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Aerial view of Victoria Falls plunging into the gorge

Private safari

11-Day Botswana & Victoria Falls Private Safari

11 daysPrivate safariBotswanaIndividually quoted

Spray above the Zambezi, elephants swimming the Chobe, a spotlight sweeping the Khwai floodplain after dark and the hush of a poled canoe in the Delta: four kinds of water country in ten nights, with no backtracking.

Customize This Journey
Duration11 days · 10 nights
Best monthsApril–October, ideally May–July
Comfort levelsComfort · Premium · Luxury
RouteVictoria Falls · Kasane · Chobe Riverfront · Khwai · Okavango Delta · Maun
Best forFirst-time visitors who want Victoria Falls and Botswana’s finest water country in one trip, without rushing either
Trip typePrivate safari

This Victoria Falls and Okavango Delta itinerary is built for travelers who want both of the region’s great sights properly, not a glimpse of each. It opens with two nights at Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe side, crosses into Botswana by road at Kazungula, and then heads deeper into wild country with every move: the elephant-crowded Chobe riverfront, the community-run Khwai area on the edge of Moremi, and finally a water camp in the Okavango Delta.

Each stop adds something the previous one could not. Chobe is a national park, seen at its best from a boat. Khwai is a community concession where night drives are normally allowed. The Delta brings the mokoro, the quiet poled canoe that defines Botswana for many travelers. If you only have six days, the Victoria Falls and Chobe safari is the short version of this route; this one keeps going into the Delta.

Why this route works

The falls come first because Victoria Falls Airport connects easily through Johannesburg, and two nights of hotel comfort absorb the jet lag before camp life begins. Kasane is only about 80 km away, so a drive through the Kazungula border replaces what would otherwise be another flight. From Chobe onward the journey trades roads for light aircraft, and each camp is more remote than the one before it. Khwai and the Okavango Delta get three nights each because every flight uses part of a day; three nights leave two unbroken days in both. Ending in the Delta puts your quietest days last, and Maun’s scheduled services take you straight back to Johannesburg.

Itinerary

Day by Day

A suggested flow — every day can be reshaped around you.

  1. Day 1 · Victoria Falls

    Spray on the Horizon

    Drive · Victoria Falls Airport → Victoria Falls town · about 25–30 minutes

    Most US travelers reach Victoria Falls through Johannesburg, often after a night there to break the long journey. Your driver meets you at Victoria Falls Airport for the transfer into town, about 20 km through mopane woodland where elephants sometimes cross the road. The rest of the day is unscheduled: a swim, a browse through the craft stalls or simply an early night. On a still evening the rumble of the falls carries a long way, and the spray cloud catches the last light above the trees.

    • Meet-and-greet at Victoria Falls Airport
    • Afternoon at leisure
    Overnight
    Victoria Falls
    Meals
    Dinner

  2. Day 2 · Victoria Falls

    A Morning at the Falls

    Go early, when the paths are quiet. A local guide leads you along the rainforest trail on the Zimbabwe side, a line of viewpoints facing the main cataracts across a narrow chasm, and explains how the Zambezi cut its zigzag of gorges. How much water you see depends on the month: from about February to May the curtain is at full force and the spray can soak you, while late in the dry season parts of the rock face stand bare. The afternoon is free for optional activities on the Zimbabwe side, which our Victoria Falls page describes season by season.

    • Guided walk through the rainforest viewpoints
    • Optional sunset cruise, helicopter flight or rafting
    • Free afternoon in town
    Overnight
    Victoria Falls
    Meals
    Breakfast & dinner

  3. Day 3 · Kasane

    Across the Border at Kazungula

    Drive · Victoria Falls → Kasane, via the Kazungula Road border · about 1–1.5 hours plus border formalities

    After breakfast you drive west to the Kazungula Road border, complete Zimbabwe exit and Botswana entry formalities, and continue a few minutes into Kasane, the small river town that serves Chobe. The transfer covers about 80 km. Botswana is visa-free for US passport holders at the time of writing, but you may be asked for a yellow-fever certificate if your flights connected through a risk country such as Kenya or Ethiopia. Settle into your riverside lodge over lunch, then board a boat in mid-afternoon for your first look at the Chobe from the water.

