Cape Town to Victoria Falls - Hotel/Lodge

Cape Town to Victoria Falls - Hotel/Lodge

20 Days Starting in Cape Town and ending in Victoria Falls

Visiting: Cape Town, Orange River, Fish River Canyon, Sesriem, Sossusvlei, Swakopmund, Brandberg Mountain, Etosha National Park, Okavango River, Chobe River, Chobe National Park, Victoria Falls

Tour operator:

Exodus Adventure Travels

Tour code:

AZVPA

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

6 - 14

Physical rating:

Easy & Moderate

Age range:

16-99

Special diets catered:

Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements

Tour operated in:

English
From: $4500

NB: Prices correct on 05-Nov-2024 but subject to change.

This tour is no longer available, please see similar tours below or send an enquiry

Tour Overview

Cape Town to Victoria Falls is one of the world’s great journeys. Starting in Cape Town, the most cosmopolitan city in South Africa, this trip travels through the spectacular desert landscape of Namibia, wildlife-rich game parks in Namibia and Botswana and finally to the mighty Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe-Zambia border. This is an adventure through the heart of the most dramatic scenery in southern Africa, with rich culture, diverse wildlife and the opportunity to take part in numerous activities along the way.

Highlights

  • Complete one of our great African expeditions, traversing four diverse nations in a small group

  • Kick off the adventure in Cape Town, sampling wine and visiting penguins

  • Marvel at the mountainous dunes of Sossusvlei in the early morning light

  • Safari in Etosha National Park, with two full days searching for elephants, lions and more

  • Cruise the wildlife-rich waterways of the Okavango River and Chobe National Park

  • Witness the mighty Victoria Falls, one of the Natural Wonders of the World

Itinerary

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Day 1 : Start Cape Town

Location: Cape Town

Welcome to Cape Town, a culture-filled port city beautifully placed between mountain and sea. This afternoon, there may be the opportunity for an optional excursion up Table Mountain via cable car, if the weather is good. The views across the city on a clear day are incredible. If the weather is not good, we have a free afternoon with the opportunity to explore the buzzy V&A Waterfront.



Accommodation: City Lodge Hotel Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (or similar)

Day 2 : Visit Cape Peninsula; Afternoon Wine Tour

Location: Cape Town

Meals Included: Breakfast

We generally begin with a drive along the spectacular Chapman’s Peak drive (occasionally this drive is closed so we have to go around it) via Houtbay. Continuing to the Cape Point Nature Reserve, we have time to walk to the lighthouse and then along the boardwalk to the Cape of Good Hope. We then take a short visit to the Boulders Beach penguin colony and enjoy lunch. In the late afternoon, we visit a wine farm – the area surrounding Cape Town is renowned for its wine and we get a chance to sample some of the local produce.



The order of activities in Cape Town is flexible as everything hinges around going up Table Mountain when the weather is best. Evening meals can be enjoyed at various beach restaurants – Cape Town is a paradise for food and drink lovers!



Accommodation: City Lodge Hotel Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (or similar)

Day 3 : To Olifants River

Location: Cape Town

Meals Included: Breakfast

We leave Cape Town and travel through farmlands of citrus, maize, cattle and sheep as we start the journey towards Namibia. Our first stop is in the fertile Olifants River Valley, providing a glimpse into the agricultural lifestyle of the Western Cape.



Drive: About five hours



Accommodation: Highlanders Lodge (or similar)

Day 4 : To Orange River; Afternoon Optional Canoeing

Location: Orange River

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today we drive to Orange River (five hours plus one-hour border crossing), where the southern border of Namibia meets South Africa. There is free time to relax this afternoon. Our accommodation for the night has a picturesque riverbank setting.



Drive: 280mi (450km), six to seven hours



Accommodation: Felix Unite Cabanas (or similar)

Day 5 : To Fish River Canyon; Afternoon Walk

Location: Fish River Canyon

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, we enjoy a canoe trip on the Orange River. It is not tough on the water and the trip gives us the chance to see the flora and fauna of the region as we drift by. We then take a three-hour drive to the second largest canyon on earth: Fish River Canyon. The views from the canyon rim are spectacular and there is time for a short walk along it in the afternoon.



Accommodation: Seeheim Hotel (or similar)

Day 6 : To Sesriem

Location: Sesriem

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

We have a day’s travel along the edge of the Namib-Naukluft National Park to Sesriem, where we stay overnight outside the park.



