Zimbabwe, Namibia, South AfricaJourneys: Southern Africa Highlights
Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer is included.
Transport
You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure.
Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting
Meet your Cape Town G Adventures representative at the hotel - please have a look at the information board in the hotel for the meeting time. Your rep will go through your tour details, help you with booking optional activities, and be your contact person for the next few days.
Accommodation
Below is an example of the hotel we may use in this city. For the actual hotel your specific departure will be using, please check your voucher.
The Portswood Hotel
Begin the day with an exploration of vibrant Cape Town, wandering through the multicultural Bo-Kaap neighborhood. Then enjoy an exclusive guided tour of Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, named by National Geographic Travel as one of the world’s 10 most magnificent gardens. Later, stop by Boulders Beach to see the resident population of African penguins, and continue to the Cape Point lighthouse and the Cape of Good Hope, the southwesternmost point in Africa.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Kirstenbosch Guided Walk
Stop and smell the flowers on a tour specially designed for National Geographic travellers. Visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, led by an expert who will talk about the history of the gardens, its exhibits and a behind the scenes look at the mother beds. The garden is administered by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) who have received funding from National Geographic and the site has been named one of the Top 10 gardens in the world by National Geographic Traveler.
Guided Cape Town Orientation Tour and Excursion to Cape Point
Enjoy a guided orientation tour of vibrant Cape Town. Continue on to Cape Point to enjoy a stunning vista and visit the penguins at Boulders Beach.
Accommodation
The Portswood Hotel
Enjoy a day of leisure in Cape Town, choosing from a variety of optional activities. Hop on a cable car to the summit, taking in extraordinary views of the city and the Atlantic seaboard. Or explore the Cape Winelands, visiting the historical city of Stellenbosch, touring wine estates with expert guides, and indulging in a variety of tastings and pairings. There is something for everyone in Cape Town. Visit Table Mountain, walk the V&A Waterfront or embark on a wine tour in and around Stellenbosch. For the adventurous, opt to go, abseiling. Wander through the city centre, which has some of the oldest buildings and gardens in South Africa. Check out the Cultural Historical Museum, Planetarium, and many other museums and theatres.
Free Time
Enjoy a day of your leisure in this cosmopolitan and charming city.
Optional Activities - Day 3Show
Accommodation
The Portswood Hotel
Fly to Johannesburg, then take a guided tour of Soweto township. Soweto was an important center of South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement and home to its leader, Nelson Mandela. Visit the Mandela House Museum and learn about this painful chapter in the country’s history.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Soweto Tour
Take a guided tour of bustling Soweto and learn more about its important history. The residential area was created under apartheid and played a significant role in bringing the issues of segregation to the forefront. The anti-apartheid movement was launched here by its most famous resident, Nelson Mandela.
Accommodation
Southern Sun Rosebank
Set out towards Kruger National Park via the magnificent Panorama Route, one of the world’s most picturesque drives. Make stops at the dramatic Blyde River Canyon and Bourke's Luck Potholes, and take in panoramic views of the forest-covered valley from the God's Window viewpoint. Continue to our lodge near Kruger National park, savour a delicious South African Dinner in this picturesque location.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Panorama Route Scenic Drive
Enjoy a scenic drive along the famed Panorama Route. You’ll see magnificent mountains, panoramic passes, valleys, and waterfalls. There will also be stops at Blyde River Canyon, Bourke's Luck Potholes, and God's Window.
Accommodation
Umbhaba Eco Lodge
Rise early and climb aboard an open jeep for a full-day safari in Kruger National Park—home to an extraordinary array of large mammals. Spot elephants, lions, giraffes, and perhaps elusive leopards as we explore this breathtaking wilderness of savanna and scrubland. Return to our lodge in the evening, where you can take some time to relax and enjoy the nocturnal sounds of the bush. At over 19,000 sq km (7,500 sq mi), South Africa’s Kruger National Park is one of the largest and most impressive animal reserves in the world. With 147 species, Kruger has more species of large mammals than any other park on the continent.
