Countries Visited: South Africa, Botswana & Zimbabwe
During this tour, you travel through the diverse landscapes of South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. We first make our way from Pretoria to one of the smallest but fascinating game reserves, Pilanesberg National Park, situated in an ecologically rich zone. Then continue our trip up north, crossing the savanna, the world’s largest saltpans, swamps, and the Kalahari Desert. We will paddle through the majestic Okavango Delta in a local canoe, called a ‘mokoro’. You will make game drives through several National Parks in search for wildlife, follow the course of the mighty Zambezi river to visit the moist area surrounding the Victoria Falls, see the rock art at Motopos, and end the tour with a night at Zvakanaka Farm in the Southparnsberg Sanctuary.
Tour Code: SABOZI
Tour Price: € 2195,-
Please make sure that you are at Twana Lodge 1 day before departure date...so arrive in South Africa on or before the 21st of July 2025.
Departure Date for July 2025:
22 July 2025
Return Date for July 2025:
8 August 2025
Please book your return flight back to the Netherlands on or after the 9th of August 2025!
Tour price includes:
Tour price excludes: Overnight Quad bike Meerkat Safari, Visas, flight ticket, 1 dinner in Maun and 1 dinner in Victoria Falls, additional spending money, Optional Activities, sleeping bag & pillow & Entry for Victoria Falls.
Per person price is based on a minimum of 7 students!
Looking for an adventure coming year?
Would you like to do something completely different?
And have you always wanted to explore the exciting nature and wildlife of Southern Africa?
Utrecht
Last year the Safari course has become a new ‘Biologie in het Werkveld’ course (2.5 ECTS): (http://biologieinhetwerkveld.
Hope to see you soon :)!
Depart: Pretoria
End: Pretoria
Day 1: Pilanesberg National Park (afternoon game drive) (South Africa)
Day 2: Pilanesberg National Park (full day game drive)
Day 3: K'ang (Botswana)
Day 4: Ganzi (Bushman walk)
Day 5: Maun
Day 6: Okavango Delta (Mokoro Overnight Trip)
Day 7: Planet Baobab
Day 8: Elephant Sands
Day 9: Kasane
Day 10: Kasane (Game drive & Boat cruise)
Day 11: Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)
Day 12: Victoria Falls
Day 13: Hwange National Park
Day 14: Hwange National Park (Full day game drive)
Day 15: Motopos National Park
Day 16: Motopos National Park (Rhino trekking and Stone age rock art)
Day 17: Zvakanaka Farm (South Africa)
Day 18: Pretoria
| Day 1: |
Pilanesberg Today we leave to one of the smaller game parks in South Africa for an afternoon of game viewing. |
| Day 2: |
Pilanesberg We spend the day game driving in our vehicles in Pilanesberg. |
| Day 3: | K'ang After a border crossing into Botswana, we stay at K'ang. Spend the afternoon chilling by the pool. |
| Day 4: |
Ganz We spend the afternoon with the Bushman to learn their crafts and survival skills, digging up roots and edible plants in the desert. |
| Day 5: | Maun Afternoon shopping and chilling by the pool, reading and relaxing. You can also do a scenic flight over the delta this afternoon. (see activity page for optional activities and rates) |
| Day 6: | Okavango Delta Mokorro trip into the Okovango Delta - we spend the afternoon exploring the Island’s beauty and wildlife on a guided afternoon walk. The mokoro, is a traditional canoe-like vessel commonly used in the Okavango Delta as a popular mode of transport, and now utilised for game viewing safaris. The makoro has become the iconic symbol of the Delta and is a popular way for visitors to explore the Okavango while on safari.
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| Day 7: |
Planet Baobab We head east to Planet Baobab camp, where you can swim, relax or take photos of one of the biggest Baobab trees in Botswana. For those who chose this optional activity, you will leave in the afternoon on the quadbikes for the Ntwetwe Pan Overnight Quadbike Meerkat Safari – we depart from Planet Baobab into the Salt pans with Quadbikes stopping to spend some time with a Meerkat family to observe a day in their lives. Afterwards we head further into the salt pans where we spend the night sleeping under the stars in "bedrolls". A million star BBQ dinner is served around the campfire and a breakfast the next morning. Afterwards we return to Planet Boabab to continue our journey. |
| Day 8: |
Elephant Sands Watch the Elephants up close while enjoying a cold beverage from the swimming pool.