Drive: 341mi (550km), 7hr to 7hr 30min



Accommodation: Taleni Desert Camp (or similar)

Day 7 : Full Day Exploring Sossusvlei

Location: Sossusvlei

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

We leave our lodge early to spend the morning at the Sossusvlei dunes, one of the great sights of Africa. While we cannot enter the park until sunrise, the early morning light on the dunes is still a spectacular sight and worth getting up for. Those feeling energetic have the opportunity to climb Dune 45. We enjoy a picnic breakfast at the dunes and take a 1.2mi (2km) walk into the Hiddenvlei area (optional one-way shuttle transfer instead). If we’re lucky, we may see gemsbok, ostriches or black-backed jackals among the dunes, an irresistibly photogenic scene! In the afternoon, we visit Sesriem Canyon.



Accommodation: Taleni Desert Camp (or similar)

Day 8 : To Swakopmund

Location: Swakopmund

Meals Included: Breakfast

We have a long, spectacular drive through Namib-Naukluft National Park to Swakopmund via Walvis Bay to see flamingos in their thousands (in season: summer). This national park, one of the largest in the world, is home to one of the driest and oldest deserts on earth. It contains some of the finest desert scenery in Africa with towering, jagged rock formations and incredible lunar landscapes.



Drive: 185mi (300km), four to five hours



Accommodation: Hotel A La Mer (or similar)

Day 9 : Free Day To Enjoy Optional Activities

Location: Swakopmund

Meals Included: Breakfast

Swakopmund is the adventure sports capital of Namibia, and we have a full day here to enjoy the optional adventure activities on offer: go on a dolphin cruise or township tour or take a flight over the desert! Alternatively, explore the German-style town and visit some of the excellent cake shops.



Accommodation: Hotel A La Mer (or similar)

Day 10 : To Brandberg; Visit White Lady Paintings

Location: Brandberg Mountain

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

We leave the Atlantic coast and head inland towards Brandberg, the highest mountain in Namibia. We enjoy a walk through Valley 45 for approximately two hours to the White Lady rock painting which, along with several other small paintings and engravings, are thought to have been left by indigenous San people at least 2,000 years ago.



Drive: 155mi (250km), four hours



Accommodation: Brandberg White Lady Lodge (or similar)

Day 11 : To Etosha National Park

Location: Etosha National Park

Meals Included: Breakfast

In the morning, we drive north to Etosha National Park where some of the best wildlife viewing in the world can be found. We should arrive at Etosha, which means the Great White Place of Dry Water, in time for a late afternoon game drive before arriving at our camp where there is a waterhole for game viewing at night.



Drive: 250mi (400km), five to six hours



Accommodation: Etosha Park Chalets (or similar)

Day 12 - 13 : Two Days Of Game Viewing

Location: Etosha National Park

Meals Included: Breakfast

We have two days to really enjoy this fabulous park with its mixed forest and grassland centred around a large saltpan. Etosha is home to a great variety and number of animals, which are easy to find as they congregate at different times around the waterholes. There are waterholes next to the excellent campsites, and it is not uncommon for us to spend all night watching a gala performance of animals: wildebeest, zebras, impalas, springbok, kudu, elephants, giraffes, lions and even rhinos are all common sights here. Take plenty of patience and you will be rewarded by one of the greatest game spectacles in southern Africa. Etosha is also a good place for birds, with plenty of waterbirds on the lakes and weaverbirds and hornbills in the trees. While in Etosha, we move our camps (between Okaukuejo, Halali or Namutoni) but the itinerary is kept flexible depending on where the animals are.



Accommodation: Etosha Park Chalets (or similar)

Day 14 : To Okavango River

Location: Okavango River

Meals Included: Breakfast

We have a long drive through local villages to the Okavango River – the main watercourse supplying the Okavango Delta.



Drive: 400mi (650km), eight hours



Accommodation: Rainbow River Lodge (or similar)

Day 15 : Mokoro Ride On The Okavango

Location: Okavango River

Meals Included: Breakfast

We take a mokoro (traditional dugout canoe) ride from our camp on the Okavango River. Please note, the river may be flooded in March/April and we may have to substitute our mokoros for a boat. The birdlife is prolific and, at certain times of the year, so is the game. Gliding through the waterways by mokoro is the ideal way to absorb the tranquillity of the place. We also have the option of a village tour to meet the local community.