Kruger National Park Open Vehicle Wildlife Safari Drive - Full day
Hop in a 4x4 safari vehicle and get yourself one step closer to the surrounding nature. Be ready to spot elephants, giraffes, hippos, lions, zebras, and many other species in this impressive South African national park.
Accommodation
Umbhaba Eco Lodge
Travel to the Karongwe Private Game Reserve, a pristine wildlife sanctuary located in the Greater Kruger area. Meet with a researcher from the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Cheetah Range Expansion Project—a program funded in part by National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative. Sit back for a lecture and learn about efforts to protect the region’s cheetahs and other carnivores. After, the researcher then joins us for a wildlife-viewing excursion through the reserve. For the next two days, enjoy ranger-led morning and evening wildlife safari drives in an open safari vehicle in Karongwe Nature Reserve, searching for Africa's famed Big Five. With over 9,000 hectares (22,240 acres) of supreme African bushveld, Karongwe Private Game Reserve is home to many creatures, and our safari drives provide several opportunities for wildlife viewing. We use various accommodations within the reserve (the location is based on availability). During your time here, you will either stay in lodge rooms or very comfortable permanent tents (both of equal quality and with similar amenities).
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Carnivore Conservation Experience
Meet with a researcher from the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Cheetah Range Expansion Project. Listen to a talk about cheetahs here and the important research this project is doing. We will also discuss conservation within parks and reserves in South Africa and National Geographic's Big Cats Initiative. You will then be accompanied by the researcher on a wildlife safari drive to give you more insight into cheetahs and other carnivores.
Accommodation
Karongwe Portfolio - Chisomo Safari Camp
Spend the day exploring Karongwe on morning and afternoon safaris with our local guides. Search for Africa's famed "big five" as we drive through the shrublands of the bushveld. Back at camp, relax on deck or take a walk around the grounds before enjoying a traditional South African dinner with your fellow travellers. Wake up before the sun (around 5am) and sip your morning coffee before heading out on a morning wildlife safari drive. Return to the lodge for brunch and some leisure time. Converse on the deck, walk the grounds and gardens, and enjoy high tea. Following tea, it's time for a late afternoon safari drive. After spotting tons of wildlife, it’s time to return to camp and freshen up before dinner, a traditional braai.
Karongwe Private Reserve Open Vehicle Wildlife Safari Drive
Jump into a safari 4x4 and keep your eyes open for fantastic wildlife encounters. Wildlife safari drives are conducted with qualified wildlife rangers and local expert trackers; both will share their vast experience of the African bush.
Free Time
Relax and enjoy some down time between wildlife safari drives.
Your Foodie Moment: Boma Braai
At Karongwe, the Boma dinner will indulge your taste buds with South African cuisine, while you enjoy the African wilderness. Take part in a culinary journey that reflects South Africa’s rich cultural and culinary heritage, all from an enclosed outdoor area, lit by lanterns and a warming fire. You’ll taste your way through traditional dishes including braaied meats (Barbeque), potjiekos (traditional pot stew), and a malva pudding (traditional dessert); all made from local ingredients. Both your stomach and your heart will be full from this cultural immersion, nature connection, social interaction, and delicious meal.
Accommodation
Karongwe Portfolio - Chisomo Safari Camp
Embark on one last safari this morning, keeping a lookout for Karongwe’s iconic inhabitants. Then head back to the city, where you’ll enjoy dinner in our lodge.
