This 18 days East & South Africa safari combines two of the most attractive tourist regions in Africa. It includes some breathtaking experiences such as visiting the magnificent Victoria falls in Zimbabwe, game viewing in Botswana, gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tracking in Uganda, among others. The safari leads to some of the most attractive national parks in the two regions such as the Okavango delta, Chobe national park, and Makgadgadi Salt Pan in Botswana, Victoria Falls and Matobos national park in Zimbabwe, as well as Bwindi impenetrable national park and Kibale forest national park in Uganda.
18 Days East & South Africa Safari – Trip summary
Day 1: Arrival at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Day 2: Transfer to Kasane, Botswana
Day 3: Game Drive and Boat Cruise in Chobe National Park
Day 4: Transfer to the Okavango Delta
Day 5: Day 5: Mokoro Trip to the campsite
Day 6: Bush walk and return to Maun
Day 7: Transfer to Nata Village
Day 8: Transfer to Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe
Day 9: Walking Safari and Game Drive
Day 10: Transfer to Harare Capital City
Day 11: Flight to Entebbe, Uganda
Day 12: Entebbe
Day 13: Transfer to Kibale National Park
Day 14: Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi Swamp Walk
Day 15: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 16: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 17: Gorilla Trekking and Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Day 18: Departure via Kigali Rwanda or back to Entebbe
Detailed itinerary of the 18 Days East & South Africa Safari
Day 1: Arrival at Victoria Falls Airport, Zimbabwe
On arrival at Victoria Falls international airport, you will be met and transferred to the lodge close to the falls. Victoria Falls is 108 meters (354feet) tall and has the largest sheet of falling water locally known as Mosi-oa-Tunya, the smoke that thunders. The falls are situated on River Zambezi on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe side offers the most spectacular view of Victoria Fall, hiking trails to the gorge, and a wide range of riverside accommodations. Visit Victoria Falls during February to July when river Zambezi water volume is at its highest. Overnight stay at Ilala Lodge situated near the falls
Day 2: Visit Victoria Falls and Transfer to Kasane, Botswana
Explore the falls at one of the key viewpoints. Time permitting you can take a sunrise cruise on the Zambezi River or take along the chain walk to the gorge. After that, transfer from Victoria Falls to Kasane town via Kazungula border town of Botswana about 120 km (2-hour drive). Kasane town, situated near the borders of Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is a gateway to Chobe National Park, famous for harboring over 40,000 African elephants. Overnight stay at Kwalape Lodge
Day 3: Game Drive and Chobe River Boat Cruise
Early morning game drive in Chobe national park, a staggering 10,566 sq. km wilderness with varied habitats including open savanna, mopane woodlands, flood plains, marshlands, salt pans and Chobe River. The park has rich biodiversity including elephants, buffaloes, hippos, and predators such as Africanwild dogs, lions, leopards, spotted hyenas. Then return to your accommodation for lunch and go for afternoon or sunset boat safari on Chobe River, a magnet for birds, hippos, and crocodiles among other aquatic species. Overnight stay at the lodge
Day 4: Transfer to Okavango Delta
Maun town, the gateway to Okavango delta is 612 km (7-hour drive). The town can also be reached by light aircraft from Kasane to Maun international airport (1-hour flight). The town offers markets, restaurants, ATMs, stores, currency exchange, and a wide range of accommodations. Spend a few hours in the town and get all things you will need to use for the time spent wild camping in the delta. Overnight stay at Crocodile Camp situated on the banks of Thamalakane River.
Wild camping in the delta involves setting up your own tent on a designated spot. There are no facilities, electricity power, running water, or flush toilets. Instead, there’s open bush toilets and bath. Water pools are also there for those intending to swim. Basic packing list for wild camping in the Okavango delta may include sleeping bag, enough water for drinking and bathing, money for tipping, and clothing of choice such as T-shirts, towel, hiking shoes, and swimsuit among others.
