Sawubona! Welcome to South Africa. With its stunning coastline, modern cityscape and nearby mountains, Cape Town is one of Africa's most exciting cities. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm this evening. If you arrive early, why not get out and explore Cape Town, maybe with a walk in Newlands Forest or by jumping on the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway. You could also head down to the waterfront to see Cape Town Stadium up close. After the meeting, ask your leader where the best dinner spots are and consider heading out for a welcome dinner with your group. It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

Leaving Cape Town behind, travel up the Western Cape today. Sit back, relax and enjoy the sprawling scenery. Tonight, you’ll stay on a working farm with your group. This is a great chance to gain an insight into everyday life in this remote part of South Africa. The surrounding countryside is perfectly explored on foot, so if there’s time, maybe take a walk around the nearby mountains and farms before settling in for the evening. Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours. Your camp tonight has shared facilities, a swimming pool, but no wi-fi. Accommodation upgrades are possible (subject to availability).

Journey to the Orange River – the beautiful natural border between South Africa and Namibia. On the way, you'll pass through Namaqualand, which is renowned for its wildflowers that spring up from late July to mid-September. Traditionally known as the Gariep River, the Orange River is the longest in South Africa (2200 km). Its source is high up in the Drakensberg Mountain Range in Lesotho, and it flows into the Atlantic Ocean at Alexander Bay in South Africa. Your travel time today will be approximately 9 hours. Your camp tonight has shared facilities and wi-fi is available for a token. Accommodation upgrades are possible (subject to availability).

This morning, there’s an optional canoe adventure on the Orange River. Floating leisurely down the stream is a great way to discover the beauty of this region. After, head further west into the desert lands of Namibia towards Fish River Canyon. At 500 m deep and over 160 km long, Fish River Canyon is one of the largest canyons in the world. At any time of year there are remarkable photo opportunities here as you watch the colour of the granite rocks change as the sun goes down. Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours. Your campsite tonight is equipped with showers, flush toilets, and a swimming pool. Wi-Fi is available but unreliable.

Be ready for a long travel day as you drive toward the fabled dunes of Namibia. You’ll have the opportunity to stop at a market or shop to stock up on supplies before tomorrow's bush camp. When you arrive, stretch your legs and take in the exciting desert scenes. You’ll be situated in the most famous part of the Namib Desert, among the vast dune fields – the most spectacular of which are found near the Sesriem Canyon. Get an early night in preparation for your dawn hike tomorrow. Your travel time today will be approximately 10 hours. Your camp tonight has shared facilities, a swimming pool and wi-fi for a token. Accommodation upgrades are not available.

Wake up before dawn and scramble to the top of the dunes for a dramatic sunrise view across a vast sea of sand. The colour changes as the sun creeps up above the horizon and the views are nothing short of incredible, providing a spectacular setting for your brunch. The dunes themselves are some of the highest in the world and home to much animal life. After, jump in the back of a pickup truck for a trip to Sossusvlei – the incredible salt and clay pan nearby. You'll have time to explore this mysterious desert oddity at your own pace. In the afternoon, drive to your bush camp in the heart of the Namib Desert. Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours. Your camp tonight has flush toilets and showers.

Continue to Swakopmund today. Surrounded by the massive dune fields of the Namib Desert on three sides and the Atlantic Ocean on the other, Swakopmund is an ideal place for outdoor activities. The township has an interesting German–Namibian atmosphere, which makes it a pleasant place to simply walk around and explore. You could also visit the Swakopmund Museum today – the largest privately run Museum in Namibia housing exhibitions on zoology, geology and technology. Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours. Your accommodation here is a cosy desert bungalow. Each of these bungalows sleeps four people, and bathroom facilities will be shared. Wi-fi is available.

With a free day today, it's worth checking out the Germanic architecture of the area and maybe taking the opportunity to do some souvenir shopping. If you're after a dose of history and culture, you can stop in at the lighthouse and visit the Swakopmund Museum. Active types and thrill-seekers might like to take advantage of the many outdoor activities on offer – this town is the adventure-sports capital of Namibia. It's important to check with your leader if you are unsure about the safety of any of these activities, as some may not be recommended by Intrepid.

With another free day in this beautiful seaside town, you might like to do some reading, relaxing and swimming. Alternatively, you can venture further afield – perhaps to the Okakambe Trails or the Camel Farm (both located in the same area, around 12 km east of town). A horse ride or camel ride is a great way to see the desert from a different perspective.

