This is an outstanding tour that involves significant road travel, superb landscapes and wildlife sightings together with excellent accommodation. Our guide (Nonki) is a lovely lady who treated us very well while maintaining the schedule appropriately.
This trip was amazing. We had an experience that we never could have got from staying in a lodge. Yes the nights were cold and a tent is not luxury but I would not have wanted to miss a second of it. If you are open to some adventure and bush camping then I highly recommend this trip.
Great trip with very good leaders in Weston, Gift and Dean. Well organised and informative. It can be hard work breaking camp most mornings, often quite early starts, and then setting up each evening, often at sunset. Client participation essential to make it all work. Food simple yet sustaining with good variety. Surprised the vehicle was not airconditioned as at times very hot.
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Camping, Tent, Hotel, Guest House
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Cape Town, Victoria Falls, Kgala
Cape Town, Victoria Falls, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Fish River Canyon, Augrabies Falls National Park, Namaqualand, Chobe River, Caprivi Strip, Okavango Delta, Rundu, Etosha National Park, Spitzkoppe, Swakopmund, Sossusvlei
The trip gave a good overview of southern africa and was well paced. was an amazing tour manager and the guides at the different locations are also great.
Get to know southern Africa’s big three most exciting destinations – Hwange and Kruger national parks and the jaw-dropping Victoria Falls. From South Africa's sprawling modern capital to the best wilderness areas in the world, you'll experience a dizzying diversity of communities, cultures and landscapes in just over a week. Oh, and did we mention the animals you’ll see and the friends you'll make along the way? Head on 4WD safaris by day and search for all the iconic wildlife by night, too! Don't worry, your local leader and guides know all the best spots.
I thought every single day was the best day of my life... Until the next day came along and overtook it, and then the next day and the next...
The Okavango Delta is pure magic. Easily the best place to see wildlife in Africa (and I have been to most of them on Contiki's). Its remote, there are barely any other tourists on safari out there and it felt like we were truly in Africa, experiencing it for how it should be and not a tourist destination to see wildlife. The camping set up there is awesome, you arrive and everything is set up from your tents and bedding, to a fire place to sit around at night, to a dining tent and chill tent on the river to watch elephants come downt to drink in the middle of the day - right in front of us! On the Game Drives we saw lions and even Wild Dogs (Painted Wolf) pups as well as the adults on the hunt. The safari vehicles had fridges to keep the beers cold, charge ports for our phones and a roof to climb on to watch the sunset over the Delta's waterways while lions were calling in the distance.
The Meerkats at the salt pans were amazing to see go about their day without even giving us a glance as we got close for photos and the sunset on the pans where you can see the horizon 360 degrees around you was extra special.
And Chobe was out of this world... That sunset on the river when everyone had left the park but we stayed in it at Contiki Special Campsite, plus the leopard in the tree... Goosebumps...
And I nearly forgot the adrendline and pure adventure of Victoria Falls. Bungeeing, rafting, heli flights, walking safaris... It has everything to get the heart racing but also some activity from sitting on safari vehicles. I guess some of the activities are pricey, but I felt super safe doing everything and would always rather pay a higher price for safety on the adventurous activities. I'd reccomend them all! The accommodation here felt so fancy with swimming pool, the spray of the falls in the distance, elephants drinking at the waterhole in front and out the back you could safely walk into town to do some shopping or exploring...
A trip I could VERY easily do again and again. Every safari drive is different with varying chances of seeing different animals doing different things (drinking/eating/hunting/playing with babies etc etc). Every drive felt special and unique...
The Africa bug has bitten me hard - I cant wait to go back
Time to break out your best Attenborough impression – you’re going on safari with a small group of legends! This nine-day trip doesn’t skimp on the savanna, but it mainly follows the rivers and watering holes that sustain life (human and wild) throughout Africa. Learn about the world’s largest succulents on a guided walk along baobabs and see elephants and warthogs while you cruise down the Okavango Delta in a dugout mokoro canoe. How many species can you spot on a search for wildlife in Chobe National Park?
Got 13 days and a desire to see as much of East Africa as you can while unwinding on white-sand beaches? Welcome to the trip of a lifetime. Multiple 4WD safaris in the Maasai Mara and Serengeti National Parks, stops at remote market towns, a night in a Maasai village and plenty of time on the powdery beaches of Zanzibar – this trip is the perfect introduction to the diversity of East Africa. And, you'll do it all with a small group of likeminded individuals, forging lifelong friendships along the way. Now that's what you can a real adventure!
Nairobi, Stone Town, Zanzibar Northern Beaches, Loita Hills, Masai Mara National Reserve, Lake Victoria, Serengeti National Park, Karatu, Arusha, Zanzibar
Trip overall was terrific. Changes that could be made to future safaris. Game drives should only go out early morning, return to camp by 11am. 2nd game drive should start about 3pm until sunset. Rest at camp from 11am to 3pm. Boxed lunches should be deleted as they were well below standard & not terrible. Rift Valley Photographic Lodge was below standard & one night is plenty. The road in & out of the Lodge was absolutely terrible. My room had a terrible smell from shower drain & I was moved. The next room had no hot water until I chased it up. Swimming pools were all empty. Cut out long village walk as too hot & drive onto next lodge. You need at least 2 full days in the fantastic Ambroseli park. Masai Mara should be 2 full days experience & 2 full days in Ngorongoro Crater. Completely drop day 8 cultural experience etc from itinerary. We were all charged USD20 to visit Masia village but found out later Masai visit was free in initerary. The jeep in Kenya was old & very uncomfortable. The jeep in Tanzania was modern, a good ride & very uncomfortable. That part of the tour needs to be looked due to jeep travelling time.
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Lodge
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Arusha, Nairobi, Tarangire Natio
Arusha, Nairobi, Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Masai Village, Serengeti, Lake Victoria, Masai Mara National Reserve, Amboseli National Park
An exciting accommodated overland traverse through Zimbabwe (Victoria Falls), Botswana and Namibia. Travelling in a comfortable, custom-built expedition vehicle and staying in well-appointed accommodation with plenty of local charm, this journey offers an abundance of stunning scenery, unique wildlife and cultural encounters. The vastness of both Namibia and Botswana become apparent with wide open spaces far outnumbering people. A shorter version of our African Wildlife Explorer trip, this overland journey commences from Victoria Falls Zimbabwe. Be enchanted by a Chobe River sunset, and search for wildlife in the contrasting environments of the Okavango Delta and Etosha National Park. Ascend the highest sand dunes in the world at Sossusvlei; and enjoy cosmopolitan Swakopmund with its relaxed cafe culture and wide, tree-lined streets. The trip concludes in Windhoek Namibia.