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| Day 9: | Kasane The gateway to Chobe National Park – we spend the afternoon chilling by the pool |
| Day 10: | Kasane Morning game drive in the Chobe National Park and afternoon boat cruise on the Chobe River. |
| Day 11: | Victoria Falls After crossing the border between Botswana and Zimbabwe, we spend the afternoon relaxing in Victoria Falls. |
| Day 12: | Victoria Falls Free day to enjoy the Falls or various activities like, white water rafting, bungi jumping, canoeing, croc farm tour, gorge swing & high wire, Helicopter scenic flights, Horse riding, Ultralight Flights, Zambezi River Tour (see activity page for optional activities and rates) |
| Day 13: | Hwange National Park We stop off at the Painted Dog conservation centre where you can learn more about these rare and special dogs - this activity is free, but you are welcome to leave a donation that goes towards the conservation of these endangered species! |
| Day 14: |
Hwange National Park Full day game drive for game viewing. |
| Day 15: |
Motopos National Park After a quick stop in Buluwayo for shopping, we spend the afternoon enjoying the beauty of the Motopos balancing rocks and various rock paintings around the camp. In Matobo Hills you can see the Rock Hyrax, hyraxes are preyed on by leopards which is why the area of Motopos has one of the highest concentrations of leopard in Africa. |
| Day 16: | Motopos national Park You get a transfer to Motopos National Park from our accommodation and do a morning Rhino trekking walk where you can see the rhino's up close on foot! The park has significant populations of black eagles and both black and white rhinos. |
| Day 17: | Zvakanaka Farm After crossing the border back into South Africa, we head to the camp where we spend the evening on the farm. |
| Day 18: |
Pretoria We head back home for our last night together aroung the camp fire. |
This tour is an accredited Field Course (2.5ECTS - Biology in the field - Utrecht) for university students that provides field experience with conservation issues, ecology, wildlife and plants in Southern Africa, while focusing on the importance of wildlife conservation and understanding actual conflicts concerning protection of wildlife species and their habitats.
The course will provide a deeper understanding of the structure and functioning of animal communities, population control, translocations, wildlife diseases and animal behaviour. From experts in the field, students will learn more about wildlife conservation, doing ecological research, and the management of national parks during visits of protected areas, research institutes and other field excursions. To facilitate an understanding of conservation on Southern Africa, students will prepare presentations that will be giving on site.
These presentation will mainly focus on biodiversity, conservation, human-wildlife conflicts and ecology in certain areas and habitats. Students will gain knowledge about wildlife, habitats, flora and the applicability of all of these to ecological studies. The course will provide a unique opportunity for students to learn new skills and concepts. This course enables students to orient themselves on a potential internship, thesis or research project and will trigger them to evaluate their ambitions and further steps in their academic career.
Learning goals:
- Student presentations
- Final discussion on assignment: GPS sightings/monitoring rare species/body condition scores
- Certificate for overall participation and motivation
- Final report per group
Qualification of guides General guides:
The guides that accompany the students during the complete trip have nearly 20 years of experience with overland travels in Southern Africa. Therefore, they have a varied general knowledge on the nature, culture and the geological background and history of all the locations. The guides also stimulates the students in reflecting on their career aspirations, give them some life experiences and flexibility when working in developing countries. Local guides Qualified, certified local guides and game rangers are arranged at all specific sites. They offer essential knowledge of the park, nature and animals present.
Learning outcomes:
After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:
- Critically discuss and evaluate the conservation and management of wildlife/ problems in wildlife management
- Understand species distribution and adaptation to specific climate circumstances and resource availability
- Understand the major physiological and behavioural adaptations of animals in different habitatsa and ecological systems
- Describe different strategies aimed at prioritizing areas for conservation and effective management - Discuss human-wildlife issues on an academic level
- Student can set up a small experiment and analyse and discuss collected data
- Explain some of the techniques relevant for the management of wildlife populations
- Present the results in an understandably way for both managers and policy makers.
Activities:
The course consists of one week preparation and three weeks in the field in which students from different disciplines will be exposed to a large diversity of mammals, birds, invertebrates, fish, reptiles and amphibians.
- Preparing for field trip and oral presentation
- Presentation of results in an oral presentation (field practical)
- Plenary discussions;
- Writing a final report based on the acquired knowledge
All activities are mandatory.
Examination:
- Oral presentation
- Final group report
- Overall motivation and participation
Optional activities for the Sabozi tour: Prices are subject to change at any time without notice. We do our best to keep prices current and provide accurate information.
Maun optional activities:
Flight over the Okavango Delta - $190
Planet Baobab:
Overnight Quad bike Meerkat Safari - $293
Victoria Falls activities:
White Water Rafting - $150
Bungi Jumping - $250
Zipline, Flying Fox & Gorge Swing Combo - $230
Helicopter Flights - $300
Victoria Falls visit - $30
Jetboat Adventure - $180