Travel to Spitzkoppe today. Experience the sight, sound and smell of thousands of olive-coloured seals on the shores of Cape Cross while travelling up the Atlantic Coast. Visit one of the most stunning areas of Namibia – the wild lands around the mountain of Spitzkoppe, also known as the Matterhorn of Namibia. Although you shouldn't try to climb to the top, there are some excellent hikes and guided walks throughout the area, which is rich in plant life. The Spitzkoppe is known for its stunning beauty and the thousands of ancient Bushmen rock art paintings that are still on view. Be sure to look out for the sunset from your bush camp this evening – the landscape is known to take on dazzling oranges and reds. Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours.

This morning, set off and travel to Etosha National Park, stopping at a market or shop and ATM if required. Etosha is among the world's best places to view wildlife. A wide range of southern Africa's animals roams freely here, including all the big carnivores and rare or endangered species, including black rhino, Hartmann's mountain zebra, black-faced impala, roan antelope and the tiny Damara dik-dik. Tonight, there’s an option to take an evening game drive (subject to availability) before spending the night at the Okaukuejo Camp. The camp overlooks a floodlit waterhole visited by many different species throughout the day and night. Your travel time today will be approximately 9 hours. Your camp tonight has a swimming pool and wi-fi in the restaurant area. Accommodation upgrades are possible (subject to availability).

Enjoy a full-day game drive in Etosha National Park. Game viewing in the park is relatively easy due to the constructed waterholes and the large, sparsely vegetated pans. The bushland surrounding the pans is difficult to see through, but there are enough clearings, pans and waterholes to usually allow for some sightings. Namibia has protected its game reserves against poaching, which means significant numbers of elephants, antelope and other herbivores reside here. This evening you will spend the night at Namutoni Camp. At tonight's accommodation, upgrades are available (subject to availability).

Leave Etosha behind and continue to your next camp, which is located 50 km outside Grootfontein. This will be your base for visiting the San people tomorrow. When you arrive at camp, stretch your legs, maybe go for a swim and kick back with your fellow travellers for a relaxed evening. Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours. Your camp tonight has a swimming pool and wi-fi. Accommodation upgrades are possible (subject to availability).

Embark on a 180-km round-trip to visit the San people today. You'll go out walking with some of the tribe, listening to their stories and songs. You'll soon discover that they communicate in a unique and fascinating Khoisan dialect, commonly known as a 'clicking' language. The San are the oldest ethnic group in Namibia, having inhabited southern Africa for an estimated 20,000 years. Around 30,000 of them live in Namibia, but only 2000 still follow a traditional way of life. The San have a deep understanding of nature and ecology, living in harmony with their environment. Your travel time today will be approximately 7 hours. Your camp tonight has a swimming pool and wi-fi. Accommodation upgrades are possible (subject to availability).

Head to Bagani today, where you’ll set up camp for the night. Bagani is a small, friendly town with plenty of nice spots to relax and soak up the ambience as you catch the sunset over the Okavango River. You may even spot grunting hippos coming out of the waters to graze! This area is the homestead of the local Mbukushu kings and their kingdom. Your camp tonight has flush toilets, showers, wi-fi and optional upgrades.

Drive across the border into Botswana and head south along the Okavango Panhandle (the narrowest part of the delta) to Sepopa. Here, you'll leave your vehicle behind as you journey by boat into the delta to your bush camp on an island away from civilisation. Punting along past birds and lily pads, you'll hear hippos occasionally interrupting the peaceful atmosphere with their charming grunts. Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours. Your boat ride will be approximately 4 hours. At tonight’s bush camp, there’s no wi-fi or upgrades available.

After breakfast, head out for your mokoro experience. Each mokoro (small dugout canoe) takes two people and is poled along through the meandering waterways by a local tribesman. You’ll also take a short nature walk with your guide to discover the beautiful natural surroundings, gain some insight into the history of the local area and look out for different bird species and occasionally, even elephants. After your trip around the delta, return by boat to the relative civilisation of Sepopa Camp, featuring hot showers, a swimming pool and a small bar. Today, there is an option to take a scenic flight to have an aerial view of the Delta. Wildlife sightings during the walk is not a guarantee. Your camp tonight has a swimming pool and wi-fi.

Leave the delta behind today and return to Bagani for the night. There will be time to take part in an optional boat trip when you arrive, or you can opt for a picturesque sunset cruise. Alternatively, relax and recharge at camp. Your camp has flush toilets, showers and wi-fi. Accommodation upgrades are available (subject to availability). We ask all Tuuur travellers to avoid fishing excursions as it is against our Responsible Travel policy.