Day 5: Mokoro Trip to the campsite
A short drive from your lodge to the edge of the delta, where you will meet the local guides who will paddle the Mokoro through the delta to your camp. A Mokoro is a traditional wooden boat of the Bayei people and best mode of transport to navigate the shallow channels of the world’s largest inland delta covering 16,000 sq. km. Okavango delta was created due to up warping that altered the course of Okavango River from the Bié Plateau in central Angola highlands to flow into the Kalahari basin. The floodwaters submerged the area creating permanent and seasonal swamps, floodplains, dry grasslands, sandveld, and mopane woodlands.
After setting off from the shores, as you wind through the channels, the Mokoro offers an opportunity to explore the delta’s rich biodiversity including over 1,000 plant species, 450 bird species and mammal species including red lechwe, topi, tsessebe, sable, and roan antelopes; elephants, buffaloes, hippos, blue wildebeests, greater kudu, giraffes, plains zebras, black and white rhinos. There are also predators which include lions, leopards, and spotted hyenas.
The Mokoro ride is an exhilarating experience to see how the guides navigate the channels and keep balance on water. Each canoe takes only two people including the guide, who will help you to spot the wildlife. Finally, you will reach your camp and the guides will help you to set up everything including a campfire, where you can sit back and savor the night. The local you came with will share knowledge of local cultures and traditional practices related to the land and wildlife including songs of the delta.
Day 6: Bush walk and return to Maun
Wake up early to watch the sunrise and enjoy a guided walking safari and get wholly immersed into the sights and sounds of the wildest part of Africa. Connect with nature and learn about the ecosystem of the Okavango delta. Learn how to identify plants and tracks and interpret how wild animals move and behave in the delta.
Many creatures may be seen on foot from the smallest termites to large mammal species such as giraffes, antelopes, zebras, and blue wildebeests. You can spend one more night or go all the way you came and say goodbye to the delta. Back to the shores, you will be picked by car and head back to Maun for overnight stay at Crocodile Camp.
Day 7: Transfer to Nata Village
Nata village is 300 km (6-hour drive) from Maun and the journey takes you to the Makgadgadi Salt Pan, one of the spectacular landscapes in the world. Arrive at Nata Lodge early afternoon and check in for lunch. After refreshing, go for sunset and bird watching in Nata Bird Sanctuary, located 19 km from the lodge. Covering 230 sq. km, the sanctuary sits on Sowa salt pan, which one of the most spectacular pans in the larger Makgadikgadi Pan which is a dried up bed of an ancient lake. You might spot wildlife including red hartebeests, greater Kudu, Oryx, zebras, springbok, spotted hyenas among a plethora of birds especially raptors like the African fish eagle. Overnight stay at Nata Lodge
Day 8: Transfer to Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe
Depart from Nata via Francistown border town of southwest Zimbabwe which is 380 km (5-hour drive). Border crossing formalities may take like 1 hour you will be handed over to the local guides in Zimbabwe and continue to the edge of Matobo National Park famous for the rock formations and ancient caves with rock art of the San people dating back to 13,000 years. The savanna woodland habitat is also rich biodiversity including black and white rhinos, leopards, and various species of raptors including a third of the world’s back eagle population. Overnight stay at Hermits Peak Lodge
Day 9: Walking Safari and Game Drive
An early morning game drive will be followed by a mid-morning guided bush walk and a late lunch. Overnight stay at the lodge
Day 10: Transfer to Harare Capital City
The journey from Matobo to Harare capital city is 470 km (7-hour drive) via Bulawayo, where you will make a stopover at the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe. Proceed to Harare arriving in the early evening. Overnight stay at the lodge
Day 11: Flight to Entebbe, Uganda
If your flight schedule allows, you can explore Harare capital city on a 2-4-hour city tour before your flight to Entebbe international airport, Uganda. The Zimbabwe Museum of Human Sciences offers an opportunity to learn about the local culture and human evolution. Here, you will see the mesmerizing Ngoma Lungudu, a 700- year old archaeological artifact of the Lemba people, whose rich cultural tradition is closely related to the Jewish ancestry. After the city tour, you will be transferred to Robert Mugabe International Airport for a flight to Entebbe airport in Uganda. Overnight stay at 2Friends Beach Hotel
Day 12: Relaxing at Entebbe
Enjoy a rest day in Entebbe town to recharge for the next set of primate trekking activities including gorillas and chimpanzee trekking. Located on the northern west shores of Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest freshwater lake, Entebbe offers good beaches, boat trips and Eco-excursions to Mabamba swamp or Ngamba island chimpanzee sanctuary.
