ZAMBIA & BOTSWANA COMBINED
NO OF DAYS : 19 : KASANE, CHOBE, ZAMBEZI, OKAVANGO, MOPANE, LIVINGSTONE, LUSAKA, KAFUE, BUSANGA, LUSAKA, MFUWE, LUANGWA, LUSAKA
FROM USD 15,000 Per Person
Day 1 : Arrival in Kasane & Sunset Chobe River Cruise
Morning/Afternoon: Arrive at Kasane International Airport, catching clear views of the Chobe and Zambezi Rivers during your descent. Meet your local guiding team and transfer to your riverbank resort to settle in under the massive shade trees. Take in early bird and mammal sightings directly from the property grounds. Late Afternoon: Depart on an introductory private sunset boat cruise on the Chobe River. Experience excellent viewing of massive family groups of Elephants, Hippos, African Buffalo, and potentially Lions. Spot regional bird specialties like the Slaty Egret, Goliath Heron, Yellow-billed Stork, African Spoonbill, Pied Kingfisher, and Water Thick-knee. Evening: Relax and enjoy dinner at the resort to recover from international travels.
Overnight: Cresta Mowana Safari Resort.
Meals: Dinner.
Day 2 : Chobe River Boat Safaris & Local Birding.
Morning: Board your morning boat safari and head downstream to a multi-species heron rookery. Look for Rock Pratincoles on the rushing river rocks, Giant and Half-collared Kingfishers, and roosting White-backed Night Herons. Cruise upstream to look for Nile Crocodiles, Nile Monitor Lizards, Puku antelopes, and tall Giraffes. Keep an eye out for Elephant families swimming across the river channels to the islands, nesting African Skimmers, and common African Fish Eagles. Afternoon: Return to the lodge for lunch. Spend the hot afternoon resting under the shade trees. Later, enjoy a guided birding walk around the hotel grounds and local hotspots to search for Schalow’s Turaco and Trumpeter Hornbill. Evening: Gather with your small group for dinner at the resort restaurant.
Overnight: Cresta Mowana Safari Resort.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 3 : Journey to the Linyanti Wilderness.
Morning: Breakfast followed by a wilderness transfer into the Shaile/Linyanti area of the Okavango Delta, accompanied by veteran local guides.Afternoon: Arrive at your private, exclusive four-tent camp built on elevated wooden platforms. Enjoy a freshly prepared lunch by the camp cook and settle into your secluded surroundings.Evening: Head out on your first game drive or boat exploration along the meandering Linyanti River and swamps. Look for diverse birdlife and mammals before returning for a private dinner.
Overnight: Last Eden Safari Camp.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4–5 : Private Delta & River Exploration.
Morning: Wake up early for morning game drives and boat safaris. Track herds of Zebra, Roan, Sable Antelope, and Eland. Look for specialized waterbirds like the African Pygmy Goose, Spur-winged Goose, Wattled Crane, Lesser Jacana, and White-browed Coucal.Afternoon: Return to camp for lunch and a restful midday break.Evening: Embark on afternoon safaris to observe wildlife behavior. Watch Olive Baboon troops at sunset, look for Impalas drinking along the riverbanks, and scan the corridor for hunting Leopards. Look for birds of prey like the Bateleur, Tawny Eagle, and African Marsh Harrier. Return to camp to watch wildlife from the shore with a beverage, stargaze from your private deck, and dine.
Overnight: Last Eden Safari Camp.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 6 : Move Inland to Chobe’s Mopane Forests.
Morning: Pack up camp and travel inland to a drier woodland ecosystem within Chobe National Park. Afternoon: Arrive at a private mobile tented camp set up by the crew. Enjoy lunch and observe browsing Giraffes and Elephants attracted to the Mopane woodlands. Evening: Take an afternoon drive to find Southern Ground Hornbills, Myer’s Parrots, Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters, Green Wood-Hoopoes, and Crimson-breasted Gonoleks. Spot social troops of Banded and Dwarf Mongooses before a campfire dinner.
Overnight: Mobile Safari Camp (Chobe National Park).
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 7 : Tracking Predators and Woodland Wildlife.
Morning: Head out on an early drive to search for impressive male Greater Kudus and tiny Steenboks resting in the shade. Search the area for resident Lion prides. Afternoon: Return to the mobile camp for lunch and a peaceful midday rest. Evening: Search on an afternoon game drive for elusive Cheetahs or smaller cats like the Serval. Enjoy a hearty dinner under the stars.
Overnight: Mobile Safari Camp (Chobe National Park).
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 8 : Border Crossing to Zambia & Victoria Falls.
Morning: Break camp and drive back to Kasane for an early lunch. Afterward, cross the modern bridge into Zambia via a simple border crossing. Afternoon: Drive to Livingstone and check into your lodge along the Zambezi River. Head out for your first afternoon viewing of Victoria Falls from the Zambian side. Evening: Walk through the mist-created microclimate of the falls to spot colorful Red-winged Starlings, turacos, hornbills, and barbets. Return to the lodge for dinner.
Overnight: Waterberry Zambezi Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 9 : Victoria Falls Viewings & Flight to Lusaka.
Morning: Spend the morning exploring the Zimbabwe side of Victoria Falls for a completely different and spectacular panoramic perspective.