Setting off from Bagani this morning, you’ll drive to the incredible Chobe National Park. Catch a window seat if you can and watch the rolling landscape pass you by or play some road trip games with your newfound friends. Enter Botswana at the Goma border, which is also the gateway to the park. When you arrive, take an optional cruise down the Chobe River – one of the best ways to witness some of the park's many animals, like hippos, elephants and buffalo. Your travel time today will be approximately 8 hours. Your camp is located outside of Chobe National Park and has flush toilets, showers, wi-fi and ATM. Accommodation upgrades are available (subject to availability).

Enjoy an early-morning game drive this morning. Adventuring through the park, you’ll have the opportunity to get up close to the wildlife and with luck, you’ll spot lions, buffalo and exotic birds. Botswana's first national park is famous for its high concentration of elephants, so keep an eye out for herds walking by, too. They can also often be seen swimming in the Chobe River! The river also attracts buffalo, hippos and crocodiles who like to sun themselves by the water's edge. In the afternoon, perhaps take an optional boat cruise to gain a different view of these amazing animals or take another optional afternoon game drive into the national park.

Travel on to Victoria Falls, crossing the border into Zimbabwe in time to have lunch on the banks of the Zambezi. Though a visit to Victoria Falls' is optional, it is highly recommended. The staggering curtain of water is about 1.6 km and cascades 108 m into a narrow gorge below. In the wet season, the spray created can rise to an incredible 400 m and the falls become an impressive raging torrent. In the dry season, the view of the falls is unobstructed by mist and you can see little islets in the river below. Gather your travel crew together tonight for dinner, celebrating the southern Africa adventure and memories you’ve shared. Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours. Your camp tonight has wi-fi, flush toilets, showers and optional upgrades available. Victoria Falls entrance is not included, as it is mandatory for tour groups to have a local guide. Your leader will take you to an activity centre where activities will be on offer. We have not risk assessed all activities and only those listed in Optional Activities are recommended. It is against Tuuur policy for leaders to help book any activities that have not been assessed or do not adhere to our Responsible Travel policy. This includes organising transport to and from these activities. You may notice businesses offering an 'Walk with the Lions' experience. We ask all Tuuur travellers to avoid this activity as it is against our Responsible Travel policy. While wildlife viewing is part of many itineraries, we strive to view animals in their natural habitats and to do so with the greatest level of respect. This industry directly contributes to the captive breeding and canned hunting of lions.

Today is a free day to see Victoria Falls. The Zimbabwe side of the falls offers the broadest view of this colossal natural wonder, and the scenic helicopter flights are incredible – if you opt for one, the Zambezi Helicopter Company (CAA Zimbabwe) is the only operator Tuuur endorses. Tonight, you'll have a second welcome meeting at 6 pm to meet the new members of your group and your new leader. This is a combination trip, so your leader and group members are likely to change today. Your leader may take you to a local activity centre. Tuuur has not risk-assessed all activities, and only those listed in Optional Activities are recommended. It is against company policy for leaders to facilitate the booking of anything that has not been risk-assessed or does not adhere to our company’s Responsible Travel policy and ethos. This includes organizing transport to and from these activities.

This morning is your last opportunity to soak up the views and explore the surrounds of Victoria Falls. You’ll have to arrive at opening time (6 am from September to April and 6.30 am from May to August). This is a great time to see the falls, as the sunrise casts a unique light on the cascades and there are fewer tourists to interrupt the view. Then, you’ll leave Victoria Falls behind and head to Hwange National Park via the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust – one of the projects The Tuuur Foundation supports. Here, you can learn about the rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife, human-wildlife conflict and the Trust’s role in anti-poaching. There may also be a chance to meet any rescued or orphaned wildlife currently in their care. Hwange National Park became the royal hunting grounds of the Ndebele warrior-king Mzilikazi in the early 19th century and was set aside as a national park in 1929. Today, Hwange boasts a tremendous selection of wildlife, with over 100 species of mammals and nearly 400 bird species. The elephants of Hwange are world famous – you'll find one of the largest elephant populations in Africa here! Spend this afternoon exploring and discover the area in an open 4WD vehicle with expert local guides. Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours. The Victoria Falls entrance fee is not included, as it’s mandatory for tour groups with pre-purchased tickets to have a local escort. We feel that seeing these waterfalls for the first time should be an uninterrupted experience.

