for the meeting time on the welcome note at the hotel. After introductions, your CEO will review the details of your tour. Please note that normal check-in times apply at our start hotels, but you can usually store your luggage for the day if you arrive early.
Accommodation: aha Kopanong Hotel (or similar)

Meals:   Dinner

Set out towards Kruger National Park via the magnificent Panorama Route, one of the world's most picturesque drives. Make stops at the dramatic Blyde River Canyon and Bourke's Luck Potholes, and take in panoramic views of the forest-covered valley from the God's Window viewpoint. Continue to our lodge near Kruger National park, savour a delicious South African Dinner in this picturesque location.
Transport: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Activity: Enjoy a scenic drive along the famed Panorama Route. You'll see magnificent mountains, panoramic passes, valleys, and waterfalls. There will also be stops at Blyde River Canyon, Bourke's Luck Potholes, and God's Window.
Accommodation: Umbhaba Eco Lodge (or similar)

Meals:   Breakfast   Dinner

Rise early and climb aboard an open jeep for a full-day safari in Kruger National Park—home to an extraordinary array of large mammals. Spot elephants, lions, giraffes, and perhaps elusive leopards as we explore this breathtaking wilderness of savanna and scrubland. Return to our lodge in the evening, where you can take some time to relax and enjoy the nocturnal sounds of the bush.
Activity: Hop in a 4x4 safari vehicle and get yourself one step closer to the surrounding nature. Be ready to spot elephants, giraffes, hippos, lions, zebras, and many other species in this impressive South African national park.
Accommodation: Umbhaba Eco Lodge (or similar)

Meals:   Breakfast   Dinner

Travel to the Karongwe Private Game Reserve, a pristine wildlife sanctuary located in the Greater Kruger area. Meet with a researcher from the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Cheetah Metapopulation Project—a program funded in part by National Geographic's Big Cats Initiative—and learn about efforts to protect the region's cheetahs and other carnivores. The researcher then joins us for a wildlife-viewing excursion through the reserve.
Transport: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Activity: Meet with a researcher from the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Cheetah Metapopulation Project, a project managed by National Geographic grantee Vincent van der Merwe. A member of Vincent's team will give a talk about cheetahs in South Africa and the important research CMP is doing. We will also discuss conservation within parks and reserves in South Africa and National Geographic's Big Cats Initiative. You will then be accompanied by the researcher on a wildlife safari drive to give you more insight into cheetahs and other carnivores.
Accommodation: Karongwe Private Game Reserve - Lodges (or similar)

Meals:   Breakfast   Lunch   Dinner

Spend the day exploring Karongwe on morning and afternoon safaris with our local guides. Search for Africa's famed "big five" as we drive through the shrublands of the bushveld. Back at camp, relax on deck or take a walk around the grounds.
Activity: Jump into a safari 4x4 and keep your eyes open for fantastic wildlife encounters. Wildlife safari drives are conducted with qualified wildlife rangers and local expert trackers; both will share their vast experience of the African bush.
Free Time: Relax and enjoy some down time between wildlife safari drives.
Accommodation: Karongwe Private Game Reserve - Lodges (or similar)

Meals:   Breakfast   Lunch   Dinner

Embark on one last safari this morning, keeping a lookout for Karongwe's iconic inhabitants. Then head back to the city, where you'll enjoy dinner in our lodge.
Activity: Jump into a safari 4x4 and keep your eyes open for fantastic wildlife encounters. Wildlife safari drives are conducted with qualified wildlife rangers and local expert trackers; both will share their vast experience of the African bush.
Transport: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Accommodation: aha Kopanong Hotel (or similar)

Meals:   Breakfast   Dinner

Catch a flight to the town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, named after one of the most powerful waterfalls on Earth. Visit a nearby village and go grocery shopping in the bustling market. Then sit down with a local family for dinner, helping your hosts prepare a traditional Zimbabwean meal using the ingredients you picked out, and hear stories about local life and culture.
Transport: Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Activity: Flatter Ncube is the head of her family which includes two sisters and numerous children. She's the youngest of a family of 10 and, now in her early 40s, lives in the village she was raised in near Victoria Falls. There she takes care of her extended family on their homestead, which she and they have been proudly building by hand, brick by brick, for years. Flatter's story highlights that life isn't easy in Africa, but despite its challenges, there is much love and laughter and a strong sense of family here. Visit Flatter's homestead in her rural village; meet her and some of her family, and walk with some of them throughout the property, among the fruit and vegetable plants the family grows for consumption. (They even plant hot chillies among the vegetables to discourage nosy elephants.) Then help the family prepare a traditional Zimbabwean dinner, which we'll all eat together outside on the property, weather permitting. Ingredients for the meal will have been hand-selected earlier in the day, at the bustling and friendly local village market. This experience offers great insight into typical African life, and ultimately reinforce how we all really want and need the same things in life: a stable home full of love, a good education, and plenty of opportunity for our children.
Accommodation: Explorers Village Lodge - Deluxe (or similar)

