Southern Africa luxury wildlife & beach holiday
Description of Southern Africa luxury wildlife & beach holiday
This unforgettable Africa experience combines Botswana’s pristine wilderness and superb wildlife with the magnificent Victoria Falls - before finishing up on the unspoilt beaches of Mozambique.
Botswana's Okavango Delta is a tapestry of forest, savannah and river flood plains that is home to big game including elephant, giraffe, hippo, lion, leopard, cheetah and the rare and elusive wild dog. Your luxury nature camp provides a bush experience matched by comfort, while flexible day-times let you tailor your wildlife experience - from mokoro canoe trips (subject to water levels) or fishing excursions to night game drives or walking safaris.
You'll experience Victoria Falls from beautifully appointed chalets with private balcony overlooking the river, and guests can augment their time at one of the world's most iconic cascades with activities including white water rafting, scenic flights, sundowner cruises and canoeing.
The trip’s finale is a luxury eco-boutique retreat on an unspoilt island within a National Park on the shores of Mozambique, offering miles of deserted white sand beaches, turquoise seas crisscrossed with local dhows plying their trade – and excellent cuisine combining African and Portuguese colonial influences. Nearby reefs are excellent for snorkelling and diving, but guests may also choose to go sailing on a dhow, climb the dunes, take a picnic on a secluded beach or listen to locals recount ancient African stories that chart the cosmos on a stargazing evening.
Price information
Price given is for travel in high season, from July - October.
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Reviews
1 Reviews of Southern Africa luxury wildlife & beach holiday
Reviewed on 17 Oct 2025 by Karin Weston
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Almost impossible to say. We saw big cats every day of the trip as well as so many other wonderful animals.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Remember its camping!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
The team of 3 plus guide all from Botswana. The meals they produced on very simple cooking equipment was terrific but none was wasted. Everyone was careful with water. We discussed a lot about the fact that Botswana has too many elephants and what might be doneto reduce numbers but no solutions!
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was a great holiday. Saw all the animals I hope to see and although not a birder many superb birds. The three areas of the Okavango that we stayed in were all different but equally thrilling. As a bit cat lover, to have seen leopard, cheetah and lions all in 9 days was more than I expected. Our guide was more than a guide, ensuring we had all the opportunity we needed to take photos, making sure we always had wate. He was proficient at making tea and coffee at our breaks and his knowledge of animals, flora and birds was exceptional.
Responsible Travel
Planet and people
Botswana’s policy of preserving its wildlife and implementing sustainable tourism policies has paid off with its pristine natural environment. Whilst the country is one of Africa’s more expensive safari destinations, the money paid on entering national parks contributes towards conservation strategies and the development of local communities.This trip uses local guides who have an intense passion for nature and their country. Their ability to speak local dialects gives guests a privileged insight into the intriguing local tribal cultures, whilst their well-trained game-spotting skills and expert knowledge of botany and wildlife provide for a unique and informative experience.
The lodges in Botswana have been developed with exceptional sensitivity to the surrounding environment and great care is taken to ensure that the presence of the camps is not intrusive; Boreholes have safety switches to prevent over utilization of the resource. The camps are situated in environmentally sensitive areas, all solid waste is sorted and removed from the site. Scavenger proof cages are used for temporary waste storage. All cleaning products and chemicals are bio-degradable. Camps run off power generators if not situated on an electrical grid. Emissions and fuel usage are greatly decreased.
In Zambia, the lodge we recommend is extremely committed to supporting the local communities, including setting up a small pre-school for local children and assisting in the construction of a clinic that will serve the villages around the area. At present the closest medical facility is about 30kms away. Guests to the lodge are invited to bring much needed school supplies with them to donate personally. The lodge also supports a local initiative to assist with the production of clean and safe drinking water to the local villages. This is achieved by raising funds to buy bio-sand filters for each village.
The Retreat in Mozambique is one of only a handful of resorts where the community are major stakeholders and contribute to every aspect of the project.
The local communities have been educated and encouraged not to hunt rare species or over-fish certain areas and a ‘no fishing zone’ has been established in front of the resort’s shores to encourage a resurgence of dolphins. Besides employing local islanders wherever possible the lodge owners have also helped in rebuilding the village after the area was devastated by cyclone Favio in March 2007, developing a new school and housing for the teachers and giving English lessons to the new teaching staff and the local National Park wardens.
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