11-Nights Botswana, South Africa & Zambia - Land Journey from $17,990

Tauck World Discovery: Botswana, South Africa & Zambia

Day 1 Livingstone, Zambia
Welcome to Zambia

Tour begins: 4:00 PM, The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Zambia Hotel by Anantara. Transfers are included from Livingstone Airport and Victoria Falls International Airport to The Royal Livingstone in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in Livingstone, Zambia; the hotel is named for 19th-century missionary and explorer, Dr. David Livingstone, who was the first European to document the region. Settle in at the colonial-style luxury hotel on the Zambezi River in the heart of Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, where the lounges and shaded verandahs evoke an elegance from a bygone era. Join us this evening for our welcome reception and dinner.

A guided walking safari through a rhino sanctuary provides an opportunity to see the great horned animals in their natural habitat, followed by a luncheon cruise along the Zambezi River for wildlife spotting. Then follow the sound of roaring water on a walking tour to Mosi-oa-Tunya - "The Smoke That Thunders" - which Livingstone named Victoria Falls. The site where the mile-wide Zambezi River plunges powerfully into a chasm more than 350 feet deep, sending billowing clouds of spray skyward like inverted rain, is sure to leave you speechless. 

A ferry transports you across the Zambezi River from Zambia to Botswana this morning, where you'll embark on a private, motorboat safari on the Chobe River for a unique opportunity to view wildlife that are drawn to, and congregate at, the water. After lunch, take a flight to a game reserve on the Okavango River, in the world's largest inland delta, and settle into your lodge. An evening game drive provides a good introduction to this vast, unique inland oasis in Botswana, teeming with wildlife and vibrant ecosystems, offering unparalleled safari experiences. 

Between morning and afternoon game drives in the bush for even more exciting wildlife viewing today, return to camp for lunch and leisure. Enjoy the spa, or watch the passing parade of wildlife on the floodplains from the comfort of your own private deck, before embarking on another game drive this afternoon. Enjoy dinner under the stars in a Boma on the lodge grounds this evening.

Begin the day with a game drive and an optional walking safari. Today you'll fly from Khwai further into the Okavango Delta to Eagle Island Camp; situated on remote Xaxaba Island among a web of waterways and lush vegetation, it overlooks a lagoon that attracts a breathtaking variety of big game and exotic birds. This afternoon take a motorboat safari along the intricate waterways of the Okavango Delta in search of elephants, hippos and exotic birds. With incredible views cross the Okavango Delta and delicious food to match, the dining experience at Eagle Island Camp tonight will be one to remember.

First up this morning - a game drive exploring the Okavango Delta by motorboat - and helicopter. The parallel views you'll experience by helicopter are truly stunning; hovering over the delta, you'll be treated to amazing wildlife sightings, water and land contrasts and a visual kaleidoscope of nature. Following lunch, you're off for a mokoro canoe safari excursion aboard a traditional dugout canoe that takes you gliding over shallow, clear waters past brilliant water lilies and papyrus grasses to areas inaccessible by boat. Listen to the gentle, rhythmic splash as you are poled along and then attune your ears to other sounds. Long reed frogs will be out enjoying the sun: tiny as your fingertip, they emit extraordinarily loud croaks that resemble Oriental wind chimes. Spiders spin glistening webs above the water; luminous dragonflies hover with whirring wings; game such as red lechwe antelope, reed bucks and giraffes come to drink. But for many, it is the birds of this ornithological paradise that dazzle. Stately egrets, storks, cormorants and even fishing eagles swoop overhead... but for pure drama, the magnificent malachite kingfisher steals the show. End the day with another memorable dinner at Eagle Island Camp.

Fly from Okavango to Makgadikgadi Pans, the salt plains at the edge of the Kalahari Desert, and arrive at Camp Kalahari. A parched wasteland most of the year, seasonally the plains come alive with water and grass, drawing spectacular herds of wildebeest and zebra, as well as springboks, vultures, eagles, flamingoes, and hyenas. From your deluxe tented camp, venture out on a walking safari with the local San Bushmen, learning how they use their legendary hunting and survival skills in this usually inhospitable environment. Learn how scorpions and roots are used for medicinal purposes as well as hydration in the desert. This evening, join us for a special sundowner overlooking the Pans complimented with a guide providing an introduction and insight into the geography of the area. Please note: Camp Kalahari is a classic, traditional safari camp where air conditioning, Internet and cell phone service are not available; illumination is provided by gas lanterns, and showers are heated by solar power. While there are no electrical outlets in the tents, a charging station is available in the main reception area.

"Meerkat" is Dutch for "lake cat," which seems odd, since the meerkat is not a cat and it lives in a desert. But you'll find the name somehow suits these hyperactive, charming creatures as you encounter them on their daily routine, digging for termites, frolicking, and standing at attention, forever on the lookout for predators. The meerkat families you'll meet today have no fear of humans; in fact, they've been known to climb on visitors' heads for a better vantage point (one of many potential photo ops on these Botswana and South Africa tours). Enjoy free time at camp in the afternoon before a trip out to the salt pan in a 4-wheel-drive all-terrain vehicle (ATV)* for sundowners and a breathtaking African sunset.

Fly today from the Makgadikgadi airstrip to Maun, then on to Cape Town, South Africa, where you'll spend three nights at the One&Only Cape Town. Your aptly-named hotel is one of a kind, an urban oasis designed around a series of artificial islands, offering contemporary glamour with an African accent and stunning views of Table Mountain and the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, where the evening is free to spend as you please. 

Cape Town nestles in a setting of spectacular natural beauty, between the crashing tides of an azure sea and towering Table Mountain. But its real fascination is in its contrasts - modern towers beside ornate colonial architecture, and the mix of cultures (Dutch, French, English, African, Afrikaans, Malaysian, Indian and more) that blend in the vast enclave known as the City Bowl. Visit the Cape Malay quarter (also known as Bo-Kaap), a colorful neighborhood of cobbled streets, spice shops, and brightly painted houses; the original residents were slaves from Dutch colonies in Southeast Asia, and their legacy thrives in Bo-Kaap's Muslim culture, artisan skills, and spiced cuisine. Visit the District Six Museum, chronicling the effects of apartheid and forced removals in Cape Town's District Six. The afternoon is free for you to explore as you please; return to your hotel, or perhaps explore the maritime heritage of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, a promenade of shops, tall ships and historical buildings along the working harbor. Join us this evening at a private home for a traditional braai (barbecue) under a stunning Cape Town sunset.

This morning, arrive at Cape Point Nature Reserve - home to antelope, zebra, ostrich, baboons, and breathtaking seascapes; later, a funicular will carry you up to the Old Lighthouse that watches over the ironically-named Cape of Good Hope - the Portuguese explorer who first navigated these treacherous waters where two oceans converge originally named it "the Cape of Storms," a warning validated by the many shipwrecks strewn along its coast. Following lunch overlooking False Bay, set sail for an eco-tour to Seal Island, a rock off the coast that is home to thousands of fur seals and other diverse wildlife including great white sharks that may visit adjacent waters throughout the year. Join us this evening for a farewell reception followed by dinner in the hotel's signature restaurant.

Tour ends: Cape Town. Fly home anytime. Transfers to Cape Town International Airport from One&Only Cape Town are included. Allow at least 3 hours for flight check-in.