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Wildlife and Wonders of Southern Africa

21 days, Windhoek to Maun

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Discover jaw-dropping landscapes and legendary wildlife on an adventure to the heart of southern Africa. Begin in stark and stunning Namibia, where the desert meets the sea, and continue to Victoria Falls to witness nature’s raw power. Set out in search of elephants and lions in Zimbabwe’s largest national park, and fly to the panhandle of the pristine Okavango Delta for an unforgettable bush walk with an expert local guide.

21 days - Windhoek to Maun

Sold Out

There are no departure dates currently available for the rest of this season. Some tours only run during parts of the year.

Trip Code: DNBNG

Need a flight? We can help.

Call us to book your flights! We'll find you the best option!

Discover jaw-dropping landscapes and legendary wildlife on an adventure to the heart of southern Africa. Begin in stark and stunning Namibia, where the desert meets the sea, and continue to Victoria Falls to witness nature’s raw power. Set out in search of elephants and lions in Zimbabwe’s largest national park, and fly to the panhandle of the pristine Okavango Delta for an unforgettable bush walk with an expert local guide.

Is this tour for me?

Travel Style: National Geographic Journeys

Greater exploration, insider access, and the freedom to roam – all without sacrificing comfort.

Service Level: Upgraded

Quality accommodations and more inclusions than on other G Adventures tours, like meals, private transport, and activities.

Physical Rating: 2 - Light

Light walking and hiking suitable for most fitness levels. Nothing too challenging.

Trip Type: Small Group

Small group experience; Max 14, avg 13.

Age requirement: 12+

All travellers under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Check Your Visa Requirements

Before booking, use our handy entry requirements tool so you know which documents you need to enter and travel through the countries on your trip.

View our Entry Requirements tool

21 days - Windhoek to Maun

Sold Out

There are no departure dates currently available for the rest of this season. Some tours only run during parts of the year.

Trip Code: DNBNG

Need a flight? We can help.

Call us to book your flights! We'll find you the best option!

See how your trip uplifts communities

In a number of impactful ways, your adventure directly benefits the local people and places we visit.

Trees for Days

Help us spread love around the world — with trees! Together with Planeterra, we'll plant one tree in your name for every travel day.

Trees planted for this trip: 21

Ripple Score

Want to create ripples that change lives? The higher the Ripple Score percentage, the more money stays in the local communities you visit.

Ripple Score for this trip: 95

Itinerary

Day 1Windhoek

Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer is included.

Day 2Windhoek/Sesriem

Set off from the Namibian capital towards Sesriem, the gateway to jaw-dropping Namib-Naukluft National Park. Drive past red-hued desertscapes, stark camel thorn trees, and dramatic curved dunes while keeping an eye out for the astonishing creatures that call these arid lands home—the oryx, springbok, jackal, hyena, and more. Settle in to our lodge and relax poolside, watching a fiery crimson sunset over the desert.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 3Sesriem

Embark on a thrilling excursion into one of Africa’s largest national parks. Explore the Namib desert, the oldest desert in the world; and venture to the massive dunes at Sossusvlei and the white clay pan of Deadvlei. Capture dramatic images of dead camel thorn trees against a backdrop of orange dunes and a crisp blue sky. Then visit the Sesriem Canyon, a natural gorge carved out by the Tsauchab River over millions of years.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 4Sesriem/Swakopmund

Continue by road through changing desert landscapes towards the coastal city of Swakopmund. Look out for roaming zebra, kudu, springbok, and oryx on the way, and take a break in the quirky town of Solitaire before heading into the countryside. Here, we meet a local for a 4x4 drive through the desert, learning about the survival strategies of bushmen who lived in this inhospitable area thousands of years ago. We also search for the smaller wildlife that has managed to survive here, such as snakes, geckos, spiders, and an array of insects.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch

