Botswana, Zimbabwe & Namibia

Unwind from the stresses of real life by immersing yourself in bliss of the Okavango Delta. A light aircraft will carry you from Maun in Botswana to the airstrip, where a driver will be waiting to take you to Xakanaxa Camp on the Khwai River. Xakanaxa is the Moremi Game Reserve and has one of the most unique features of all Botswana’s camps: an in-tent ‘misting system’ that cools you down in the heat of the afternoon. This is a very rare luxury and is ideal if you prefer to stay in your tent with a good book rather than laze at the swimming pool.

Although Moremi is a small reserve by Africa’s colossal standards, it is packed with jaw-dropping natural beauty and plenty of wildlife, especially endangered wild dogs, elephants, hippos, crocodiles and plenty of migratory bird species. As you are poled along the shimmering waterways in a mokoro, look for minute frogs among the reeds and enjoy the sight of delicate pastel waterlilies floating on the surface.

After three days of high-octane safari in Moremi, you head back to the airstrip for the short flight to Kasane, from where you will be driven across the border to Victoria Falls Town in Zimbabwe. This small but busy town is the gateway to Victoria Falls, that massive drop of water on the Zambezi River traditionally known as Mosi-au-Tunya or ‘the smoke that thunders’.

Your home here will be Ilala Lodge, named after the tall palm trees that dot the area and whose location on a hilltop gives you a view of the Falls’ white spray rising into the air – enjoy lunch or afternoon tea with this beautiful vista as a backdrop.

Ilala Lodge has an elegant laidback atmosphere that is ideal for adventurous types who want to be on the go with canoe trails or guided walks but also provides enough peace and quiet for those who enjoy sunset cruises or following the antics of the local birds (look out for lilac-breasted rollers, African fish eagles and carmine bee-eaters) with a pair of binoculars. Between activities, stretch out alongside the swimming pool or cool down with a few laps and a couple of iced drinks

It is time to bid Africa’s greatest waterfall farewell, which starts with being driven to Victoria Falls International Airport for the short flight to Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. Despite geographical proximity to each other, the countries could not be more different: Zimbabwe is home to one of the world’s largest sheets of water; Namibia to its oldest desert. Yet the same sense of timeless eternity, peace and serenity is to be found in each.

When you land at Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek, your rental 4x4 will be waiting for you and your next adventure. Namibia has an excellent and well-maintained road network with very little other traffic – great conditions for enjoying a road trip! Your first stop will be Olive Grove guesthouse in a quiet, upscale neighbourhood just outside the city centre. With a welcoming, homely atmosphere, this is a very comfortable spot to spend the night before setting out for Sossusvlei.

Rising hundreds of feet above the surface of Namib-Naukluft National Park, the dunes of Sossusvlei are among the most photogenic in the world. Deep shades of gold, ochre and bronze depending on the time of day, they are a favourite with visitors to this desert country. Dune 45 is popular to climb at sunrise while nearby Dead Vlei – literally an ancient wetland that is now parched dry and studded with desiccated tree stumps – is an otherworldly place that must be seen to be believed.

You will have plenty of time to explore this scenic landscape as you check into Sossusvlei Lodge for two nights, an air-conditioned haven that also has a private beer garden, a swimming pool and family-friendly rooms.

A great way to see the dunes is from the air, either on a dawn hot-air balloon ride or by a light aircraft, the undulating ripples of sand opening out before you all the way to the turbulent Atlantic Ocean. If you would prefer to stay with your feet on solid ground, then your options are no less varied: lace up your hiking boots for a guided nature walk to understand how the smallest of creatures survives this seemingly unforgiving landscape or flick the ignition on a quad bike (ATV) for a thrilling ride over the sand led by an experienced guide.

Swakopmund must be one of the most unique towns in all of Africa. Lying on the Atlantic shore and frequently cocooned by fogs off the ocean, it is a treasure trove of Germanic architecture dating back to the 1800s when Namibia was colonised by Germany. Quaint old houses and shops in retro colours dominate the town’s centre and it is not unusual to see German cuisine on the menus of Swakopmund’s cosy restaurants.

After your drive from Sossusvlei you will be welcomed by the staff at the Swakopmund Guesthouse, where the airy décor takes its inspiration from the close proximity of the beach.

This morning you leave city life behind and head for Damaraland, specifically the magnificent Brandberg Mountains and the Huab River valley. Your home for two days will be Damaraland Camp, which is arguably Namibia’s most successful eco lodge. The rugged landscape may look inhospitable to the untrained eye but your highly experienced guides and trackers will be able to look for desert-adapted elephants, lion and probably the most iconic of the country’s desert animals: the scimitar-horned oryx.

In addition to rewarding wildlife sightings, Damaraland has some of the world’s most interesting and detailed rock art. Get in the saddle on a mountain bike and set out for Twyfelfontein, where there is a massive concentration of petroglyphs – or rock carvings – by the San that could date back at least 6 000 years. Twyfelfontein is considered so unique that it was declared Namibia’s first World Heritage Site in 2007.

You are now in northern Namibia and ready for ‘the big one’: Etosha National Pan. This is a self-driver’s heaven: flat roads, plenty of game and mysterious Etosha Pan. Your accommodation – Ongava Tented Camp - is in a private reserve adjacent to the national park which allows you to have the best of both worlds. By day, you can venture into Etosha for classic game drives and, in the evening, you can do night drives around Ongava. The private reserve allows you do undertake guided walking safaris, which are also not permitted in the national park.

If you would prefer to spend a day out of the vehicle, then settle into a comfortable seat with a cool drink at Ongava’s popular waterhole, which is floodlit at night, for easy ‘armchair game viewing’. Although you will be staying in a tent, you will have running water, a flush toilet and a ceiling fan – necessary comforts in the bush!

The area is known to shelter plenty of predators so be on the lookout for lion and cheetah, which are fairly commonly spotted.

After a week in Namibia and a further week discovering Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta, you will have explored some of Southern Africa’s most enticing, evocative and unforgettable landscapes. Today, you commit them to memory and drive back to Windhoek, the friendly staff at Olive Grove waiting to hear all about your journey through their incredible country.