Make tracks for Matobo National Park this morning. Shortly after leaving Hwange, stop at the Painted Dog Conservation Centre. The loss of quality habitat and poaching are driving the painted dog (also known as African wild dog) towards extinction. Learn about how they protect and increase the range and numbers of painted dogs in Zimbabwe and the Hwange ecosystem as a whole. Then continue to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second-largest city. Take a stroll through the streets lined with old buildings and stop in at a local cafe or restaurant for lunch before heading to your camp for the next two nights. Home to a large population of black and white rhinoceroses that can be tracked on foot, Matobo National Park is also the site of the grave of Cecil John Rhodes – the founder of Rhodesia and the De Beers diamond company. The Matobo area has great spiritual and cultural significance to the local people and there are many sites within the park where important ceremonies still take place. Your travel time today will be approximately 7 hours. Please note that there may be delays due to the deteriorated conditions of the roads you’ll be driving on today. Travel times may be longer than expected. Your campground tonight has shared facilities, wi-fi access and optional upgrades (subject to availability).

Matobo National Park has an incredibly diverse range of birdlife and wildlife and is home to both Black and White rhinos. This morning, you have a unique opportunity to track white rhinos on foot with the help of an expert local guide. There will also be the chance to spot other game – the park is home to klipspringers, leopards, warthogs and springhares. You can also learn about the various local plants and trees, including wild pear and paperbark, while discovering San paintings and the rock formations of the park. In the afternoon, continue to Whovi Game Park, an intensive protection zone for rhinos where you'll have a chance to spot the endangered black rhino.

This morning, leave Zimbabwe behind and cross a very busy border post – the only direct border crossing between Zimbabwe and South Africa. You should arrive at your camping site on the edge of Honnet Nature Reserve in the late afternoon. Relax and enjoy the extensive facilities available including an indoor and outdoor pool, putt putt and a nature trail. Your travel time today will be approximately 6 to 8 hours. This evening, your leader will provide a briefing on the homestay and village visit for tomorrow, including the types of activities you will be participating in and the positive impact your visit has on the wider community.

Make your way to Makushu – a small village in the Limpopo province of South Africa. When you arrive, you’ll be met by a local village guide. You’ll be staying with homestay host mothers in their family homes. With no two days the same for local villagers, you might be taking part in activities like beading, dancing, beer tasting and cooking. Tonight, you can interact with the local villagers and learn the traditional Venda ways. At your homestay tonight, each room is equipped with a double bed, with some hosts having two or three guestrooms. When you arrive at your home and meet your host, you’ll receive a homestay kit. Each kit is fitted with clean linen (a duvet, pillow, towel, face cloth and sheet), a roll of toilet paper, hand sanitiser, mosquito repellent, tea, coffee, a cup, sugar and milk. True South African long drop toilets situated outside of each home are available. These facilities are clean and well kept. Homestay hosts supply guests with hot water every morning and evening via portable bucket baths. We recommend packing a small, overnight bag for the homestay this evening. Larger bags will be able to be stored on the vehicle.

After breakfast today, you’ll make the journey towards Kruger National Park. Along the way, you'll have the opportunity to visit the Black Mambas headquarters, the world's first all-female anti-poaching unit made up of 42 young African women. Supported by the Tuuur Foundation, the Black Mambas are turning a traditionally male-dominated industry on its head, working to protecting the wildlife of Kruger National Park in an unconventional way. Discover how they find and destroy snares left by poachers and set up roadblocks and patrol park perimeters, then get an exclusive look into their ops room. After, head to your campsite inside Kruger National Park and fall asleep to the sounds of the wilderness.

Today, you'll embark on a full day 4WD safari in the vast Kruger National Park, a wildlife sanctuary comparable in size to countries like Belgium and Wales. Home to the iconic ‘Big Five’ – lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo and rhinos – Kruger offers an outstanding wildlife experience in one of the world’s premier conservation areas. In addition to spotting these majestic animals, keep an eye out for giraffes, zebras, hippos and the elusive, endangered African wild dog. As you venture deep into prime wildlife viewing zones, you'll likely encounter a diverse array of species, from graceful antelopes and elands to fast-moving cheetahs and powerful rhinos, all within the park’s breathtaking savannas and forests.

It's time to head to Johannesburg. Along the way, you’ll take in amazing vistas at the Three Rondavels viewpoint over Blyde River Canyon and Bourke's Luck Potholes. This is a magnificent lookout where cloud cover is usually at a minimum. Your African safari adventure comes to an end when you arrive in Johannesburg this evening. If you’d like to extend your stay, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time to organise additional accommodation. Your travel time today will be approximately 10 hours. No accommodation is provided for tonight, but this can be arranged when you book this trip. If you're wanting to catch an outgoing international flight, it's important to book it for 10 pm or later to allow for delays that your group may encounter.