Roncook Safaris - Zimbabwe-Botswana and Namibia Guided Group Tour

On the first day of your Zimbabwe-Botswana & Namibia Safari package, you can fly in from Johannesburg or Cape Town directly to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. After a road transfer to Insika Lodge, you’ll have some time to settle in and explore your surroundings.

Stock up on a good breakfast just before you embark on your guided tour of Victoria Falls. First stop, the falls! This massive sheet of falling water and the spray that it produces is mesmerizing, to say the least. One of the largest waterfalls in the world, you will be taken through its rich rainforest to learn about its flora and fauna. Listen to the thundering water as you feel the mist of the spray around you.

Go on a scenic walk through the tropical rainforest and stop at the "Big tree" a giant Baobab, ideal for some memorable photographs.

In the afternoon, put your feet up and relax. Or, you can make use of the hourly courtesy shuttle to Victoria Falls city centre. Perhaps wander down to the local craft market where you can bargain for the iconic local soapstone carvings, masks, jewellery and Batik fabric.

After breakfast, say goodbye to Zimbabwe as you catch your private road transfer to the Chobe National Park in Botswana. After the border crossing, enjoy a scenic drive through the Chobe National Park. En-route, keep a lookout for buffalo, giraffes and elephant as well as many other types of wildlife.

You will be spending two nights at Chobe Safari Lodge which offers charming hospitality, beautiful accommodation and breathtaking river views. Tuck into a tasty lunch followed with some time to relax and take in the breathtaking views of the Chobe River.

Expect a massive dose of adventure. Today depart on a 4x4 game drive scouting for elephants (of which there are plenty), buffalos, lions, hyena and even African wild dog if you are lucky.

The birdlife is also excellent, from ubiquitous fish eagles to a myriad of herons and waders. Be sure to keep your camera fully charged throughout your stay, as there is always something to see around every corner. The Chobe truly is a mecca for wildlife-lovers.

In the late afternoon cruise down Chobe River with a drink in hand and watch the African sunset. The river is filled with big pods of hippos and some of the biggest crocodiles in Africa.

After a good night’s sleep, you will awake to a vibrant, fresh breakfast with a freshly brewed pot of hot coffee. Enjoy your last breakfast on the deck as you take in the scenery surrounding the marina one last time.

Thereafter we journey south into the dry savannah of northeastern Botswana, heading towards the Makgadikgadi Pans. Despite its barren nature, this enormous salt flat, spanning 16,000 square kilometers, supports a surprising array of wildlife during the rainy season. We'll be lodging at an oasis amidst the Mokolwane Palms on the edge of Nata Pan, one of the string of salt pans that make up Makgadigadi. In the afternoon, we'll drive to the pans to experience this surreal landscape.

Today we drive west, skirting the edge of the Makgadigadi Pans to reach Maun, our base for the two-day excursion into the Okavango Delta. In Maun, you have the option to take a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta, a unique ecosystem of waterways and islands.

After checking in at your accommodation you depart on a Maun Town Orientation Tour.  The Maun Town Tour takes you from the more traditional street markets to the modern roadside stalls. Take this opportunity to immerse yourself in the daily life of a Batswana, learn about their customs and traditions, and get first-hand anecdotes from your host. Escaping from the bustle of the markets, the tour will take you to a vibrant Maun Café where you will enjoy a traditional meal.

Finally, visit the basket weaving ladies of Maun. Producing some of the finest baskets in Africa, basket weaving is a craft that stands out in Northern Botswana. This is a wonderful opportunity to try your skill at basket weaving and appreciate the outstanding workmanship and originality of this craft.

Early in the morning, we'll head out for a full day excursion into the Okavango Delta waterways on traditional mokoro boats.

A mokoro is a traditional canoe that is propelled by a talented and agile guide who stands in the stern of the mokoro and poles through the unspoiled waterways of the Okavango Delta. The Mokoro Experience offers an almost silent glide through flooded vegetation, where you can find tiny reed frogs, picturesque waterlilies, varied birdlife and enjoy wildlife sightings. Your experienced poler from the local community will share stories of their heritage, and first-hand knowledge of the area’s wildlife. Polers have a lifetime of experience and make the steering and propelling of the mokoro seem effortless. This is a unique experience that allows you to explore the untouched areas of the Okavango Delta that are otherwise inaccessible.

The full-day Mokoro Experience begins in Maun where you will be collected early in the morning and transferred by road to the mokoro station. On arrival at the station, you will be introduced to your poler who will be guiding you through the narrow water channels of the Delta. After a short introduction and briefing, you will head out on your full-day adventure. The morning will be spent gliding through the water, offering fantastic photographic opportunities.

Around midday, a picnic lunch will be served on an island followed by an optional bushwalk guided by your poler. After lunch, you will slowly make your return to the station by mokoro. Here you will meet your vehicle and return to Maun.