Afternoon: Enjoy lunch at the lodge before transferring to the airport for your short domestic flight to Lusaka. Evening: Arrive in Lusaka, transfer to your local hotel, and refresh. Gather for a lovely patio dinner in the cool evening air.Overnight: Wild Dogs Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 10 (Sat., July 18): Scenic Drive to Northern Kafue & River Lodge
Morning: Enjoy breakfast in Lusaka before setting off on a scenic overland travel day. Pause for birding stops and scenery along the way, stopping to fuel up near Mumbwa before heading deep into the bush. Afternoon: Enter Kafue National Park—Zambia's oldest and largest park—via the Kabulushi Gate. Enjoy wildlife viewing along the final 40 km stretch before crossing the Kafue River on a pontoon boat. Arrive at your private, four-chalet lodge situated on the riverbank within the adjacent Lunga Luswishi Game Management area. Evening: Settle into your chalet, cool off in your private outdoor shower, and take in the river views from your deck. Gather around the evening campfire after dinner to listen to the night sounds and grunting hippos.
Overnight: Kafue River Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 11 : Lunga River Cruise to Remote Kikuji Camp.
Morning: After breakfast, travel through the park's rich Miombo woodlands, keeping watch for vocal Racket-tailed Rollers, Pale-billed Hornbills, and Arnott’s Chats. Track recovering herds of Elephants, Cape Buffalo, Zebras, and resident predators like Lions, Cheetahs, and Leopards. Afternoon: Travel up the Lunga River to reach a private, intimate sister property featuring just four tents built on elevated wooden decks. Enjoy lunch in this remote riverine habitat. Evening: Board a boat to explore the river up close, observing large mammals and searching the overhanging branches for the rare, regional specialty: Pel’s Fishing Owl. Enjoy a fresh river-bream dinner at camp.
Overnight: Kikuji Camp.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 12 : Journey into the Famed Busanga Plains.
Morning: Breakfast at camp before traveling north into the Busanga Plains, a Ramsar-designated wetland known as the jewel of Kafue National Park. Afternoon: Check into your private, four-tent sister camp. Enjoy lunch and take a dip in the refreshing pool overlooking the expansive plains, palm groves, and lily-covered lagoons. Evening: Depart on an afternoon game drive to view thousands of splash-loving Red Lechwe, alongside Roan, Sable, Oribi, Wildebeest, and rare Sitatunga antelopes. Scan the fruiting wild fig trees for Green Pigeons and Böhm’s Bee-eaters. Gather around the nightly campfire for dinner.
Overnight: Kasonso Busanga Camp.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 13–14 : Immersive Wetland Safaris.
Morning: Set out at sunrise for early morning game drives across the vast, dried floodplains. Scan for globally significant populations of Wattled Cranes and Gray Crowned-Cranes, alongside Goliath Herons, Saddle-billed Storks, Long-toed Lapwings, and Lesser Jacanas.Afternoon: Return to your exclusive camp for a delicious lunch and a relaxing midday break during the heat of the day.Evening: Embark on late afternoon safaris as massive mixed herds of mammals gather on the open plains. Track top predators like Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, and packs of endangered Wild Dog hunting the Lechwe. Look in the wooded fringes for Black-backed Barbets, Ross’s Turacos, and Pel's Fishing Owls before returning for dinner.
Overnight: Kasonso Busanga Camp.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 15 : Charter Flight to South Luangwa.
Morning: Board a streamlined charter flight from the Busanga Plains via Lusaka to Mfuwe, bypassing long driving hours. Meet your local guides for the transfer into South Luangwa National Park. Afternoon: Check into your luxury lodge, positioned around two lagoons where wildlife gathers to drink. Unwind beneath the shade of native ebony and mahogany trees, or opt for a relaxing bush spa treatment. Evening: Depart on an afternoon game drive that transitions into a spotlit night safari—a special feature of this park. Search for hunting Leopards in the "Valley of the Leopards," alongside Lions, Spotted Hyenas, and nocturnal birds like the Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl. Enjoy a candlelit dinner outside while large herbivores roam safely nearby.
Overnight: Mfuwe Lodge. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 16 : Exploring South Luangwa & Local Artisan Shops.
Morning: Set out on a full-day exploration of the park's dramatic landscapes, bordered by the Muchinga Escarpment and the Luangwa River. Keep an eye out for the endemic Thornicroft’s Giraffe—distinguished by its smaller size and unique patterns—alongside large herds of Elephants, Cape Buffalo, and the world’s largest population of Hippopotamuses. Afternoon: Return to the lodge for lunch and a swim in the deck pool overlooking the lagoon. Spot resident Baboons, Bushbucks, and Elephants straight from your porch. Later, opt to visit local Mfuwe artisan shops like Tribal Textiles or Mulberry Mongoose to browse handcrafted local treasures. Evening: Take a relaxed afternoon drive to a scenic viewpoint to watch "bird parties" of Southern Cordon-bleus, Scarlet-chested Sunbirds, and Violet-backed Starlings. Scan the brush for secretive African Barred Owls before returning for dinner.
Overnight: Mfuwe Lodge. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 17–18 : Final Wildlife Action at Kuyenda Bushcamp.
Morning: Enjoy a short one-hour transfer drive from Mfuwe Lodge to Kuyenda Bushcamp, an intimate, traditional camp tucked away in the heart of prime predator and prey territory. Afternoon: Settle into your spacious, traditional thatched rondavel featuring a private open-air en-suite bathroom and panoramic windows. Coordinate custom walking safaris and game drives with your expert guides based on what wildlife you still wish to target. Evening: Sip sundowners along the river's edge, admire the clear African night sky from your porch, and share a special farewell group dinner.
Overnight: Kuyenda Bushcamp.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 19 (Mon., July 27): Morning Game Drive & Departure.
Morning: Embark on your final morning game drive to catch lingering wildlife action. Enjoy a final bush breakfast. Afternoon: Catch your scheduled flight back to Lusaka Airport to connect with international evening flights home.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.