Botswana/Zimbabwe/Zambia/Kenya
Iconic Africa: Journey Across Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia & Kenya
Program No. 24830RJ
From Mount Kilimanjaro to Victoria Falls, experience some of east and southern Africa’s most iconic natural wonders on this safari, home to lions, elephants and more.
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20 days
19 nights
53 meals
17B 2BR 17L 17D
1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
3
Fly to Botswana, Fly to Khwai, The Okavango Delta
Khwai Concession
4
Game Drives, Overview of Botswana
Khwai Concession
5
Endangered Carnivores, Delta Hydrology and Geology
Khwai Concession
6
Chobe National Park, Boat Safari, Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls
7
Local Community Projects, Wildlife Trust, Free Time
Victoria Falls
9
Bush Walk, Game Drive, Night Wildlife
Lower Zambezi
11
Local Village Visit, School and Community Projects
Lower Zambezi
13
Fly to Amboseli, Human/Wildlife Conflict, Maasai Culture
Amboseli National Park
14
Safari in Amboseli
Amboseli National Park
15
Morning and Afternoon Game Drive
Amboseli National Park
16
Fly to Masai Mara, Game Drive
Masai Mara National Reserve
17
Extended Game Drive, Great Rift Valley
Masai Mara National Reserve
18
Safari in the Masai Mara
Masai Mara National Reserve
20
In Transit From Program
In Flight
At a Glance
What comes to mind when you think of east and southern Africa? Experience Africa's great diversity, abundant wildlife and local cultures with a focus on conservation in different regions. Along the way, explore UNESCO World Heritage Sites, from Botswana's famed Okavango Delta, home to a third of the world's elephants, to Zambia's Lower Zambezi River, adjacent to Zimbabwe's Mana Pools. Experience sustainability and empowerment projects in local communities with local leaders. Whether your favorite natural wonder is Victoria Falls, Mt. Kilimanjaro or just viewing the large populations of lions, buffalo and leopards, at the end of your safari adventure, you’ll know the answer when asked about Africa's most iconic sites!
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to two miles daily on uneven terrain. Game drives in open-air safari vehicles can be bumpy and dusty; stamina and flexibility are required. Elevations up to 7,500 feet.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Embark on safari game drives to experience wildlife in their natural habitats, including elephants, rhinos and leopards.
- Marvel at the iconic natural wonders across east and southern Africa, including Mount Kilimanjaro and Victoria Falls, the world’s largest sheet of falling water.
- Visit local communities to learn about conservation efforts and participate in supporting community projects.
General Notes
Please refer to the “Travel Information” section on the Road Scholar website, the start/end time listed in your first informational packet or contact the provider if you plan on booking your own flights for correct arrival and departure dates. Due to the nature of this program, listening devices are not available.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Lisa Reed
Lisa Reed was born in Zimbabwe, spent her school years in South Africa, and now lives in Botswana. She has worked or visited most Southern and East African safari destinations, and has managed safari camps on her own and with others since being in Botswana. Lisa has a natural affinity with adults and children, and enjoys passing on her years of experience and knowledge to the next generation. She has been leading safaris for Road Scholar for more than 15 years.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Lisa Reed
View biography
Lisa Reed was born in Zimbabwe, spent her school years in South Africa, and now lives in Botswana. She has worked or visited most Southern and East African safari destinations, and has managed safari camps on her own and with others since being in Botswana. Lisa has a natural affinity with adults and children, and enjoys passing on her years of experience and knowledge to the next generation. She has been leading safaris for Road Scholar for more than 15 years.
Honest Siyawareva
View biography
Growing up, Honest Siyawareva spent much of his life in close proximity to nature, thanks to his family’s passion. Fulfilling his family legacy — his father and uncle were both professional nature leaders — in 2014, Honest qualified as a professional nature leader in Zimbabwe, the only person to pass the extremely onerous examinations that year. Working for Wilderness Safaris in Zimbabwe, he has split his time between camps in Hwange National Park and Mana Pools National Park.
Chris Chiparaushe
View biography
Chris Chiparaushe was born in Zimbabwe and exposed to the bush from an early age when he herded cattle with his grandfather over school holidays. He learned a lot about animals, birds and plants from his grandfather, and knew from an early age that he wanted to work in hospitality. He studied tourism management in Victoria Falls and has been a professional leader since 1998. He is especially passionate about birding and astronomy and loves teaching travelers about Southern Africa’s rich history and culture.
Suggested Reading List
(11 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Iconic Africa: Journey Across Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia & Kenya
Program Number: 24830
Okavango, Africa’s Last Eden
In this handsome volume, master wildlife photographer Franz Lanting captures the wildlife and habitats of the Okavango.
Watch My Tracer
A third-generation Rhodesian tells the story of his upbringing on a farm and his days learning to track and survive in the bush that would assist him during the Rhodesian Civil War as a part of the clandestine operation unit known as the Pachedu.
Africa Is Not a Country: Notes on a Bright Continent
So often, Africa has been depicted simplistically as a uniform land of famines and safaris, poverty and strife, stripped of all nuance. This book offers stories that bring to life Africa’s rich diversity, communities, and histories.
The Big Conservation Lie
This book takes the reader through Kenya’s conservation ‘industry’ and the players therein with all their prejudices, weaknesses and commitment to causes. It is a call to indigenous Africans to claim their place at the table where the management of their natural resources is being discussed, and invites well-meaning donors to look beyond the romantic images and detect the possible role of their money in the disenfranchisement of a people.
Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood
A worthy heir to Isak Dinesen and Beryl Markham, Alexandra Fuller remembers her African childhood with candor and sensitivity. Though it is a diary of an unruly life in an often inhospitable place, it is suffused with Fuller's endearing ability to find laughter, even when there is little to celebrate. Fuller's debut is unsentimental and unflinching but always captivating. In wry and sometimes hilarious prose, she stares down disaster and looks back with rage and love at the life of an extraordinary family in an extraordinary time.
African Wildlife: A Folding Pocket Guide to Familiar Species
Ideal pocket-sized, folding guides for reference while on safari. This beautiful guide highlights over 140 unique species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and includes a map of the continent's vegetation zones. This laminated foldout guide serves as an excellent resource for portable safari information.
Southern Africa Wildlife, A Visitor's Guide
A popular, photographic guide to the mammals, birds, reptiles and habitats south of the Zambezi. With 300 color photographs and illuminating text.
Silent Thunder, In the Presence of Elephants
In this memoir, Katy Payne relates stories of research, discovery and conservation in Africa. An acoustic biologist, Payne has worked on communication among elephant populations at Amboseli National Park, Etosha and Sengwa.
Fodor’s Complete Guide to African Safaris
This guidebook is packed with maps, carefully curated recommendations, and everything else you need to simplify your trip-planning process and make the most of your time.
Out of Darkness, Shining Light
So begins Petina Gappah's powerful novel of exploration and adventure in nineteenth-century Africa—the captivating story of the loyal men and women who carried explorer and missionary Dr. Livingstone's body, his papers and maps, fifteen hundred miles across the continent of Africa, so his remains could be returned home to England and his work preserved there.
North of South, An African Journey
This is a great book – engaging and unafraid of controversy. It’s a sharp portrait of contemporary East Africa, as well as Zambia, sensitive to issues black, white and brown.