10 DAY JOHANNESBURG TO VICTORIA FALLS (STARTS & ENDS – JOHANNESBURG)

This 10-day overland safari connects South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe to showcase Southern Africa’s iconic wildlife and landscapes.

Trip Overview

- Route: Starts in South Africa (Pilanesberg), moves north through Botswana’s wilderness nodes (Tuli Block, Elephant Sands, Chobe, and Nata), crosses briefly into Zimbabwe (Victoria Falls), and returns to South Africa.
- Key Landscapes: Volcanic bushveld, the Limpopo River, arid salt pans, and the Zambezi river system.
- Core Activities: Open-vehicle game drives, a specialized birding walking safari, a world-class Chobe River boat cruise, and a guided tour of Victoria Falls.

Daily Itinerary Breakdown

- Days 1–2: Track the Big Five via open-vehicle safaris and a walking tour in South Africa’s malaria-free Pilanesberg Game Reserve.
- Days 3–4: Cross into Botswana to spot wildlife along the Limpopo River, followed by up-close elephant viewing at a famous desert watering hole in Elephant Sands.
- Days 5–7: Hub out of Chobe National Park for an open-vehicle safari, a scenic river cruise, and a full-day excursion to witness Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
- Days 8–10: Journey south across the vast Makgadikgadi Salt Pans at Nata before a final riverside overnight stop and airport transfer back to South Africa.

Logistics & Inclusions

- Included: Ground transport, professional guide services, accommodation (chalets, lodges, and safari tents), and scheduled itinerary meals/activities.
- Excluded: Flights, compulsory travel insurance, visas, gratuities, and unlisted meals or drinks.

Categories: Africa, Botswana, Chobe National Park, Overland Tours, Private Tours, Safari Tours, Zimbabwe Tags: Botswana, chobe, Francistown, Maun, OddBalls Eco Camp, Okavango Delta, South Africa, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Description

10 DAY SOUTH AFRICA, BOTSWANA & VICTORIA FALLS
Countries Visiting: South Africa, Botswana & Zimbabwe

HIGHLIGHTS: Pilanesberg National Park, Goo-Moremi Gorge, Elephant Sands, Chobe National Park, Victoria Falls, Makgadikgadi Pan, Chobe River Cruise, Chobe National Park open vehicle game drive.

DAY 1: PILANESBERG
After meeting your guide at the airport, we make our way out of the city to Pilanesberg Game Reserve for the night. There is an open vehicle game drive for the late afternoon with your local guides that work in the game reserve. The park has an area of 572 square kilometers (221 sq mi), and visitors can travel through a standard road vehicle. Although most of the 188 kilometers of track is not surfaced, it is all maintained in good condition. The three main tarred roads are named Kgabo, Kubu and Tshwane. There are several camps, including Bakgatla and Manyane, serving the park from the perimeter. Several lodges are situated in the interior of the park. For day visitors, there are several stops on the inside where there are bars and gift shops. Near the center of the park, there is an artificially constructed lake, the Mankwe Dam.

There is one perennial river and a few freshwater and saline springs that form smaller dams with animals hiding nearby. Near the center is Thabayadiotso, which means "The Proud Mountain". The park has a rich array of Southern African wildlife including the Big Five, the five most dangerous game animals in Africa. Most of the large animal species of Southern Africa live in the Pilanesberg National Park today, including lions, elephants, black rhinos, white rhinos, Cape buffaloes, leopards, cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, hippos and crocodiles. The Cape wild dog (Lycaon pictus pictus) was extirpated from the park by poachers, but subsequent reintroduction efforts were successful. The Pilanesberg is not in a location which the Big Five animals would naturally inhabit; however, they have been brought into the 550 square kilometers of African bushland. The reserve is also home to brown owls naturally inhabit;

Accommodation: Pilanesberg Chalets (Manyane Chalets)
Meals: Dinner (Restaurant)
Drive time to: Pilanesberg: +- 2 Hours

DAY 2: SOUTH AFRICA
This morning starts off with a birding walking safari and then in the afternoon and open vehicle game drive in Pilanesberg national park. These are two activities that will introduce you into the wild of Southern Africa bushveld.

Accommodation: Pilanesberg Chalets (Manyane Chalets)
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

DAY 3: BOTSWANA
Leaving after breakfast we make our way through the country and to the border of Botswana. Once through the border we make our way north into the Tuli block wildlife area for the night. The lodge is in the wildlife area on the banks of the Limpopo River.

Accommodation: Goo- Moremi Lodge
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Drive time: 5 Hours with border crossing and stops.

DAY 4: ELEPHANT SANDS (BOTSWANA)
This morning starts off with coffee and tea before departing north to Elephant Sands. Once back in camp we then make our way to Elephant sands arriving early afternoon. Here you can relax for the afternoon and then at around 16h00 the Elephants start arriving at the waterhole. At times there are up to 50 Elephants that visit Elephant Sands. Other animals also visit the watering hole from time to time. Kudu, warthogs, Leopards and Lions also visit from time to time. You guide will inform you of it all on the way to the lodge.

Accommodation: Chalets or twin safari Tents
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive time: 5 Hours with stops

DAY 5: CHOBE NATIONAL PARK
Departing from Elephant Sands after a morning game drive, we make our way north to Chobe National Park for the next 2 days. On arrival in Chobe, you have time to relax for the afternoon and get ready for the next day.

Accommodation: Big Five River Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Drive time: 4 hours with stops

DAY 6: VICTORIA FALLS ZIMBABWE
Today starts off with an early breakfast and then we transfer to Victoria Falls for a day expedition to the small town on the Zambezi River. Your guide will be with you for the day, and you will visit the Victoria Falls national park and the flea markets in the town. You will also could do a helicopter flight over the area before returning to Botswana for the night.

Accommodation: Big Five River Lodge
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

DAY 7: CHOBE NATIONAL PARK
Today starts off with an early morning open vehicle game drive in the Chobe national park. Once back from the national park your guide will take you into the town for you to explore the small town of Kasane. Then in the afternoon you will have a river cruise on the Chobe River. Considered as one of the best wildlife river cruises in Africa. This cruise takes you into the national park once more, but this time you will observe so much more as you visit the islands along the way and here you also see Hippo’s, Crocodile’s and also the water Birds and fish eagles are a plenty

Accommodation: Big Five River Lodge
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

DAY 8: NATA
Making our way south from Chobe national park it’s around 3 hours before we reach our lodge for the night. Once again, you will have a safari game drive from Nata onto the Mgadigadi Pan where at times of the year the pan has plenty wildlife and birds from the area.

Accommodation: Nata Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 9: BOTSWANA
Departing early morning the road takes you down through Botswana and down to the border, arriving late afternoon at the lodge on the banks of the Limpopo River. Your guide will stop of along the way for you to have lunch (own cost) Here we will overnight before crossing back into South Africa

Accommodation: Kwa Nokeng Lodge
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Drive time 5 Hours with stops

DAY 10: SOUTH AFRICA
Leaving after an early breakfast we make our way to the border and then once back in South Africa it a 4-hour drive to the airport. Your guide will make sure that you at the airport in time for your flight back home. Once at the airport your guide will fare you goodbye

Meals: Breakfast Drive time 5 Hours with stops

What’s included in the price:
Transport Services of a driver/guide Meals as specified in the itinerary
Accommodation as per itinerary
Activities as per itinerary

What’s NOT included in the price:
Flights, visas (if required), personal travel insurance (compulsory when travelling with Blue Chilli Travel)
Meals & drinks not specified in the itinerary
Items of a personal nature
Gratuities