Meals:   Breakfast   Dinner

Set out for a tour of magnificent Victoria Falls. Scottish explorer David Livingstone named them after Britain's Queen Victoria, while their older, indigenous name is Mosi-oa-Tunya—"the smoke that thunders." Opt for a scenic sunset cruise on the Zambezi River; and much more.
Activity: Join a knowledgeable guide for an unforgettable experience at Victoria Falls. Explore the rainforest and learn about the geology, history, and local legends of this world wonder. After your immersion, get up close to the falls and discover the beauty of "the smoke that thunders." Be sure to have your camera ready!
Accommodation: Explorers Village Lodge - Deluxe (or similar)

Meals:   Breakfast

Continue your exploration of majestic Victoria Falls on a variety of optional excursions. Go whizzing over the Zambezi River on a zip line, glide down the river on a sunset cruise, or feel the spray of the falls on your face as you explore the surrounding paths.
Free Time: Get out and explore.
Activity: You may be a seasoned pro at group travel by now, but there will likely be some new travellers joining the group. Sit in on the welcome meeting to meet the newest members of your group and learn about the next leg of your tour.
Accommodation: Explorers Village Lodge - Deluxe (or similar)

Meals:   Breakfast

Explore Victoria Falls at leisure this morning, and opt to take a guided tour of this thundering natural wonder and UNESCO World Heritage site. Later, transfer to the headquarters of Painted Dog Conservation. Learn about this non-profit organization's work to protect and rehabilitate injured painted dogs (also known as African wild dogs), and hear from a conservationist about the threats to these endangered animals. Afterward, venture out on safari in Hwange National Park, one of Zimbabwe's largest wildlife reserves and home to nearly half of the country's elephant population.
Transport: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Activity: Visit Painted Dog Conservancy and meet with a senior conservationist to learn about the work being done to rehabilitate animals that have been injured from poaching. Learn about the dangers wild dogs face in and around Hwange National Park. The ultimate goal of the project is to release rehabilitated wild dogs back into the wild and to work with local children and communities in an effort to educate and shift behaviors away from poaching.
Activity: Enjoy a wildlife safari drive in the lodge's private concession, bordering the Hwange National Park. Keep an eye out for Africa's Big Five, as well as other predators, and over 300 bird species.
Accommodation: Sable Valley (or similar)

Meals:   Breakfast   Dinner

Set out on morning and late afternoon safaris through the sweeping grasslands of Hwange National Park and Dete Vlei. Track resident elephant and buffalo herds, as well as giraffes, lions, zebras, and the rare African wild dog. This evening, relax on the deck of your lodge or visit the underground hiding area which is perfect for photography enthusiasts, keeping an eye out for the wild creatures that visit the lodge's watering hole.
Activity: Enjoy a wildlife safari drive in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe's largest park, and home to elephant herds, lions, and the rare African wild dog. Get your cameras ready and keep an eye out for Africa's "big five," as well as other predators, over 300 bird species, and discover a remote portion of Hwange National Park where you will seldom see another vehicle.
Accommodation: Sable Valley (or similar)

Meals:   Breakfast   Lunch   Dinner

Depart Hwange and head north, crossing the border into Botswana and arriving in Kasane—the gateway to the stunning Chobe National Park. Settle into your lodge and embark on a boat safari on the Chobe River, the lifeline of the park. Look out for submerged hippos, basking crocodiles, bathing elephants, and an abundance of birdlife from the boat's deck, and witness a spectacular fiery sunset over the river.
Transport: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Activity: Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.
Activity: Get a fantastic perspective of one of Botswana's national parks and its thousands of resident elephants, crocodiles, and hippos on a sunset boat cruise on the Chobe River. Bring a few drinks and a camera, sit back, and enjoy the view.
Accommodation: Chobe Safari Lodge (or similar)

