The Grand Tour – Botswana, Cape Town and Victoria Falls
Okavango Delta / Safari / The Grand Tour – Botswana, Cape Town and Victoria Falls
A twelve night grand tour of the region combining a Botswana safari with Cape Town and Victoria Falls staying in beautiful five star accommodation throughout. This comprehensive itinerary combines a 6 night luxury safari in the Okavango and Chobe, with a visit to Cape Town and Victoria Falls at the beginning or end of the safari, easily adapted to your preference. Showcasing the best of the region and staying in some of the most iconic properties this is a great itinerary for those looking for a classical and elegant tour.
A six night Botswana safari lies at the heart of this itinerary, exploring the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park from some of the most luxurious lodges in Botswana. Beginning at Eagle Island Lodge in the Okavango, where quintessential Okavango landscapes and water activities await. This typically becomes a water camp in flood season between July and September. When water levels are lower area is inclredibly rich in wildlife with varied and exciting game viewing game drives and walking safaris. The final lodge on this safari is Savute Elephant Lodge, set deep in the southern reaches of Chobe National Park, the Savute area is famous for explosive game viewing. Immense herds of elephant visit the area in dry season and the predator sightings are impressive. All three lodges offer an extremely luxurious stay with a full range of facilities including air conditioning.
Both Cape Town and Victoria Falls easily connect to Botswana and combine beautifully with a safari experience to offer a more complete tour of the region. This itinerary begins with 4 nights in Cape Town, at the iconic Mount Nelson Hotel and ends with 2 nights at the Victoria Falls Hotel, after the safari. The perfect start and end to a tour, allowing time to recover from the rigours of travel and jetlag before your safari and time after the safari to recover from the early starts of the game drives and to savour the safari memories before the long journey home.
This itinerary can be amended to suit your preferences with more of less time in any of the destinations. A stop on the Chobe Riverfront can also be included.
Day 1 - Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town
On arrival at Cape Town Airport your driver will meet and transfer you to your hotel, a drive of about 30 minutes. The Mount Nelson is an elegant colonial style hotel sitting at the foot of Table Mountain. With its soft pink painted facade it is fondly known as The Pink Lady.
The Mount Nelson is an elegant hotel with a traditional style and a full range of facilities and services to ensure the most comfortable stay. Various dining options, two large heated swimming pools and excellent service are stand out features. This iconic hotel has a fantastic location for exploring the city with restaurants and historical sites a short walk away, and the waterfront, beaches and Kirstenbosch gardens all within close proximity to the hotel.
Spend the rest of the day at your leisure, recovering from the journey. Perhaps by the pool, enjoying the famous afternoon high tea or venture up Table Mountain for a view of the city and to get your bearings.
Day 2 - Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town
Today you embark on a full day private tour of the Cape Peninsula, this is the ideal tour to fully appreciate the natural beauty and diversity of the Cape province. Take in the beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay, before crossing over to Hout Bay, a quaint village and fishing harbour with magnificent mountains views and beaches. From here you drive to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve via Chapman’s Peak, one of the world’s most breathtaking coastal drives, where you will board a funicular to get to the top of the Peninsula to witness the symbolic meeting of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans and enjoy spectacular views over False Bay.
After lunch you continue to Simonstown, a charming Victorian town and naval base with a rich history. Here you visit the famous African Penguin breeding colony at Boulders Beach. As you make your way back to the city you will stop at the world-renowned Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens which lie on the other side of Table Mountain. One of the greatest botanical gardens in the world, this is an ideal location to stretch your legs as you explore these spectacular garden landscapes. Finally you return to your hotel in the late afternoon just in time to freshen up for dinner.
Day 3 and 4 - Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town
A number of options await, each can be tailored to suit you particular interests.
