Botswana & Zimbabwe Lodge Safari

Amazing close wildlife experience including Big Five ++. Brilliant guide, well planned tour, nice lodges, long drives but very good driver. Life lasting memories!

We went with Onary and Sam August 3 - 16, 2025.

This was an amazing experience and its memories will live with us for years to come. Very well looked after by the the team whose care, passion and professionalism contributed to the complete success of the trip from Chobe to Okavango Delta, from Matopos to Hwange and finally to the majestic Victoria Falls

This trip could not have been better. Everything was meticulously planned and flawlessly implemented, the lodgings were beautiful, and the itinerary was just what I wanted: wildlife-centered. The safari guides were truly super-human in their ability to track and find the animals. They seemed to communicate with them and read their moods, all the while talking quietly to us about the animals' diet, behavior, habits, and lifespans. Because we covered some long distances, we were able to see a lot of the countryside of Botswana and Zimbabwe, and we got to go to places that I couldn't have gotten to on my own. It was a all-around superb trip.

A terrific experience of seeing wonderful animals close up in their natural environments and enjoying the hospitality of so many people so proud to show their countries to best advantage.

A terrific journey taking in different national parks, animals galore, Vic falls and a wonderful wild camping experience

This trip was genuinely spectacular. I went into it with so much excitement and anticipation, and came home with my expectations completely blown out the water! Somehow, every day on the trip seems to get better and better. Every day, you end off thinking 'what else could we possibly see?' - and somehow, the following day delivers something just as, if not more spectacular. If you have your eye on this trip and are thinking about booking - let this be the review to push you over the line in just going ahead and booking - you will NOT regret it!

A truly wonderful trip. A chance to travel into Zimbabwe - an African country I hadn’t visited before - and to revisit Botswana staying in comfortable lodges, plus the highlight of wild camping for 2 nights in the Okavango Delta. Very comfortable transport which was appreciated on the couple of long drives on bumpy roads. A great group of travel companions (including our guide) who enjoyed the shared experiences and lots of laughter and banter during evening meals and a memorable sunset cruise.

We had undertaken safaris before but had never seen elephants, hippos or zebras in the numbers that we came across on this trip. We were lucky enough to see the Big 5, but think our guides’ knowledge had a lot to do with that. We enjoyed game drives by vehicle and got wonderful views of wildlife on Chobe/Zambeizi river trips. The 2 night full-service camping in the Okavango Delta was a once in a lifetime experience. The trip overall was very well organised and varied and far exceeded expectations, our group of 10 having gelled extremely well. So pleased we did this trip as we now have so many amazing photos and memories to treasure.

A brilliant trip with every venue and activity providing an amazing chance to see many types of wildlife in their own environment and in different ways, from comfortable lodges to camping, trekking and jeep safaris, mokoro canoes and boat trips

This holiday was truly The Holiday of a Lifetime. We were so Iucky, guides were fantastic, the group got on extremely well, the Safaris were amazing, we saw the Big Five! It is a lot of travelling but on many journeys we saw animals especially in Botswana. We had two guides both did everything driving, guiding, cooking etc. very knowledgeable and keen to pass that on. Every Safari was remarkable.

Both countries are amazing, and our two guides were superb. We were fortunate to see all the 'Big 5' and learned so much about African culture, history as well as seeing the flora and fauna of this fantastic country.

Daily adventures by vehicle, boat or foot, surprises and loads of memories. This was my second Exodus trip, another great leader, driver, group of people and itinerary. I'm hooked!

The trip was a good mix of sights and wildlife. We were a group of 3 couples and 6 people travelling alone so having a 22 seater coach was good as it didn't force anyone to sit together with a stranger at the beginning. We had a good group and everyone got on well together.

Good trip with a nice balance of animals, culture and lodges.

The whole trip was amazing. The organisation was great, guides superb and game viewing simply stunning. It was very hot, much hotter than I expected but the activities were early morning or evening which made everything bearable. The wild camping days were great fun, if very basic, but a great experience. Our guide Onary was a fantastic cook and some of our best food was in that wild camp.

A trip/experience that delivers in every sense - environments, variety of wildlife, varied scenery. So many opportunities to get close to wildlife. The trip does involve a lot of travelling and very early starts, and, apart from the last day at Victoria Falls, probably not too much « free » time. That said, the journeys are all enjoyable, interesting, and much wildlife can be seen. Described as « leisurely » in the trip information, the overall trip or travelling/walks/heat and early starts does require some stamina (perhaps more so with age!). That said, this commitment delivers both in terms of what is presented and it’s variety. During this trip the group ( a really good group of people and a real bonus) saw a great range of animals (including the big 5), some stunning scenery and really all we could have hoped for. Food and accommodation throughout was of a good quality and comfortable. The accommodation offered a good variety of comfortable experiences and all provided tea/coffee making facilities and , importantly, hairdryers!

