Encounter the legendary wildlife of southern Africa on safari in the national parks and game reserves of Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana on a popular journey that also includes Johannesburg’s historic sites and magnificent Victoria Falls.

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Starting at: $9,484 * Price includes special offer * Includes airfare, taxes & all fees Make a Reservation Ask Us A Question or Call 855-330-1542

Lion on watch

Elephants on the savanna

The powerful and dramatic Victoria Falls

Seeing giraffes on safari

Lion pride. Credit: Smithsonian Journeys Expert Kirt Kempter

Lone cheetah on the watch

African rhino on the savannah. Credit: Smithsonian Journeys Expert Grant Nel

African Buffalo

Elephant viewing from the canoe. Credit: Smithsonian Journeys Expert Don Wilson

Elephant calf with mother. Credit: Smithsonian Journeys Expert Grant Nel

Giraffes on the savanna

Lilac-breasted roller

Flight of an African Fish Eagle in Zambia. Credit: Richard Sooy

Victoria Falls

On safari

African Safari: A Wildlife Adventure

South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, and Victoria Falls

14 days from $9,484 | includes airfare, taxes and all fees

departure passengers

or Call 855-330-1542

Tour Details

WHAT OUR TRAVELERS SAY

This trip far exceeded our lofty expectations. Words alone cannot describe the magic of this experience.

- Mark S.

Boat cruises on the river with animals on either side were exciting, quiet, peaceful and truly spiritual, all at once! My favorite thing about this tour as a whole was the absence of other tourists. It was private and personal. A totally fabulous experience!

- Previous Journeys Traveler

Africa and its wonders must be experienced in person! Nature at its best! A photographer's dream come true.

- Allen S.

Like everyone told me, I returned convinced this was the "Best trip I ever took!"

- Gwendolyn S.

If Africa is not on your bucket list, you need a new bucket! This trip should not be missed.

- Stewart G.

This journey was a lifetime experience we will always treasure. It was fun, relaxing, elegant, and educational. Our expert, guides, and hotel staff were so wonderful! They made it special.

- Carmen & Tony C.

"The African Safari with Smithsonian Journeys was the trip of a lifetime. Every detail was attended to, before and during the trip - an exceptional experience!"

- Beatrice, C.

JOURNEYS DISPATCHES

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Accommodations

* Click on hotel name to visit hotel web-site.

Hotel 54 on Bath

Johannesburg, South Africa

The contemporary Hotel 54 on Bath is conveniently situated in the heart of Johannesburg's trendy Rosebank suburb, within walking distance of boutiques, restaurants, and art galleries. The 75-room hotel features a restaurant, bar, and lounge; outdoor pool; spa treatments; and laundry and dry cleaning services. All air-conditioned guest rooms have a private bath with hair dryer, complimentary Wi-Fi Internet access, TV, and phone.

Pioneers Lodge

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Pioneers Lodge is a newly built property in Victoria Falls that is set in lush gardens with beautifully manicured lawns. The 50 room lodge, which runs predominately off of solar power, features amenities such as a restaurant and bar, two outdoor pools, a day spa (for a fee), and tv room. Air-conditioned guest rooms, decorated in a classic style, have private bath with hair dryer, complimentary Wi-Fi internet access, in-room safe, ceiling fans and mosquito nets, verandah, and tea/coffee making facilities.

Chobe Marina Lodge

Chobe National Park, Botswana

Chobe Marina Lodge is situated on the south bank of the Chobe River, a short distance from the entrance of Chobe National Park. Along with extensive gardens containing a variety of wildlife, the well-situated 60-room lodge features such amenities as two restaurants, riverside bar, and poolside bar; tennis court; beauty salon and spa with massage treatments; outdoor pool; and Internet access (at a fee). Air-conditioned guest rooms, all with private patios overlooking the river and gardens, have private bath with hair dryer, mosquito netting, in-room safe, tea- and coffee-making facilities, mini-bar (stocked on request), TV, and phone.

Mfuwe Lodge

South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

Set inside South Luangwa National Park, just a five minutes drive from the main gate, the lodge is set beneath a canopy of ebony and mahogany with its eighteen air-conditioned chalets arranged around the banks of two lagoons.