A visit to the top of Table Mountain is highly recommended for its stunning views which offer a better understanding of the region and its numerous different sites and neighbourhoods. For those interested in the history of this rich city, a tour of older sections of the city and the District Six museum is recommended, so too is Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela and many others were imprisoned during the Apartheid era. A full day of wine tasting in the winelands can be arranged, or half day of wine tasting is available in Constantia, home to the oldest wine farms, just 20 minutes from the hotel. Many beautiful beaches also await, and a visit to the Victoria and Albert Waterfront is a popular activity for visitors. You are spoilt for choice!
A full day of wine tasting in the winelands can be arranged, or half day of wine tasting is available in Constantia, home to the oldest wine farms, just 20 minutes from the hotel. Many beautiful beaches also await, and a visit to the Victoria and Albert Waterfront is a popular activity for visitors. Check out the markets and boutiques on Kloof Street and be sure to visit some of Cape Town's wonderful restaurants and cafes. You are spoilt for choice!
Day 5, 6 and 7 - Eagle Island Lodge
This morning, after an early breakfast you will be transferred to Cape Town Airport, a drive of 30 minutes, for your flight to Maun, Botswana. This is a 2 hour flight. On arrival, once you have cleared customs and immigration you will proceed to the arrivals hall where you will be met by a representative who will assist you onto your 20 minute light aircraft flight to the Okavango. This is a wonderful scenic introduction to the Delta, best seen from above. On landing your guide will be waiting to transfer you to the lodge, a 15 minute game drive.
Set on the picturesque island of Xaxaba, Eagle Island Lodge is a beautiful retreat style lodge offering a quintessential Okavango water safari experience, water levels permitting. The focus here is on a slower safari, enjoying the peace and beauty of the Okavango from the water and one foot. And from the comfort of this sumptuous lodge. When water levels retreat, the camp offers land-based safari experiences, with incredible wildlife in this region. Each of the rooms features a private deck and plunge pool and inside air-conditioning ensures a supremely comfortable stay.
Once you have settled into your new home your guide will discuss your interests while introducing you to the environment around the lodge and the activities. Mokoro rides (traditional dug-out canoes) and boating are offered for a water safari experience, while walking offers a chance to understand the often overlooked smaller species and the diverse flora and fauna. Enjoy day and night game drives when water levels permit for some fantastic big game viewing.
Other activities (at an additional cost) include helicopter flights and horse-back riding(experienced riders only). guests can visit Xaxaba village and see a traditional Okavango village at work and play, as local people adapt ancient traditions to modern life.
Later that afternoon you will set off on your first activity – perhaps gliding along the shallow waters in a mokoro or exploring further into the deeper waters by boat or game drive
Over the next two days you will enjoy a full day of activities as discussed with your guide.
Day 8, 9 and 10 - Savute Elephant Lodge
This morning you will have the opportunity to enjoy another morning activity or perhaps indulge in a late morning lie in for a change, before leaving the Okavango for your next camp, Savute Elephant Lodge. At a time advised the day before your guide will transfer you back to the airstrip for your light aircraft flight to Savute, a flight of about 30 minutes. The landscape changes dramatically as you leave the Okavango, the land dries up and the animals begin to gather at the watering holes. You guide will be waiting for you on landing and a 30 minute game drive takes you to the lodge.
Savute Elephant Lodge is one of the most luxurious game lodges in Botswana and enjoys a prime location on the banks of the Savute channel – not far from the Savute Marsh, famous for its large Marsh pride of lion. With great views over the channel and a constant stream of animals venturing down to drink this is a fantastic spot to see some of Africa's iconic big game. Game viewing can be enjoyed from the pool, the hide, the dining room and even your private deck.
Activities focus on game drives here, both during the morning and afternoon. Day trips to see ancient san bushman rock art also come highly recommended and include an additional game drive en route to the site. This is big game country and you can expect huge numbers of elephants in the dry season and buffalo too. The predators follow. The lion have learnt to hunt elephant and hippo here, and have a ferocious reputation.