Accommodation: Rainbow River Lodge (or similar)

Day 16 : To Chobe River

Location: Chobe River

Meals Included: Breakfast

Drive through the Caprivi Strip and into Botswana to the Chobe National Park area in Kasane, home to huge numbers of elephants and hippos.



Drive: 250mi (400km), 5hr 30min to 6hr, plus one-hour border crossing



Accommodation: Kwalape Lodge (or similar)

Day 17 : Game Drive And Boat Ride In Chobe National Park

Location: Chobe National Park

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today we have an early morning game drive in Chobe National Park and an afternoon boat ride on the Chobe River where it is possible to view huge herds of elephants coming down to drink as well as many other types of game. For bird lovers, the river provides a home for the majestic African fish eagle and several species of brightly coloured bee-eaters. The area surrounding the Chobe River typically has the highest concentration of wildlife within the park as animals congregate here, particularly in the dry season (April to October).



Accommodation: Kwalape Lodge (or similar)

Day 18 : To Victoria Falls

Location: Victoria Falls

Meals Included: Breakfast

We drive to Victoria Falls after a leisurely breakfast, a small town on the Zimbabwean side of the glorious Victoria Falls (entrance own expense US$50). The waterfall itself is majestic, the activities enthralling and the scenery of the Upper Zambezi beautiful.



Drive: 62mi (100km), 1hr 30min to 2hr, plus a border crossing of one to two hours



Accommodation: Shearwater Explorers Village (or similar)

Day 19 : Free Day

Location: Victoria Falls

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today you have a free day to enjoy the numerous activities on offer such as flights over the falls, white-water rafting, game viewing, or crossing into Zambia to see the falls from a different side (please note, you need a Zambian visa if you wish to see the falls from the other side).



Accommodation: Shearwater Explorers Village (or similar)

Day 20 : End Victoria Falls

Location: Victoria Falls

Meals Included: Breakfast

The adventure ends in Victoria Falls. If you would like more time to explore this magnificent part of the world, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.

What's Included

  • All breakfasts, four lunches

  • All accommodation

  • All transport and listed activities

  • Tour leader throughout

What's Not Included

  • Travel insurance

  • Single accommodation

  • Visas or vaccinations

Food

All breakfasts and four lunches are included.



We suggest you allow about US$450 for meals not included in the itinerary. Most included meals are prepared by the crew (sometimes it is not easy to get fresh meat). The general standard of food is good and vegetarians are well catered for. Please notify us of specific dietary requirements.



The water provided on this trip is safe and clean drinking water, normally from boreholes. If you would rather have bottled water then this will be at your expense, though we would encourage you to make use of the safe drinking water provided as this helps diminish plastic consumption.

Accommodation

On this Cape Town to Victoria Falls adventure, we spend 16 nights in hotels/lodges and three nights in a guesthouse. The accommodations we typically use are on the day-to-day itinerary; however, below are a few of the notable places we stay on this trip. 



Brandberg: Brandberg White Lady Lodge (night 10) 







Our Brandberg stay, which is partially run by the local Damara community, is in the middle of nowhere. From the viewpoint, you will not see another property, just the ruggedly beautiful landscape of Damaraland and possibly some desert elephants in the distance. There’s also a dining area, well-stocked bar, lounge, and two swimming pools. 



Etosha National Park: Chalets in Okaukuejo, Halali or Namutoni (nights 11-13) 







In Etosha, we stay within the national park itself – a huge plus for any animal lover. The resorts we use are either Okaukuejo, Halali or Namutoni. Each has a restaurant, swimming pool and bar but the highlights are the flood-lit waterholes where wildlife regularly stops to drink and bathe. 



Worth knowing 



In Cape Town, groups might be accommodated in different but similar properties. 

Our accommodation in Fish River Canyon is basic but the best option in a very remote area. 

Due to the limited amount of accommodation within Etosha National Park, it may be necessary to sleep outside the park on some or all of the nights we are there. This will not impact the number of game drives we have within the park.  

Wifi is available about half the time but not always very reliable. 

Check out our Q&As

  • What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

    If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Exodus has been trading since 1974

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.

