Botswana & Zimbabwe Safari - A Perfect Family Adventure With Guided Tour
Not only does an African safari experience provide educational value for children, but rather it allows for families to bond in the most remote and wild areas of these two beautiful countries, sharing life-lasting memories and stories along the way. This Botswana & Zimbabwe safari will allow you to enjoy the immaculate wilderness and scenic beauty while ensuring your comfort and safety.
Tour Highlights
Day 1 to 3 - Khwai Community Area
Day 4 to 6 - Linyanti Concession
Day 7 to 9 - Livingstone
Day 10 to 12 - Hwange National Park
Tour Description
This 13-day family safari brings together the best of Botswana and Zimbabwe, creating a unique itinerary for animal lovers of all ages. It even includes three nights at Victoria Falls, the ‘Smoke that thunders.’
Transfer to Moremi Game Reserve, which is nourished by the Khwai River in Botswana. You’re likely to encounter a wide array of animals including elephants, cheetahs, buffalo, zebra, lions, leopards, giraffes, hippos, and many more. The landscape completely changes at night as the nocturnal beasts come out to hunt. Daytime and nighttime game drives let you see the contrasts in full. You will even have the chance to explore on foot for a closer look.
Fly on to the Linyanti Concession, which features the world’s highest density elephant population. This is also a great area for spotting lions, leopards and cheetahs, as well as giraffes, impala, and buffalo. Guests can choose to extend their afternoon game drives into the night if they wish – particularly good for spotting big cats on the hunt! As at Khwai, guided walks can take you in for a deeper understanding of the area.
Fly on to Livingstone in Zambia, on the edge of Victoria Falls. Visit the Livingstone museum to learn about the town’s namesake, then explore the Zambian side of Victoria Falls, the world’s largest single sheet of falling water. Listen to the mighty Zambezi crash over the threshold to the rocks below, then rush through a series of canyons, each of which is a former location of the falls cut by years of erosion.
Cross to the Zimbabwean side of the falls, and board your flight to Hwange National Park. This is Zimbabwe’s biggest wildlife reserve and home to approximately 40,000 elephants. Again, you’ll enjoy game drives day and night with expert guides.
Tour Price
Our private tours typically range from $500 - $1000 per person/per night depending on chosen hotels and room categories, vehicles used, types of tours, flight cost, time of year and other factors. Make an inquiry for a customized trip quote.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 to 3 - Khwai Community Area
On arrival into Maun Airport, you will be met and transferred to your light aircraft flight to the Khwai Airstrip. The Khwai area of the Okavango lies along the northern boundary of the Moremi Game Reserve, and offers the same wildlife experience as the reserve with the added advantage of being a private concession which means the ability to do walking safaris and night drives.
The magnificent Khwai river is the hub for some of the most outstanding wildlife viewing both on the Moremi and in the Khwai area. Species to be viewed include elephant, buffalo, zebra, lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, giraffe, eland, sable, hippo, hyena and various other nocturnal species.
Besides the day-time drives, guests at Khwai Leadwood Camp are able to explore nature after sunset with a night drive. This activity, along with the guided walking safaris, is not usually permitted in the National Parks or Game reserves and allows guests to get an up-close and personal experience with some of Africa's nocturnal and/or more elusive animals. The camp also provides the opportunity to explore the great stands of leadwood and mopane woodlands as well as open grasslands and banks of the Khwai river on foot.
Day 4 to 6 - Linyanti Concession
Today you will be flown from the Khwai airstrip to the Linyanti airstrip. The Kwando-Linyanti river system has an abundance of wildlife which roams freely between the woodland habitats, ancient floodplains and forests. The big game in this area increases dramatically during the dry season when the area hosts large herds of impala, blue wildebeest, giraffe and buffalo as well as the world's highest density of elephant. Several packs of wild dog are found in the area and lion, leopard and cheetah are frequently sighted.
Twice daily game drives in open 4x4 vehicles are offered. Linyanti is best known for its large populations of elephant and buffalo that congregate in vast numbers especially during the dry season. Most of the afternoon game drives continue into the night if all guests on the vehicle wish to continue their safari experience. This is a great way to experience nocturnal wildlife typically not seen during daylight hours.
The area offers spectacular birding throughout the year. With its mixed habitats comes a good variety of bird species. Linyanti birding is one of the biggest attractions on an Okavango safari. Guided walks are lead by qualified and passionate guides who will share their knowledge and love of the bush with you. Walking tours are a great way to get within a safe near distance to the animals. During the dry season, one is able to see further due to the thinning vegetation.
Day 7 to 9 - Livingstone
This morning you will be transported by light aircraft to Kasane Airport. On arrival you will be met and transferred to your lodge for the next 3 nights. Activities here include a private sunset cruise, a visit to the Zambian side of Victoria Falls, a visit to a local visit, fishing and a visit to the Livingstone Museum.
Thorntree River Lodge is situated in Zambia's Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park, just a short distance from Livingstone and the famous Victoria Falls. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the falls are also one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and are a must see whilst in the area. A visit from Thorntree River Lodge will be seen from the Zambian side of the falls.
Livingstone and the Victoria Falls area is a cultural hot spot, a stay at Thorntree River Lodge includes a visit to a nearby local village for those interested in learning about the heritage, customs and day to day life of local communities.
Day 10 to 12 - Hwange National Park
You will be collected from Thorntree River Lodge and transferred to Victoria Falls Airport, where you will board a light aircraft flight to Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe's biggest reserve and home to approximately 40 000 elephants. It also provides sanctuary for all the countries endangered species, including a notably sizeable population of wild dogs. Enjoy game drives in Hwange over the next 3 days.
Today’s activities include game drives (day and night) by qualified and passionate guides who will share their knowledge and love of the bush with you. The open land cruisers will accommodate six passengers on tiered seating so that views are not blocked and photographic opportunities are enhanced. Each of our vehicles are fitted with permanent canvas roofing to protect you from the varying weather elements, whilst still allowing an optimized up close and personal experience of wildlife.
Today get ready for a guided walks lead by qualified guides. We believe that there is much more to an African safari than being driven around in a vehicle while passively viewing animals. In combining the ultimate itinerary with an expert guide, we create the complete journey, where experiences, knowledge and passions are shared and whereby a standard Safari is transformed into an extraordinary one.
Day 13 - Depart
After breakfast you will be transferred by light aircraft to Victoria Falls Airport for your onward flight.