You will enjoy an afternoon game drive with a stop for sundowners on the day of arrival, returning for dinner as the sun sinks below the horizon.
For the next 2 days you will explore Savute, with morning and afternoon game drives and plenty of time during heat of the day to enjoy the lodge and watching the comings and goings at the waterhole.
Day 11 and 12 - Victoria Falls Hotel
This morning you enjoy one last game drive before flying to Kasane, a 30 minute flight. On arrival you will be met and transferred to Victoria Falls, a drive of about 1.5 hours depending on conditions at the Botswana/Zimbabwe border. Elephants are often seen on this road so keep your eyes peeled!
The Victoria Falls hotel is an elegant colonial hotel with an unrivalled position, just a short walk from Victoria Falls. Built in 1904 to accommodate the engineers who built the bridge which links Zimbabwe and Zambia, it has enjoyed many gentle facelifts over the years which have ensured this still one of the best hotels to stay in when visiting the iconic Victoria falls. A full range of facilities are on offer- with large manicured grounds, a number of dining options, a swimming pool, tennis courts and spa facilities.
Victoria Falls is a hub of activity and an efficient concierge desk is available to help with all bookings.
Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at your leisure. The next day you rise in your own time and after breakfast you will have a guided tour of the falls. Returning for lunch at the hotel, perhaps on the terrace with its wonderful views, you will have some time to relax before departing for your sunset cruise on the Zambezi River that evening.
Day 13 - End of tour
Today you will be transferred to Victoria Falls Airport in good time for your onward flight. This is a drive of about 35 minutes.
A luxurious air-conditioned lodge overlooking the Chobe River, Sanctuary’s Chobe Chilwero lodge offers panoramic views of the floodplains. A small, sophisticated and peaceful sanctuary with spa treatments and gourmet meals, this a sophisticated safari option. Chobe Chilwero offers a refined base to experience the abundance of wildlife and large elephant population in the Chobe region with game drives in Chobe National Park and sundowner cruises on the Chobe River in specialised boats
Old - world charm and opulence await the discerning guest at the Mount Nelson Hotel. Opened in 1898, this well located hotel is the epitome of elegant establishments. Delectable afternoon teas, magnificent gardens and excellent facilities ensure that Cape Town’s oldest hotel remains a much celebrated icon of a bygone era. A favourite with figures such as John Lennon and Winston Churchill, the Mount Nelson continues to delight its modern- day patrons.
Old - world charm and opulence await the discerning guest at the Mount Nelson Hotel. Opened in 1898, this well located hotel is the epitome of elegant establishments. Delectable afternoon teas, magnificent gardens and excellent facilities ensure that Cape Town’s oldest hotel remains a much celebrated icon of a bygone era. A favourite with figures such as John Lennon and Winston Churchill, the Mount Nelson continues to delight its modern- day patrons.
Old - world charm and opulence await the discerning guest at the Mount Nelson Hotel. Opened in 1898, this well located hotel is the epitome of elegant establishments. Delectable afternoon teas, magnificent gardens and excellent facilities ensure that Cape Town’s oldest hotel remains a much celebrated icon of a bygone era. A favourite with figures such as John Lennon and Winston Churchill, the Mount Nelson continues to delight its modern- day patrons.
Eagle Island Lodge is a sumptuous retreat style safari lodge set deep within the Okavango Delta on picturesque Xaxaba Island, one of the first and finest sites selected for photographic safaris in the Delta. The emphasis is on the slower safari, a break from the game drives and instead enjoying the peace and tranquillity of the Okavango from the waters and on foot.
Set deep into the southern reaches of the famous Chobe National Park lies the sumptuous Savute Elephant Lodge, one of the most luxurious safari lodges in Botswana. With an superb location overlooking a game lively waterhole this smart lodge offers a supremely comfortable base to explore this exciting corner of Botswana, well known for its dramatic animal sightings. Activities focus on morning and afternoon drives.
