11 Day Botswana & Zimbabwe Adventure

 

 

This is a sample HLO Tours itinerary.

HLO Tours will customize your tour to meet

your specific travel tastes, wishes, and expectations.

 

 

Day 1

Depart the USA

Depart from JFK airport in New York for Johannesburg, South Africa. Your overnight flight includes meals, drinks, and in-flight entertainment for the journey

 

Day 2

Johannesburg, South Africa

Upon arrival in Johannesburg, the gateway to southern Africa, transfer to our hotel and rest up after your journey. You’ll have many options for dinner on your own this evening

Overnight:  Holiday Inn 

 

Day 3

Victoria Falls / Embark on Chobe Game Drive 

After breakfast, we fly to Victoria Falls and transfer to Mowana Safari Lodge, located on the Chobe River. After lunch, we venture into Chobe National Park in open-sided safari vehicles. Chobe is the most diverse park in Botswana, thanks to its four distinct ecosystems. It’s also the country’s first national park. We’re likely to see Kalahari elephants here, the largest of all the pachyderms. More than 60,000 roam these dense woodlands and river-fed marshes. Zebra and giraffe sightings are also possible
Overnight: Mowana Safari Lodge, Chobe National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 4

Chobe Game Drive / Cruise Chobe River

We begin today with a game drive in the cool of the early morning when the big cats are most active. Chobe is quiet in the hush of morning, and if we’re lucky, we might spot a pride of lions winding down after a night of hunting. We return to our lodge in time for breakfast, then spend the morning and the warmest part of the day at our lodge, perhaps taking a dip in the pool or write about our sightings.  After lunch, we embark on a boat cruise along the Chobe River. Hippos, crocodiles, baboons, and myriad birds often linger around the river’s banks

Overnight: Mowana Safari Lodge, Chobe National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 5

Visit Namibian Village / Choice of Chobe Game Drives

This morning we cross the Chobe River to Impalila Island on Namibia’s Caprivi Strip and walk to a traditional village. Life has not changed much here over the centuries – men spend days fishing to feed their families and women tend to their modest homes and create handicrafts – wood carvings, necklaces – to keep their culture alive. After lunch back at our lodge, you may choose a game drive by vehicle or by boat.

Overnight: Mowana Safari Lodge, Chobe National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 6

Drive to Hwange National Park

After breakfast, we cross into Zimbabwe and drive to Hwange National Park, founded in 1928 and home to 100 mammal species. We may spot some of them before arriving at our lodge, a luxurious tented camp.  This is a charming small exclusive camp situated alongside the famous Somalisa Camp, known as the home of the elephants, in a private concession in the heart of the Hwange National Park.

Overnight:   Somalisa & Acacia Tents, Hwange National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 7

Hwange Game Drives

After an early morning game drive and breakfast, we can view wildlife gathering at the waterhole alongside our lodge or cool off in the pool. In the afternoon, we set out on another game drive

Overnight: Somalisa & Acacia Tents, Hwange National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 8

Full-Day Hwange Game Drive

During today’s full-day game drive, we explore a variety of habitats, from open plains to mopane forests. Many of the pans we see – or waterholes – are fed by an underground pump system regulated by authorities and we’ll be sure to monitor them for thirsty animals. 

Overnight Somalisa & Acacia Tents, Hwange National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 9

Drive to Victoria Falls / Explore Victoria Falls

This morning we drive to Victoria Falls. After we check in to our hotel the remainder of the day will be on your own or you may also opt to explore the town’s famous Crafts Market and bargain for a favorite wood or stone carving.

Overnight: Llala Lodge, Victoria Falls
Meals: Breakfast

 

Day 10

Full-Day in Victoria Falls 

Today you will see the largest waterfall in the world beckons. During the wet season, the force of Victoria Falls is so powerful that it’s known to many by its local name, Mosi-oa-Tunya, or The Smoke that Thunders. When David Livingstone came upon this torrent in 1855, he imagined that "scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight." We’ll stroll through the surrounding rainforest-like preserve, watered by a constant mist and awed by the falls’ magnificence

Overnight: Llala Lodge Victoria Falls

Meals: Breakfast

 

Day 11

Depart for the USA via Johannesburg

Transfer to the airport for your departure flight to Johannesburg, and connect with your flight to JFK.

Meals: Breakfast