The open plan reception, lounge, dining, and bar areas offer a welcoming atmosphere and are furnished in a contemporary African style, complementing its natural surroundings. An endless stream of wildlife will keep you enthralled as you lounge or dine on the open deck or take a dip in the swimming pool.

Radisson Blu Lusaka

Lusaka, Zambia

Fully renovated in 2012, the Radisson Blu Lusaka is situated a short drive from Lusaka’s city center and the airport. The 142-room hotel’s amenities include a restaurant, poolside bar and bar/lounge; fitness center; outdoor pool; and gift shop. Tastefully appointed guest rooms are air-conditioned and have private bath with hair dryer, complimentary Wi-Fi access, TV, and phone. (Day room)

Activity Level

Expectations: This is a Land Journey with long touring days and several full-day safari drives. Although safari vehicles are comfortable, the drives involve sitting for several hours at a time during long, bumpy rides over rough and dusty terrain. While some roads have been cleared in the game parks, the surfaces are unpaved and there can be deep tire ruts cut into the roadbeds. Walking is sometimes over difficult terrain. Morning game drives require very early departures as wildlife is very active at dawn. Generally, there is afternoon leisure time on days with morning game drives. Transfers from one lodge to the next is over gravel roads in safari vehicles. Guests will also ride in small planes to access remote areas.

Appropriate for: Travelers who are physically fit and comfortable with long days of touring (both walking tours and driving time).

Tour Extension

Cape Town Post-Program Option — 4 Days, 3 Nights

Discover South Africa’s sparkling Cape Town, from Table Mountain and the Malay Quarter to the Cape Peninsula and The Winelands. Your tour extension price includes:

Air transportation Lusaka/Cape Town inclusive of airline taxes and departure fees
3 nights’ accommodations at the Table Bay Hotel (Deluxe)
6 meals: 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 1 dinner
Extensive included sightseeing: full-day Cape Peninsula tour; full-day Cape Town and the Winelands region tour
Services of a professional tour representative
Private motorcoach/van transportation
Transfers to/from airport
Gratuities for tour representative, dining room servers, airport and hotel porters, and all drivers

Table Bay Hotel
Standing in the heart of Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, The Table Bay Hotel provides stunning views of Table Mountain and Cape Town Harbour. Combining contemporary décor and Victorian accents, the hotel offers two restaurants, two bars, and lounge; spa with massage treatments and steam rooms; fitness center; internet access; laundry and dry cleaning services; heated outdoor pool; and complimentary shuttle service. The 329 air-conditioned rooms have private bath with hair dryer, tea- and coffee-making facilities, in-room safe, complimentary Wi-Fi Internet access; mini-bar, TV, and phone.

Please note that guests on the extension will proceed directly to Cape Town and will not use the hotel day room in Lusaka on Day 13.

Testimonials

WHAT OUR TRAVELERS SAY

This trip far exceeded our lofty expectations. Words alone cannot describe the magic of this experience.

- Mark S.

Boat cruises on the river with animals on either side were exciting, quiet, peaceful and truly spiritual, all at once! My favorite thing about this tour as a whole was the absence of other tourists. It was private and personal. A totally fabulous experience!

- Previous Journeys Traveler

Africa and its wonders must be experienced in person! Nature at its best! A photographer's dream come true.

- Allen S.

Like everyone told me, I returned convinced this was the "Best trip I ever took!"

- Gwendolyn S.

If Africa is not on your bucket list, you need a new bucket! This trip should not be missed.

- Stewart G.

This journey was a lifetime experience we will always treasure. It was fun, relaxing, elegant, and educational. Our expert, guides, and hotel staff were so wonderful! They made it special.

- Carmen & Tony C.

"The African Safari with Smithsonian Journeys was the trip of a lifetime. Every detail was attended to, before and during the trip - an exceptional experience!"

- Beatrice, C.

