Itinerary:
Day 1: Windhoek. Arrive at any time.
Accommodation: Auas City Hotel (or similar) - Hotel
Today's activities:
- Meet your CEO and group: Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Day 2: Windhoek/Ghanzi. Get ready to check another country off your list as the group crosses the border from Namibia into Botswana. Travel east into the heart of the Kalahari to Ghanzi. Catch a glimpse of how the Indigenous San Bushmen adapted to this difficult landscape on a San bushman walk.
Then while the day comes to an end, enjoy the warm hospitality of the San Bushmen as the group will be staying at the Dqae Qare San Lodge & Camp. The best part? You are making a difference in the lives of this community just by enjoying your time at camp. So sit back, allow yourself to become immersed in their history and culture, sit around the fire, and simply enjoy the moment.
Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: Palm Afrique Lodge (or similar) - Lodge
Today's activities:
- Private Vehicle: Windhoek - Ghanzi, 8 hours. Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
- Border Crossing (Namibia - Botswana): Buitepos - Mamuno. Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list. Today, you will be crossing at the Trans-Kalahari Border Post.
- Guided Bush San Walk: Get a glimpse of how the San tribe adapted to the Kalahari Desert and learn about their fascinating wilderness survival skills. The gatherer life of the San/Bushmen has all but disappeared; there are few remaining who retain the survival skills of their ancient way of life. During the walk, San/Bushmen guides will share their knowledge on mastering this harsh environment, helping us learn about the botany of our surroundings.
- Dqae Qare San Lodge & Camp: Immerse yourself in the culture and history of the Naro San when you stay at Dqae Qare San Lodge & Camp tonight. This campsite and wildlife area is the only land-owned freehold by an Indigenous community in all of Southern Africa. The San are known throughout the continent for their warm hospitality, and tonight you have the opportunity to be immersed in their history and culture with a bush walk and dance around the campfire. Dqae Qare San Lodge provides much-needed employment for the nearby village of D'kar, and revenue from the lodge is invested in the nearby preschool, art program, museum, and community projects that bring clean water and other resources to the village. Everything for the lodge is community-sourced, including the labour, materials, artwork and ingredients for meals.
Day 3: Ghanzi to Maun. Prepare for a 1-night/2-day journey into the Okavango Delta.
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Sedia Hotel (or similar) - Hotel
Today's activities:
- Private Vehicle: Ghanzi - Maun, 4 hours. Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Day 4: Okavango Delta. Enjoy wildlife walks, birding and traditional mokoro excursions in the Okavango Delta. Learn the ways of the bush from the local 'polers'.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Okavango Delta Camp (or similar) - Campground
Today's activities:
- 4x4: Maun - Okavango Delta, 1 hour. Roads? Where this rough-and-ready vehicle's going, we don't need roads.
- Mokoro: Okavango Delta - Okavanga Delta, 1 hour. Climb into a traditional canoe for a closer view of the shoreline.
- Okavango Delta Excursion: Step into the heart of Botswana’s wilderness on an unforgettable journey into the Okavango Delta. Your adventure begins with a scenic drive in an open 4x4 safari vehicle, travelling deep into the Sankoyo Concession, a pristine area teeming with wildlife and rich in natural beauty. Our secluded camp offers a true bush experience, with comfortable, fully-set-up tents and the sounds of nature all around. From here, you’ll explore the Delta the traditional way, gliding quietly through the waterways in a mokoro canoe, steered by skilled local polers who know the channels like the back of their hand. Back on land, a guided walking safari gives you the rare opportunity to connect with the bush on foot. Learn about the plants, animal tracks, and smaller wildlife often missed from a vehicle, while keeping an eye out for the Delta’s bigger residents. Evenings are spent relaxing by the campfire under a sky scattered with stars, swapping stories and listening to the night sounds of Africa. This is more than a trip, it’s an immersion into one of the world’s most remarkable ecosystems, guided by the people who call it home.
- Tswana Dance Performance: Enjoy a captivating performance by the Polers in the Okavango Delta. They will sing traditional songs in the Tswana language, providing a glimpse into local culture. Each performance is unique, as different groups of Polers bring their own songs and style. It's a relaxed, authentic experience that adds a special touch to your evening in the Delta.
Day 5: Okavango Delta/Nata. Enjoy the sunrise in the delta before travelling back to Maun by mokoro. Stop in Maun, pick up your luggage, have lunch, and continue to Nata.
Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: Elephant Sands Lodge (or similar) - Lodge
Today's activities:
- Mokoro: Okavango Delta - Okavango Delta, 1 hour. Climb into a traditional canoe for a closer view of the shoreline.
- 4x4: Okavango Delta - Maun, 1 hour. Roads? Where this rough-and-ready vehicle's going, we don't need roads.
- Private Vehicle: Maun - Nata, 5 hours. Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Day 6: Nata/Kasane. Travel to Kasane. Opt to embark on a sunset boat cruise on the Chobe River.
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Thebe River Safaris Lodge (or similar) - Lodge
Today's activities:
- Private Vehicle: Nata - Kasane, 4 hours. Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Day 7: Kasane/Victoria Falls. Opt for an early morning safari drive in Chobe National Park, before crossing into Zimbabwe. Enjoy lunch at the Lusumpuko Women's Club. Take advantage of free time and choose to visit Victoria Falls, or try a helicopter flight over them.
Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
Accommodation: Explorers Village Lodge (or similar) - Lodge
Today's activities:
- Private Vehicle: Kasane - Kazungula, 30 minutes. Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
- Border Crossing (Botswana to Zimbabwe or vice versa): Kazungula. Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.
- Private Vehicle: Kazungula - Victoria Falls, 1 hour. Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
- Lusumpuko Women's Club Lunch: Start your visit to Victoria Falls off on the right foot by sitting down to a traditional, Zimbabwean meal, cooked by the Lusumpuko Women's Club, a group of women from a nearby township. A demonstration by the ladies will show you exactly how Zimbabweans traditionally eat their food, and you'll be served a farm-to-table meal made with traditional, local, in-season ingredients. This meal provides much-needed income to the cooperatives' 20 members - changing their lives and families in the process.
Your accommodation is in Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) and NOT Livingstone (Zambia). Please make sure you have the necessary visa.
Day 8: Victoria Falls. Depart at any time.
Meals included: Breakfast
We highly recommend booking post-accommodation to fully experience everything Victoria Falls and the Zambezi area has to offer.
Next Steps
Ready to go? Simply request a spot via your MyIVHQ profile, and our team will reach out with availability and seasonal pricing details.
This tour can be completed before your volunteering experience in Zambia, we'll help with recommendations to bridge any gaps between your volunteer program and the tour. These arrangements are your responsibility and we can provide you with personalized transit and accommodation advice to make your travel straightforward.
Best of all, you’ll be in great hands with our trusted partners who have led sustainable, community-first travel for 30 years. Your adventure makes a real, positive difference every step of the way.
Please note that exact activities and timing can vary depending on the season and availability. Don't worry, your tour provider will share your final, confirmed itinerary once your dates are set!
Let’s get your journey started!
...
