Cape Town to Victoria Falls - Hotel/Lodge
Cape Town to Victoria Falls - Hotel/Lodge
Cape Town to Victoria Falls - Hotel/Lodge
20 Days Starting in Cape Town and ending in Victoria Falls
Visiting: Cape Town, Table Mountain, Hout Bay, Olifants River, Orange River, Fish River Canyon, Sesriem, Sossusvlei, Swakopmund, Brandberg Mountain, Etosha National Park, Okavango River, Cubango, Chobe River, Chobe National Park, Victoria Falls
Tour operator:
Tour code:
AZVP
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
6 - 14
Physical rating:
Leisurely / Moderate
Age range:
16 to 99
Special diets catered:
Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Cape Town to Victoria Falls is one of the world’s great classic journeys. Starting from Cape Town, South Africa’s most cosmopolitan city, this trip travels through Namibia's spectacular desert landscape, wildlife-rich game parks in Namibia and Botswana and finally to the mighty Victoria Falls on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia. This is an adventure through the heart of southern Africa’s dramatic scenery, with rich culture, diverse wildlife and the opportunity to partake in numerous activities along the way.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Start Cape Town.
Location: Cape Town
Accommodation: Sweetest Guesthouses or similar
Meals Included: No Meals
Those on the group flights will be taken to the hotel in Cape Town upon
arrival. If you're not on the group flights we suggest you aim to arrive at
the lodge in Cape Town by mid-afternoon. If the weather is good this
afternoon there may be the opportunity for an optional excursion up Table
Mountain via cable car. Table Mountain is often the first image that springs
to mind whenever one thinks of Cape Town – the views across the city on a
clear day are incredible. If the weather is not good enough this will be a
free afternoon, with the opportunity to explore the famous V & A Waterfront.
Day 2 : Visit Cape Peninsula; Afternoon Wine Tour.
Location: Table Mountain, Hout Bay, Cape Town
Accommodation: Sweetest Guest Houses or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
We generally begin today’s tour with a drive along the spectacular
Chapman's Peak drive (please note, occasionally this drive is closed and we
will have to go around it), via Houtbay. Continuing to the Cape Point Nature
reserve, we have time to walk to the lighthouse and then along the boardwalk
to the Cape of Good Hope. We then take a short visit to the Boulders Beach
penguin colony and enjoy some lunch. In the late afternoon we visit a local
wine farm – the area surrounding Cape Town is renowned for its wine and we
will get a chance to sample some of the local produce.
The order of activities in Cape Town is flexible as everything hinges around
going up Table Mountain when the weather is best. Evening meals can be
enjoyed at various restaurants on the beaches along the coast – Cape Town
is a food and drink lover's paradise!
Day 3 : To Olifants River.
Location: Olifants River
Accommodation: Highlanders Lodge or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
We leave Cape Town and travel through farmlands of citrus, maize, cattle and
sheep as we start the journey towards Namibia. Our first stop is in the
fertile Olifants River Valley, giving us a glimpse into the agricultural
lifestyle of the Western Cape. (about 5hrs drive)
Day 4 : To Orange River; Afternoon Optional Canoeing.
Location: Orange River
Accommodation: Felix Unite Cabanas or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today we drive to Orange River (5 hours + 1 hour border crossing), where
Namibia's southern border meets South Africa. There is free time to relax
this afternoon. Our camp for the night will be in a picturesque location on
the riverbank. (450km, 6-7hrs)
Day 5 : To Fish River Canyon; Afternoon Walk.
Location: Fish River Canyon
Accommodation: Camp, Canyon Lodge or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
In the morning we enjoy a canoe trip on the Orange River. It is not tough on
the water and the trip gives us the chance to see the flora and fauna of the
region as we drift by. We then take a short drive (3 hours) to the second
largest canyon on earth – Fish River Canyon. The views from the canyon rim
are spectacular and there is time for a short walk along it in the afternoon
for superb sunset views.
*Canyon Mountain Camp / Canyon Lodge or similar*
/* larger groups typically stay in two separate properties on this night due
to the lack of accommodation options in the area - standards can vary and
early bookers are assigned better rooms./
Day 6 : To Sesriem.