Karongwe Private Reserve Open Vehicle Wildlife Safari Drive
Jump into a safari 4x4 and keep your eyes open for fantastic wildlife encounters. Wildlife safari drives are conducted with qualified wildlife rangers and local expert trackers; both will share their vast experience of the African bush.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Accommodation
Southern Sun Rosebank
Fly to Windhoek and transfer to your hotel. Enjoy free time to explore the Namibian capital this afternoon.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Accommodation
Windhoek Country Club Resort
Set off from the Namibian capital towards Sesriem, the gateway to jaw-dropping Namib-Naukluft National Park. Drive past red-hued desertscapes, stark camel thorn trees, and dramatic curved dunes while keeping an eye out for the astonishing creatures that call these arid lands home—the oryx, springbok, jackal, hyena, and more. Settle in to our lodge and relax poolside, watching a fiery crimson sunset over the desert. Enjoy postcard perfect desert scenery around Sesriem and Sossusvlei - vast desertscapes of reds and orange, stark camel thorn trees and towering dunes with dramatic curved ridges. Also keep an eye out for the surprising amount of wildlife that call this area home such as oryx, springbok, jackal, ground squirrel and hyena.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Optional Activities - Day 11Show
Accommodation
Sossusvlei Lodge
Embark on a thrilling excursion into one of Africa’s largest national parks. Explore the Namib desert, the oldest desert in the world; and venture to the massive dunes at Sossusvlei and the white clay pan of Deadvlei. Capture dramatic images of dead camel thorn trees against a backdrop of orange dunes and a crisp blue sky. Then visit the Sesriem Canyon, a natural gorge carved out by the Tsauchab River over millions of years.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Sossusvlei Dunes Visit
The area is famous for its high, red sand dunes. The most accessible of the larger dunes is Dune 45, aptly named because it is 45km from Sesriem. The group will have a chance to walk up this towering sand hill for epic views from the top. Then visit Deadvlei, a clay and salt pan surrounded by the dunes with older dried-up trees sticking out, making it a spectacularly beautiful sight with a remote and isolated feel. Keep your eyes peeled for the strange dark, circular patches that may pepper the dunes. They are called “fairy circles” and scientists are still not sure of their origins. Theories range from animal dust baths to poisons leaked from plants, or traces of meteor showers, proving there’s still so much to learn about the Namib Desert; the oldest in the world. For more fun facts about the landscape check out this in-depth article, “Namib Desert: Ever Changing Dunes” on the National Geographic’s website.
Deadvlei Visit
Venture out into Deadvlei. These drylands boast incredible contrasts of black dead trees amidst the white clay soil, surrounded by red sand dunes reaching up to 300 meters high. We don't want to spoil too much; go and see this unique site for yourselves - it's a must for any traveller to Namibia.
Sesriem Canyon Visit
Enjoy a short stop at Sesriem Canyon, a small canyon typical of the area. The Tsauchab River flows through the canyon every five to ten years, and this creates the nearby salt and clay pan of Sossusvlei.
4x4
Roads? Where this rough-and-ready vehicle's going, we don't need roads.
Optional Activities - Day 12Show
Accommodation
Sossusvlei Lodge
Continue by road through changing desert landscapes towards the coastal city of Swakopmund. Look out for roaming zebra, kudu, springbok, and oryx on the way and stop at a local bakery renowned for its delicious homemade apple pies. Enjoy one of these tasty, fresh baked treats before the group gathers with our local guide for the bushman walk through the desert. Along the walk, learn about the survival strategies of bushmen who lived in this inhospitable area thousands of years ago and search for the smaller wildlife that has managed to survive here, such as snakes, geckos, spiders, and an array of insects. Continue on to Swakopmund later in the day for free time, or join an orientation walk. Dinner will be at your leisure with options in town and at the hotel.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Living Desert Walk
Set off on foot into the desert with an expert guide who will point out signs of plant and animal life while emphasizing the survival strategies of the local Bushmen that called this harsh landscape home.
Accommodation
Hansa Hotel
Rise early for breakfast at the hotel. Our local guide will meet the group there before beginning our excursion to Sandwich Harbour and the Skeleton Coast. Travel on scenic roads to Walvis Bay while our guide provides background information on the Namib Desert landscape and wildlife. After stopping at a few different viewpoints the group will enter Namib Naukluft Park, and depending on the tide, drive along the beach to Sandwich Harbour. Enjoy a deeper immersion into this ever shifting environment on an exhilarating 4x4 ride through the towering dunes. Stop for lunch along the route at a private location in the park to fully appreciate the desert meeting the ocean. This afternoon, take a tour of Mondesa township with a local guide, learning about its people and history. Visit the local market for an introduction to traditional foods such as wild spinach, mopane worms, and dried sardines or kapenta. Stop by an arts and crafts shop; chat with the locals; and round off the day with dinner and a performance at a cozy family-run establishment.
