Luxury Southern Africa Safaris & Tours
South Africa
Botswana
Zambia
Namibia
Bespoke Southern Africa Safari Tours
As a leader in luxury Southern Africa safari travel, EWT brings decades of local expertise and a passion for the continent’s most diverse landscapes to your journey. Whether you’re seeking the desert solitude of Namibia or a high-end safari lodge holiday in South Africa, we specialise in bespoke packages that balance raw, untamed adventure with absolute refinement.
BotswanaSouthern Africa
Zambia
South Africa
Luxury Tours to BotswanaVisit Botswana
Botswana is the undisputed pinnacle of the luxury Southern Africa safari, a land where the ancient and the ephemeral collide. Towards the north of the country, the Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pans stand as hauntingly beautiful remnants of a massive prehistoric lake that once dominated central Africa. Today, these salt crusts offer a lunar-like solitude for those seeking a private safari in Southern Africa, transforming into a shimmering grassland that hosts Africa’s second-largest zebra migration after the summer rains.
The living heart of the country, however, belongs to the Okavango Delta. Fed by seasonal rains from the Angolan highlands, the Okavango, Kwando, and Linyanti rivers weave a dynamic, life-giving tapestry across the Kalahari sands. This "liquid soul" supports a staggering density of wildlife, from the elusive, swamp-dwelling sitatunga to the continent's largest elephant herds. For a truly high-impact safari in Southern Africa, we focus on the delta area near Moremi Game Reserve, and Chobe National Park; situated on the Delta’s eastern fringe, its mosaic of lagoons and acacia woodlands serves as a high-stakes sanctuary for the Big Five and the endangered African wild dog.
No Southern Africa safari trip to Botswana is complete without the thundering finale of Victoria Falls. Just a short hop across the border, this "Natural Wonder of the World" spans 1,700 meters of raw power, reaching its breathtaking peak flow in March and April. Viewed from both the Zambia or Zimbabwe side, they offer a misty, atmospheric bookend to a luxury Southern Africa safari tour.
Visit South Africa
Luxury Tours to South AfricaCelebrated for its diverse landscapes and rich wildlife, South Africa is the cornerstone of any luxury Southern Africa safari. The country is home to an array of world-class national parks that safeguard some of the continent’s most iconic species and ecosystems. From the world-renowned Kruger National Park - the ultimate destination for seeing the “Big Five” - to the lush Garden Route National Park with its ancient forests and dramatic coastline, these protected areas offer an unparalleled glimpse into the country’s stunning biodiversity.
For those seeking a more private safari in Southern Africa, the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, boasts breathtaking peaks, ancient San rock art, and unique alpine flora. Further south, the Addo Elephant National Park serves as a critical sanctuary; originally established to protect the last remaining elephants in the Eastern Cape, it has since expanded to support diverse habitats ranging from coastal dunes to rugged mountains. Even within the heart of Cape Town, Table Mountain National Park offers a wild escape, famous for its iconic flat-topped silhouette and rare fynbos vegetation found nowhere else on earth.
Visit Zambia
Luxury Tours to ZambiaZambia, a land of dramatic landscapes and pristine wilderness, offers some of Africa's most remarkable national parks where wildlife thrives in truly untouched habitats. Often hailed as one of the world's greatest wildlife sanctuaries, South Luangwa National Park is the centerpiece of a luxury Southern Africa safari. Known as the "Valley of the Leopard," it is the legendary birthplace of the walking safari, offering an intimate, ground-level perspective on dense populations of elephants, hippos, and big cats along the Luangwa River.
As a staple of our Southern Africa safari packages, Kafue National Park - Zambia’s largest - spans a vast mosaic of woodlands, plains, and swamps. It supports an incredible range of species, from tree-climbing lions and cheetahs to the rare African wild dog and the elusive pangolin. For those seeking a unique river-based safari, the Lower Zambezi National Park provides a stunning backdrop where buffalo, crocodiles, and waterbuck are best observed by boat or private canoe along the Zambezi’s banks.
Further west, the tranquil Liuwa Plain National Park offers a Southern Africa safari experience unlike any other, known for hosting Africa’s second-largest wildebeest migration and one of the continent’s oldest conservation success stories.