    • Road transfer and border crossing at Kazungula
    • Afternoon boat safari on the Chobe River
    Overnight
    Chobe Riverfront (Kasane)
    Meals
    Breakfast, lunch & dinner
  4. Elephant herd on the Chobe riverfront floodplain

    Day 4 · Chobe Riverfront

    Chobe by Land and Water

    The park gate is only about 10 km from Kasane, so you can be on the riverfront tracks soon after sunrise, while lions are still active and the light is soft. The floodplain opposite belongs to Namibia. Between the two banks, dry-season elephant herds come down to drink and swim in numbers few places can match, alongside buffalo and puku, a floodplain antelope found in few other parts of Botswana. After lunch and a rest you return to the river, drifting beside bathing elephants, hippo pods and basking crocodiles at eye level. Chobe is a national park, so drives end at dusk and vehicles keep to the tracks.

    • Morning game drive on the riverfront
    • Afternoon boat safari
    • Birding for fish eagles and, in season, carmine bee-eaters
    Overnight
    Chobe Riverfront (Kasane)
    Meals
    Breakfast, lunch & dinner
  5. Zebra herd wading through shallow delta water

    Day 5 · Khwai

    Light Aircraft to Khwai

    Flight · Kasane Airport → Khwai airstrip · about 1 hour

    A light aircraft lifts off from Kasane for the flight south-west to the Khwai airstrip, about an hour over the Chobe woodlands and the edge of the Mababe Depression. Pack for it: the allowance on these small planes is about 20 kg per person, hand luggage included, in a soft bag without a frame. Your guide meets the plane and drives you to camp beside the Khwai River, which forms part of the northern boundary of Moremi Game Reserve. The afternoon drive follows the river’s lagoons, where hippos grunt and elephants wade between the reserve and the community land.

    • Light-aircraft flight to Khwai
    • Afternoon game drive along the Khwai River
    Overnight
    Khwai
    Meals
    Breakfast, lunch & dinner

  6. Day 6–7 · Khwai

    Khwai After Dark

    Khwai is managed by a trust for the village near Moremi’s North Gate, and its rules are what make these two days different from Chobe. Where the national park closes at dusk, here your guide can usually carry on after sundowners with a spotlight, looking for leopards on the move, hunting hyenas, genets and bushbabies. Mornings can start on foot if you wish, reading tracks with a qualified guide before the vehicle catches up. When the river is high enough, a mokoro trip on the Khwai’s lagoons adds a quiet, low-level view. Expect other vehicles here; your camp and your guide’s timing shape how busy the drives feel.

    • Morning and afternoon game drives
    • Night drive with a spotlight
    • Optional guided bush walk
    • Mokoro on the Khwai River when water allows
    Overnight
    Khwai
    Meals
    Breakfast, lunch & dinner
  7. Aerial view over the winding channels and islands of the Okavango Delta

    Day 8 · Okavango Delta

    Down into the Delta

    Flight · Khwai airstrip → Okavango Delta camp airstrip · about 20–40 minutes

    A short flight carries you from Khwai into the heart of the Okavango Delta. From the air the pattern finally makes sense: silver channels, round islands ringed by palms, and floodplains filled by rain that fell in the Angolan highlands months earlier. Your water camp sits on one of these islands, surrounded by reeds and open lagoons, and travel from here is mostly by boat. In the afternoon you head out by motorboat along a main channel, watching for red lechwe splashing across the shallows and African fish eagles calling from the treetops.

    • Light-aircraft flight into the Delta
    • Afternoon motorboat excursion
    • Sundowners on a lagoon
    Overnight
    Okavango Delta
    Meals
    Breakfast, lunch & dinner

  8. Day 9–10 · Okavango Delta

    Poling Through the Papyrus

    These are the slowest days of the trip, and for many travelers the ones they talk about afterward. A poler stands at the stern of your mokoro and pushes you through lily-covered channels that are often little more than knee-deep, close enough to spot painted reed frogs clinging to the stems. You stop on an island for a guided walk, reading elephant and buffalo tracks, then return by motorboat for lunch. Water activities follow the flood, so in lower-water weeks your camp may shift the mokoro to deeper channels and add more boating.