Day 13: Transfer to Kibale National Park
From Entebbe to Kibale is 358 km (5-hour drive) via Mubende-Kyenjojo-Fort Portal road. The route is very scenic road trip winding through countryside and green tea plantations. Make a stopover in Fort Portal Tourism City, the heart of Toro, one of the traditional kingdoms in Uganda that was formed in the 19th century after disintegration of Bunyoro-Kitara Empire. Time permitting you can visit the Toro Palace of the Omukama King Oyo who inherited the throne at the young age of three. Overnight stay Chimpundu Lodge
Day 14: Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi Swamp Walk
A day of chimp trekking at Kibale begins with early morning wakeup call at 5:30am to refresh and have breakfast. Then you will head to Kanyanchu visitor center and meet the rangers for a briefing on the chimp trekking rules. After that you will be accompanied by armed rangers in search of the primates. Sometimes, you might hear the hoot-pant calls. Once located, you will spend 1 hour observing the daily life of chimps including their feeding habits. Return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation.
Later in the afternoon go for a nature walk in Bigodi swamp, which may last 2-3 hours depending on interests. The 4-sq. km Bigodi wetland sanctuary is rich in biodiversity including 8 primate species which include red colobus monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, L’hoest monkeys, red tailed monkeys, and velvet monkeys. Bigodi is managed by the Kibale Association for Rural Development; your visit helps to support the local community projects including women basket weavers, traditional healer for their stunning metaphysics, and local tourist guides. Overnight stay at the lodge
Day 15: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, depart for Queen Elizabeth national park and make a stopover at the Kikorongo equator monument. Then proceed via the spectacular explosion volcanic Crater Lake fields and enjoy a game drive en route to Kazinga channel, which connects Lake Edward and Lake George. Enjoy an afternoon for a boat cruise safari on in search of the localized Big Five of Kazinga Channel which include hippos, Nile crocodile, elephant, buffalo, and waterbucks, the African fish eagle.
Kazinga channel is a magnet for many of the park’s 97 mammal species including the tree climbing lions which dwell in the Ishasha wilderness, the southern sector. Birdlife is abundant with over 600 species of birds including the shoebill stork. Overnight stay Buffalo Safari Lodge
Day 16: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
You will do an early morning game drive and later head to Ishasha wilderness area to search for tree climbing lions and the shoebill stork. Proceed to Buhoma or Ruhija sectors of Bwindi impenetrable national park depending on where your gorilla permit is booked. Bwindi is a UNESCO world heritage site famous for harboring 459 gorillas which is half of the world’s mountain gorilla population, 120 mammal species including forest elephants, 10 primates including chimpanzees, and over 350 species of birds of which 24 are Albertine rift endemics. Overnight stay at Mahogany Springs (Buhoma)/Bakiga Lodge (Ruhiija)
Day 17: Gorilla Trekking and Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast early in the morning, you will be transferred to the visitor center to attend the briefing on gorilla rules. You will join other visitors and be allocated to a gorilla family and be accompanied by experienced rangers into the Bwindi forest to search for the great apes. The trek can take 1-5 hours depending on the location and movements. Once gorillas are located, you will be allowed to spend 1 hour with them. Return to the lodge for lunch and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi, an idyllic and relaxing spot with 19 spectacular islands and over 100 species of birds. Overnight stay Bunyonyi Rock Resort
Day 18: Departure via Kigali Rwanda or back to Entebbe
Bunyonyi offers a wide range of activities including boat cruise, canoeing, zip lining, and island walks and you can do any favorite activity before leaving the place. Depending on your flight schedule, you can depart either through Kigali city Rwanda or Entebbe, Uganda.