Day 5Swakopmund

Enjoy a free morning in Swakopmund, getting a taste of the town’s unique Afro-German culture; or opt for sandboarding in the Namib desert. This afternoon, take a tour of Mondesa township with a local guide, learning about its people and history. Visit the local market for an introduction to traditional foods such as wild spinach, mopane worms, and dried sardines or kapenta. Stop by an arts and crafts shop; chat with the locals; and round off the day with dinner and a performance at a cozy family-run establishment.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Journeys Highlight Moment Mondesa Township Walk

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 6Swakopmund/Palmwag

Make your way to Twyfelfontein—Namibia’s first UNESCO World Heritage site—to see some of Africa’s largest concentrations of petroglyphs. Marvel at these remarkable engravings, carved by prehistoric hunter-gatherers and depicting rhinos, elephants, and ostriches, as well as human and animal footprints. Then continue to our lodge on the Palmwag nature reserve in northwest Damaraland.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 7Palmwag/Etosha National Park Area

Enjoy a relaxed morning at our lodge or opt for a guided walk in the Palmwag reserve, home to many rare, desert-adapted species. In the afternoon, travel towards Etosha National Park, arguably Namibia’s most spectacular wildlife sanctuary. Settle into our lodge, located outside of the park.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 8Etosha National Park Area

Spend a full day on safari in Etosha National Park, where open grasslands converge on a massive salt pan. Etosha harbours some of the largest populations of lions, elephants, and other endangered species, so keep your camera on the ready as you explore in your open vehicle. Enjoy lunch at one of the park’s rest areas, where you can also take a swim; and sit back and watch all manner of creatures—including hundreds of species of birds—flock to the nearby watering hole.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 9Etosha National Park Area/Windhoek

After breakfast, visit the Cheetah Conservation Fund, a global research and education center founded by National Geographic Grantee Dr Laurie Marker. Tour the facility to learn about the important conservation and community outreach work they do to protect the world’s fastest land animal, and enjoy a talk by one of the researchers. Then head out on a drive through the grounds to meet some of the center’s rescued and rehabilitated cheetahs. Continue to Windhoek for our final evening.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Journeys Highlight Moment Cheetah Conservation Experience

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch

Day 10Windhoek/Victoria Falls

Catch a flight to the town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, named after one of the most powerful waterfalls on Earth. Visit a nearby village and go grocery shopping in the bustling market. Then sit down with a local family for dinner, helping your hosts prepare a traditional Zimbabwean meal using the ingredients you picked out, and hear stories about local life and culture.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Journeys Highlight Moment Zimbabwean Family Dinner

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 11Victoria Falls

Set out for a tour of magnificent Victoria Falls. Scottish explorer David Livingstone named them after Britain’s Queen Victoria, while their older, indigenous name is Mosi-oa-Tunya—“the smoke that thunders.” Opt to embark on a thrilling white-water excursion on the Zambezi River; soar above the roaring falls in a helicopter; or take a day trip to wildlife-rich Chobe National Park.

Meals included:

Breakfast

Day 12Victoria Falls

Continue your exploration of majestic Victoria Falls on a variety of optional excursions. Go whizzing over the Zambezi River on a zip line, glide down the river on a sunset cruise, or feel the spray of the falls on your face as you explore the surrounding paths.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Discover Moment

Meals included:

Breakfast

Day 13Victoria Falls/Hwange National Park

Explore Victoria Falls at leisure this morning, and opt to take a guided tour of this thundering natural wonder and UNESCO World Heritage site. Later, transfer to the headquarters of Painted Dog Conservation. Learn about this non-profit organization’s work to protect and rehabilitate injured painted dogs (also known as African wild dogs), and hear from a conservationist about the threats to these endangered animals. Afterward, venture out on safari in Hwange National Park, one of Zimbabwe’s largest wildlife reserves and home to nearly half of the country's elephant population.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Journeys Highlight Moment Painted Dog Conservation

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 14Hwange National Park

Set out on a full-day safari through the sweeping grasslands of Hwange National Park. Track the park’s resident elephant and buffalo herds, as well as giraffes, lions, zebras, and the rare African wild dog. This evening, relax on the deck of your lodge, keeping an eye out for the wild creatures that visit the lodge’s watering hole.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 15Hwange/Chobe NP