Reading List

Highly Recommended

Africa: A Biography of the Continent

By: John Reader

In 1978, paleontologists in East Africa discovered the earliest evidence of our divergence from the apes: three pre-human footprints, striding away from a volcano, were preserved in the petrified surface of a mudpan over three million years ago. Out of Africa, the world's most ancient and stable landmass, Homo sapiens dispersed across the globe. And yet the continent that gave birth to human history has long been woefully misunderstood and mistreated by the rest of the world.In a book as splendid in its wealth of information as it is breathtaking in scope, British writer and photojournalist John Reader brings to light Africa's geology and evolution, the majestic array of its landforms and environments, the rich diversity of its peoples and their ways of life, the devastating legacies of slavery and colonialism as well as recent political troubles and triumphs. Written in simple, elegant prose and illustrated with Reader's own photographs, Africa: A Biography of the Continent is an unforgettable book that will delight the general reader and expert alike.

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Wildlife of Southern Africa (Princeton Pocket Guides)

By: Martin B. Withers, David Hosking

Highly portable, concise, and informative, this is the essential guide for identifying Southern Africa's most visible wildlife. Featuring full-color photos of more than 400 species of birds, mammals, snakes, lizards, and insects, Wildlife of Southern Africa provides a spectacular sense of what travelers can see in the major game reserves and national parks of South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and southern Mozambique. Each species in this guide is accompanied by at least one full-color photograph plus a full textual description. Tips on wildlife photography as well as information on how to make the most of a safari are also included. This is a must-have guide for anyone planning or dreaming about a visit to this fascinating part of the world.Highly portable and informative guide to the wildlife of Southern Africa Hundreds of full-color photos detail more than 400 species At least one full-color photograph and full textual description for each species Tips on wildlife photography and making the most of a safari

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The Safari Companion: A Guide to Watching African Mammals

By: Richard D. Estes

Since its original publication in 1993, The Safari Companion has been the best field guide to observing and understanding the behavior of African mammals. An indispensable tool for naturalists traveling to Africa, this new edition has been revised to acknowledge the enthusiasm to those watching these magnificent animals at zoos and wildlife parks, and on film. The Safari Companion enables readers to recognize and interpret visible behavioral activities, such as courtship rituals, territorial marking, aggression, and care of young. Each account of over 80 species includes a behavioral table in which the unique actions of the hoofed mammals, carnivores, and primates are described for easy reference. In addition, useful maps show the major national boundaries, vegetation zones, and game parks relevant to the guide. The book includes an extensive glossary, as well as tips on wildlife photography, a list of organizations working to protect African wildlife, and advice on where and when to see the animals.

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The Fortunes of Africa: A 5000-Year History of Wealth, Greed, and Endeavor

By: Martin Meredith

Africa has been coveted for its riches ever since the era of the Pharaohs. In past centuries, it was the lure of gold, ivory, and slaves that drew fortune-seekers, merchant-adventurers, and conquerors from afar. In modern times, the focus of attention is on oil, diamonds, and other valuable minerals.Land was another prize. The Romans relied on their colonies in northern Africa for vital grain shipments to feed the population of Rome. Arab invaders followed in their wake, eventually colonizing the entire region. More recently, foreign corporations have acquired huge tracts of land to secure food supplies needed abroad, just as the Romans did.In this vast and vivid panorama of history, Martin Meredith follows the fortunes of Africa over a period of 5,000 years. With compelling narrative, he traces the rise and fall of ancient kingdoms and empires; the spread of Christianity and Islam; the enduring quest for gold and other riches; the exploits of explorers and missionaries; and the impact of European colonization. He examines, too, the fate of modern African states and concludes with a glimpse of their future.His cast of characters includes religious leaders, mining magnates, warlords, dictators, and many other legendary figuresamong them Mansa Musa, ruler of the medieval Mali empire, said to be the richest man the world has ever known. I speak of Africa,” Shakespeare wrote, and of golden joys.” This is history on an epic scale.

