Lodge Safaris In Combined Countries

THE BEST OF SOUTHERN AFRICA WING SAFARI
13 days & 12 nights exploring the top destinations in southern africa

 safari cost ·  best season  ·  activities  ·  map of safari

Overview - The Best Of Southern Africa Wing Safari
This superb fly-in safari focuses on the wildlife highlights and contrasts of the entire southern Africa region. It combines the best of Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe in one safari with the option of extending your visit to Cape Town and Kruger in South Africa. The aircraft and the pilot/guide remain with the group throughout and this is part of what makes this safari unique and a real success. Accommodation is in the region's very best safari camps. The safari was featured in September 2003 in the New York Times Travel Supplement and received rave reviews.

Itinerary:
DAYS 1 & 2: JOHANNESBURG TO SOSSUSVLEI, NAMIBIA - SOSSUSVLEI WILDERNESS CAMP
The safari departs early morning from Lanseria Airport in Johannesburg for Keetmanshoop in Namibia (to clear customs and refuel). From there it is a one hour twenty minute flight up to Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp where we spend 2 nights.

DAYS 3 & 4: ETOSHA VIA SWAKOPMUND, SKELETON COAST, CAPE CROSS - ONGAVA GAME LODGE
The morning flight takes guests over the dunes of the Namib and over Sossusvlei itself for an alternative view from the air and then due westwards to Meob Bay on the shores of the southern Skeleton Coast. From here up there is spectacular desert and Skeleton Coast scenery, where the dunes and the desert meet the Atlantic Ocean. The flight up the coast takes guests over the site of the Eduard Bolen shipwreck, past Conception Bay, the wreck of the Shaunee and around Sandwich Harbour and its famous lagoon.  We land at Swakopmund airport. The group is then transferred to Walvis Bay harbor by road for a boat trip (weather permitting) which will allow guests the opportunity to view seals, schools of dolphins swimming alongside the boat and sometimes even penguins. Guests may also see turtles, sunfish, as well as a wonderful quantity and variety of birdlife.  Following a delicious seafood lunch, the group returns to Walvis Bay Harbour before transferring by road to Swakopmund to enjoy a tour of this charming town. In the afternoon the group departs from Swakopmund for a scenic flight further up the Skeleton Coast, past the Cape Cross Seal Colony, before turning east to fly up the Huab to Ongava Game Lodge for two nights' stay.

Ongava Game Lodge is situated along the southern boundary of Etosha National Park in the privately owned Ongava Game Reserve. Ongava is the ideal place from which to base your activities when visiting Etosha.  Accommodation comprises 10 air-conditioned brick, rock and thatch chalets, each with en-suite facilities. Meals are either served in the main dining area under thatch with a view over the camp's water hole or on the dining deck under the stars.  Activities include game drives in open 4x4 vehicles into the Okaukuejo area of Etosha where Lion, Elephant, Cheetah, Gemsbok, Springbok, and Hartebeest can be seen at many of the water holes in the park.  In addition, night drives, hides and walks with armed guides are enjoyed on the private reserve.  Ongava has resident White and Black Rhino, giving guests staying at Ongava the opportunity to see both species.

DAYS 5 & 6: OKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANA - JAO CAMP
We depart Ongava for the Okavango, flying the direct rout via Grootfontein and Maun to clear customs and immigration. From Maun the group flies onto the heart of the Okavango Delta and will enjoy the complete contrast from the Namib Desert.

Jao Camp is a nine-roomed luxury tented camp situated in a private reserve to the west of the Moremi Game Reserve, within the northern reaches of the Okavango Delta.  The camp is located in a remote area on a large island. Across the waterway in front of camp, guests have access to open flood plains and savannah for a wonderful Okavango experience. Each spacious room is under a canopy of shady trees in unique and beautiful twin-bedded canvas and thatched rooms, with en-suite bathrooms and an outside shower under the stars.  The rooms are raised off the ground and offer wonderful views of the surrounding flood plains.  A raised walkway connects the rooms to the dining room and lounge area. There is a plunge pool and an outdoor 'kgotla' for dining under the stars, as well as a well-stocked wine cellar. The activities at Jao include mekoros, boats, fishing, day and night game drives and guided walks. The area is extremely seasonal and with the annual flood, transforms from dry green open plains in summer to shallow flood plains in the winter.

DAYS 7 & 8: MOREMI GAME RESERVE - MOMBO CAMP
From Jao, we fly to Mombo for the game viewing highlight of the safari.

Mombo Camp is situated on Mombo Island, adjoining the northern tip of Chief's Island, and is within the Moremi Game Reserve in northern Botswana. The camp offers abundant big game viewing, arguably the best in Botswana. The highlight here is the concentrations of plains game and all the predators - including the big cats! Leopard sightings are particularly good. Mombo Camp is built under the shade of some large shady trees and overlooks a wonderful floodplain that teems with game. The camp has nine superbly furnished, luxurious tents, raised off the ground. The guest's rooms and the walkways that connect the rooms to the living area are up to 2m off the ground, allowing game to wander freely through the camp - but at the same time allowing for guest safety. The canvas rooms are extremely spacious and well appointed and have en-suite facilities under canvas and an additional outdoor shower for those who enjoy a shower under the stars. The dining room, pub and living area overlook the open plain in front of the camp and there is a plunge pool for relaxing in the heat of the day. Activities at Mombo include morning and afternoon game drives in open 4x4 Land Rovers. The game viewing in the area is excellent, and guests could see Lion, Leopard, large herds of Buffalo, Cheetah, Wild Dog, Elephant, Hyena, Giraffe, Wildebeest and Zebra.

