Game Parks and Sites | Nairobi to J’burg via Zimbabwe

Botswana – Chobe Park

All our Southern Africa regional trips include a boat cruise on the Chobe River with an optional game drive. Chobe National Park is the second largest national park in Botswana covering 10,500 square kilometres, with the greatest concentrations of game found in African. The park is divided into four distinctly different ecosystems: Serondela with its lush plains and dense forests in the Chobe River area in the extreme north-east; the Savuti Marsh in the west about fifty kilometres north of Mababe gate; the Linyanti Swamps in the north-west and the hot dry hinterland in between. Chobe’s elephants are the largest surviving continuous elephant population which range over northern Botswana and the northwest of  Zimbabwe, over 120,000 strong. The Chobe elephant are migratory, making seasonal movements of up to 200 kilometres from the Chobe and Linyanti rivers, where they concentrate in the dry season, to the pans in the southeast of the park, to which they disperse in the rains.

Malawi – Kande Beach

Lake Malawi; it’s is a special beach resort orientated to budget beach activities. Snorkel around Kande Island. If you’re feeling fit, swim the 800 meters out. If you want to take it a bit easier, rent a paddle boat or canoe. If you’re up for an all day cooking job, bargain with the locals for a pig and spit roast it. SCUBA Dive in the freshwater lake. Lake Malawi is home to countless beautiful, endemic fishes. PADI certifications also available here. Horseback ride through forests and villages with Kande Horses. All skill levels are catered to. Take your horse for a swim in the lake with you after a 2 to 4 hour ride. Have a drum circle with the local boys and get exposed to a little Malawian culture. Shop the wood carvings market or take a village tour

Tanzania – Mikumi National Park

On the Great North Road, in southern Tanzania. Its covered by savannah woodland. As we follow the highway through the park we often see elephants and antelopes.

Botswana – Okavango Delta

Maun is a small town on the edge of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana. It’s starting point for the Mokoro (dugout canoe) trip into the Delta. As you glide through the waterways, you will see a fantastic array of wetland wildlife, birds in particular. You will come across hippos in the water and elephants drinking from the shore. You can go on a walking safari to look for giraffe, buffalo and rare antelope – the overnight stay is a great wilderness. We bush camp and cook over open fires. Toilet facilities consist of specially dug hole behind some bushes. After returning to Maun you can take the scenic flight over the Delta. See the extra wildlife that you didn’t realize were so close to camp.

Zimbabwe & Zambia – Victoria Falls

The Zambezi River drops 100 metres over a mile wide chasm creating one of the most incredible natural wonders of the world. When the river is in full flow, the water roars and sends a cloud of spray 500 metres into the air. Victoria Falls is on the border of Zimbabwe (Victoria Town) and Zambia (Livingstone).  Adventure activities here are; bungee jumping, white water rafting, game-viewing on horseback, canoeing, light aircraft or helicopter flights over the falls and the sunset cruise on the Zambezi, walk with lion cubs.

Tanzania – Zanzibar

You can take two hour ferry from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar Islands for a few days
Stone Town a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the old slave market, the spice growing areas, Jozani Forest with Red Colobus Monkeys and in the evening visit the seafood cafes and have dinner on the wharf.
Africa House – Enjoy cocktails and maybe a water pipe as you watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean from the balcony of this historic hotel. Zanzibar Stone Town!
Night Market – Browse the stalls for seafood and sugar cane juice. Definitely have a Zanzibar Pizza made while you wait.
Spice Tour – Tour historic Stone Town and the slave chambers. Visit the local market as well as spice plantations. Have a traditional meal in a local’s home. Add the Jozani Forest to the day’s activities and see the endemic Zanzibar Red Colobus Monkeys.
Night Market – Browse the stalls for seafood and sugar cane juice. Definitely have a Zanzibar Pizza made while you wait.
Snorkeling – Take a dhow out to the reef that lies off a private island. Snorkel the reef and then sail back to a secluded beach for a fresh fish meal before returning to Nungwe.
SCUBA Diving – If you’re a certified diver, visit one of the dive centres and check out the dive sites. If you’re interested in learning, start your dive course here
Deep Sea or Reef Fishing – Hire local to take you reef fishing in a dhow or go with a professional outfit for deep sea fishing.
Visit one of two natural aquariums. Feed the resident sea turtles and even swim with them during high tide.
Sunbathe and relax on the beach. Catch up on your diary or book. Swim in the warm waters. 
Beach Bars –  Start early or spend a late night at one of the beach bars.

