Classic Southern African Safari - Zebra rubbing noses with her calf in the Okavango Delta

Classic Southern African Safari

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist

Countries Visited

Botswana, South Africa, Zambia

Places Visited

Cape Town, Cape Peninsula, Cape Winelands, Stellenbosch...

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Suggested Duration

12 Days

Experience the diversity and grandeur of South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia during your  12-day classic southern African safari. You will lounge in luxury accommodations and indulge in majestic moments found in intimate safari excursions. From exhilarating guided walks to canoeing down lush canals, viewing the power of Victoria Falls to sipping wine with captivating views, you can enjoy searching for the Big Five amid the colorful wilderness and wildlife.

Customizable Itinerary

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Trip Highlights

  • Submerge yourself in the wonders of an African safari tour with five days of safari activities at three different destinations
  • Get lost in Botswana's Okavango Delta, nature's greatest oasis and a place for canoe safari and game drives through lush landscapes
  • Intimately experience the big cats and much more at Linyanti Concession, one of Africa's finest private reserves
  • Safely walk within meters of wild rhinos at Mosi oa Tunya Park in Zambia
  • Explore Cape Town and soak up its atmosphere of colors and cultures
  • Stand before Victoria Falls, the world's most powerful cascade of water and a phenomenal display of nature's power
  • Savor the charms of the Cape Winelands and the Cape Peninsula, experiencing beaches of wild penguins, boutique cellars, and hundreds of panoramic views
  • Get a real sense of Africa's diversity by visiting three countries in 12 days: South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia

Detailed Description

Southern Africa is filled with nature's pleasures. Rhinos wandering wild within earshot of Victoria Falls, vast elephant herds crossing lush river channels, penguins basking on beaches beside Cape Town city. There's always an inspiring view, whether you're gazing out across the Atlantic Ocean from Table Mountain, or watching buffalo herds from a luxury camp verandah. Every view and every destination are very different, each presenting another side of a mystical continent. This African Safari itinerary has been handcrafted to fuse the disparate destinations, taking you to three countries in just 12 days. Experience the colors and charms of South Africa, get lost in the wilderness of Botswana and feel nature's powerful presence in Zambia. Local flights provide easy connections, so the itinerary isn't rushed, especially when downtime at the lodge includes watching a procession of big game wander past. In less than two weeks, you get an authentic snapshot of Southern Africa, one that's packed with its iconic highlights.

Start in Cape Town, the city flanked by Table Mountain and one that radiates a vibrant atmosphere. Nature defines the city, with towering peaks and ocean views an unmistakable highlight. Spend three days exploring, including a journey through the Cape Winelands and a day on the Cape Peninsula. Think wild penguins on the beach, meeting vineyard owners, fabulous restaurants, and thousands of friendly faces. The city is an ideal starting point in Africa, a showcase of both natural splendor and welcoming culture.

Fly to Maun, and transfer onto a small plane for a scenic flight above the Okavango Delta. Your Botswana safari experience is split across two destinations, starting with the waterways of this gargantuan oasis in the desert. Take a canoe safari through channels filled with hippo pods, game drive through wildlife abundance, and sit back and listen to the natural soundtrack of the wild. Another micro flight brings you to Linyanti, a thrilling private concession that epitomizes the diversity and intimacy of African safari. There's a chance to go on a walking safari and enjoy nighttime game drives during your two days here, along with more classic safari activities. Don't think about glimpsing merely a few animals. Think of being amongst tens of thousands of elephants, all the big cats, and a succession of Africa's great mammals.

The only mammal missing from the Botswana safari is the rhino. So when you hop to Livingstone in Zambia, you enjoy a half-day rhino-walking safari. With the great mammals resting in the afternoon sun, you're guided on foot to within ten meters of them. It's an experience that wonderfully portrays their size. Livingstone is also the base for visiting Victoria Falls, and you'll be able to hear the world's most powerful waterfall from your lodge along the Zambezi River. Monkeys swing around; hippos occasionally appear from the river, and like every day on this itinerary, there are hundreds of panoramas that seem to symbolize the raw essence of the continent. 

Starting Price

$7,531 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service

4.93 stars based on 109 reviews.

South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia & Botswana Luxury Vacation...
"This was the trip of a lifetime..."

Reviewed By Philippe G.

South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana & Zambia Tour Review:...
"Cearl, our agent, took care of everything expeditiously...

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Luxury South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe & Zambia Tour...
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South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia & Botswana Luxury Vacation...
"Exceeded expectations."

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South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana Vacation Review:...
"We loved our trip. We made very late reservations and could...

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Luxury South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia Family Travel...
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