Reviews from travellers on this tour

Cape Town to Victoria Falls Lodging

Have just completed this epic journey and can honestly say it’s been one of the most memorable trips I’ve ever taken. It’s really more of an expedition than a holiday, but for that very reason delivers so much. We covered around 5600km in 3 weeks so that involves a lot of early starts and long days spent bumping about on dusty, rocky roads. The diversity of experience however makes it totally worthwhile - from the hustle and bustle of Cape Town to the red sands of Namibia and the quiet majesty of the Okavango Delta.

Cape Town to Victoria Falls

The adventure was amazing. Small group of 11. Everyday was so different from the last. I really liked driving through the countries even though sometimes the roads weren’t the best (was prepared for that). The wildlife we saw was beautiful! The hotels were fine.

An Amazing and Incredibly diverse Adventure

This trip was the ultimate collection of culture, animals and sightseeing. From metropolitan Cape Town to the beauty and remoteness of Namibia's deserts and sand dunes, the thrill of game drives and the beauty of Victoria falls, this trip has it all.

Cape Town to vic falls

A great full on trip seeing loads of animals, meeting many different local people.

An exciting three-week trip

This was a wonderful introduction to Southern Africa. Although there were some long days travelling, the constantly changing scenery in Namibia was a delight, and we gained an appreciation of the vastness and emptiness of the country. The bus was noisy but not uncomfortable, and with eleven members of the party, there was plenty of room for us to move around. We had a brief introduction to the Cape Town area, then travelled north firstly through farmland in South Africa, and then through the wonderful Namibian desert scenery before spending a few days observing the wild animals in Etosha (Namibia) and then in Chobe (Botswana). Victoria Falls made a spectacular end to our trip.

Cape Town to Victoria Falls - Lodge

This was a fantastic trip. It involved a lot of driving through the virtually uninhabited desert of Namibia, along mainly unpaved 'corrugated' roads which provided a great deal of 'African massage'. Potential travelers should be prepared for this experience but the desert scenery is ever changing as are the colors. You certainly gain a very real appreciation for the size of the country. For me the first memorable activity was canoeing on the Orange River - so peaceful with amazing scenery! Fish River Canyon was also impressive. My only real complaint is that the Trip Notes mentioned that on Day 7 we would 'watch the early morning light creep over the dunes' at Sossusvlei. This proved to be impossible for two reasons - one is that the park gates do not open until 7:30 am (the sun rises at about 6 am) so it would be necessary to stay inside the park overnight, the second is that we had to drive about one hour passed the park to our lodgings, so adding two hours to our already considerable drive. We ended up climbing Dune 45 in the heat of the mid-day sun. Still an incredible (and very memorably hot) experience but definitely not what we had been lead to believe. Etosha National Park exceeded all expectations - especially at the water hole at Halali where we saw two families of elephants, rhinoceros and a leopard! Also a couple of honey badgers. Of course on safari we saw impala, zebra, giraffe, kudu, oryx, ostrich and many, many birds. Okavango Panhandle overwhelmed us with hippos. Chobe National Park also provided great safaris, hippos and many, many male elephants feeding at a reed bed in the middle of the Chobe River at sunset. Not to mention more birds. We were upgraded to a 5 star hotel in Victoria Falls and the Falls definitely lived up to their reputation.

Cape Town to Vic Falls

We thoroughly enjoyed this adventure! Our driver guides Jonathan and Ante worked long hours driving us and cooking our food, they were humorous and informative keeping 16 of us in line. Our group was a great bunch which made the driving times (which are VERY LONG) quite fun. There is a lot of "Bushy Bushy" stops along the way. All the accommodations were great. The only complaint I would have is that the ":Stevie" bus was not Air Conditioned, it was a very HOT drive in the Namibian Desert with no AC. Also no one was told there would be an extra cost for the safari drives in Etosha Park which was $100.00 US each. I also feel the amounts of money in the Trip Notes is way off base, you will need a lot more than what is recommended.

An amazing overland adventure

This trip lived up to our expectations and we thoroughly enjoyed it! The lodges and hotels were all very different and on the whole of a good standard. Beds were clean and comfortable. The journey is over 5000km in total, therefore includes long days, often over bumpy unmetalled roads. Included activities were varied and enjoyable. Some early starts but these were all for good reasons!

Read all 8 reviews

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Book with Confidence

  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    Exodus Adventure Travels allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus adventure travels, 43 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.

    Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

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