Safari Africa 2026
We have recently returned from an amazing adventure to South Africa and beyond. This once-in-a-lifetime experience has filled us with wonder and inspiration about the world as we know it. Our trip was booked as a private group of 10 friends and family through G Adventures in partnership with National Geographic Expeditions. The National Geographic tour guides bring an unmatched level of scientific and cultural knowledge to the experience. From their website:
National Geographic Expeditions
National Geographic Expeditions span the globe and are designed to reflect our travelers' broad spectrum of interests. We travel on land, aboard small ships, along classic train routes, and in the comfort of a private jet, and we offer special trips for photographers, families, and independent travelers. When you travel with us on an expedition, you'll enjoy boundless opportunities to be surrounded by natural wonders and exotic wildlife, to explore celebrated archaeological sites, to learn about different cultures and share in local traditions. A National Geographic Expert or expert team accompanies most expeditions, sharing their knowledge and passion for a region and making each experience enriching and unforgettable.
National Geographic Journeys with G Adventures
Offered in collaboration with G Adventures, National Geographic Journeys are small-group trips built on meaningful encounters with people and places, interactions with knowledgeable local guides, and fun—all at an unbeatable value! Each of our National Geographic Journeys itineraries blends hands-on exploration with opportunities to forge human connections with people we meet all around the world. Usually limited to 16 or fewer travelers, these tours offer more free time and choices with the structure and security of traveling in a small group.
Cape Town
Our adventure started in Cape Town, South Africa. This is a modern port city on a peninsula. The waterfront area is absolutely charming, featuring the very large Victoria Mall with tons of shops and restaurants. The courtyard overlooks the harbor where you can hop on a sightseeing boat ride, enjoy local cultural dance and song groups or relax in the open-air amphitheater to take in a soccer or rugby game on the giant digital screen. You can't help but notice the prevalence of the SA Springbok rugby team jerseys, or their games playing on every tv screen in town. A walkway takes you along the harbor's edge where you can watch the boats coming and going or the dolphins playing just 100 yards off shore. At the end of this walkway, at the back of the mall, there is a large Ferris wheel that offers some of the best aerial views of the city and harbor. We used the hop-on hop-off tour buses to explore the city including a visit to Table Mountain which dominates the landscape above the city. A rotating gondola takes you to the flat summit where you can walk the many trails to a number of outstanding views in different directions. We visited the stunning Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, home to numerous plants and animals that are either unique to or originated from South Africa. We were surprised to learn that the beautiful Bird of Paradise flower often attributed to the Islands of Hawaii actually originated in this florisitc zone. Next on our list was the Cape of Good Hope - the most south-western point on the continent, where we took in the rugged beauty of the rocky Atlantic coastline and hiked a challenging uphill trek to the Cape Point Lighthouse for more stunning views of the coastal terrain as Cape seals play amongst the rocks. The view from here seemed to stretch out over the ocean to the ends of the Earth. We left the point to head north to Simon's Town on the west edge of the peninsula. Here we visited Boulders Beach - the home to a number of Penguin species. There is a certain joy you get from watching penguins. Here in their natural habitat they wander amongst the dunes, shelter their young, romp along the beach and dart through the waves in carefree style. Beyond the amusement of the penguins, the beauty of this area is stunning. For the foodies, Cape Town has a lot to offer and I particularly found the seafood to be fresh and delicious. Try the Time Out Market - a foodcourt with all types of cuisine available. I had my favorite seafood dish of the entire trip here. Also, we took our group to Gold Restaurant for their 14 course sampling menu of local cuisine and cultural song and dance.
Johannesburg/Soweto
A short flight took us up to Johannesburg to visit the village of Soweto, famous for being the home of Nelson Mandela and the dark tragedy of June 16, 1976. Our tours of the home and the museum there were humbling to say the least. Our bus ride into safari country took us to Blyde River Canyon - the 3rd largest canyon on Earth. Its becoming a cliche at this point telling you how breathtaking the views are in this region. The Three Rondavels and Bourke's Luck Potholes are just beautiful.