Visit Namibia
Luxury Tours to NamibiaNamibia is a Southern Africa safari destination of staggering contrasts, where ancient deserts, dramatic coastlines, and abundant wildlife converge to create one of the continent’s most otherworldly experiences. At the heart of any luxury Southern Africa safari to Namibia lies Etosho National Park, a vast game reserve built around a colossal salt pan so large it is visible from space. During the dry season, its waterholes become natural amphitheatres where elephants, black rhinos, lions, and giraffes gather in remarkable concentrations.
For those seeking a truly private safari in Southern Africa, the remote Kunene region delivers an experience found nowhere else on earth. Here, desert-adapted elephants and the critically endangered black rhino traverse the rugged terrain of Damaraland, while the windswept Skeleton Coast provides a hauntingly beautiful backdrop where Cape fur seals, brown hyenas, and oryx have evolved to thrive in one of the world’s harshest environments.
No Southern Africa safari tour to Namibia is complete without the surreal landscapes of the Namib-Naukluft National Park, home to Sossusveli and its towering apricot-coloured dunes - among the tallest in the world. The ghostly white clay pan of Deadvlei, dotted with 900-year-old camel thorn trees, captures the essence of this extraordinary country.
Your Questions, Answered
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Generally, the dry winter months (May to October) are considered the peak time for wildlife viewing. During this period, the vegetation thins out and animals congregate around permanent water sources, making the "Big Five" easier to spot.
However, if your bespoke safari in Southern Africa includes the Okavango Delta, remember that the floodwaters usually peak from June to August. For those visiting Cape Town, the summer months (November to March) offer the best coastal weather.
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Absolutely - in fact, we recommend it. An iconic luxury Southern Africa safari seamlessly connects time in Cape Town with remote and extravagant game viewing in the Sabi Sands Reserve, bordering Kruger National Park. One of EWT’s most popular itineraries is the vibrant culture and flora of Cape Town coupled with the variety of ecosystems in Botswana, around the Delta. Any trip can easily add a visit to Victoria Falls, always a highlight. And the Kalahari Desert, spanning Namibia, Botswana and South Africa offers some of the most remote and pristine wilderness in Africa.
As one of the premier tour companies for Southern Africa packages, we handle the complex logistics of cross-border permits and private charters to ensure you spend more time in the bush and less time in airports.
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Beyond the legendary Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo), Southern Africa is the playground for some of the continent’s most specialized and rare species.
In the Okavango Delta and Zambia, you are in the premier stronghold for the endangered African wild dog (or painted wolf). If you venture into the Namib Desert, you’ll encounter "desert-adapted" specialists - elephants and lions that have evolved to survive in the shimmering heat of the dunes. Meanwhile, the Tswalu Kalahari offers a front-row seat to the "elusive five": the aardvark, aardwolf, bat-eared fox, brown hyena, and the prehistoric-looking ground pangolin.
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If exclusivity is your priority, Botswana is the undisputed king; its "low-volume" model means you’ll often have thousands of acres of the Okavango Delta to yourself. For those who want five-star sophistication, gourmet dining, and the world’s best leopard sightings, South Africa's Sabi Sands is the gold standard. Finally, for the adventurer, Zambia offers the rawest connection to the wild through elite-level walking safaris and the thundering majesty of Victoria Falls.
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Yes, and in many ways, a luxury safari is one of the most secure ways to travel. Because our itineraries utilize private air transfers (lodge hops) directly from international hubs to remote bush airstrips, you can bypass the logistical friction of major cities entirely. Of course, South Africa cities have a wealth of culture, culinary delights, and engrossing history, so, if you have time, we always recommend a combination of wildlife and urban exploration.
Once in the bush, you are in a "controlled wilderness" where expert guides - among the most highly trained in the world - ensure your safety around wildlife. The lodges themselves are intimate sanctuaries with high staff-to-guest ratios, providing 24/7 security and a level of personalized care that makes the "outside world" feel very far away.
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For most US, UK, and EU citizens, the visa process is remarkably simple. South Africa, and Botswana remain largely visa-exempt for stays under 90 days (usually just a stamp in your passport). For Zambia, we recommend the KAZA Univisa, which allows you to move freely between both sides of Victoria Falls on one permit.
Regarding health, you should be up-to-date on routine vaccinations (MMR, DTaP). Hepatitis A and Typhoid are standard recommendations, and because many luxury areas are in malaria zones, a prophylactic is essential. A Yellow Fever certificate (either proof of vaccination or a certified exemption letter) is only required if you are arriving from an endemic country (like Kenya, Tanzania, or Ethiopia).
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