NAMIBIA, BOTSWANA, ZIMBABWE
16 day tag-along 4x4 tour
SELF-DRIVE SAFARI: AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPEDITION THROUGH NAMIBIA, BOTSWANA AND ZIMBABWE
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Explore Southern Africa by driving across its varied terrain in the most robust and off-road worthy 4x4 vehicles available. See its stunning sunrises, sunsets and iconic water features including Victoria Falls, the Zambezi River and the Okavango Delta. Listen to the sounds of the bush at night and witness the full brightness of the stars in zero light pollution; all with the chance of seeing elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard and rhino amongst the thousands of other animals along the way.
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WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS EXPEDITION
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*This is a chance to go off-the-beaten-track. Self-drive through some of the more remote and in-accessible parts of Southern Africa experiencing the regions iconic scenery and cultural heritage whilst developing and putting your skills to the test over pristine 4x4 terrain. This is not an overland tour where 20 people are bussed between main attractions on the cheap, nor is it an exclusive tour between luxury lodges keeping you veiled from the African way of life. All you need is a full and valid driving licence. Your group leader is a qualified off-road operator and will be on-hand to coach you though the more challenging elements of the journey.
*Visit Etosha National Park, see its dense population of wildlife in Southern Africa’s most photogenic lighting. Make sure you bring a camera and a pair of binoculars.
*Explore the Okavango Delta by mokoro, its sprawling tranquil waterways and its diverse range of wildlife will offer exciting animal encounters.
*Drive through Savuti and Chobe National Parks, home to the densest population of elephants in the world.
*View the majestic Victoria falls, and make the most of the broad range of (optional) activities the area has to offer, including its world-renowned, white-water rafting.
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*Drive through and stay in Khaudum one of Namibia's most remote parks, giving you a sense of being truly in the wild.
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IS THIS EXPEDITION RIGHT FOR YOU?
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*Parts of this trip will involve camping (on the roof of your vehicle) in remote locations with no fence between you and the wild. For most travelers the experience of listening to the sounds of the bush so close at night or the exhilaration of an elephant walking through camp proves to be the highlight of their trip. You will have a phased introduction, starting with fenced camps to first become comfortable in your surroundings.
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*The best game viewing is early in the morning and it is best practice to leave as much contingency daylight ahead of you to get to the next camp, so expect some long driving days and many early starts. The excitement of seeing your first lion will make the early start worth it.
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*This is a participatory trip, so you will be hands on with purchasing provisions, camp set-up, cooking and cleaning. Team spirit and making new friends are all part of the experience.
*Some camps may not have showers or proper toilets, so you will need to use the water tanks on the vehicles to wash and may need to use a “bush toilet”, a small price to pay to be truly in the wild.
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*Whilst our vehicles are maintained to the highest standard and guaranteed to be a maximum of 3 years old, the wear and tear from rough terrain may result in delays from breakdowns. We operate a no vehicle gets left behind policy.
*“This is Africa!” Expect to find a river in flood or a route no longer passable. There may be instances where your leader will have to change plans at the last minute. This is all part of the adventure, but rest assured contingency is built into the trip to get you to the final destination on time.
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DETAILED SCHEDULE
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DAY 1 - WINDHOEK
We start at 16.30pm in the hotel reception with a welcome meeting. This will be a chance for us to get to know each other and for those who want to we will go out for bite and a drink afterwards. Here we check your travel insurance and driving licence details.
, as well as complete all rental agreements and permissions forms to take your vehicle across borders. Following this we collect our vehicles and spend the afternoon going through pre-expedition checks and vehicle familiarisation on features such as diff-lock, winch, low range gear transmission, fridges, roof tents and auxiliary battery use. We will also cover the theory on driving around animals, as well as in sand and through water, all of which you will get to put into practice over the coming two weeks.
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Accommodation provided: hotel
Meals included: none
Activities included: Welcome meeting
DAY 2 - ETOSHA (OKAUKUEJU)
We start out early with vehicle collection and familiarisation, plus a trip to the local supermarket to stock up on supplies. Following which we’ll be ready to set off to Etosha National Park. Etosha, Namibia’s most iconic game park, has a great density of wildlife, good quality road network and secure lodge facilities. Perfect for relaxing after a long journey and acclimatising to the bush.
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Accommodation provided: campsite
Meals included: breakfast(the camp restaurant will have a wide range of meals available, and the shop will offer BBQ and snacking essentials)
Activities included: safari
Optional activities: guided walk, night drive
DAY 3 - ETOSHA (OKAUKUEJU)
Many people will have been traveling for a while so you will have the option of a self-drive safari through the park or to relax at camp.
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Accommodation provided: campsite
Meals included: none (the camp restaurant has a wide range of meals available, and the shop offers BBQ and snacking essentials)
Activities included: safari
Optional activities: guided walk, night drive
DAY 4 - ETOSHA (NAMUTONI)
Set off early for a 4 hour drive across Etosha. Take in the stunning, photogenic scenery and rich density of wildlife.
Accommodation provided: campsite
Meals included: none (the camp restaurant has a wide range of meals available, and the shop offers BBQ and snacking essentials)
Activities included: safari, introduction to offroading
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DAY 5 - TSUMKWE
The day will start by exiting Etosha to travel east to Tsumkwe, stopping enroute to stock up on supplies and fuel.
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Accommodation provided: campsite
Meals included: dinner
Activities included: safari, off-road trail​
Optional activities: sunset cruise
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DAY 6 - KHAUDUM
Khaudum is one of Namibia’s most remote and untouched parks. Your 4x4 driving skills will be put to the test in the sand on entering the park. We will spend two nights in Khaudum camp.