Namibia – Cape Cross Seal Colony

Namibian Atlantic Coast. This is where the first European explorers landed in the 15th century. It is now more famous for the seal breeding colony. It might not smell great, but the sight of so many Cape Fur Seals is quite impressive. The scene varies from season to season. Certain times males are fighting for mates. Pupping season brings not only adorable seal pups but ravenous jackal taking advantage of the weak newborns or, as they see them, easy meals. Cape Fur Seals are really a type of sea lion only found along the coast of Southern Africa.

Namibia – Etosha Pan National Park

Namibia’s Etosha pan is a large salt pan, forming part of the Kalahari Basin.T he dry lakebed is 120-kilometers long (75-miles). During the day we drive through the park in the truck to various waterholes where animals may congregate. We may see elephants, rhino, lion, leopard, springbok, oryx, kudu, mongoose, and even the elusive giraffe and zebra. In the evening, walk from the campsite to the illuminated waterhole, it’s very busy with animals coming to drink especially in the dry season.

Namibia – Kamanjab Cheetah Park

Kamanjab, Namibia. Cheetahs are a threat to livestock which is a major industry in the area. Farmers and ranchers will often kill this endangered animal when one is suspected of taking down cattle, goat, or sheep. The family that runs the Cheetah Farm doesn’t like to see that happen and instead catches problem animals and releases them onto their expansive but enclosed property thereby saving the cheetahs and the livelihood of local ranchers. You can pet and play with the tame cheetahs up at the ranch house. In the afternoon, ride out to the fields to see the cats feed.

Namibia – Swakopmund

Namibia adventure activity base.
Sand-boarding – Like snowboarding but down the big Namib sand dunes. Great way to see the dunes while having fun. Stand up or lay down toboggan style.
Skydiving – Jump out of a plane and plunge towards the red sands with one of the experienced skydive instructors strapped to your back. It’s another great way to see the desert.
Quad-biking – Take an intense 2 hour venture into the Namib desert. Ride the roller-coaster like dunes in control of your own off road vehicle while following an experienced guide. Not to be missed! Both mild and wild quad-bikers are catered to
Other Activities Include: Deep Sea Fishing, Dolphin and Seal Champagne Cruise, Horseback Riding, Scenic Flights, Massage / Facials, Cinemas, Casino, Nightclubs

South Africa, Namibia border – Orange River

The river forms the border with South Africa. You can spend the afternoon canoeing on the river.

Tanzania – Serengeti National Park & Ngorongoro Crater

Arusha is Tanzania’s safari hub. From here, you can take a trip to the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. The Serengeti plains are the Africa of the movies. Immense herds of zebra and wildebeest migrate here to and from Kenya’s Masai Mara. Leopards and lions are often spotted. All the big five can be found in the park. That’s if luck is with you. Your campsite is rustic offering the rare opportunity to fall asleep (or lay nervous and sleepless awake) to the sounds of lions or hyenas. Breakfast and box lunches are provided during the day and dinner is prepared for you by your cook at night. After game driving in the park, you’ll head out, past Masai villages and Olduvai Gorge, to the Ngorongoro Crater. The next morning, you’ll wake up early and do a game drive in the unique ecosystem of the crater where there are plenty of lions, black rhino and elephant.

Zimbabwe – Great Zimbabwe Monument

An ancient city built of stone, consructuted by the Shona people. The name Zimbabwe means ‘stone houses’ in Shona. Built almost a thousand years ago over a period of 300 years, the ruins are unique in the region as few stone building were built in the early era.

The city  was an important trading centre from the Middle Ages onwards, at its peak was home to 20,000 people. The country of Zimbabwe is named after this monument.

Zimbabwe – Hwange Park

This large park in Matabeleland was for 13 years the home of Cecil a rare black-maned lion who had lived in the park was legally hunted , with a bow and arrow  by a dentist from Minnesota, in 2015. The killing of this popular lion promoted the conservation of commercially hunted animals in Africa. Though sadly, in 2015, Cecil’s son Xanda was also killed by hunters.

The park is covered in light woodland and is on the edge of the Kalahari Desert. in the park you will find; elephants, leopard, hyenas, cape wild dogs, cheetah and gemsbok.

Zimbabwe – Matobo National Park

Matobo National Park (originally Rhodes Matopos) is outside of Bulawayo town. It’s a series of granite hills; like islands surrounded by wooded valleys. The park has an unusual air about it with distant views combined with a close valley. Many religious activities and rituals were held here in pre-colonial times. Cecil Rhodes is buried in a granite hill in the park is a place known as world view.

Zimbabwe – The Antelope Park

The Antelope Park lets you see close up rescued animals; here you can walk with lions or ride amongst them on horseback.