This was an amazing trip, we saw so much and thanks to Onary our guide, also learnt so much about the animals, the people and the way they live. Shortly into our first game drive we saw a male leopard up a tree with a kill and a female on the ground below. Camping in the Okavanga Delta was a great experience, as was the walking safari to see rhinos, which we did. Everything was so well organised and although the drives were sometimes long we saw so much on the way that they weren’t boring. Just a fantastic experience, absolutely loved it

WOW. What and absolutely epic trip this was! It really was the trip of a life time, so many amazing opportunities to get super close to all the wildlife. I picked Botswana and Zimbabwe for the fact they have the largest population of African elephants found anywhere, WOW I was not disappointed. Thousands of elephants everywhere I looked, it was an animal lover’s paradise! not only elephants but an abundance of birds, cheetahs, leopards, rhinos, giraffe, hippos galore. Impala, buffalo, wildebeest and so much more! The countries themselves were absolutely beautiful and so different in terrain. Some of the most genuine and nicest people I have ever met anywhere! The accommodation was spot on and the food was absolutely delicious.

The organisation from Exodus was first class, they were quick to answer any questions prior to the holiday. This trip includes a lot of travelling, but that offers a wide variety of experience and a fantastic opportunity to see numerous animals. We were very fortunate to see all of the big 5, including witnessing a Cheetah hunt an Impala through to capturing it. There were numerous animals which were within a couple of metres of our vehicles/boats. The staff were amazing and very knowledgeable instilling great confidence in us. We would particularly like to thank our Group Leader Adonia and Driver Sofiso, who both went above and beyond their standard duties to ensure our group had the best experience possible.

There is so much packed into this itinerary, The different landscapes and wildlife you will see is amazing. This was my 1st solo holiday, I particularly picked it because I wanted to be with a mixed group of couples and solos alike and it worked well for me. There is a lot of travelling involved in this trip but I believe it was worth it to see the landscape change so very much. Motopo national park was so beautiful and we literally crept up on 3 rhinos. The peacefulness of the delta and the milky way was magnificent 👌 (The bushy bushy was something to be desired but I survived)

This trip was 'not a holiday but an adventure’ – the itinerary includes excellent game/national parks, lodges, and wildlife; a good mix of game drives both in a vehicle, boat/mokoro & on foot, which resulted in finding the big 5 and much more; including on the last drive a cheetah sighting. All accommodation was comfortable, providing good food and in spectacular locations. We did cover over 2,000 kms to be able to visit the parks, however, while we had a couple of long days, we would not have been able to visit the parks, see all the animals etc. and the travelling was made much easier by the great team of Onary, our guide, ably supported by Sifiso who both contributed to an enjoyable, well organised adventure!

Opportunity to see plenty of wildlife in different settings. One day is extremely long (driving the route) . However the different environments of Botswana and Zimbabwe give a great varierty of opportunities to see wildlife in different settings. The trip is well planned. The activity days are full on but there is time to rest. The accommodation is varied however everywhere is spotlessly clean. Food is plentiful and there is variety even if there are dietary requirements. The guides-local and tour leaders are extremely knowledgeable. The wild camping in the Okavango delta is spectacular. The support staff and guides are amazing. Would recommend the helicopter flight over the delta . I would highly recommend this trip to people who don't want just a safari. It's a great adventure.

I had such a great trip. From start to finish it was well organised and having the guide and driver meant we were well looked after. Every place we stayed was brilliant and the camping was well set up (just don't forget your head torch like me!)

We first booked this trip for Sep 2020 but due to the pandemic we postponed it twice. It was well worth the wait! As a child I watched all the David Attenborough wildlife documentaries and so I had always wanted to visit Botswana. To me words like Chobe, Zambezi and Okovango were shorthand for the most beautiful and wildlife rich places to dream of visiting. This trip more than lived up to all my expectations. Botswana was absolutely teeming with wildlife - you literally see giraffes and elephants regularly along the highway, right up close.

A fabulous trip, very well organised to include many different areas. We saw 4 of the Big 5, but not the elusive leopard! Our guide Adonia was very knowledgeable about every aspect of these beautiful countries, and together with Sifiso our driver we learned and saw a lot. Both were very patient and kind and went out of their way to make the holiday special, always with a great sense of humour. Quite a tough going trip with early starts and a couple of long drives but well worth it.