Location: Sesriem
Accommodation: Little Sossus Lodge or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
A day's travel along the edge of the Namib-Naukluft Park to Sesriem where we
stay overnight outside the park. (550km, 8.5-9hrs)
Day 7 : Full Day Exploring Sossusvlei.
Location: Sossusvlei
Accommodation: Little Sossus Lodge or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
We will leave our lodge early to spend the morning at the Sossusvlei dunes,
one of the great sights of Africa. Whilst we cannot enter the park till
sunrise, the early morning light on the dunes is still a spectacular site and
it is worth getting up for. Those feeling energetic will have the opportunity
to climb Dune 45. We will enjoy a picnic breakfast at the dunes. We take a
2km walk into the Hiddenvlei area (optional one way shuttle transfer
instead). If we're lucky we may see gemsbok, ostrich or even black-backed
jackals among the dunes, an irresistibly photogenic scene! In the afternoon
we visit Sesriem Canyon.
Day 8 : To Swakopmund.
Location: Swakopmund
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: D'avignon Hotel or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
A long, spectacular drive through Namib-Naukluft Park to Swakopmund via
Walvis Bay to see, in season (summer), Flamingoes in their thousands. This
national park, one of the largest in the world, is home to one of the driest
and oldest deserts on earth. It contains some of the finest desert scenery in
Africa, if not in the world, with towering jagged rock formations and
incredible lunar landscapes. (300km, 4-5hrs)
Day 9 : Free Day To Enjoy Optional Activities
Location: Swakopmund
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: D'avignon Hotel or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
Swakopmund has invented itself as Namibia's adventure sports capital, and
we have a full day in Swakopmund to enjoy some of the optional adventure
activities on offer; go on a dolphin cruise or township tour or take a flight
over the desert! Alternatively, explore the German-style town and visit some
of the excellent cake shops for which Swakopmund is famous.
Day 10 : To Brandberg; Visit White Lady Paintings.
Location: Brandberg Mountain
Accommodation: Brandberg Whilte Lady Lodge or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
We leave the Atlantic coast behind and head inland towards Namibia’s
highest mountain, Brandberg. We will enjoy a walk through valley 45 for
approximately 2 hours to the famous ‘White Lady’ rock painting which,
along with a number of other small paintings and engravings, are thought to
have been left by Bushmen at least 2000 years ago. (250km, 4hrs)
Day 11 : To Etosha N.P.
Location: Etosha National Park
Accommodation: Etosha Park Chalets or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
In the morning we drive north to Etosha National Park where some of the
world’s best wildlife viewing can be found. We should arrive at Etosha,
which means the 'Great White Place of Dry Water' in time to do a late
afternoon game drive before arriving at our camp where there will be a
waterhole for game viewing at night. (400km, 5-6hrs)
Day 12 - 13 : Two Days Game Viewing.
Location: Etosha National Park
Accommodation: Etosha Park Chalets or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
We have two days to really enjoy this fabulous park with its mixed forest and
grassland centred around a large salt pan. Etosha is home to a great variety
and number of game, which is easy to find as the animals congregate at
different times around the waterholes. There are waterholes next to the
excellent campsites, and it is not uncommon for us to spend all night
watching a gala performance of animals: wildebeest, zebra, impala, springbok,
kudu, elephant, giraffe, lion and even rhino are all common sights here. Take
plenty of patience and you will be rewarded by one of the greatest game
spectacles in Southern Africa. Etosha is also a good place for birds, with
plenty of waterbirds on the lakes and weaverbirds and hornbills in the trees.
While in Etosha we move our camps (between Okaukuejo, Halali or Namutoni) but
the itinerary is kept flexible depending on where the game is.
Day 14 : To Okavango River.
Location: Okavango River
Accommodation: Rainbow River Lodge or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
Long drive through local villages to the Okavango River - the main
watercourse supplying the Okavango Delta. (650km, 8hrs)
Day 15 : Mokoro (Dugout Canoe) Ride On The Okavango.
Location: Cubango
Accommodation: Rainbow River Lodge or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
We take a mokoro (traditional dug-out canoe) ride from our camp on the
Okavango River. Please note that in March/April, the river may be flooded and
we may have to substitute our mokoros for a boat ride. The birdlife is
prolific and, at certain times of the year, so is the game. Gliding through
the waterways by mokoro is the ideal way to absorb the sheer peace and
tranquillity of the place. We also have the option of a village tour to meet
the local community.Â
Day 16 : To Chobe River.
