12 Day Three Country Safari

Guests are met and welcomed on arrival at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and assisted with the short charter or scheduled flight into the Sabi Sand region, where the Three Country Safari begins. On landing at Skukuza or a nearby airstrip, a lodge representative transfers you by open 4x4 vehicle to Lion Sands River Lodge, set along the Sabie River in one of South Africa’s most productive Big Five areas.

After settling into your suite and enjoying a relaxed high tea, you depart on an afternoon game drive in search of lion, elephant, rhinoceros, buffalo and leopard, as well as the many antelope and smaller species that bring the savanna to life. As dusk falls, your ranger uses a spotlight to search for nocturnal wildlife on the way back to camp. Dinner is enjoyed at the lodge, with the sounds of the African night all around you.

Early morning and late afternoon game drives with an experienced ranger-and-tracker team fill your second day in the Sabi Sand. This private reserve, which shares an unfenced boundary with Kruger National Park, is renowned for frequent leopard sightings and close encounters with large herds of elephant, buffalo and other big game that move freely between the two protected areas.

After the morning safari and hearty brunch, you have time to relax on the deck, watch animals come to drink along the river or cool off in the pool. In the afternoon, another game drive explores a different section of the reserve before ending with sundowner drinks at a scenic viewpoint. A short night drive back to the lodge reveals the lesser-known nocturnal creatures that are rarely seen during daylight hours.

The ever-changing moods of this wilderness become more familiar as you spend another day exploring the Sabi Sand by vehicle and, conditions permitting, on foot. Morning drives often reveal predators still active in the cool hours, while plains game such as giraffe, wildebeest and various antelope graze in the open clearings.

Later, you may join a guided bush walk to focus on tracks, plants and birdlife that are often overlooked from a vehicle. Your guide interprets the signs of the bush and explains how each species plays its part in the broader ecosystem. The afternoon is again devoted to a relaxed game drive, ending with a final Sabi Sand sunset before returning to the lodge for a convivial dinner under the stars.

A last morning game drive offers a final opportunity to seek out any animals that have eluded you so far, followed by breakfast at the lodge. Afterwards you are transferred to the nearby airstrip for the flight back to Johannesburg, enjoying a last aerial view of the riverine woodlands and open savannas that characterize the Greater Kruger region.

On arrival at O. R. Tambo International Airport, you are met and transferred by road to Castello Di Monte, an elegant boutique hotel set on a hill in Pretoria. The remainder of the day is spent at leisure, with time to relax on the terrace, enjoy the views over the Jacaranda City or simply unwind in anticipation of the cross-border adventures that lie ahead.

After breakfast in Pretoria, you are transferred back to O.R. Tambo International Airport for the flight to Victoria Falls. On arrival you are met and taken on a guided visit to the world-famous waterfall, where the Zambezi River plunges into a narrow gorge in a dramatic curtain of spray. Depending on water levels, viewpoints offer sweeping vistas of one of Africa’s great natural wonders.

From Victoria Falls, a road transfer of about an hour leads to Matetsi River Lodge, situated in a large private conservation area along the Zambezi River upstream of the falls. Here, an exclusive-use wilderness provides excellent game viewing away from the crowds, with diverse wildlife and prolific birdlife along the riverbanks.

Today is devoted to exploring the Matetsi wilderness on morning and afternoon game drives in open 4x4 vehicles, accompanied by experienced rangers and trackers. The concession’s varied habitats support elephant, buffalo, lion and other large mammals, as well as smaller species that thrive in this protected corner of the Zambezi Valley.

Between drives, there is time to relax on the deck and watch the river flow past, or to join a guided bush walk that reveals the finer details of the environment – from tracks and insects to medicinal plants and bird calls. As night falls, conditions permitting, a drive after dark may offer sightings of nocturnal animals rarely seen by day. A relaxed dinner at the lodge rounds off another memorable day on safari.

After breakfast at Matetsi, you depart by road for the short cross-border journey into Botswana and the Chobe National Park. Formalities at the border are usually quick, and soon you are following the Chobe River toward Chobe Game Lodge, the only permanent lodge located inside the national park along the riverfront. Here, river views and abundant wildlife combine to create an iconic safari setting.

On arrival you settle into your room and enjoy lunch or afternoon tea before heading out on your first Chobe safari. Depending on conditions, this may be a game drive along the riverbank or a boat excursion that allows you to watch elephant, hippo and other animals from the water. As the sun sets over the river, you return to the lodge for dinner and a peaceful night in this renowned wildlife area.

A full day is set aside for game viewing in the Chobe National Park, which is famous for its dense concentrations of elephant and other big game. Morning game drives along the riverfront often reveal large herds of elephant, buffalo and various antelope coming to drink, while predators such as lion may be encountered patrolling the floodplains.

In the afternoon, a leisurely cruise on the Chobe River provides a different perspective, as you watch animals and prolific birdlife from the comfort of the boat. Crocodiles bask on the banks, hippos wallow in the shallows and fish eagles call from the trees. Returning to the lodge at dusk, you enjoy dinner and share stories of the day’s sightings with fellow travelers.

After breakfast, you are transferred to nearby Kasane Airport for a light aircraft flight into the Okavango Delta, one of Africa’s most extraordinary wilderness areas. As you fly over a mosaic of channels, lagoons and islands, the scale and beauty of this inland delta become clear. On landing at the local airstrip, a representative meets you for the short transfer to Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge, set in a private concession bordering the Moremi Game Reserve.

Following a warm welcome and time to settle into your suite, you depart on an afternoon game drive to explore the surrounding floodplains and woodlands. The area supports a wide variety of wildlife, including elephant, lion, lechwe, giraffe and abundant birdlife. As the sun sinks toward the horizon, you stop for sundowners before returning to the lodge for dinner beneath the stars.

The day is dedicated to safari activities in the Okavango Delta. Morning and afternoon game drives in open 4x4 vehicles explore a mix of seasonal floodplains and drier islands, with excellent chances of encountering predators as well as plains game adapted to this unique wetland environment. Your guide shares insights into how animals and plants have evolved to thrive in a landscape shaped by floodwaters rather than rainfall.

When water levels permit, your stay may also include a traditional mokoro excursion or a motorboat outing, offering a tranquil way to drift along reed-lined channels and observe aquatic birds and smaller creatures at close range. Between activities, you can relax on the deck, enjoy the views and savor the quiet rhythm of life in the delta.

Your final full day in the Okavango Delta allows for more unhurried exploration of this remarkable ecosystem. Morning drives may reveal predators returning from a night’s hunt, while herds of red lechwe and other antelope graze in the shallows. The constantly changing light over the water and islands creates superb photographic opportunities throughout the day.

Additional activities could include a guided bush walk, subject to conditions, which focuses on tracks, plants and the smaller details of the environment. As evening approaches, a last game drive and sundowner stop provide a fitting conclusion to your time in the delta. Dinner back at the lodge offers an opportunity to reflect on highlights from across all three countries visited on this safari.

Your final full day in the Okavango Delta allows for more unhurried exploration of this remarkable ecosystem. Morning drives may reveal predators returning from a night’s hunt, while herds of red lechwe and other antelope graze in the shallows. The constantly changing light over the water and islands creates superb photographic opportunities throughout the day.

Additional activities could include a guided bush walk, subject to conditions, which focuses on tracks, plants and the smaller details of the environment. As evening approaches, a last game drive and sundowner stop provide a fitting conclusion to your time in the delta. Dinner back at the lodge offers an opportunity to reflect on highlights from across all three countries visited on this safari.