Small-Group Journeys · Small-group land journey
Southern Africa: Desert, Falls and Safari · 14 Days
Solid lines: itinerary connections. Dashed lines: air connections.
City and protected-area locations are approximate. Lines are schematic, not actual roads or exact flight tracks.
Source: Chuanke July 2027 itinerary. Base map: Natural Earth (public domain).
Journey overview
- Travel dates
- 2027-07-15 to 2027-07-28
- Duration
- 14 days / 13 nights
- Destinations
- South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana
- Group
- Small group
- Transport
- Ground vehicles, camp light aircraft and flights listed in the itinerary
- Room occupancy
- Two guests sharing one room; single supplement additional
- End of local itinerary
- 2027-07-28; reference flights arrive in China the following day
Destinations and accommodation
Images illustrate the destinations and accommodation; fine details are indicative. Accommodation is subject to final confirmation.
From 15 to 28 July 2027, explore five countries in Southern Africa over 14 days: penguins on the Cape Peninsula, the red dunes and Deadvlei of the Namib Desert, a Walvis Bay boat trip and Sandwich Harbour dune excursion, then Victoria Falls from Zimbabwe and Zambia. Finish with game viewing and a traditional mokoro excursion in the Okavango, staying in hotels and camps along the route.
Solid lines: itinerary connections. Dashed lines: air connections.
City and protected-area locations are approximate. Lines are schematic, not actual roads or exact flight tracks.
Source: Chuanke July 2027 itinerary. Base map: Natural Earth (public domain).
Journey highlights
Southern Africa naturalist tour leader: 王鹤霖
王鹤霖 has extensive experience leading groups through African wilderness and wildlife habitats. He enjoys cross-cultural exchange and explains field observations and ecological knowledge in clear, accessible language.
He holds a master’s degree in marine engineering from the University of Glasgow, with a focus on marine animals and natural ecosystems. He approaches field observation from an animal researcher’s perspective and makes animal welfare a guiding principle of his work. Years of simultaneous interpreting experience help him share local nature and culture with guests from different backgrounds.
His field experience spans grasslands, coasts and desert margins. He has travelled to more than 100 countries and has lived for extended periods in Scotland and southwestern China.
African penguins at Boulders Beach
Watch African penguins from the boardwalk, then explore the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point. Chapman’s Peak Drive links coastal views as it winds between cliffs and bays.
Table Mountain and Cape Town neighbourhoods
Weather permitting, take the cable car up Table Mountain to look over the bay and city. Afterwards, visit Bo-Kaap and pass historic places including the Company’s Garden.
Red dunes and Deadvlei
Visit Dune 45 in Sossusvlei, climb Big Daddy with a guide and explore Deadvlei. Continue into Sesriem Canyon to see the traces that flowing water has left in the rock layers.
Walvis Bay wildlife and Sandwich Harbour
Take a boat trip around Walvis Bay and Pelican Point in search of seals, dolphins and seabirds. An afternoon dune excursion at Sandwich Harbour reveals high dunes directly beside the Atlantic. Wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed.
Victoria Falls from both sides
Over two days, explore Victoria Falls from Zimbabwe and Zambia, walking different paths to view the curtain of water, the gorge and the Zambezi River.
Victoria Falls from the air
Take a helicopter flight over the Zambezi as it enters the gorge, viewing the waterfall and the winding canyon downstream. Flights depend on weather and local operating conditions.
Game viewing in the Okavango
Stay two nights at Khwai Lediba or a comparable camp. Join guided game drives or nature walks to look for animals in wetlands, riverbank habitats and woodland. The camp is in the Khwai area, across the river from Moremi Game Reserve.
Wetland waterways by mokoro
Travel through Okavango waterways in a traditional mokoro canoe, observing the wetland from close to water level. The camp sets the activity sequence according to local conditions.
Light aircraft between desert and wetland
Camp light-aircraft transfers cover Windhoek–Sossusvlei, Sossusvlei–Swakopmund, Kasane–Okavango and Okavango–Maun.