DAYS 9 & 10: LIVINGSTONE, ZAMBIA - RIVER CLUB
After a last mornings game drive, the group departs Mombo for Kasane and then onto Livingstone, a small town on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls. 

We overnight at The River Club which is situated on the Zambian side of the Zambezi River, 18 kilometres upstream from Victoria Falls. The camp has a distinct Edwardian flavour, and guests here enjoy the sights and sounds of Victoria Falls and the Zambezi River in a peaceful and tranquil setting away from the crowds. Ten luxury thatched chalets overlook the Zambezi River, and have en-suite facilities including a bath, shower, toilet and basin. All the rooms have fans. The rooms are all completely open in the front giving guests the best possible views of the Zambezi. The main dining room, lounge, and pub area also has an interesting library. The Victoria Falls is one of the 7 Wonders of the World and is arguably the greatest waterfall in the world. Daily trips to the Falls are a highlight. Boating to the Zambezi River's islands provides relaxed afternoon activities, and fishing and sundowner trips are offered. The Zambezi National Park is located just across the river, and lion calls can often be heard at night. A rich bird life is found in the area. Hippos are regularly sighted (and heard) along the river's edge.

DAYS 11 & 12: MANA POOLS, ZIMBABWE - CHIKWENYA CAMP
Guests drive across the famous bridge across the Zambezi with great views on to the Victoria Falls themselves before flying onto Mana Pools and possibly the most scenic of all the parks on this safari.

Chikwenya Camp is situated on the eastern boundary of the Mana Pools National Park overlooking the Zambezi and Sapi Rivers. Accommodation is in nine comfortable tented rooms under thatch with en-suite facilities. Each room also has an outdoor shower 'under the stars' as well as the indoor showers. There is a separate lounge and dining area, and a plunge pool. The focal point at Chikwenya is the magical Zambezi River, its backwaters, and the surrounding flood plains and forests. Chikwenya Island, just offshore, harbours wonderfully diverse wildlife. The area is a photographer's paradise, as tall albida trees dot the open flood plains, with the mountains of the Rift Valley providing the backdrop. The area is renowned for its large numbers of Elephant, Buffalo, Hippo, Crocodile, and Eland that concentrate along the river when the inland waterholes dry up - especially in the winter months. Leopard and Lion are in abundance but are not seen as regularly as the other game. Game viewing is enjoyed in open 4x4 vehicles, on motorised canoes, on foot, in hides, and in canoes. 

DAY 13: SAFARI ENDS
After our last game activity in the Mana Pools area, we fly back to Lanseria Airport in Johannesburg where we land in the afternoon, giving guests enough time to connect onto their international flights - or travel onto other destinations such as Cape Town.

This safari has monthly guaranteed departures and the plane and pilot stays with the group throughout.

Group size: min 2 max 10 guests.
Private departures for groups of 4 and more.

Cost:
Please contact us for a detailed quote.

Includes:
All air transfers between camps within Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia as specified; all accommodation on a shared basis; all meals; daily game and nature activities at safari lodges and camps; all excursions and transfers by vehicle, mokoro and boat as shown; services of our pilot or pilot/guide throughout the itinerary, as well as the lodge guides and staff; park fees; Botswana accommodation taxes and the current Zimbabwe Tourism Levy. All drinks except premium wines and champagnes plus premium spirits and liqueurs.

Excludes:
All scheduled flights and their departure taxes; all items of a personal nature; comprehensive travel insurance; visas and their respective fees; all other drinks; any new Botswana, Zimbabwe or Namibian Government taxes; gratuities to staff; any meals, activities and excursions which are not specified; the Zimbabwe Airport Departure tax of US$30 per person; accommodation and transfers in Johannesburg.

Activities:
Game viewing by open 4x4 vehicle in some of the best wildlife areas in Africa, boat cruise on the Atlantic Ocean to observe the sea life up close, mokoro excursions in the Okavango Delta, walking in Mana Pools, a visit to the Victoria Falls.

Best season:
This safari is excellent year round as it travels to very diverse areas around southern Africa. Depending on what you would like to see and do, will dictate the best time of the year to visit southern Africa. The winter months (May to August) are good for game viewing where the summer months (September to April) offer spectacular scenery and also the best birdlife as the migratory birds return from up north (central Africa and Europe) to breed in their thousands in specific places such as the islands in the Okavango Delta and the banks of the Zambezi River.

Map of safari route:

Extend your stay: to Cape Town, South Africa
One of the most beautiful cities and regions in the world should not be missed when visiting southern Africa.

Suggested lodges:
A range of top quality boutique hotels and luxury guesthouses are available in Cape Town. Please click here for more detail on these properties.

Cost of extension:
The cost of the extension depends on the amount of days spent in Cape Town, the choice of accommodation and the number of guests. Flights from Johannesburg to Cape Town and accommodation in Cape Town can be organized by us. Please contact us for a detailed quote on this extension.

Term and conditions: Please read our terms and conditions for more information on how to book, travel insurance, cancellation fees, baggage and other important subjects.

Book this safari: click here >>>