5-Day Zambezi-Okavango Safari

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Victoria Falls
(Zimbabwe)

Maun
(Botswana)

Can start any day

Suitable for solo travellers

SUITABLE FOR AGES 6+YRS

Can be customised

Overview
Cost
Activities & Transport
Travel Advice
Map
Images

This 5-day journey visits the majestic Victoria Falls, and includes a 3 day excursion into the remote Okavango Delta wilderness.

This safari is a private journey and not a group tour.Ā  It can be further customised to suit the number of days you wish to travel, and can also include other destinations.

There are daily flights direct to Victoria Falls (Zimbabwean side of the falls) and/or Livingstone (Zambian side of the falls) from Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Johannesburg-OR Tambo, Kruger-Nelspruit, Nairobi and Windhoek.

The cost of this safari is subject to a number of factors, including the time of year and the number of travellers.
Please contact us for a quote so we can provide you with the most relevant, up-to-date cost.

Children under 12 receive a discount.
The cost includes the Okavango Delta flights but excludes the other regional flights during this safari. However we can book these for you.

NOTE: There are three pricing seasons in the Okavango Delta. LOW Season = 1 December to 31 March; MID-season = 1 April to 30 June and 1-30 November; HIGH season = 1 July to 31 October.

COST INCLUDES:

  • All accommodation (en-suite)
  • All breakfasts in Victoria Falls
  • All meals and drinks in Okavango Delta
  • Complimentary visit to the Victoria Falls (Private guide, including entrance fees)
  • All wildlife activities in Okavango Delta
  • All National Park entrance fees and conservation levies
  • Private transfers and cross-border assistance from Victoria Falls to Kasane Airport
  • Okavango Delta flights
  • All airport transfers
  • All local taxes

COST EXCLUDES:

  • International flights to/from Africa
  • Other regional flights and associated taxes
  • Meals not indicated in the itinerary
  • Victoria Falls activities (except complimentary visit to the falls)
  • Personal travel insurance and visas
  • Items of a personal nature, such as drinks and laundry (unless specified)
  • Tips for all guides, drivers, domestics, porters and wait staff

ACTIVITIES

  • Visit to the Victoria Falls.
  • Game drives, mokoro safaris and bush walks in the Okavango Delta.

Okavango Delta game drives and bush walks may be shared with fellow lodge guests.
Bush walks are subject to guide availability and the age/fitness of the participant, who should be able to comfortably walk at least 5km/3mi over uneven terrain.Ā  A game drive will always be provided should a bush walk not be possible.
Mokoro safaris are subject to water levels.

TRANSPORT

  • Airport transfers and other road transfers in air-conditioned mini-vans.
  • Game drives in custom-designed open-sided 4×4 safari vehicles.
  • Mokoro safaris in a fibreglass mokoro (local dugout canoe).
  • Okavango Delta air transfers in a 4-12 seater light aircraft.

WHEN TO VISIT

In Southern Africa the seasons are generally the same as in other southern hemisphere countries, with spring/summer from October to April and winter/autumn from May to September.

In the Zambezi-Okavango safari regions, spring/summer is characterised by hot humid days and afternoon thunderstorms. Daytime temperatures can get very high followed by cooler, comfortable nights. Vegetation is at its highest and thickest during these months which can make wildlife-spotting difficult although the regionā€™s birdlife is at its most prolific. Travelling in this same area during the autumn/winter brings clear and warm days with cool to chilly evenings. Known as the ā€œdry seasonā€, this is possibly the best period for wildlife viewing as the permanent waterholes attract many animals, and the thinning vegetation offers unobstructed views.Ā 

Within the dry season, we recommend coming in May or June as there can still be some greenery in the landscape but there is no risk of rain plus fewer visitors compared to the peak visitor months from July to September. It is worth noting that the month of October can be especially hot and humid, as the rains have usually not arrived but the cool winter weather has ended.

For your visit to the Victoria Falls it is worth noting that the dry season is when the Zambezi River is at its lowest and the falls can subsequently be better described as a trickle, especially on the Zambian side. Conversely, the months of February to May can see the river at its highest level and the popular Livingstone Island/Devilā€™s Pool tour can be closed due to safety reasons.

Ā 

VISAS

Your passport must be valid for at least six months after the end of your time in Southern Africa, and it is a good idea to bring a few photocopies in case you lose the original. In addition to a passport, children under 18 years of age entering Botswana with only one parent or with parents who have a different surname are required to produce additional documentation upon arrival. See here for further information about travelling with children.

For travel in Zimbabwe, travellers of most nationalities are required to pay for a visa which is issued upon arrival. Although most visitors are not required to obtain a visa before entering Botswana, this is not applicable to all nationalities. Compass Odyssey does not issue visas nor can we complete visa applications for our travellers. While we will obviously assist our travellers with the documentation required for any visa applications, it is the responsibility of our travellers to investigate the visa requirements for their journey and to complete any necessary applications.

An immigration form sometimes needs to be completed when entering and departing these Southern African countries. This form requests information such as passport and birth particulars, as well as the address of your accommodation. Prior to your safari, we provide you with a personal Safari Dossier that includes a swathe of information including the booking references, transport timings and contact numbers specific to your journey.

