Region: Africa
Southern Africa August 2022
Southern Africa June 2022
Southern Africa May 2022
Travelers: up to 14
13 Days
See Dates & Prices
13 Days
South Africa, Botswana & Zimbabwe
This Southern Africa adventure will take you through the most majestic landscapes past an abundance of wildlife, golden sunsets, waterfalls, salt flats, and even a watery wilderness.
We start our adventure looking for the Big 5 in Kruger National Park in South Africa. A quick flight takes us to one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, where we will also cruise down the river on sunset safaris. Botswana is where we will meet tribes along the Okavango Delta, explore the salt flats, and continue with game drives in national parks with breathtaking lodging and incredible wildlife encounters.
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Highlights
Game drives in Kruger, Hwange, and Chobe National Parks.
Float down the Zambezsi River at sunset.
Ride on a traditional conoe with a tribesman who will teach us about the Okavango Delta, tribal culture, and spot wildlife.
Sleep under the stars glamping style near Ntwetwe Pans, salt flats
Enjoy exceptional accommodation in game lodges, including views of a watering hole from your balcony.
Get invited into a local family’s home for a traditional dinner.
Itinerary
Day
1
Johannesburg
Welcome to South Africa!
Meet our driver outside the airport at 2pm to meet the rest of the group. You will go straight to the hotel to settle in until we all meet at 6 in the evening for a welcome chat. If you’re keen to get the adventure started, opt in for a food tour by night!
Day
2
Kruger National Park
This morning, you get to sit back and watch the beautiful South African countryside as we make our way to the famous Kruger National Park. Explore our beautiful lodge before we go for a sunset game drive. Soak in the pool or relax on the deck, and you may see giraffes, wildebeest, kudu, zebra, impala, bushbuck, warthog, baboon, and vervet monkeys roaming freely through the property. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner | Drive time: approx. 5 hours
Day
3
Kruger National Park
Kruger is famous for its work in preserving and protecting wildlife as well as the high likelihood of seeing the Big 5: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalos. Hundreds of other mammals make their home here too, as do diverse bird species like vultures, eagles, and storks. This morning we start the say with a safari game drive followed by a big, delicious home-cooked breakfast. This afternoon join in a yoga class by the pool or watch for more wildlife from the balcony with a good book. This evening, we will go for another game drive counting species until we see the Big 5! Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day
4
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Jump on a quick flight this morning from Kruger Mpumalanga Airport to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. We’ll arrive in the afternoon, and you will have some time to explore solo or relax before we enjoy a sunset cruise along the Zambezi River. Meals: breakfast
Day
5
Victoria Falls
As one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Victoria Falls is first on our agenda today! Our guide will tell us more about the area and the how this mother of all waterfalls came to be, and then you will have some time to wander solo. This afternoon, we visit Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, where we will learn about the incredible work this organization does for the conservation of the area and more about the wildlife we could see this evening. Choose to add on a helicopter ride this afternoon before we set off for another sunset cruise along the Zambezi River, perhaps sipping a gin and tonic and looking out for elephants, hippos, crocodiles, magnificent birds and other wildlife. We’ll end our ride in a local village where we will be welcomed with a home-cooked feast. Meals: breakfast, dinner
Day
6
Hwange, Zimbabwe
This morning after breakfast, we will make a scenic 2 hour drive over to Hwange National Park and check out this unique lodge. On the property, there is a watering hole frequented by elephants, predators, and many game species that you can see from your room as well as most of the property. After lunch, we will go on safari until dinnertime. Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner | Laundry is also included.
Day
7
Hwange
Today is yours to plan! There will be games drives and game walks, a culture tour with a local, a pool to dive into, and beautiful views while you relax. All activities are included and you can do as many or as few as you like. Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner | Laundry is also included.
