AFRICA
Victoria Falls, Botswana & South Africa
Exploring four countries across Southern Africa.
SIGNATURE ITINERARY
A Journey Through Southern Africa
This itinerary is built from real travel, connecting Victoria Falls in Zambia and Zimbabwe with safari experiences in Botswana and South Africa.
From Victoria Falls and the Zambezi River to Chobe National Park and the Balule Private Nature Reserve, this journey combines river experiences, game drives, and stays at three distinctive properties across Southern Africa.
You can follow this itinerary step by step or adapt it based on your travel style, pace, and interests.
TRIP OVERVIEW
Trip Overview
When To Go
May – September
Dry season conditions with cooler temperatures and excellent wildlife viewing.
Trip Length
14 Days
Combining Victoria Falls with safari experiences in Botswana and South Africa.
Route Overview
Johannesburg
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Victoria Falls
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Chobe
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Johannesburg
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Greater Kruger
what mattered to us
How This Trip Was Designed
This itinerary was designed around destinations we had not yet visited while also creating an opportunity to return to a place we already knew and loved.
Having previously visited South Africa, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Greater Kruger, we used this trip to explore Victoria Falls and Chobe for the first time before returning to Pondoro Game Lodge in Greater Kruger for six nights on safari.
Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls had been on our list for years and became the starting point for the journey. We wanted to experience the falls from both the Zambia and Zimbabwe sides, each offering a different way to experience the falls.
Chobe
Chobe National Park in Botswana was included because we wanted to explore beyond South Africa and experience a new safari region before returning to Greater Kruger. Its proximity to Victoria Falls made it a natural addition to the journey, allowing us to travel by car rather than take another flight. Chobe’s river safaris and the sheer number of animals visible during game drives offer a different safari experience from Greater Kruger.
Return to Greater Kruger
This was our second stay at Pondoro Game Lodge in South Africa. We fell in love with the lodge during our first visit and knew we wanted to return as part of this journey.
Owners Robbie and Lize Prehn, together with the guides, trackers, and staff are a large part of what makes Pondoro special. The relationships built during our first visit were one of the reasons we chose to return and continue to recommend the lodge to others.
Johannesburg
Johannesburg serves as the starting and ending point for the journey and provides the connection between Chobe and Greater Kruger. While the city is not the focus of the itinerary, its role as a regional transportation hub makes the route possible.
TRIP EXPERIENCE
What You'll Experience
This itinerary combines Victoria Falls, Botswana, and Greater Kruger into a single route through Southern Africa, with each stop offering a different experience along the way.
Victoria Falls combines visits to both the Zambia and Zimbabwe sides of the falls with a river safari on the Zambezi River. A stay at the Royal Livingstone provides direct access to the falls, while wildlife and river views are part of everyday life along the Zambezi.
Chobe combines a river cruise and game drives within Chobe National Park. Known for having one of the largest elephant populations on earth, the park is also home to Chobe’s Big Four: elephant, buffalo, lion, and leopard. One of the things that makes Chobe stand out is the sheer number of animals visible throughout the park.
The final portion of the itinerary takes place in the Balule Private Nature Reserve within Greater Kruger. Daily game drives, bush walks, and time spent with the same guide and tracker provide opportunities to experience Africa’s Big Five while exploring one of South Africa’s most celebrated safari regions.
THE itinerary
Victoria Falls, Botswana & South Africa
The itinerary below outlines the route from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls, Chobe, and Greater Kruger, including accommodations, activities, and practical details for each stop.
itinerary
DAY 1
Arrival in Johannesburg
Arrive in Johannesburg and check in to the InterContinental Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport Hotel. This overnight stay provides a convenient break before continuing to Livingstone the following day.
THINGS TO KNOW
Make dinner reservations at Quills restaurant in advance. The hotel is a popular stop for international travelers and restaurant availability can be limited.
DAYS 2-4
Victoria Falls
Fly from Johannesburg to Livingstone and transfer to the Royal Livingstone Hotel, located directly on the Zambezi River. Spend two nights here while exploring Victoria Falls from both the Zambia and Zimbabwe sides of the falls.
Upon arrival, traditional singers and dancers greet guests before entering the hotel. During check-in, welcome drinks and brief neck massages provide a memorable introduction to the stay.