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Accommodation provided: campsite
Meals included: dinner
Activities included: safari, off-road trail
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DAY 7 - KHAUDUM
We will spend the day exploring the park. The thick sandy trails and surprisingly dense population of wildlife providing the entertainment for the day.
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Accommodation provided: campsite
Meals included: dinner
Activities included: off-road trail, safari ​
DAY 8 - TSODILO HILLS
After an early morning border crossing we will visit Tsodilo Hills World Heritage Site, where we will over night to be ready for an early start into the Okavango the next day. We will stop enroute at Shakawe for fuel and supplies.
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Accommodation provided: campsite
Meals included: Dinner
Activities: Border crossing, re-stock supplies, off-road trail
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DAY 9 - OKAVANGO DELTA
Set off into the Okavango delta for a couple of nights in a luxury tented camp. Enjoy a break from the road, a decent shower get your washing done!
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Accommodation provided: bush camp
Meals included: dinner
Activities included: delta ferry crossing
DAY 10 - OKAVANGO DELTA
We spend the day in the hands of the very capable bush lodge staff, who will guide us around the delta by safari vehicle and mokoro. Expect to lots of game with a very good chance of sighting the big cats.
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Accommodation provided: bush camp
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Activities included: mokoro, safari
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DAY 11 - MABABE
We head to the north east side of the delta and spend our night camping in the Mababe community trust area, on the banks of Khwai river. Expect to encounter elephants walking through camp and an abundant amount of wildlife all around.
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Accommodation provided: campsite
Meals included: breakfast, dinner
Activities included: safari, off-road trail
DAY 11 - MABABE
Relax in camp or if you can't get enough of the bush take the opportunity for a drive around the area.
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Accommodation provided: campsite
Meals included: dinner
Activities included: safari, off-road trail
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DAY 12 - SAVUTE
We set off early for excellent game viewing opportunities to Savuti in Chobe National Park, home to one of the densest populations of elephant in the world.
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Accommodation provided: campsite
Meals included: dinner
Activities: off-road trail, safari
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DAY 14 - VICTORIA FALLS
Set off early to Kasane, where we return our vehicles and transfer to Victoria Falls.
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Accommodation provided: lodge
Meals included: none
Activities included: Victoria Falls entrance fee
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DAY 15 - VICTORIA FALLS
Relax. Enjoy the wide selection of activities the area has to offer. We will conclude our final night with a meal out together.
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Accommodation provided: lodge
Meals included: breakfast
Activities included: none
Optional activities: amongst the many highlights include: white-water rafting, Zambezi river cruise, helicopter tour of the falls.
DAY 16 - DEPART
We will visit the Victoria Falls National Park on our last morning together. There is an airport in Victoria falls (flights not included), or if you choose to stay on make sure you arrange accommodation in advance.
Meals included: breakfast
From £2795 per person
16
days
HOW PRICING IS CALCULATED
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The cost to book a vehicle is
£3795
per person based on 2 people sharing the vehicle,
with an additional person supplement of
£1198
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for each extra passenger
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For single travellers there are a few spaces at
£2795
each, available in the guide vehicles.
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WHAT IS INCLUDED:
Fully equipped vehicle (including bedding, tents, chairs, kitchen equipment)
All accommodation (1 hotel, 2 lodge, 2 luxury camp and all remaining campsite nights)
5 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 10 dinners
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Standard vehicle insurance
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WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO COVER:
Dinners out, breakfasts on the go, travel snacks and alcohol
The cost of optional activities
Visa fees
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Fuel, unless you are in a guide vehicle
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Flights
SUMMARY
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START:
Windhoek, Namibia
FINISH:
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
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DESTINATIONS:
Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe
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MINIMUM DRIVER AGE:
23
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MINIMUM PARTICIPANT AGE:
15
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EXPEDITION SIZE:
Maximum 4 vehicles
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PEOPLE PER VEHICLE:
Minimum 2, maximum 4
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SCHEDULE:
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DAY 1
Meet in Windhoek @ 17:00
Accommodation: Hotel
Activities: briefing
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DAY 2
Vehicle collection, drive to Okaukueju (Etosha)
Accommodation: Camp
Activities: afternoon safari
DAY 3
Stay in Okaukueju (Etosha)
Accommodation: Camp
Activities: safari & relax
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DAY 4
Drive to Namutoni (Etosha)
Accommodation: Camp
Activities: safari
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DAY 5
Drive to Khaudum
Accommodation: Camp
Activities: off-roading, safari, boat cruise
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DAY 6
Stay in Khaudum
Accommodation: Camp
Activities: off-roading, safari
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DAY 7
Stay in Khaudum
Accommodation: Camp
Activities: off-roading, safari
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DAY 8
Drive to Tsodilo
Accommodation: Camp
Activities: border crossing, restock supplies
DAY 9
Drive to North Okavango Delta
Accommodation: Luxury bush lodge
Activities: , Tsodilo Hills world heritage site in the morning
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DAY 10
Stay in Okavango Delta
Accommodation: Camp
Activities: mokoro, Okavango delta game drive
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DAY 11
Drive to Mababe
Accommodation: Camp
Activities: off-roading, safari
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DAY 12
Stay in Mababe
Accommodation: Camp
Activities: relax, safari
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DAY 13
Drive to Savuti
Accommodation: Camp
Activities: safari & 4x4 trail
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DAY 14
Drive to Kasane, Transfer to Victoria Falls
Accommodation: Lodge
Activities: border crossing, explore Victoria Falls
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DAY 15
Stay in Victoria Falls
Accommodation: Lodge
Activities: Relax, see the sights. Evening Meal Out.
Optional Activities: white water rafting, bungie, amongst many others.
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DAY 16
Visit the falls, Depart