Sandwich Harbour & Skeleton Coast Excursion
Travel along scenic roads to Walvis Bay and arrive at the nearby salt pans and pink lakes for photographs of the unique environment. Drive along the beach at the high tide waterline passing seals and birdlife. Along this route the guide will conduct a mini living desert tour in the lower Kuiseb Delta, searching for the small five; geckos, sidewinder snakes, chameleons, scorpions, and toktokkies. Learn more about the Namib Desert from our guide as the group drives to the entrance of Naukluft Park, where we might see oryx, springbuck, and ostrich. In the park, if the tide allows we will drive along the beach towards Sandwich Harbour. If it’s high tide, the drive will be through the dunes above the ocean. Pause at various viewpoints like Kodak Viewpoint and admire the wonder of desert meeting the ocean—a truly remarkable sight. Cap off the experience with a thrilling 4x4 ride through the towering dunes and stop en route to enjoy lunch at a private location. Search for more wildlife as the group exits the park returning to Swakopmund.
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Mondesa Township Walk
Visit the community of Mondesa Township with an expert resident guide. Learn about its daily life, history and traditions through an immersive experience with the welcoming people that live here. Visit its lively market for an introduction to traditional foods like wild spinach, mopane worms, and dried kapenta fish. Also visit an arts-and-crafts shop that helps train the township’s youth in traditional crafts. Drop by a shebeen (tavern) to enjoy a favourite drink, and meet some local residents. Finally, continue on to a nearby family run establishment for dinner and local entertainment.
Your G for Good Moment: Mondesa Community Experience
This women-led collective in Swakopmund brings together Damara, Herero, and Himba cultures to preserve traditional knowledge and empower women through storytelling, crafts, and cultural education. They also run a daily feeding program for vulnerable children in their community. During your visit here to this G Adventure-supported community tourism initiative you will enjoy a warm welcome cup of tea, an introduction to the Damara click language going through sounds, meanings, and cultural context. Then the group will split and take part in different activities here like bracelet-making with local artisans or a garden walk while hosts point out the important plants that support their kitchen and meal preparation for children in the community. Afterwards, travellers proceed to Hafeni for a traditional Namibian meal.
Accommodation
Hansa Hotel
Enjoy a free morning in Swakopmund, getting a taste of the town’s unique Afro-German culture; or opt to try different activities like, sandboarding in the Namib desert, sea kayaking, or a fat tire bike tour of Old City Swakopmund. In the evening, come together as a group for an included dinner at the hotel. Explore the town's unique mix of German and African culture and opt to visit curio shops, the museum and restaurants. Optional activities include sandboarding.
Free Time
Enjoy the entire day on your own and partake in any of the nearby optional activities. You could choose to go sandboarding, fat tire biking, or sea kayaking.
Optional Activities - Day 15Show
Accommodation
Hansa Hotel
Depart from Swakopmund right after breakfast and travel towards Etosha National Park, arguably Namibia’s most spectacular wildlife sanctuary. Stop in Outjo for a refreshing break in this charming town before continuing your journey to Etosha National Park. Opt to enjoy lunch at one of the local cafes or restaurants, savor a taste of Namibian hospitality, and stretch those legs. Continue onwards to our lodge, located outside of the park and spend the evening at leisure, or on an optional wildlife drive in the surrounding area.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Free Time
Along the way to Etosha from Swakopmund, the group will make a pit stop in the quaint town of Outjo. There will be enough time here for you to grab some lunch on your own. The local bakery/cafe is known for it's cozy atmosphere and homemade dishes.
Accommodation
Etosha Village
Spend a full day on safari in Etosha National Park, where open grasslands converge on a massive salt pan. Etosha harbours some of the largest populations of lions, elephants, and other endangered species, so keep your camera on the ready as you explore in your open vehicle. Enjoy lunch at one of the park’s rest areas, where you can also take a swim; and sit back and watch all manner of creatures—including hundreds of species of birds—flock to the nearby watering hole. After the vast desert, Etosha National Park, offers a contrast of wide open grasslands, a massive salt pan that covers 4731km² and tall camel thorn trees intermixed with Mopani trees. With a combination of natural waterholes, and diverse vegetation, wildlife flock to the park. Some of the largest elephants in Africa can be found in areas of thicker vegetation, as well as leopards. Lions, giraffe, ostrich and many antelope species can be found in the grasslands, while birders will love the salt pans which attract flamingos in the rainy season. More than 340 bird species have been counted in Etosha National Park including the European bee-eater, the kori bustard and numerous migratory birds.