Ā 

TRAVELLERā€™S HEALTH

Yellow Fever and malaria are the two major health considerations for travellers coming to Southern Africa.

Yellow Fever is a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes, and approximately 200,000 cases occur each year with the vast majority of these occurring in parts of Africa and Central/South America. Ā A Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is not required for entering Southern Africa unless you are coming from ā€“ or you are in airport transit for more than 12 hours within – a country deemed to be infected with Yellow Fever. The World Health Organisation lists the southern African countries of Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe as being free from Yellow Fever. For further clarification on Yellow Fever, refer to tables 4-23, 4-24 and 4-27 on this page of the website for the US-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Malaria is present in most of Southern Africaā€™s safari regions. See here for further information. A number of other tropical diseases are present in Southern Africa but generally the biggest health risk you will face on your safari is usually an upset tummy (often caused by dehydration) or a cold. Ā For complete peace of mind we recommend you visit your local GP or Travel Health Clinic.

Itinerary
DAY 1-2: ZIMBABWE & ZAMBIA

Day 1Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe & Zambia

This morning you fly to Victoria Falls where our local guide, Mortimer greets and accompanies you on the short drive into town where your accommodation is located in a quiet and leafy area, still within earshot of the constant roar coming from Mosi oa Tunya, the ā€œSmoke that Thundersā€.

The town of Victoria Falls – just minutes from the falls and on the fringes of the Zambezi National Park – is a bustling hive of activity, with the village rightly claiming the title of ā€˜Adrenaline Capital of Africaā€™. Although home to a seemingly endless variety of adventure sports, ā€œVic Fallsā€ – as the town is called – still has a pioneering and colonial atmosphere, and has remained relatively unaffected from Zimbabweā€™s economic and political troubles.

Dining options tonight include African-style feasts with accompanying tribal entertainment at The Boma or Jungle Junction restaurants, as well as an afternoon High Tea at the Victoria Falls Hotel.

Accommodation: Batonka Guest Lodge
Mid-range 4-star lodge located in Victoria Falls

Day 2Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe & Zambia

We are pleased to offer you a complimentary guided visit to the Victoria Falls during your stay (Zimbabwean and Zambian sides; includes entrance fees). We have not included any other activities in your safari, allowing you the freedom to choose what youā€™d like to do and when youā€™d like to do it. The plethora of activities on offer includes Zambezi river cruises and white-water rafting or canoeing, rhino and elephant walking safaris, helicopter and microlight scenic flights, African township and village tours, adrenaline activities like bungee jumping and zip sliding, and much more. We especially recommend ā€œTour the Townshipā€ with our local guide, Mortimer who introduces you to his home turf and often invites our travelers to lunch with his wife and family. We will send you our separate ā€œVictoria Falls Activitiesā€ booklet, and we can pre-book any of these for you or they can be organized by Mortimer upon your arrival.

Accommodation: Batonka Guest Lodge
Mid-range 4-star lodge located in Victoria Falls

Meals:
Breakfast

DAY 3-5: BOTSWANA

Day 3Okavango Delta, Botswana

This morning Mortimer transfers you to Kasane Airport in Botswana for your flight into the wild expanse of the Okavango Delta. The flight travels in a light aircraft deep into the deltaā€™s floodplains and is part of a daily route that often stops at a number of bush airstrips to deliver/collect other travelers. Upon arrival you are greeted by your camp guide who provides a game drive to the camp. After a pleasant lunch and freshen-up, you embark on an afternoon/evening game drive.

Accommodation: Rra Dinare
Mid-range 4-star tented camp located in the Okavango Delta

Meals:
Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Day 4Okavango Delta, Botswana

You stay here for two nights immersed in the absolute serenity of one of the worldā€™s last true wildernesses. After evenings backed by a chorus of night time sounds in the African bush, your days include morning and afternoon/evening game drives as well as bush walks and cruising the waterways in a mokoro (subject to water levels). You may also be able to try a spot of fishing and visit a local village, or you may prefer to simply relax by the pool and enjoy the expansive views from your luxury en-suite safari tent.

One of the worldā€™s last true wildernesses, the Okavango Delta’s mosaic of channels, islands, lagoons, and forests supports a wealth of wildlife. Each year the waters flood, usually between May and September, before receding again and the wildlife has adapted itself to these seasonal changes. Slipping into ā€˜Delta timeā€™, your stay here is taken up with excellent wildlife viewing interspersed with fine dining and sunset drinks.

Accommodation: Rra Dinare
Mid-range 4-star tented camp located in the Okavango Delta

Meals:
Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Day 5ā€œTsamaya sentleā€ and Farewell

After an early morning bush walk or game drive (time permitting) and a hearty brunch, we say tsamaya sentle (ā€œgoodbye and go wellā€ in the local Setswana language) as you board your light aircraft for the flight to the bustling safari town of Maun and your onward travel arrangements. There are daily flights from Maun to Cape Town and Johannesburg-OR Tambo.

During your stay in Southern Africa you will experience our natural beauty, diverse cultures and renowned African hospitality, as well as the iconic wildlife of Africa. Thank you for choosing to visit us on this Compass Odyssey safari. Sizobonana msinya (ā€œSee you soonā€).

Meals:
Breakfast