Best of Africa safari

Johannesburg, arrival

Arrive in the late afternoon or evening at OR Tambo International in Johannesburg, South Africa. We transfer yo to your Johannesburg boutique accommodation, Fairlawns Hotel in Sandton. Overnight at the Fairlawns Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis, with return transfers included.

Okavango, straight into the Delta

Today you’ll board your flight to Maun in Botswana, via Gaborone. From Maun, you’ll immediately fly to Duba Plains Camp in the Okavango Delta. This is one of the most remote camps in the Delta, located on a tree-covered island within the 30,000-hectare Kwedi Reserve. Spend the night at Duba Plains Camp with meals, drinks and activities included.

Find your lions

On your first full day on the island and you'll be looking for lions, famous for their pursuit of the buffalo herds. It’s a perfect formula: the nourishing grasses of the open plains and the Delta’s clean clear waters create the ideal habitat for the buffalo herds. Where these herds thrive, the lions aren't far behind. Contrary to usual lion behaviour, the Duba lions are usually active during the day and many of their buffalo hunts happen in broad daylight. Spend the night at Duba Plains Camp with meals, drinks and activities included.

Time with the lions

You could stay at Duba Plains forever and not get enough of this sought-after island in the Okavango Delta. Whatever the season, Duba Plains offers large concentrations of plains game congregating on the open plains, while predators lurk in the denser forests on the edge, preparing to launch a hunt. Spend the night at Duba Plains Camp, with meals, drinks and activities included.

Lion, buffalo interaction

A perfect stay at Duba is three or even four nights, giving you time to learn about the lion pride dynamics and the individuals, as well as to appreciate the complexity of the entire ecosystem and its residents. Enjoy your last day here and spend the night at Duba Plains Camp, with meals, drinks and activities included.

Johannesburg for the night

After your morning game drive you'll fly back to Maun where you'll connect with your flight back to Johannesburg in the late afternoon. You'll spend the night at the Fairlawns Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis, with return transfers included, so you can board your flight to Kigali the next morning.

Onwards to Rwanda

After a four-hour flight to Kigali, you’ll be transferred by road to Volcanoes National Park. Here you’ll receive your gorilla trekking briefing and clothing for your gorilla treks. Overnight at Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, with your meals included.

Your first Gorilla trek

Your first gorilla trek will be an overwhelming experience; it's humbling to be in the presence of such remarkable creatures. Your first hour with the gorillas will give you the opportunity to take all the photographs you want and get to terms with where and how the trek is done. Overnight at Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, with your meals included.

Your second Gorilla trek and Kigali

Your second gorilla trek is when you'll really appreciate your time with them. If you took photos the day before this second trek will give you a chance to live in the moment, to take it all in and observe the family and their dynamics. Your second trek will be to a different gorilla family from your first. After lunch you'll be transferred back to Kigali in the afternoon. Overnight at Kigali Serena Hotel, with breakfast included.

Into the Serengeti

Make an early start this morning to catch your flight from Kigali to the Serengeti. You’ll arrive mid-morning at Seronera airstrip where you’ll be collected and driven to camp for lunch and an early afternoon rest. After coffee, you'll get right into the predator-rich central Serengeti, on the lookout for more lion and especially for leopard in the Moru kopjes area. Overnight at Dunia Camp central Serengeti, with meals, drinks and game drives included.

Moru and its big cats

Moru is centrally located and from here you'll have access to the plains south of Moru for possible migration sightings (the best months for migration interaction at Moru are March to end May) or even finding the elusive Serengeti black rhino that have made this area famous. You may also venture further north towards the leopard area just south of Seronera. Overnight at Dunia Camp with meals, drinks and game drives included.

Lets go and find the migration

Today you’ll either go north, west or south, depending on the whereabouts of the wildebeest migration. Wherever you stay, all your meals and transport will be included. You'll spend the first half of the day getting to the migration and the last half with the animals. 

recommended accommodation

With the herds

You'll spend the full day with the herds, with a packed picnic lunch so you don't have to go back to camp but have enough time to wait for crossings or see some interaction by following predator or prey. Overnight a second night with the migration, at the same place as on Day 12.

recommended accommodation

Both sides of the Mara River

You'll fly across the Mara River to the Masai Mara in Kenya, via the towns of Tarime (Tanzania) and Migori (Kenya), where you’ll clear customs and immigration. You’ll be in the Masai Mara by midday to spend the last two days of your safari enjoying big cat sightings and possible river crossings. Overnight at Rekero Camp, with your meals, drinks and all transport included.

Encounter the Masai Mara

The confluence of the Mara and Talek rivers in the Masai Mara Reserve is a special place. A huge amount of predator activity and interaction has made this part of the Mara famous. Paradise Plains, Musiara Swamp and Rhino Ridge are among the well known parts of this reserve and all are well within your reach. You'll be close enough to get to the Mara River if there's word of a crossing. Overnight at Rekero Camp with your meals, drinks and transport included.

Fly Home

Transfer to Ol Kiombo airstrip for your flight to Wilson airport in Nairobi. From there you transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International for your departing flight.