The daily itinerary states which meals are included. We suggest you allow about US$250 for meals not included in the itinerary. Camp meals should be wholesome and plentiful, but do not expect cordon bleu cooking. However, the general standard of food is good and vegetarians are well catered for. Please notify us of specific dietary requirements.

Drinking water: While the tap water in South Africa is generally considered safe to drink, we recommend avoiding drinking directly from the taps during your stay. Standards and sensitivities can vary, and we want to make sure you stay well throughout your trip. For your comfort and peace of mind, we recommend using filtered or bottled water instead. The water we provide on our vehicles are either from water outlet shops or they’ve been treated with water purification tablets.

Paddle the Orange River (Gariep) along a tranquil, mountainous border between Namibia and South Africa. Navigate calm channels and minor rapids with guidance from local river crew, passing reedbeds alive with dragonflies and shoreline fig trees.

As you drift, watch for African fish eagles, cormorants and herons scanning the surface. The gentle pace and clear desert light make this an easygoing, nature-focused adventure ideal for both first-timers and keen photographers.

Sample regional wines in the sun-warmed Olifants River Valley, where vines thrive alongside citrus orchards. Visit a family-run cellar to compare crisp Chenin, aromatic Sauvignon Blanc or a bold Shiraz, guided by hosts passionate about their craft.

Learn how soils, climate and the cooling Atlantic influence the Cape Winelands terroir this far north of Cape Town. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; designated driver provided.

Hike into Valley 45 on the flanks of Namibia’s highest mountain, Brandberg, to see the ‘White Lady’ rock painting tucked within a granite overhang. The trail winds among boulders and dry riverbeds, with desert-adapted plants brightening the stark Damaraland landscape.

Thought to be more than 2,000 years old, these figures are a window into indigenous San rock art, rendered in ochres and charcoal. Your walk reveals both the craftsmanship of the paintings and the geology that shelters them in this sun-baked massif.

Glide by mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe, through reed-fringed channels of the Kavango River. Your poler quietly navigates calm waters where kingfishers flash and herons stalk the shallows, creating an intimate, low-to-the-water viewpoint ideal for birdwatching and riverbank photography.

This timeless mode of travel connects you to the rhythms of the river that ultimately fans into the Okavango. The birdlife is prolific seasonally, and the gentle pace accentuates the sound of wind in the reeds and the occasional splash of fish beneath the hull.

Cross Etosha’s open plains to venture on game drives in search of lions, elephants, giraffes and more against the pale backdrop of the Etosha Pan, the “Great White Place.” Guides focus on productive waterholes where wildlife congregates for striking, close-range viewing.

After dark at select camps, floodlit waterholes can reveal nocturnal dramas—black rhino, spotted hyena or shy antelope stepping from the mopane woods. This blend of daytime exploration and evening vigil offers a rounded portrait of Namibia’s signature wildlife sanctuary.

Watch sunrise over the dunes as the Namib’s scarlet ridges ignite with color, then climb Dune 45 or another towering crest for sweeping views across the dune sea. Continue to the salt-and-clay pan of Dead Vlei, where ancient camel-thorn trees stand stark against luminous sand.

Later, visit Sesriem Canyon, a narrow chasm carved by the Tsauchab River. Its cool, shaded walls contrast with the open desert, revealing the erosive power that has shaped this primeval landscape over millennia.

Stand on the canyon rim and trace the meanders of Africa’s great southern gorge as shadows lengthen. At golden hour, sunset paints layered rock in ochres and violets, revealing terraces plunging hundreds of meters to the river far below.

This vast, silent chasm anchors the Ai-Ais–Richtersveld Transfrontier Park. Keep an eye out for soaring raptors riding evening thermals while you take in one of Namibia’s most dramatic panoramas.

Follow the Atlantic seaboard to drive Chapman’s Peak, a cliff-hugging road revealing breakers and sea cliffs. Continue through Table Mountain National Park to visit Cape Point, where fynbos slopes cascade to turquoise bays and ocean swells.

In Simon’s Town, see African penguins at Boulders Beach, the famous colony nesting among granite boulders. Scenic pull-offs and coastal villages add texture and photo stops throughout this definitive Cape Peninsula circuit.

Walk the rainforest trail to viewpoints facing the Main Falls, Horseshoe Falls and the Devil’s Cataract. Feel the plume’s cool mist, hear the thunder, and watch rainbows arc across the gorge as the Zambezi plunges over basalt cliffs.

Known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya—“the smoke that thunders”—the falls combine raw power with lush microclimate. This is an optional activity at additional cost, bookable on tour; entrance fees apply and ponchos are recommended in high-water months.

Take a scenic helicopter flight for a sweeping aerial of the Zambezi as it spills into the Batoka Gorge. The classic ‘Flight of Angels’ arcs above the cataracts and zigzags of the gorge, revealing patterns and rainbows invisible from the ground.

With superb visibility for photos, this short flight captures the scale and drama of the world-famous waterfall. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour and weather dependent.

Tackle Grade IV–V rapids on the lower Zambezi with expert river guides. Between adrenaline-charged runs, float past cathedral-like basalt walls of the Batoka Gorge, watching for bee-eaters and raptors on sun-warmed ledges.

Safety briefings, helmets and life vests are provided, with portages where needed depending on river levels. This is an optional activity at additional cost, bookable on tour and highly seasonal due to changing water flows.

Cruise Walvis Bay lagoon to spot Heaviside’s and bottlenose dolphins, playful Cape fur seals, and pelicans gliding low over Benguela-current waters. Skirt the Pelican Point sandspit for sweeping views where desert meets ocean.

Skippers share insights into ocean ecology, local fisheries and Namibia’s working harbor. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; warm layers are recommended on the open water.

Meet local residents on a guided visit through a Swakopmund township to learn about daily life, entrepreneurial projects and community initiatives. Sample bites from neighborhood markets and hear stories that bring the coastal city’s diverse cultures into focus.

Guides introduce traditions, crafts and contemporary challenges with sensitivity and openness. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; participation supports community-based tourism.

Board a light aircraft to trace salt pans, dune seas and a shipwreck-strewn shoreline. From above, the star dunes of the Namib and pale lagoons reveal stark contrasts where wind, sand and Atlantic swells shape the coast.

This flight highlights Sandwich Harbour’s curves and the desert’s shifting palette—spectacle best appreciated from the air. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour and weather dependent.

Ride the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway to a fynbos-covered plateau with trails and viewpoints over the City Bowl, panoramas over the city and Atlantic, and the serrated Twelve Apostles.

Rotating cabins ensure 360-degree vistas during the ascent. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; operation is weather dependent and timed for clear conditions when possible.

Visit a riverside village near the Kavango to meet artisans and families, hearing about farming, fishing and river life. Observe or try hands-on skills such as basket weaving and learn about building methods for traditional homesteads.

Guides facilitate respectful interaction and context on customs, language and contemporary challenges. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; contributions help support community projects.

Set out to join a guided game drive across Chobe’s savannahs, scanning for lions, buffalo and the region’s famed huge herds of elephants. In the afternoon, cruise the Chobe River to watch hippos wallow and crocodiles bask while elephants wade the shallows—wildlife often gathers astonishingly close to the boat.

Chobe’s life-giving waterways draw animals year-round, and the soft evening light ignites the reedbeds and sandbanks. As sunset over the floodplains deepens the colors, enjoy superb photographic angles and a serene vantage on Botswana’s prolific wildlife.