Jo'burg to Falls - 12 Days
12 Days Starting in Johannesburg and ending in Victoria Falls
Visiting: Johannesburg, Kruger National Park, Blydepoort Dam Boat Trips, Tshipise, Great Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, Matobo National Park, Hwange National Park, Victoria Falls
Tour operator:
Tour code:
2060/JTF
Recommended For:
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
2 - 30
Age range:
18 and over.Overland Age Policy:To travel on one of our overland family departure safaris children need to be a minimum age of 6 for Southern Africa safaris (Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa) and a minimum of 8 years old for East Africa safaris (
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Please contact On The Go Tours with specific dietary requests
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Starting in Jo'burg and South Africa's world famous Kruger National Park, travel through to thundering Victoria Falls, en route you'll visit the breathtaking scenery and wildlife of Zimbabwe. Visit the Great Zimbabwe Ruins as well as the abundant Hwange National Park.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Johannesburg
Location: Johannesburg
Meals Included: No Meals
Tuesday. Welcome to South Africa! You will be met upon arrival at Johannesburg Airport by our representative and transferred to the backpackers for the first night. At 5pm there will be a pre-departure meeting where you will meet your tour leader and the rest of your group.
Day 2 : Kruger National Park
Location: Kruger National Park
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Jo'burg – Kruger. Leaving Johannesburg, we pass through the southern section of the picturesque Panorama Route, taking in the breath-taking vistas. Our camp for the next two nights is a short drive from the Kruger Park Gate and has some interesting local residents that include hippo, giraffe, zebra and impala. On arrival to the camp we enjoy an evening game drive.
On day 3 we continue to explore the amazing Kruger National Park in our overland truck. Covering 19 485 km2 - 60 km wide and over 350 km long, this conservation area has more than 146 mammals, 500 bird, 114 reptile, 33 amphibian & 49 fish species. 23 000 different types of plants have been recorded. We spend the day driving around the park keeping an eye out for these incredible species. There is the option of enjoying a night drive looking for a few of the nocturnal inhabitants or upgrading to a small vehicle for the game drive at an additional cost.
Day 3 : Blydepoort
Location: Blydepoort Dam Boat Trips
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Maun - Polokwane. Heading out early, we have a fairly long drive today to Polokwane, stopping see at the impressive Blyde River Canyon. Named for the Blyde River that runs through it, the canyon is 26km long, and averages 800m deep and forms the northern edge of the impressive Drakensberg Mountain Range. It is classified as a ‘green canyon’ due to the uncommon occurrence of vegetation that lines it (uncommon as most canyons are in desert areas and are fairly barren). The main viewpoints along the canyon are the 3 Rondavels, named for the shape of the traditional huts or houses the indigenous people of the area used to live in; and Gods Window that affords a breathtaking view across the canyon and surrounding area.
Day 5 : Tshipise
Location: Tshipise
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Polokwane - Tshipise. Today we continue our journey north toward the border with Zimbabwe. Sit back and enjoy the changing scenery on this long drive to the beautiful town of Tshipise. Located between rolling hills and well known for it’s natural hot water springs, Tshipise has various walking trails to enjoy or you can relax in the pools this evening.
Day 6 : Great Zimbabwe
Location: Great Zimbabwe
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Tshipise – Masvingo. We cross the border into Zimbabwe this morning, a truly beautiful country with incredible history and tradition. Arriving to the town of Masvingo, our stop for the night, we then head out to explore the Great Zimbabwe Ruins. According to legend these ruins were the capital of the Queen of Sheba and were inhabited by the Bantu civilization of the Shona between the 11th and 15th century. You’ll have an opportunity to explore these incredible ruins, including the 8 statues of stone birds carefully carved from soapstone, before setting up camp at the foot of the hills.
Day 7 : Bulawayo
Location: Bulawayo
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Masvingo – Bulawayo. Departing Masavingo we head north to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second largest city. Boasting exceptionally wide streets originally designed to accommodate ox wagons and several buildings retaining their British Colonial feel, there is lots to see and do in Bulawayo. Perhaps visit the Natural History Museum, the National Arts Gallery or the Mzilikazi Arts and Crafts Centre.
Day 8 : Matobo N.P.
