South Africa Travel Guide

Going on Safari: The Best of the Best, No Expense Spared, in 10 Days

For the southern African safari experience of a lifetime, you really need to experience Botswana's Okavango Delta, a desert reserve, and the abundant wildlife of South Africa's Kruger Park region.

Days 1 to 6: Botswana

Fly directly from either Johannesburg (or Cape Town) to Maun in Botswana, and spend 4 nights at one or more of the top Okavango Delta camps: whether Mombo, Jao, Vumbura, Eagle Island, or Chief's Camp (the latter being a slightly more affordable option); note that you need to book up to a year in advance if you plan to go during high season, when the delta is flooded and the attendant wildlife most abundant. Alternatively, if you want to complement the standard game-drive experience you'll have in Kruger, book into Abu Camp, where all game-viewing takes place on elephant-back, and accommodations are of an exceptionally high standard. Spend your first day relaxing and recovering from your long journey, watching the wildlife from the privacy of your deck. You'll wake the next day refreshed and ready for a day's intensive game-viewing. From the pristine delta, move on to spend 2 nights at Jack's Camp in Botswana's Kalahari wilderness, where the desolate desert landscape is nature at its most surreal; take a quad-bike safari to view some Bushman rock art.

Day 7: Zambia/Victoria Falls

From Jack's Camp, you can charter a flight to Livingstone, in Zambia, where a night at the colonial-style River Club -- located on the edge of the Zambezi River -- provides a romantic base from which to visit the spectacular sight of Victoria Falls.

Day 8: Johannesburg

Return to Johannesburg (directly from Livingstone) for a heady night in Africa's Big Apple. If all that wildlife and those serene nights under African skies have you itching for some club action, Kilimanjaro, in Melrose Arch, is the place to be (you can dine at Moyo before, or in one of the restaurants in nearby Norwood). Or, if you prefer listening to local live acts, go to Bassline in Newtown. The top attraction for daytime viewing should be the Apartheid Museum. Or do as Jo'burgers do and just shop -- and unless you're after something specific, avoid the malls and opt to lunch at one of the pavement cafes on trendy 4th Avenue in Parkhurst.

Days 9 & 10: Kruger National Park

From Johannesburg it's an easy flight to world-renowned Kruger National Park, along South Africa's eastern border. Here, a choice of ultraluxurious game lodges offer smart design, impeccable comfort, and excellent game-viewing. For the absolute best options, choose among Singita, Londolozi, and Royal Malewane. The latter is the best choice if you're interested in on-foot rhino tracking, Londolozi is the ultimate for leopard-viewing, while Singita will bowl you over with its sophisticated design and opulence -- oh, and the game-viewing is also superb. Leave knowing you really have done it all.