    • Mokoro excursion with a local poler
    • Guided island walk
    • Motorboat outing and a lagoon sunset
    • Optional helicopter flight over the Delta
    Overnight
    Okavango Delta
    Meals
    Breakfast, lunch & dinner

  9. Day 11 · Maun

    Out Through Maun

    Flight · Okavango Delta camp airstrip → Maun · about 20–45 minutes — Scheduled onward flights from Maun to Johannesburg take about 2 hours.

    Take a final early outing on the water if your flight time allows, then pack your soft bags for the light aircraft to Maun, the Delta’s supply town and the hub for its bush flights. From Maun, scheduled services reach Johannesburg in about two hours. Many US-bound flights leave Johannesburg in the evening, so the connection often works on the same day; we check the timings before anything is booked. If you would rather not rush, add a night near Johannesburg’s airport.

    • Early boat or mokoro outing, time permitting
    • Light-aircraft flight to Maun
    • Connection to Johannesburg
    Meals
    Breakfast

Lodges

Where You’ll Stay

Choose a comfort level to see the stay style for each part of the journey. We match specific camps to your dates and availability.

Spacious, characterful camps in prime locations, with exceptional service and food.

  1. 2 nights · Victoria Falls

    Premium

    Victoria Falls · walk to the rainforest

    Period Hotel above the Gorge

    Heritage hotel

    • Terrace dining with gorge and bridge views
    • Garden path toward the rainforest entrance
    • Large pool in landscaped grounds

  2. 2 nights · Chobe Riverfront

    Luxury lodge deck with loungers and umbrellas at golden hourPremium

    Chobe Riverfront · Kasane riverbank

    Boutique Riverbank Lodge · Kasane

    Lodge

    • River-view rooms with private decks
    • Small boats for private or photographic outings
    • Pool overlooking the Chobe

  3. 3 nights · Khwai

    A canvas safari tent set among trees at a private tented campPremium

    Khwai · on the Khwai River

    Hippo-Pool Canvas Camp · Khwai River

    Tented camp

    • River-facing tents with private verandas
    • Mokoro on the Khwai River when water allows
    • Night drives and guided walks

  4. 3 nights · Okavango Delta

    A canvas safari tent set among trees at a private tented campPremium

    Okavango Delta · permanent channels

    Papyrus-Channel Water Camp

    Tented camp

    • Mokoro and motorboat outings in every season
    • Island walks with your guide
    • Tents raised on decks above the water’s edge

Price

Price

Every private safari is priced for your dates, party and choices — here is what moves the number.

Individually quoted

Custom pricing based on your dates, comfort level, party size and routing.

Get my quoteHow much a luxury safari costs
  • SeasonPeak months sit at the top of the range; green-season and shoulder months are noticeably softer at many camps.
  • Party sizeYour private vehicle and guide are shared across your party — the per-person cost typically falls as your group grows from two to four or six.
  • Comfort levelMoving from Comfort to Ultra-Luxury changes the nightly rate more than any other choice.
  • RoutingFlying the long legs saves hours on the road and adds light-aircraft fares; driving keeps costs lower.

What’s Included

  • Professional guiding throughout: a private vehicle and guide on road-based legs, and the camp’s own guides at fly-in camps (a private vehicle can often be added)
  • Accommodation at your chosen comfort level
  • Meals as listed day by day
  • Park and conservation fees for the itinerary
  • Airport meet-and-greet and road transfers as listed
  • Drinking water on game drives
  • Support from our team before and during your journey
  • Guided visit to the Victoria Falls rainforest, with entry
  • Road transfer from Victoria Falls to Kasane, with help at the Kazungula border
  • Boat safaris on the Chobe River each afternoon
  • Night drives in the Khwai community area
  • Mokoro and motorboat excursions from your Delta camp
  • Light-aircraft flights from Kasane to Khwai, the Delta and Maun

Not Included

  • International flights
  • Visa and entry fees
  • Travel and medical insurance (strongly recommended)
  • Gratuities for guides and camp staff
  • Premium drinks and personal expenses
  • Scheduled regional flights into Victoria Falls and out of Maun (we can book these)
  • Rafting, sunset cruises and helicopter flights at Victoria Falls
  • Doors-off helicopter flight over the Delta (optional add-on)
  • Hotel nights in Johannesburg before or after the safari

A typical inclusion list — your written proposal itemizes exactly what is and isn’t included.