Etosha Open Vehicle Wildlife Safari Drive
Set off in an open 4x4 safari vehicle with a naturalist guide in search of the stunning wildlife in the park. Wildlife often come to the many watering holes to drink, so keep your eyes peeled for many animals on the move.
Accommodation
Etosha Village
After breakfast, visit the Cheetah Conservation Fund, a global research and education center founded by National Geographic Grantee Dr Laurie Marker. Tour the facility to learn about the important conservation and community outreach work they do to protect the world’s fastest land animal, and enjoy a talk by one of the researchers. Then head out on a drive through the grounds to meet some of the center’s rescued and rehabilitated cheetahs. Continue to Windhoek for our final evening.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Cheetah Conservation Experience
The Cheetah Conservation Fund is a global field research and education facility founded by Dr. Laurie Marker whose research has been supported by National Geographic. Tour the centre and learn about the important conservation and community outreach work they perform as one of the world’s leading organizations dedicated to saving the cheetah in the wild. One of the program’s researchers will give us a lecture before we head out on a cheetah drive to view some of these incredible creatures up close in their natural habitat. Conclude the experience by sitting down as a group for lunch on the veranda that overlooks the magnificent Waterberg Plateau.
Accommodation
Windhoek Country Club Resort
Catch a flight to the town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, named after one of the most powerful waterfalls on Earth. Visit a nearby village and go grocery shopping in the bustling market. Then sit down with a local family for dinner, helping your hosts prepare a traditional Zimbabwean meal using the ingredients you picked out, and hear stories about local life and culture. The mist off Victoria Falls can rise to a height of more than 400m (1312 ft). Local tribes used to call the falls Mosi-o-Tunya or “the smoke that thunders.” Explorer and missionary David Livingstone renamed the falls after Queen Victoria when he first saw them in 1855.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Zimbabwean Family Dinner
Flatter Ncube is the head of her family which includes two sisters and numerous children. She’s the youngest of a family of 10 and, now in her early 40s, lives in the village she was raised in near Victoria Falls. There she takes care of her extended family on their homestead, which she and they have been proudly building by hand, brick by brick, for years. Flatter’s story highlights that life isn’t easy in Africa, but despite its challenges, there is much love and laughter and a strong sense of family here. Visit Flatter’s homestead in her rural village; meet her and some of her family, and walk with some of them throughout the property, among the fruit and vegetable plants the family grows for consumption. (They even plant hot chillies among the vegetables to discourage nosy elephants.) Then help the family prepare a traditional Zimbabwean dinner, which we'll all eat together outside on the property, weather permitting. Ingredients for the meal will have been hand-selected earlier in the day, at the bustling and friendly local village market. This experience offers great insight into typical African life, and ultimately reinforce how we all really want and need the same things in life: a stable home full of love, a good education, and plenty of opportunity for our children.
Accommodation
Explorers Village Lodge
Set out for a tour of magnificent Victoria Falls. Scottish explorer David Livingstone named them after Britain’s Queen Victoria, while their older, indigenous name is Mosi-oa-Tunya—“the smoke that thunders.” Opt to take a day trip to wildlife-rich Chobe National Park or enjoy a sunset river cruise.
Victoria Falls Guided Tour
Head out for an unforgettable experience at Victoria Falls. Explore the rainforest and learn about the geology, history, and local legends of this world wonder. After your immersion, get up close to the falls and discover the beauty of “the smoke that thunders.” Be sure to have your camera ready!
Optional Activities - Day 20Show
Accommodation
Explorers Village Lodge
Depart at any time.
Departure Day
Not ready to leave? Your Expedition Leader can help with any onward travel arrangements you require.