Kruger National Park
We arrived at the Umbhaba Eco Lodge which wrapped along the banks of a peaceful little lagoon with an Island, a fountain and a babbling brook. The deck provided a gorgeous place to relax and watch glorious sunsets. The next morning we finally headed out on our first of many safaris. At 6am we loaded into the mostly open, 4-wheel drive safari trucks and headed into the bush. It is winter there this time of year and things are mostly dry. As the sun rose into the sky it didn't take long to see our first wild animals. Zebras greeted us and kicked off a day of wildlife wonders. I'm not sure I could even list ALL of the animals we saw: giraffes, impalas, wildebeests, eagles, elephants, nyalas, lions, hyenas (with newborn pups), kudu, water buffalo, warthogs, hippos, crocodiles, water bucks, pythons, monkeys, baboons, leopards and a multitude of exotic birds. We couldn't help but be impressed with the park and the guides who brought a wealth of knowledge to our safari.
Karongwe Private Game Reserve
Our trip to our next safari venue brought us to a stop at God's Window where a short hike through indigenous forest brought us to some of the most spectacular vistas you will ever experience. The Chisomo Safari Lodge at Karongwe was amazing and you feel like you are living out in the bush. The village is open to the reserve, allowing wildlife to roam freely. There were rules regarding guests roaming the grounds and you could not be outside at night without an armed escort. But the property is beautiful. Our accommodations were essentially canvas tents with wooden-beam frames and thatched roofs, built on raised platforms to deter critters. They were roomy and comfortable. we headed out on our first afternoon safari on trucks that were even more open than those at Kruger. There was no roof, doors, windows, or windshield! But they did have an extra seat way up on the front left side of the hood. That's where the tracker sat to look and listen for signs of wildlife along the way. I can't say enough how impressive these guides are with their knowledge and experience. Watching them work to get us in the right places at the right times was truly remarkable. Again, wildlife seemed to sprout up all around us as we made our way through the bush. We added to our long list of species we encountered to include cheetahs, wild dogs (btw, these are inaptly named to sound boring and common. Trust me, they are neither) and white rhinos. Each safari run here included a "bush break". Our group was in 2 different trucks that were not always in the same place at the same time. But they would meet up in a clearing and the guides would set up a little bar with snacks and drinks for a chance to stretch our legs and compare sightings. Our experiences here were unforgettable. One morning we saw a cheetah hunting Impalas and later that day found her with her kill. Our last day we tracked an elusive leopard for over an hour without a sighting. But after we returned to camp, packed up and were leaving on the bus, found her waiting just outside the lodge entrance to wish us farewell.
Victoria Falls - Zimbabwe
Next up, we crossed the border to Zimbabwe to visit one of the seven natural wonders of the world - Victoria Falls. There are no words and the photos do not convey the awesome power and beauty of this geological wonder. We trekked through the rainforest and the incessant mist from the falls to one incredible view after another. If you're a fan of rainbows, you can't miss here. Just breathtaking!
Chobe National Park - Botswana
Another border crossing into Botswana took us to Chobe National Park for land and river safaris. Our morning land safari landed us amongst herds of elephants. At times they were very close to the trucks and you realize their great size and power as you look up at them. We saw many other animals as well, but the elephants were definitely the highlight of this one. In the afternoon we boarded a pontoon boat for a cruise on the shallow Chobe River for close encounters with hippos, crocodiles, water buffalo, lizards and, yes, more elephants.
Summary
You have to view a trip like this as more of an expedition than a vacation. Yes, it's definitely a getaway, but it feeds a different part of your soul. The part that needs adventure and wonder. The part that grew up watching National Geographic, Marlin Perkins, Jacques Cousteau and Steve Irwin on TV and always thought it would be so cool to do that. This trip does that. National Geographic and G Adventures both use their influence in these regions to contribute to local cultural and environmental programs. When you travel with them, you are contributing too.
For more information about how to book your own adventure, contact us at Kerry@OBPAdventures.com
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