Arrive to Johannesburg, South Africa’s economic hub. This city bursts with art, history, and culture and is a great place to add some extra time to explore. Joburg combines a modern, metropolitan sophistication with historic townships, creating an ambience that has given life to some of South Africa’s greatest icons and creative minds. Your private guide will be waiting to transfer you to your boutique hotel, set in the lush, upmarket suburbs.

Fly to the mighty Victoria Falls. Known in a local language as Mosi-oa-Tunya, or “The Smoke That Thunders,” Victoria Falls straddles the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe and plummets some 354 feet into the gorge below. At over five thousand feet wide, it is the world’s largest falling sheet of water. Your secluded lodge is on a private section of riverbank, just a short distance from the falls themselves. Over the next three nights you can enjoy a range of activities at your Relais & Chateaux lodge, including a tour of the falls, sunset river cruises, canoeing, birding, and gourmet dining experiences that highlight Zambian cuisine.

Experience one of nature’s supreme masterpieces. No photograph can truly prepare you for the immensity of Victoria Falls. Walk through the rainforest with your private guide, who will tell you about the history of Victoria Falls and introduce you to the surrounding flora and fauna.

In the afternoon, enjoy some leisure time at your lodge, indulge in a spa treatment or gaze out at the river from the edge of the pool.

Get to know this remarkable area with an activity on offer at your lodge, or let us arrange something a little more adventurous, such as rafting, a helicopter ride, or a microlight flight. You may also choose to spend time visiting a local community project, canoeing with a private guide, trying your hand at some catch-and-release tiger fishing, or visiting a local rhino sanctuary.

In the evening, set out for a sunset cruise along the mighty Zambezi River, one of Africa’s largest river systems. Watch the sun sink behind the trees as you keep an eye out for the abundant birdlife along the shore and wildlife coming down for a drink. Enjoy canapes and drinks as you celebrate your time in Africa.

Journey across the border to Botswana and your next safari destination. Though most famous for its huge concentration of elephants, Chobe National Park is one of the most biologically diverse parks in Africa and is home to an impressive wealth of animal life. There is no better place to watch elephants frolic and swim in the water as they come down to the banks of the Chobe River to play. Buffalo, zebra, hippos, lion, wild dog, leopard and cheetah, as well as hundreds of bird species, are all spotted regularly here. Game drives and boat cruises are on offer as this park showcases its huge herds and diverse wildlife. This afternoon, head out for your first game drive in this exceptional national park.