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Also Recommended

Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales Of A Botswana Safari Guide

By: Peter Allison

A hilarious, highly original collection of essays based on the Botswana truism: “only food runs!” With a new introduction and new material from the authorIn the tradition of Bill Bryson, a new writer brings us the lively adventures and biting wit of an African safari guide. Peter Allison gives us the guide’s-eye view of living in the bush, confronting the world’s fiercest terrain of wild animals and, most challenging of all, managing herds of gaping tourists. Passionate for the animals of the Kalahari, Allison works as a top safari guide in the wildlife-rich Okavango Delta. As he serves the whims of his wealthy clients, he often has to stop the impulse to run as far away from them as he can, as these tourists are sometimes more dangerous than a pride of lions. No one could make up these outrageous-but-true tales: the young woman who rejected the recommended safari-friendly khaki to wear a more “fashionable” hot pink ensemble; the lost tourist who happened to be drunk, half-naked, and a member of the British royal family; establishing a real friendship with the continent’s most vicious animal; the Japanese tourist who requested a repeat performance of Allison’s being charged by a lion so he could videotape it; and spending a crazy night in the wild after blowing a tire on a tour bus, revealing that Allison has as much good-natured scorn for himself. The author’s humor is exceeded only by his love and respect for the animals, and his goal is to limit any negative exposure to humans by planning trips that are minimally invasive—unfortunately it doesn’t always work out that way!New story: People often ask safari guides about the experience that frightened them the most. In this story Peter Allison tells of the time he became aware of unseen danger, and knew that somewhere within meters of him was a hunting lioness. Peter Allison is originally from Sydney, Australia. His safaris have been featured in National Geographic, Conde Nast Traveler, and on television programs such as Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures. He travels frequently to speaking appearances, and splits most of his time between Botswana, Sydney, and San Francisco.

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The Scramble for Africa: White Man's Conquest of the Dark Continent from 1876 to 1912

By: Thomas Pakenham

From the rear cover of this 738 page book: "A phenomenal achievement, clear, authoritative and compelling......Thomas Pakenham's fine book tells the story of this particular gold rush with admirable and judicious poise....Contains some of the best-known episodes of 19th-Century history as well as some of the most mythologized and colorful characters the world has ever seen.....Livingstone and Stanley, Brazza and Rhodes, Kitchener and Gordon, Lugard and Jameson.....Highly readable." and "Taking the entire continent as his canvas, Pakenham has painted a picture of heroism and horror. He writes both with compassion and with an effective combination of detachment and judgement. A splendid book."

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By: Robyn Scott

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London, 1945: the heir apparent to the kingship of Bechuanaland (later Botswana) arrives in Britain to complete his legal studies. Seretse Khama, an urbane 24-year-old, educated like Mandela at Fore Hare, is welcomed into the elite world of the Inner Temple in London. But then, in 1947, he does something that will change the course of his life, and that of his country, forcing him into six long years of exile: he falls in love with a white British woman, Ruth Williams. Drawing on a mass of previously classified records, Susan Williams tells Seretse and Ruth's story—an astonishing account of how the British Government conspired with apartheid South Africa and Rhodesia to prevent the mixed-race royal couple returning home. This is a shocking account of a shameful period of British history: overt racism on the streets of London and the corridors of Whitehall, and of appeasement to apartheid South Africa. But it is also an inspiring, triumphant tale of hope, courage, and true love, as with tenacity and great dignity Seretse and Ruth and the Bangwato people overcome prejudice in their fight for justice.

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Travel Insurance

For the convenience of our travelers, Smithsonian Journeys includes a basic medical expense and evacuation plan through Trip Mate, a Generali Global Assistance & Insurance Services brand, at no additional charge. This plan provides post-departure Medical and Dental coverage of $250,000 per person and Emergency Assistance and Transportation coverage of $1,000,000 per person (U.S. Residents Only). Note: For full details regarding these coverages please review the following Plan Documents here.

In addition, we recommend that travelers purchase a travel protection plan to help protect their travel investment from unforeseen events such as cancellation due to illness, flight delays due to adverse weather, baggage loss, and more. For your convenience, Smithsonian Journeys offers an optional Travel Protection Plan administered by Trip Mate, a Generali Global Assistance & Insurance Services brand. For those interested, optional "Cancel for Any Reason" coverage is available for an additional charge. Note: Certain eligibility requirements apply and Cancel for Any Reason coverage is not available to New York residents. For full details regarding this coverage please review the following Plan Documents here.

To learn more about the Travel Protection Plan, you may visit https://www.generalipartner.com/smithsonianjourneys or call the administrator, Trip Mate, a Generali Global Assistance & Insurance Services brand at (866) 501-3252.