Today we head west to Ghanzi where we have one night to spend in the heart of the Kalahari Desert. Late afternoon, we have a walk with local San people (bushmen) who will share with us their fascinating bush skills and how they survive in the mountains. Later in the evening, we gather around the fire and enjoy Bushmen dance and songs.

After  breakfast you will continue west and cross the border into Namibia and lastly you will reach Windhoek

After a relaxed breakfast, we travel towards the Etosha National Park, famous for its vast amount of wildlife. Once we have reached our camp located just outside of the National Park, we head onto our first safari into the National Park. Together with our guide we explore the various waterholes located close to Okaukuejo and the Anderson gate. Optional and time permitting open vehicle game drives can be booked with the lodge.

The day is devoted purely to the abundant wildlife found in the Etosha National Park, which surrounds a parched salt desert known as the Etosha Pan. The park is home to 4 of the Big Five - elephant, lion, leopard and rhino. The Park was proclaimed as Namibia’s first conservation area in 1907 by the then Governor, von Lindequist. Despite the size of the Etosha National Park, only the southern edge of the pan is accessible to visitors. Game viewing in the park is largely focussed around the waterholes, some of which are spring fed and some supplied from a borehole, ideal places to sit and watch over 114 different game species, or for an avid birder, in excess of 340 bird species. Popular game species such as giraffe, blue wildebeest, plains and mountain zebra, hyena, lion, leopard, antelopes such as kudu, oryx, eland, as well as some of the endangered species such as Black rhino, cheetah and the black-faced impala are all found here. An extensive network of roads link the over 30 water holes allowing visitors the opportunity of an extensive game viewing safari over the stretch of the park as each different area will provide different encounters. 

After breakfast we drive towards Swakopmund.  After a few minute's drive we make a detour and visit Omapaha Himba Village. Omapaha Himba Village is a link to Otjikandero Himba Village. The two villages are working together to support and maintain the Ovahimba culture so they can continue living the original life of the tribe and support the orphans in the tribe. ( Clients to pay cash to Roncook Safaris guide on arrival)

We arrive in coastal Swakopmund in the late afternoon, allowing time for you to explore this quaint seaside town of Namibia. Your safari guide can recommend a local restaurant for dinner (own expense) in Swakopmund.

Swakopmund is often fondly referred to as the “playground of Namibia”, it has numerous activities ranging from, adventure to exploring the fascinating features of the Namib Desert and the animals and plants that occur and survive here. Embrace the relaxed pace of this idyllic coastal town whilst enjoying coffee and freshly baked pastries in one of the many café’s. Alternatively explore the rugged, sweltering desert on a day tour, or view this awesome, environment from the air on a scenic flight.

You will then leave Swakopmund  via Walvis Bay as you travel to Solitaire, stopping at the Tropic of Capricorn en-route. The drive will take you through the scenic splendour of the Kuiseb and Gaub Passes  .Solitaire is the release site for numerous ‘problem carnivores’ that have caused issues on local farms and here you’ll be able to learn a little more about the amazing work that takes place and get some incredible photos! (optional)

Following an early morning wake up call, you will depart camp and travel to the Sossusvlei park gate. Once you have entered the park, you will drive down an ancient river bed through the towering sand dunes to the rest stop area – a drive of approximately 55km. You will then climb the stunning Sossusvlei sand dunes themselves, taking the time to appreciate the beauty and wilderness of this iconic region. After exploring, you will discover ‘Dead Vlei’ – a vast expanse of bleached cracked clay and withered camel thorn trees before making your way back to your accommodation, visiting the Sesriem Canyon en-route and climbing the imposing ‘Dune 45’ if you wish.

After a healthy breakfast, depart for Windhoek, travelling via the Remhoogte Pass, which boasts a variety of vegetation.  It’s also possible to travel via the Spreetshoogte Pass, depending on weather and road conditions. Arrive in Windhoek at approximately 12h30. 

In the afternoon drive to the famous Schwerinsburg Castle, then visit the Christ Church, a historic landmark that was built following the wars between the Germans, Khoikhoi, Herero and Ovambo. The tour continues to The Ink Palace (Tintenpalast), currently the seat of the National Assembly and Parliament Gardens, containing Namibia’s first post-independence monument, a bronze statue of the Herero Chief Hosea Kutako. We visit the Rider Memorial, a controversial monument that honours the soldiers and civilians who died on the German side in the Herero and Namaqua War, as well as the Railway Station, built in a Cape Dutch style, and the Old Fort, designed to serve as headquarters of the imperial German Schutztruppe during the German colonisation of South-West Africa.

Today your guide will bring you to Windhoek airport for the end of your tour.  Namibia-BOtswana & Zimbabwe will be sure to remain fondly in your thoughts for many years to come.