Location: Matobo National Park
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Leaving our camp, we head for Matobo National Park, one of the few remaining areas in the world inhabited with both Black and White Rhino. We’ll enjoy the morning exploring this fascinating and often unique geological, ecological and historic area which boasts a high concentration of the elusive leopard and impressive black eagle. The ancient San inhabitants of this area are also evidenced by some incredible rock paintings located within the national park. Later we return to our campsite near Bulawayo where the rest of the day is at leisure.
Day 9 : Hwange National Park
Location: Hwange National Park
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Bulawayo - Hwange National Park. We head northwest today to Zimbabwe’s largest and longest running reserve, Hwange National Park, on day 9. Well known for it’s abundance and variety of wildlife including thousands of elephants and rare antelope species such as Sable and Roan Antelope. Hopefully you’ll spot some of these stunning creatures on our game drive today.
On day 10 we’ll explore Hwange National Park. Covering an area of over 5,600 square miles, Hwange was founded in 1928 as a game reserve and became a National Park in 1961, it is home to 400 species of bird and 107 types of animal. On our game drive today we’ll hope to spot some of these animals, including lions, cheetahs, giraffe and hyenas.
Day 11 : Victoria Falls
Location: Victoria Falls
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Hwange National Park - Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe). This morning we continue to our destination - Victoria Falls.
A 20 minute walk from our campsite takes you to the entry point of the falls. Victoria Falls, or Mosi-oa-Tunya (the Smoke that Thunders), was named by David Livingstone on his explorations, and is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
Later we relax at the campsite’s swimming pool, view the Victoria Falls, or explore the many sights and delights of this town!
Day 12 : Victoria Falls
Location: Victoria Falls
Meals Included: Breakfast
Saturday. After breakfast, we exchange addresses and part ways, having just experienced a trip of a lifetime! We suggest booking additional days after your trip to take advantage of the optional excursions available at Victoria Falls.
What's Included
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Accommodation
Camping
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Arrival transfer from Johannesburg Airport on day 1
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1st night dormitory accommodation (upgrade available) and 10 nights camping. Tents and sleeping mats provided
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A fully equipped overland truck for transportation and game drives
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Services of 3 person crew (leader, driver, cook)
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All camping fees and appropriate equipment
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10 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 9 dinners
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Park entry - Victoria Falls NP. Park entry and game drives - Kruger NP
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All road taxes and tolls
What's Not Included
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International flights and visas
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Sleeping bag - please bring your own
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Accommodation upgrade fee - payable locally. Please see trip notes for more details.
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Optional activities
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Tipping - an entirely personal gesture
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Local payment - $590pp, paid in USD.
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Local payment - 2022 - $590 - 2023 $630pp paid in USD.
Age Policy
18 and over.Overland Age Policy:To travel on one of our overland family departure safaris children need to be a minimum age of 6 for Southern Africa safaris (Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa) and a minimum of 8 years old for East Africa safaris (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia). If a safari includes both East and Southern Africa then the minimum age will be 8 years old. Please note that they will be travelling with the normal group. These are not separate family tours. For family dates look for the icon next to the tour date online. IMPORTANT: South Africa and Botswana regulations aimed at fighting child trafficking:'All parents travelling with children into or out of SA and/or Botswana may be asked to show the child’s unabridged (full) birth certificate, and where only one parent is accompanying, parental or legal consent for the child to travel (eg an affidavit from the other parent, a court order or – if applicable – a death certificate). You should travel with these documents in case you’re asked to provide them. There are other requirements for children travelling unaccompanied or with adults who are not their parents.' Tell pax to contact the South African High Commission, South African Department of Home Affairs and/or the Botswana High Commission for further information.
Check out our Q&As
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What is the standard of the hotels on this tour?
Camping
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
Arrival transfer from Johannesburg Airport on day 1
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Do you require a visa for this holiday?
International flights and visas not included.
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Ensuring our footprint is light and that the benefits of travelling reach the local communities you visit is paramount to us. We’re proud to say that when travelling with us, the large majority of your holiday funds remain within the countries you visit, supporting local economies at a grass roots level.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Since 1998
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Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?
With English-speaking tours, it's not a huge surprise that most on our travellers are from English-speaking countries or have English as their second language. Our group tours cater for everyone from 18 years old to 70+
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
Reviews from travellers on this tour
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Low Deposit
On The Go Tours requires a minimum deposit of 300 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of on the go tours charges.
Up to 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 59 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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