Day
8
Chobe, Botswana
This morning we make tracks after breakfast and travel towards Kasane, which is on the edge of Chobe National Park. The stretch of road between Nata and Kasane is known as the 'Elephant Highway'. With no fences, elephants are free to move between Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe and Botswana. So, keep your eyes peeled for roadside elephants! Botswana's first national park, Chobe, is perhaps best known for its high concentration of elephants. You will spend the next two nights in a lodge situated near the Chobe River. Arrive at the lodge and settle in, maybe grab a bottle of wine from the lodge bar, and relax with friends or go solo for the evening. Meals: breakfast and dinner | Drive time: approx. 7 hours
Day
9
Chobe
This morning we wake up early and take a dawn game drive in Chobe National Park, where you may see elephants drinking at the water’s edge, large herds of cape buffalo, and many impala within the park. In the afternoon you’ll take a breathtaking cruise on the Chobe River, ideal for spotting bird life such asddle-billed storks, malachite kingfishers, fish eagles and beautiful bee-eaters as well as hippos, crocodiles, and large families of elephants. End a magical day with a sundowner drink watching the sunset over the river. Meals: breakfast and dinner
Day
10
Gweta, Botswana
e depart from our lodge and head towards North-East Botswana, Ntwetwe Pans, a large salt pan in the middle of the dry savanna. Our local guide will lead us in a 4x4 game drive this salt flat, one of the largest in the world. Tonight, we will sleep in dome tents under the stars glamping style! Meals: breakfast and dinner | Drive time: approx. 2 hours
Day
11
Maun, Botswana
Meerkats! Today we will visit a colony of these cuties as they emerge out of their burrows to enjoy the morning sun. After breakfast, we will make our way to Maun, and once we arrive, the rest of the day is yours. Choose one of the optional activities - a plane ride over the Okavango Delta, a river sunset cruise, or a village tour. Meals: breakfast | Drive time: approx. 2 hours
Day
12
Okavango Delta
Today is another early rise as we venture out into the Okavango Delta to explore the waterways of the delta in a traditional mokoro canoe lead by a local guide. He will teach us all about the ecosystem, creation, and flooding of the delta, how it has impacted the local tribes’ culture and how they survive this watery wilderness. Hear some fascinating cultural stories on why it floods, the determination of settlements, and the impact on social life. And of course, there are the birds, a truly amazing variety, and on a mokoro, you are placed right there in their habitat. You could witness nest making, feeding young, mating behavior, and foraging. We will return to the lodge in the late afternoon, where you can relax until our farewell dinner. Meals: picnic breakfast and lunch
Day
13
Maun, Botswana
It’s time to say farewell to new friends after a trip of a lifetime. Check out is at 10am, and we will take you to the Maun Airport. Meals: breakfast
Accommodation
Our accommodation is hand-picked to give you the best combination of comfort, location, and style. These are photos from our collection of favorite hotels and resorts to give you a sense of the accommodation you can expect with us.
Chobe Safari Lodge
We love this lodge for it’s location on the world’s most elephant-rich river in the small town of Kasane. Overlook the river and watch for wildlife while enjoying the incredible food or sipping a cocktail. Rooms are spacious and decorated in that in traditional African safari style.
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Ivory Lodge
This dream property is built around the watering hole that attracts so many animals that we can almost promise a sighting from your room. The rooms themselves are elegantly built on stilted wooden platforms offering elevated views of the open floodplain and watering hole.
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- Accommodation in twin rooms
- Local guide
- 12 Breakfasts
- 5 Lunches
- 9 Dinners
- Local transportation
- Airport pickup and drop off as a group (1 transfer for designated times)
- Domestic flight
- All entrance fees and activities in the itinerary unless specified as optional
Activities and experiences:
All game drives
Yoga session by the pool
2 sunset cruises down the Zambezi River
Guided tour of Victoria Falls
Visit Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust
Traditional dinner at a local homestay
Walking safari
Culture tour
Safari river cruise
Salt pan drive
1 night camping in dome tents
Meerkat safari
Full day Mokoro & walking Safari
There is one airport pickup at 2pm on day 1. If you can not be there for the group pickup, we can help you arrange transportation that better suites your schedule. A mandatory meeting for the group to welcome everyone and talk about the tour is at 6pm at the hotel, so please be sure you arrive in time.
You checkout is at 11am, and we will have one airport transfer for the group departing at 10am. If this doesn’t suit your schedule, we can help you arrange other transportation.
Arrival: O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg (JNB)
Departure: Maun Airport (MUB)
- A deposit of $1,000 is required to hold your spot.
- Final payment is due 60 days before departure.
- Pay as much as often as you like until the due date.
- If you cancel your spot earlier than 60 days before departure, you can apply your payment to any trip within the next year.
- No refunds on deposits.
- International airfares
- Visa fees if applicable
- Travel insurance (mandatory)
- Covid PCR test if applicable (we will update you closer to the date on current requirements)
- The itinerary is subject to change due for any reason – weather, unexpected cancellations, impromptu local opportunities, or surprise additions.
- Comprehensive travel insurance is mandatory or you may be refused to join the tour. See our guide for help choosing a plan.
- All bookings are subject to our terms and conditions.
- Wildlife walked up early, so we will have some early rises, but it will be worth it.
While visas are the responsibility of each traveler, we will help you navigate the correct websites and send reminders after booking.
What our travelers say
Best chance to get to know people in the network!
“I joined the SoFe Network on Facebook 3 years ago but joined the membership because I wanted to interact with people without the weirdness of Facebook social boundaries. It absolutely worked, and I’ve made so many friends and been on quite a few zoom events. The events are amazing, the people are amazing, best chance to get to know people in the network!” Kirsten | Membership
One of the best trips I’ve ever been on.
“I had always wanted to go to Morocco but I was hesitant to go alone which normally I have no problem doing. I saw this trip advertised on the Solo Female Traveler Network Facebook page and the more I looked into it the more I wanted to go. So I did..and let me tell you that it was one of the best trips I’ve ever been on…seriously.” Jennifer H. | Morocco
So much more than a tour.
“I have been on three tours with these ladies, and I can not even explain how amazing my experiences have been. It’s so much more than just a tour. I have made life-long friends who understand my wanderlust, met local people who taught me the warmth and kindness of the places we’ve visited, and I have left feeling empowered to travel more.” Megan S. | Bali