Activities

Activities & Add-Ons

Included experiences and optional upgrades for this journey.

Guests on a small safari boat watch an elephant herd grazing the river floodplainIncluded

On the water

Chobe River Boat Safaris

An afternoon boat on both Chobe days, starting the day you cross the border.

Aerial view over the winding channels and islands of the Okavango DeltaIncluded

On the water

Mokoro Excursions

In the Delta, and on the Khwai River when water levels allow.

Optional

On foot

Walking Safaris in Botswana

Guided walks in Khwai and on Delta islands, subject to camp rules and minimum ages.

Map

Route Map

Route map: Victoria Falls · Kasane · Chobe Riverfront · Khwai · Okavango Delta · Maun1Victoria Falls2Kasane3Chobe Riverfront4Khwai5Okavango Delta6Maun
By roadBy air

Approximate locations — not for navigation.

How This Journey Changes Through the Year

April–June
The Okavango flood is spreading across the Delta while the falls still thunder, so this is the best overlap for water at both ends. In April the spray can hide parts of the falls; by June the view is clearer and Chobe’s herds are building.
July–August
Dry, cool and in demand. The flood is typically at its highest for mokoro trips, elephants crowd the Chobe riverfront and nights near freezing make warm layers essential on open vehicles. Book well ahead.
September–October
Hot, dusty and superb for concentrated wildlife. The flood recedes, so mokoro outings move to deeper channels, and by October parts of the falls’ rock face stand dry. Flood levels vary by year.
November–March
Outside this journey’s window: the rains disperse the herds, the Delta’s water is at its lowest and some camps change activities. The green-season journey suits these months better.

Make It Yours

  • Reverse the direction and finish with two nights at the falls
  • Base yourself in Livingstone, on the Zambian side of the falls
  • Swap Khwai for a private Linyanti concession with fewer vehicles
  • Add a fourth Delta night to pair a water camp with a land camp
  • Add two nights on the Makgadikgadi Pans before flying home from Maun
  • Book a doors-off helicopter flight over the Delta
Customize This Journey

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

Why does this itinerary start at Victoria Falls rather than in Maun?

Victoria Falls has convenient connections through Johannesburg, and two hotel nights let you recover from the long flights before camp life begins. The falls are also only about 80 km from Kasane, so the road link into Chobe is simple. If your flights suit it better, the same route works in reverse, finishing with two nights at the falls.

How is this different from the 6-day Victoria Falls and Chobe safari?

The first three days follow a similar shape, but the 11-day journey then flies on to Khwai and a Delta water camp, adding night drives, mokoro outings and island walks that the Chobe riverfront cannot offer. The 6-day trip suits travelers adding a short Botswana chapter to another holiday. This one is a complete Botswana safari with the falls as its opening act.

What is the best month to combine Victoria Falls with the Okavango Delta?

May to July is the best overlap: the falls still carry plenty of water, the Delta flood is high enough for mokoro trips and the dry season is drawing elephants to the Chobe. August to October brings the most concentrated wildlife but a thinner curtain at the falls. From February to April the falls are at full force, while the Delta’s floodplains are lower and some camps adjust their activities.

How much luggage can I bring on this route?

The scheduled flights into Victoria Falls carry normal airline allowances, but from Kasane onward you travel by light aircraft, where the limit is about 20 kg per person including hand luggage, packed in soft bags. Because the route never returns to the falls, you cannot leave extra bags there. If you are carrying more, store it at a Johannesburg airport hotel on the way in and collect it on your way home.

Where on this route can I do night drives and walks?

In Khwai and, depending on the camp, on the Delta’s islands. Chobe National Park closes its tracks to visitors after dark and does not allow walking, so the Chobe days focus on morning drives and afternoon boats. Walks are always led by qualified guides, and each camp sets its own minimum age.

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Continue exploring

Aerial view of Victoria Falls plunging into the gorge

Customize This Journey

Tell us your dates, who is traveling and your preferred comfort level. A safari specialist will tailor this route around you — nothing is booked until you approve every detail.

Customize This Journey