Meals:   Breakfast   Dinner

This morning, continue your exploration of Chobe National Park, home to one of Africa's largest elephant populations. On a safari along the banks of the Chobe River, keep an eye out for elephants, buffalo, lions, zebra, and rare semi-aquatic antelope, as well as an incredible variety of birds. In the afternoon, opt to take a photography river safari on a specialized photography boat.
Activity: Immerse yourself in Chobe National Park in an open-backed, open-seated safari vehicle, and experience the stunning wilderness of the game-rich park in the care of a very knowledgeable and friendly guide. Explore with your eyes as the tour drives along routes that overlook the beautiful Chobe River and keep an eye out for the remarkable variety of animals that are drawn to this permanent water source. During the safari drives it is not uncommon to spot several of Africa's "big five" in the greater Chobe area and the early morning drive lasting 3 hours is a wonderful opportunity to have some unique sightings.
Free Time: Relax, or opt to improve your wildlife photography skills on a Chobe River photo safari.
Accommodation: Chobe Safari Lodge (or similar)

Meals:   Breakfast   Dinner

Take in the views on a scenic flight into the heart of the Okavango Delta. Climb into a mokoro (dugout canoe) and glide along the waterways around our remote camp to catch a first glimpse of the area's abundant wildlife. Settle into comfortable tents, explore the camp, or opt to go for a swim. After lunch, embark on a wildlife cruise, watching for hippos and elephants as well as aquatic birds drawn by the region's unique fish and insects. Enjoy a sundowner deck back at the camp before dinner under the stars.
Transport: Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Accommodation: Moremi Crossing Safari Lodge (or similar)

Meals:   Breakfast   Lunch   Dinner

Get an early start today, hopping into mokoros to maneuver through narrow channels of the delta. Arrive at Chief's Island, part of the Moremi Game Reserve , and set out on a thrilling bush walk. Follow a guide into the wilderness, in search of giraffe, zebra, lion, kudu, elephant, and hippo as well as all manner of birdlife. Identify tracks and other signs of wildlife and learn about the medicinal uses of native plants and trees. Return to camp for brunch, then enjoy free time to relax or observe wildlife from the deck. After high tea, head out for another boating activity or wildlife drive. This evening, take time to stargaze and listen to the enchanting sounds of the delta after dark.
Activity: Enjoy wildlife walks and viewing, mokoro trips (occasionally unavailable due to seasonality), and birdwatching in the pristine wilderness area of the Okavango Delta, the world's largest inland delta. In the evening, count the shooting stars, sing with the locals, or simply unwind with a sundowner (cheers!) around the campfire.
Accommodation: Moremi Crossing Safari Lodge (or similar)

Meals:   Breakfast   Lunch   Dinner

Embark on both morning and late afternoon wildlife excursions by boat, on foot, or by jeep, depending on current conditions and water levels. In between, enjoy the amenities at the camp, go for a swim, or relax with a book on the deck. Remember to keep your eyes open and binoculars close to observe passing wildlife.
Activity: Continue exploring the Delta on a bush walk or by mokoro through the channels, searching for wildlife as you go.
Accommodation: Moremi Crossing Safari Lodge (or similar)

Meals:   Breakfast   Lunch   Dinner

After an early-morning wildlife excursion, fly to the frontier town of Maun. Meet with an expedition member on National Geographic's Okavango Wilderness Project, a multi-year collaboration between international and local experts to survey the Okavango watershed's biodiversity and ensure its future protection. Watch the National Geographic documentary "Into the Okavango," and learn about delta conservation projects in the area. In the evening, experience a night of storytelling and traditional foods with celebrated local author Bonty Botumile. Born in Maun, Bonty's work is dedicated to preserving Botswana's literary heritage and providing youth with employment opportunities in the arts. Listen as she shares her in-depth knowledge of the region's cultural history, and cap off the night with a delicious meal and colourful stories around a warm fire.
Transport: Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Activity: National Geographic Explorer Steve Boyes leads the Okavango Wilderness Project, a multi-year collaboration between international and local African experts to survey the Okavango watershed's biodiversity and ensure its future protection. Join one of the expedition members to watch and discuss the new National Geographic documentary Into the Okavango, and learn about the delta conservation projects in the area.
Activity: Enjoy an evening of culture with celebrated author Bonty Botumile and the Thari-E-Ntsho Storytellers, a local enterprise dedicated to preserving Botswana's heritage and providing youth with employment opportunities in the arts. Born in Maun, Bonty is a recipient of the Bessie Head Literature Award. Listen as she shares her in-depth understanding of the region's cultural history. Cap off the night with traditional fare and storytelling around a warm fire.
Accommodation: Cresta Maun (or similar)

Meals:   Breakfast   Lunch   Dinner

Depart at any time.
Activity: Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.

Meals:   Breakfast