After check in, the afternoon is spent exploring Victoria Falls in Zambia before returning to the hotel for spa treatments. The walking path provides direct access to the falls, while the mist from Victoria Falls is often visible from the property. Wildlife frequently roams throughout the grounds, and the evening concludes with sunset views along the Zambezi River before dinner at the hotel.
The second day combines a private river safari on the Zambezi River in the morning with a guided visit to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe in the afternoon. In the evening, enjoy drinks overlooking the river while watching a traditional African performance before dinner.
THINGS TO KNOW
- Bushtracks Africa provided private airport transfers between the Livingstone Airport and the Royal Livingstone Hotel.
Livingstone Adventures provided the private river safari as well as the guided visit and transportation to Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe side.
The walking path from the hotel provides direct access to Victoria Falls on the Zambia side.
Passports are required when visiting the Zimbabwe side of the falls.
DAYS 4-6
Chobe
Depart the Royal Livingstone Hotel and travel by private car to Botswana. Spend two nights at Ngoma Safari Lodge, overlooking the Chobe floodplain while experiencing river safari on the Chobe and game drives.
The first afternoon is spent on a game drive before returning to the lodge for dinner and sunset views across the Chobe floodplains. Wildlife is often visible directly from the property throughout the day. The following day combines a morning river cruise with another afternoon game drive before returning to the lodge for the evening.
THINGS TO KNOW
- Bushtracks Africa provided transportation from the Royal Livingstone Hotel to the Botswana border.
- Ngoma Safari Lodge arranged transportation from the border to the lodge.
- Passports are required for the border crossing between Zambia and Botswana.
DAY 6
Johannesburg
Fly from Botswana to Johannesburg and return to the InterContinental Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport Hotel for an overnight stay before continuing to Greater Kruger the following day.
THINGS TO KNOW
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The InterContinental Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport Hotel is located directly across from the international arrivals hall and can be reached on foot without requiring additional transportation.
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Travelers interested in exploring Johannesburg can choose to stay in the city instead. We did this on a previous trip, but for this itinerary the airport hotel provides the most convenient option between flights.
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Make dinner reservations at Quill restaurant in advance, as the hotel is a popular stop for international travelers and restaurant availability can be limited.
DAYS 7-13
Greater Kruger Safari
Fly to Hoedspruit and transfer to Pondoro Game Lodge, where six nights are spent in the Balule Private Nature Reserve. Balule shares an unfenced boundary with Kruger National Park, allowing wildlife to move freely between the two areas.
The stay begins with an afternoon game drive on arrival day and concludes with a final morning game drive before departing on Day 13. Most days are structured around a morning game drive, bush walk, and evening game drive. During our stay, one bush walk was replaced with a visit to the Black Mambas, an all-female anti-poaching unit working to protect wildlife and support conservation efforts in the region.
Private game drives throughout the stay allow guides and trackers to work together to locate wildlife across the reserve. Guests remain with the same guide and tracker throughout their stay, creating opportunities to build relationships and gain a deeper understanding of the reserve.
THINGS TO KNOW
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Morning wake-up calls begin around 5:00 AM, with guests escorted to the main lodge around 5:30 AM for coffee, tea, and a small snack before departing on the morning game drive at approximately 6:00 AM.
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A full breakfast is served after the morning game drive, while lunch is enjoyed at the lodge before departing for the afternoon game drive.
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Bush walks typically begin around 11:00 AM and are led by the same tracker who accompanies guests on their game drives.
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Afternoon game drives generally depart around 3:30 PM and return after sunset. Dinner is served after returning to the lodge.
DAY 13
Return to Johannesburg
After a final morning game drive, transfer to Hoedspruit Airport and fly to Johannesburg. Spend the night at the InterContinental Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport Hotel before departing the following day.
THINGS TO KNOW
- The final morning game drive is included before departure.
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Staying at the airport hotel eliminates the need for additional transportation before international departures the following day.
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Make dinner reservations in advance, as restaurant availability can be limited.
DAY 14
International Departure
Walk directly across to O.R. Tambo International Airport for your international flight home.
THINGS TO KNOW
- The InterContinental Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport Hotel is located directly across from the international arrivals and departures hall.
plan your trip to africa
Plan Your African Journey
The Africa Travel Guide expands on the destinations featured throughout Dream Coordinates with accommodations, transportation details, border crossing considerations, safari logistics, packing recommendations, and lessons learned from traveling through Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa.
Designed around a real 14-day journey through Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park, and Greater Kruger, the guide helps travelers move from inspiration to planning.