A very enjoyable trip, during which we saw an abundance of wildlife including 4 of the Big 5. Our group leader Adonia, and our driver Sifiso were great. They were very knowledgeable about all the flora and fauna we saw. There were a couple of very long, but unavoidable, drives. However, we were still wildlife spotting during these and Adonia used this time to talk about the history and culture of both Botwana and Zimbabwe. Our trip into the Okavango Delta was quite different from the rest of the trip but very enjoyable. Listening to the sounds of the wild animals at night was an experience never to be forgotten. On the full day in the delta there was a lot of downtime between the early morning game walk and the late afternoon Mokoro trip. Another game walk during the day would have been a good idea. Special thanks to Adonia and Sifiso for their patience, humour and thoughtfulness.

This is my fifth or sixth Exodus trip and I cannot say enough about the trips and the staff. This particular trip was a little challenging due to my being accompanied by an 82 year old woman who just really wanted to go to Africa. As I’d been to Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Madagascar before, we opted for this one, so I could see the falls! From start to finish it was fantastic. The 2 days wild camping on the okovango delta was so unique, and the falls were just breathtaking. We saw 4 of the big 5 (no leopard 😒) and so close we could almost reach out and touch them! And so few other travelers we almost had the animals to ourselves. But most importantly, the leader Adonia and the driver Sifiso were just exceptional. They constantly looked after my travel partner and made sure she was engaged in all our activities, and helped her when needed. They were just brilliant, caring, and solicitous to say nothing of incredibly knowledgeable, and made our long travel days fun and bearable. I can’t say enough good things about them both! Having said how wonderful the staff and trip are, here are my only comments: 1). I’d get a slightly bigger van. The travels are long and though the van is supposedly 16 passenger, with our 11 and the 2 guides, it felt tight. Those drives would be better with more room. 2). There are too many unstructured hours on the delta. I’d plan more activity for the full day on the delta. 3). The last place we stayed before Victoria falls could use an upgrade. It was a cool location but lacking in facilities 4). Tell folks to bring more $$. Explain that it’s needed for the activities in Vic Falls. That’s it. It’s a great trip, and if you can, arrange to go with Adonia and Sifiso if possible!

We had a fantastic adventure on the Botswana and Zimbabwe Lodge Safari. From the moment we left the airport we were seeing Elephants on the drive to our first lodge. The lodges were comfortable and met our needs. Our guide (Adonia) and driver (Sifiso) were very knowledgeable and helpful. Adonia went out of his way to help those of us on the trip with our dietary requirements and speaking to the chefs to ensure our needs were met. Adonia also cooked a few tasty banquets for us in the Delta. Our favourite highlights were the animals, Chobe River cruise, the Okavango Delta and much more. We highly recommend this trip.

Fabulous trip helped by having Adonia a very enthusiastic knowledgable guide who was also a great chef..catering for all dietary needs.. Sifiso the driver who had great patience also very knowledgable and recommending a fab butchers for biltong..

Excellent itinerary, some amazing highlights… especially the Delta, wildlife and optional activities.

Botswana & Zimbabwe Lodge Safari is a brilliant holiday. Exodus have put together a great itinerary. The game walks and drives in Okavango Delta, Chobe, Matopo & Hwange National Parks are well organised and we saw loads of animals including 4 of the big 5. The variety of lodges and the delta camping were all comfortable. We had an excellent holiday and would definitely recommend it.

If you love seeing wildlife up close and personal then this trip is for you. It visits some of the best national parks in two amazing countries with a bit of added comfort. Each park has its own special characteristics - being in Botswana is like being on a permanent safari, animals can be seen on the side of the road as you travel from A to B; there is nothing more bizarre than having to slow down for a family of elephants or a herd of zebra - beats a flock of sheep! Any preconceived ideas you may have about Zimbabwe will prove to be wrong. It is one of the most beautiful countries I have travelled in - the parks are spectacular, from the rugged beauty of the Motopos to the sweeping plains of Hwange and the people amazing. It completely exceeded my expectations and I would love to return one day.

As mentioned in previous reviews it is a full on but very worthwhile trip. From start to finish there are so many experiences. It is a trip for you if you want to see wildlife but have a bit of comfort. The camping trip was fabulous - not roughing it too much - everything is done for you - you just have to sit back and enjoy - Rowan even bakes a cake. I was a bit apprehensive about the bush toilet - but its was no problem and the bush shower quite fun. We didn't manage to see any lions - but that is the luck of a safari - you are venturing into their habitat so nothing can be guaranteed. There is not much down time - except during the long travel between places but that is undertaken in a very comfortable mini bus. Plus there is always something to look at - or playing who wants to be a millionaire! We didn't win a lot! The group of people we were with were great company and thus also helped to make it a great trip.

A full on safari/trip through Botswana and Zimbabwe - not for you if you need 10 hours sleep every night. The highlight without doubt is the trip via Mokorro canoe and camping trip into the Otovango delta. Some long days travelling in the mini bus but all very worthwhile.