Depart Hwange and head north, crossing the border into Botswana and arriving in Kasane—the gateway to the stunning Chobe National Park. Settle into your lodge and embark on a boat safari on the Chobe River, the lifeline of the park. Look out for submerged hippos, basking crocodiles, bathing elephants, and an abundance of birdlife from the boat’s deck, and witness a spectacular fiery sunset over the river.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 16Chobe NP

This morning, continue your exploration of Chobe National Park, home to one of Africa’s largest elephant populations. On a safari along the banks of the Chobe River, keep an eye out for elephants, buffalo, lions, zebra, and rare semi-aquatic antelope, as well as an incredible variety of birds. In the afternoon, opt to take a photography river safari on a specialized photography boat.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 17Kasane/Okavango Delta

Catch a flight to the Okavango Panhandle in Botswana, the narrow arm of the Okavango River that feeds into the famed Okavango Delta. Check in to our remote lodge, and enjoy a boat cruise on the winding waterways. This evening, hear about National Geographic’s Okavango Wilderness Project, a multi-year collaboration between international and local experts to survey the Okavango watershed’s biodiversity and ensure its future protection. Watch the National Geographic documentary “Into the Okavango,” and learn about delta conservation projects in the area.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Journeys Highlight Moment Okavango Wilderness Project Experience

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 18Okavango Delta

Explore the breathtaking Okavango Panhandle with expert local guides. Navigate the wildlife-rich channels of the Okavango River aboard a mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe, and spot all manner of bird life on bush walks. Settle into your tent in our remote bush camp this evening. Enjoy a three-course meal around a roaring campfire while listening to the night calls of the delta.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 19Okavango Delta

Continue exploring the Okavango Delta’s untamed habitat on foot and by mokoro, spotting herons, storks, egrets, and other wading birds. Return to the lodge later this afternoon and opt to relax by an open fire, or take a swim.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 20Okavango Delta/Maun

Fly to the frontier town of Maun for an evening of storytelling and traditional foods with celebrated local author Bonty Botumile. Born in Maun, Bonty’s work is dedicated to preserving Botswana’s literary heritage and providing youth with employment opportunities in the arts. Listen as she shares her in-depth knowledge of the region’s cultural history, and cap off the night with a delicious meal and colourful stories around a warm fire.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Journeys Highlight Moment Botswana Storytelling and Traditional Dinner

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 21Maun

Depart at any time.

Meals included:

Breakfast
View full itinerary

What's Included

  • Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Mondesa Township Walk, Swakopmund
  • Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Cheetah Conservation Experience, Otjiwarongo
  • Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Zimbabwean Family Dinner, Victoria Falls
  • Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Painted Dog Conservation, Hwange National Park
  • Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Okavango Wilderness Project Experience, Okavango Delta
  • Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Botswana Storytelling and Traditional Dinner, Maun
  • Your Discover Moment: Victoria Falls
  • Arrival transfer
  • Sossusvlei desert excursion
  • Desert excursion with a local
  • View the Twyfelfontein ancient petroglyphs
  • Full-day open-vehicle wildlife safari drive in Etosha National Park
  • Tour of Victoria Falls
  • Open-vehicle wildlife safari drives in Hwange and Chobe National Parks
  • Chobe boat safari
  • Wildlife excursions by boat and foot in the Okavango Panhandle
  • Internal flights
  • All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

Accommodations

Hotels/lodges (19 nts), bush camp (1 nt).

Meals

20 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 15 dinners
Allow USD315-410 for meals not included.

Transportation

Air-conditioned touring vehicle, 4x4, open safari vehicle, walking, boat, mokoro, plane.

Staff & experts

CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides and rangers.

Departures

There are no departure dates currently available for the rest of this season. Some tours only run during parts of the year.

Please Contact Us to inquire about dates for next season, or to discuss other tour options.

Wildlife and Wonders of Southern Africa

| 21 days - Windhoek to Maun - Sold Out