Visits to Himba and Zambian communities
Visit a Himba community while travelling through Namibia to learn about local customs. In Zambia, a village visit offers an introduction to daily life and traditional crafts.
Day-by-day itinerary
Open the tab alongside the daily itinerary.
Arrive in Cape Town
Arrive in Cape Town, South Africa, and transfer to the hotel to rest before beginning the Southern Africa journey.
Cape Town: Table Mountain and city neighbourhoods
Weather permitting, take the cable car up Table Mountain for views of Cape Town, the bay and the Atlantic. Visit Bo-Kaap and pass the Company’s Garden, Parliament and City Hall. In the afternoon, visit the V&A Waterfront if time and traffic permit. If weather closes the cable car, another city attraction will be substituted.
Cape Peninsula: the Cape of Good Hope and African penguins
Visit the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Cape Point for coastal views. Watch African penguins from the boardwalk at Boulders Beach, then have lunch in Simon’s Town. Follow Chapman’s Peak Drive past cliffs and bays, returning via Hout Bay, Noordhoek and Camps Bay.
Cape Town → Windhoek
Fly to Windhoek, Namibia’s capital, and transfer to the hotel. Continue with a city tour that includes Christuskirche, the Parliament Gardens and the National Museum.
Windhoek → Sossusvlei
Take a camp light-aircraft transfer to the Sossusvlei desert area, with an indicative flight time of about one hour. Check in and have lunch, then join an afternoon excursion and watch the sunset among dunes and mountains. The camp may adjust the order of activities to local conditions.
Sossusvlei: dunes, Deadvlei and Sesriem Canyon
Enter the Sossusvlei area to view Dune 45, climb Big Daddy with a guide and visit Deadvlei. Continue to Sesriem Canyon to examine the rock walls and layers carved by flowing water. The camp may adjust the order of activities to local conditions.
Sossusvlei → Swakopmund
Fly by light aircraft to Swakopmund on the Atlantic coast, with an indicative flight time of about one hour. Take an afternoon city tour and visit the Swakopmund Museum, then head to the jetty for sunset.
Walvis Bay boat trip and Sandwich Harbour dunes
Travel to Walvis Bay for a boat trip in search of seals, dolphins and seabirds, passing Pelican Point and enjoying oysters, Champagne and local snacks. In the afternoon, take a dune excursion at Sandwich Harbour, where high dunes meet the Atlantic coast. Wildlife sightings depend on conditions on the day.
Swakopmund → Himba community → Windhoek
After breakfast, drive to a Himba community to learn about local customs and daily life. Continue to Windhoek for dinner and an overnight hotel stay.
Windhoek → Victoria Falls → Zambia
Fly to Victoria Falls Airport in Zimbabwe. After lunch, explore the falls from the Zimbabwean side, then cross into Zambia and check into a hotel beside the Zambezi River.
Zambia: waterfall walks and a helicopter flight
Visit Victoria Falls from the Zambian side in the morning, then take a helicopter flight to view the Zambezi, the falls and the gorge from above. In the afternoon, visit a local village to learn about daily life and traditional crafts.
Zambia → Kasane → Okavango
Drive to Kasane Airport in Botswana and take a camp light-aircraft transfer to the Okavango Delta region, with an indicative flight time of about one hour. After lunch and a rest, go on a game drive in search of lions, leopards and wetland wildlife. The camp will set the activity sequence according to local conditions.
Okavango: game viewing and a mokoro excursion
Join a local guide for a game drive or nature walk, looking for wildlife among wetlands and woodland. Travel through the waterways in a traditional mokoro canoe to observe the water channels and their plants and animals. The camp may adjust the order of activities to local conditions.
Okavango → Maun; fly home
Take a camp light-aircraft transfer to Maun Airport and connect with the international flight home, ending the Southern Africa local itinerary. The reference flights arrive in Beijing or Shanghai on 29 July.
Wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed. Camps may adjust activities to weather, operating and local conditions. Reference flight times must be reconfirmed before ticketing.
Transport and accommodation
Land arrangements · hotels and camps
Stay in city hotels, hotels in natural settings and safari camps along the route. The properties below are reference accommodation and may be replaced by comparable alternatives. Room types and final hotels are subject to confirmation.
- Cape Town
- The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa or comparable
- Windhoek
- Windhoek Country Club Resort or comparable
- Sossusvlei
- Le Mirage Resort & Spa or comparable
- Swakopmund
- Strand Hotel Swakopmund or comparable
- Victoria Falls area, Zambia
- The Royal Livingstone Hotel by Anantara or comparable
- Okavango
- Khwai Lediba or comparable
The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa or comparable
Cape Town reference accommodation
At the foot of the Twelve Apostles mountains beside the Atlantic coast, this is the reference hotel for three nights in Cape Town.
Windhoek Country Club Resort or comparable
Windhoek reference accommodation
A hotel on the southern outskirts of Windhoek, with guest rooms set within landscaped grounds.
Le Mirage Resort & Spa or comparable
Sossusvlei reference accommodation
Near the Sossusvlei dunes, with stone castle-style buildings. Some rooms face the open desert.
Strand Hotel Swakopmund or comparable
Swakopmund reference accommodation
On the Swakopmund waterfront, this is the reference hotel for the coastal part of the journey.
The Royal Livingstone Hotel by Anantara or comparable
Victoria Falls area, Zambia reference accommodation
Beside the Zambezi River in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, with rooms in two-storey buildings.
Khwai Lediba or comparable
Okavango reference accommodation
In the Khwai concession northeast of the delta, across the river from Moremi Game Reserve. Tents stand on raised wooden platforms among riverside trees.
Fares and inclusions
Journey fares
| Occupancy | Details | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Shared-room rate | 14 days / 13 nights; two guests sharing one room | CNY 139,900 per person |
Included
- Visa fees for Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana, and South Africa ETA; the proposal states visa-free entry for Zambia.
- Economy-class regional flights within Southern Africa on the Cape Town–Windhoek–Zimbabwe routing. Business class is not available on these Southern Africa regional sectors.
- Camp light-aircraft transfers: Windhoek–Sossusvlei, Sossusvlei–Swakopmund, Kasane–Okavango Delta and Okavango Delta–Maun.
- Hotels and camps listed in the itinerary, based on two guests sharing one room.
- Breakfasts and main meals marked in the itinerary.
- Listed admission fees, camp game drives and other experiential activities.
- Chinese-speaking tour escort.
- Local off-road vehicles, professional drivers and Chinese-speaking guides, including their gratuities.
- Travel insurance: Allianz “Around the World” Marco Polo plan, as specified in the product proposal.
- Travel adapter and luggage strap as gifts.
Not included
- Passport application fees.
- International airfares.
- Single supplement for the whole itinerary.
- Additional chargeable experiences offered by the camps.
- Personal expenses such as mobile communications, satellite telephone use and laundry.
- Driver or guide overtime resulting from personal requests; meals during international flight connections or airport waits; meals marked as at guests’ own expense; and additional expenses arising from force majeure.
Booking terms and travel notes
Price and room occupancy
The price is per person, based on two guests sharing one room. A single supplement applies; international airfares are not included. Availability, room types and the written quotation are subject to adviser confirmation and the signed contract.
Wildlife viewing
Safaris seek animals living freely in their natural habitats. Species and sighting locations cannot be guaranteed. Wetland canoeing and other activities follow the camp’s local arrangements.
Reference flights and entry requirements
Flight times are indicative and must be reconfirmed before ticketing. Visa and travel-authorisation fees are included as specified in the proposal; application requirements depend on the rules in force at travel time and each guest’s circumstances.
Activity conditions
The Table Mountain cable car depends on weather. If it is closed, another city attraction will be substituted. Camps may adjust activity sequences to local conditions.