Southern Africa Safari (from Windhoek to Johannesburg)

On this nine-day wildlife journey, you’ll explore the epic game parks of Southern Africa. Start in Victoria Falls, where in your free time, you can experience the thunderous falls however you like. Then, head to Hwange National Park, known for its elephant population, and Matobo National Park to track rhinos and learn about the local San people and their culture. Take game drives, look out for all the big cats and then spend some time in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mapungubwe National Park. Visit a 13th-century grave site and head out on a night safari to see some nocturnal wildlife that doesn’t come out while the sun’s up! Finally, you’ll go in search of lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and the African buffalo in the famous Kruger National Park. This is an overland trip. That means you’ll be travelling with a group in a purpose-built vehicle, visiting remote communities, and getting the best possible views of Africa's iconic wildlife. While the trucks don’t have air conditioning, they do have sliding windows that let in the breeze and make it even easier to take spectacular snaps of the local wildlife. The drive days can be long, but it’s as much about the journey as the destination, and half the fun is the camaraderie. For more info on this style of travel, see our Africa overland page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/au/africa/overland, Southern Africa temperatures rise in the hot, dry period of September and October before the rains hit, and temperatures can get as high as 34 to 38°C (93 to 100°F). Not all accommodation will have air-conditioning. This is quite common across Africa, particularly in remote locations where lodges or camps operate on solar power or generators., Zimbabwe is a very seasonal destination. What you see and experience can differ quite dramatically depending on the time of year you visit. Please consider this before you choose your departure date. See the 'Climate and seasonal information' section of the Essential Trip Information for more details., There will be many early starts either to make use of the better safari time or to beat the morning traffic on long travel days., This trip can be partnered with other adventures into a ‘combo,’ which means that some of your fellow travellers may have begun their journey before today. If you’d like to spend more time in Africa, have a look at the combo itinerary, Southern Africa Highlights (UBKHC).