Location: Chobe River
Accommodation: Kwalape Lodge or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
Drive through the Caprivi Strip and into Botswana to Chobe National Park area
in Kasane, home to huge numbers of elephant and hippo. (400km, 5.5-6hrs,
border crossing 1hr)
Day 17 : Game Drive And Boat Ride In Chobe N.P.
Location: Chobe National Park
Accommodation: Kwalape Lodge or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today we have an early morning game drive in Chobe National Park and an
afternoon boat ride on the Chobe River where it is possible to view huge
herds of elephant coming down to drink as well as many other types of game.
For bird lovers, the river provides a home for the majestic African Fish
Eagle and a number of species of brightly coloured bee-eaters. The area
surrounding the Chobe River typically has the highest concentration of
wildlife within the park as animals congregate here, particularly in the dry
season (April to October).
Day 18 : To Victoria Falls.
Location: Victoria Falls
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Rainbow Hotel or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
After a leisurely breakfast we drive to Victoria Falls, a small town on the
Zimbabwean side of the glorious Victoria Falls (entrance own expense US$ 30).
The waterfall itself is majestic, the activities enthralling and the scenery
of the Upper Zambezi beautiful. (100km, 1.5-2hrs plus border crossing 1-2hrs)
Day 19 : Free Day.
Location: Victoria Falls
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Rainbow Hotel or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today you have a free day to enjoy the numerous activities on offer such as
flights over the falls, white-water rafting, game viewing, or crossing into
Zambia to see the falls from a different side (please note you will need a
Zambian visa if you wish to go see the falls from the other side).
Day 20 : End Victoria Falls.
Location: Victoria Falls
Meals Included: Breakfast
End Victoria Falls. For those on group flights, these depart in the evening
and will arrive in the UK the following day.
**
What's Included
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Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)
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Tour leader throughout
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All breakfasts, 4 lunches, 1 dinner
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All accommodation (see below)
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All transport and listed activities
What's Not Included
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Visas or vaccinations
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Travel insurance
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Single accommodation
Food
All breakfasts, 4 lunches, 1 dinner We suggest you allow about US$200 for meals not included in the itinerary. Please note that most included meals are actually prepared by the crew. Camp meals should be wholesome and plentiful, but do not expect cordon bleu cooking. Please note sometimes it is not easy to get fresh meat. However, the general standard of food is good and vegetarians are well catered for. Please notify Exodus of specific dietary requirements. The water provided on this trip is safe and clean drinking water, normally coming from bore-holes. It is not bottled water, however. If you would rather have bottled water then this will be at your expense, though we would encourage you to make use of the safe drinking water provided as this helps diminish plastic consumption.
Accommodation
We spend 16 nights in a hotel or lodge and three nights in a guesthouse. We stay in a range of properties, usually two to three-star lodges or chalets. Our accommodation in Fish River Canyon is basic but is our best option in a very remote area. All rooms have private bathrooms and we upgrade to superior rooms in Etosha.
The location of the accommodation means there are slight variations in the itinerary between the lodge and camping departures. Because accommodation is very oversubscribed, we cannot always guarantee a particular lodge or hotel, but in Cape Town we stay within walking distance of restaurants and it is easy to catch a taxi to the V&A Waterfront (please note, in Cape Town the group might be accommodated in different but similar properties). Wifi is available about half the time but not always very reliable. Single supplement available.
Please note, due to the limited amount of accommodation within Etosha National Park, it may be necessary to sleep outside the park on some or all of the nights we are there. This will not impact the number of game drives we have within the park.
Check out our Q&As
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
Minimum 16 years old people can go on this tour.
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What is the standard of the hotels on this tour?
We will stay in a range of properties, usually 2/3 star lodges or chalets.
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Are vaccinations required for this tour?
Vaccination against Yellow Fever is necessary if you are coming from a country with Yellow Fever, and you must bring a valid certificate of vaccination. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. Malaria prophylaxis is essential and we suggest that you seek advice from your GP or travel health clinic about which malaria tablets to take.
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes.
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What is the maximum group size?
15
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Exodus has been trading since 1974
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.
Reviews from Travellers on this Tour
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
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Low Deposit
Exodus requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
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