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Welcome to South Africa! Your trip begins in Johannesburg, where you'll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Please ensure that you organise the details of your arrival transfer well in advance. You'll meet the rest of your group and leader for a welcome meeting at 6pm, but if you do happen to arrive early, the day is yours to spend at leisure. After your meeting, join your leader and fellow travellers for dinner at a local family owned grill house. South Africa enjoys a diverse food scene flavoured by its multicultural influences. This evening you may like to try some boerewors, a spiced South African sausage, or perhaps some springbok carpaccio.

Set off early for a drive to Greater Kruger National Park, arriving just in time for lunch at an exceptionally intimate lodge, your Feature Stay accommodation for the next three evenings. Hidden away on a private reserve in Greater Kruger, the lodge is in perfect harmony with its wild surroundings. Chalets feature first-class amenities, with private en suites, indoor and outdoor showers, air-conditioning and a gorgeous swimming pool for cooling off. Sit back and relax in the cosy lounge of the main lodge or one of several viewing decks and take in spectacular views of the Drakensburg Mountains. In the afternoon you'll be taken to a neighbouring game reserve for your first open 4x4 vehicle game drive. Experience close encounters with wild animals in their own habitat, and if you're lucky, you may meet lions, elephants, rhinos and leopards. Retire to your lodge in the evening.

Rise early and make the journey into the heart of Kruger National Park. Upon entry, you'll find yourself in the perfect position to catch a glimpse of one, or hopefully all, of the Big Five. Take a packed breakfast at a picnic spot then proceed with a full day of wildlife safari, stopping off at waterholes and various other points to observe these animals in their natural habitat. One of the largest game reserves in Southern Africa, Kruger National Park is not only home to members of the Big Five, but also 500 bird species, 100 species of reptile and 150 mammal species. The endangered African wild dog, herbivores like hippo, zebra, giraffe and numerous different types of antelope also enjoy the park's rich mosaic of habitats, including savanna, mixed acacia woodland, rocky hills and mopane woodland. Return to the lodge this evening to relax and relive your favourite moments from the day.

Return to Kruger National Park for another thrilling game drive. This is an opportunity to catch a glimpse of any animals the group didn't see the day before. Today's game drive will finish in time for sunset and dinner on one of the viewing decks at your lodge. Enjoy a wonderful meal and take a moment to sit back and hear the sounds of the bush – maybe even the roar of a lion in the distance. After to dinner, retreat to a bonfire under a canopy of stars.

Rise early and depart for Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, where you will say goodbye to South Africa and board a mid-morning flight to Livingstone airport in Zambia, your gateway to the Victoria Falls. On arrival, cross the Victoria Falls bridge into Zimbabwe and get your first preview of the magnificent cascades. Continue to your lodge accommodation, which serves up stunning views of uninterrupted wilderness and a waterhole frequented by elephant, buffalo, kudu and more. Spend the afternoon relaxing by the pool or spotting wildlife from any of the multiple viewing decks around the lodge. This evening head above the falls onto the Zambezi River and embark on a small and intimate Sundowner River Cruise. The specially designed jet-propelled boats allow you to reach the shallow water among the islands directly above the Victoria Falls. Your own chef will prepare canapes and serve drinks while the captain navigates the islands above the thundering Victoria Falls. Sit back in your comfortable lounge chair and look out for crocodiles lazing on the banks or elephants and hippos submerging themselves in the river – this is truly an experience to remember.

This morning, visit the unforgettable Victoria Falls – one of the world's true natural wonders, forming the largest sheet of falling water in the world when in full flow. Once inside the park, your guide will take you through the falls area, stopping at different vantage points along the way to explain the history of the falls and their surrounds. After an exciting morning at the falls, depart Zimbabwe and make the journey to Chobe National Park in Botswana. The afternoon is free to walk in Kasane town (watch out for wandering warthogs!), sit poolside on the edge of the Chobe River and watch the sun set, or perhaps opt for an optional afternoon Game Drive in the Chobe National park.

Start the day with a game drive through Chobe National Park, the first designated national park in Botswana. Chobe is known for its huge population of elephants and buffalo and you may well see them drinking at the local watering hole during the drive. Then head back to the lodge for breakfast. Afterwards embark on a cruise along the picturesque Chobe River, an ideal location for spotting bird life such as saddle-billed storks, malachite kingfishers, fish eagles and beautiful bee-eaters as well as hippos, crocodiles and large families of elephants often seen crossing the river between the boats. You will be joined by other travellers on the boat cruise which has a toilet and small bar to purchase drinks. Enjoy a drink on board and watch the sun set over the river.

Your adventure comes to an end after breakfast this morning. If you would like to spend more time in Chobe, or Victoria Falls, we'll be happy to organize additional accommodation (subject to availability). Airport transfers can also be booked for flights departing Kasane, or across the border in Victoria Falls.