A wildlife experience like no other offering close encounters with mountain gorilla and thrilling Big Five adventures
Primates and Predators
Rwanda, Botswana, and South Africa
Your journey at a glance
An epic 13-day expedition combining gorilla trekking, safari game drives, and city tours
This incredible journey begins in Rwanda. Trek through the forested slopes of Volcanoes National Park in search of the world’s largest population of wild mountain gorilla. Immersed in this dramatic natural setting, accompanied by your expert guides and trackers, you will have the awe-inpiring opportunity to savour every second quietly observing intriguing interactions between gorilla family groups in this world-renowned national park.
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The next leg of your adventure takes you to the pristine Okavango Delta in Botswana. Known as “the river that never finds the sea”, crystal-clear channels spread over the thirst lands of the Kalahari with their papyrus-fringed banks and fertile floating islands. Keep your camera ready for sightings of elegant red lechwe and shy sitatunga that are found exclusively in this watery wilderness. Marvel at lion, cheetah, leopard, and African wild dog that share the floodplains with large herds of elephant and buffalo.
Your travels end in South Africa’s vibrant city of Cape Town. Relax on the Mother City’s golden beaches, discover mementoes of its colourful past and immerse yourself in its lively culture. Vibrant and cosmopolitan, with an eclectic mix of old and new, this laid-back city is as much at home with its 17th-century castle – whose cannons have never been fired in anger – as it is with its sleek skyscrapers and trendy malls.
1 night Kigali, Rwanda | 2 nights Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda | 1 night Johannesburg, South Africa | 5 nights, Okavango Delta, Botswana | 3 nights Cape Town, South Africa
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A taste of what to expect
Day 1: Arrival
Rwanda, Kigali | Kigali Serena Hotel
- Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be met in the arrivals hall by a friendly Akagera Aviation’s representative holding an &Beyond greeting board.
- After escorting you to the immigration counter, the Akagera Aviation representative will then guide you to the lounge, where you will relax with refreshments while your luggage is collected.
- Once your luggage has been retrieved, the Aviation representative will help you to the car park to meet your &Beyond guide who will drive you to Kigali Serena Hotel where you will stay the night.
Day 2:
Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park | Wilderness Sabyinyo
- After a hearty breakfast, depart on a guided Kigali City Tour where history, architecture and culture collide.
- Accompanied by an expert city guide who will beautifully showcase and share the vibrancy of Kigali, venture to where the first modern building was built, which laid the foundations for Rwanda’s capital city. Next, journey through bustling neighbourhoods for an authentic taste of Kigali life. The rapidly changing façade of the city is due to the numerous visitors and investors who are attracted to what has been hailed as one of the friendliest and safest cities in Africa.
- After your city tour, you will be driven to Wilderness Sabyinyo where you will be staying for the next two nights.
Day 3:
Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park | Wilderness Sabyinyo
- A rewarding and humbling experience often described as a “life-changing event”; today you will have the incredible opportunity to come face-to-face with the world’s largest living primate, the mountain gorilla.
- After breakfast, set out in search of magical encounters with family groups of mountain gorilla that have made Rwanda’s extraordinary Volcanoes National Park their home.
- Home to no less than five volcanoes, delve deep into the national park’s dense, misty forests, accompanied by expert guides and trackers, exploring this scenic landscape, where Dian Fossey carried out her ground-breaking gorilla research.
- Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park is inhabited by approximately 13 mountain gorilla family groups, some of which can be trekked, while others are being researched and monitored on a regular basis by the conservation organisations in the park.
- With approximately half of the world’s remaining mountain gorilla population found in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda boasts superb primate sightings, which also includes the fun-loving sykes monkey, the golden monkey, and the boisterous chimpanzee. This mountainous environment, dominated by forests, provides a haven for a host of endemic species.
- Trekking can take up to eight hours to locate the allocated gorilla family group. Once located, you will spend approximately one hour quietly observing these charismatic creatures in their natural habitat.
Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
Day 4:
South Africa, Johannesburg | InterContinental Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport
- With your unforgettable mountain gorilla encounter fresh in your memory, it is time to bid a sad, but fond, farewell to Rwanda.
- A friendly team member from &Beyond will collect you from Wilderness Sabyinyo and drive you to Kigali where you can enjoy an early dinner before heading to Kigali International Airport in time to board your flight to Johannesburg, South Africa.
Day 5 & 6:
Botswana, Okavango Delta | &Beyond Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp
- Upon arrival at OR Tambo International Airport, you will be met by a friendly Menzies Aviation representative and assisted through customs and immigration. You will then be guided across the road to Intercontinental OR Tambo International Airport Hotel where a room has been booked for you from the previous night. Here, you can catch up on some sleep before your departure to Maun, Botswana later today.
- When it is time for your flight, you will be met at Intercontinental OR Tambo International Airport Hotel by a representative from Menzies Aviation, who will assist you across the road to OR Tambo International Airport and with check in procedures for your departure flight.
- Upon arrival at Maun International Airport, you will be greeted by a welcoming member from the &Beyond team who will assist you onto a Mack Air light aircraft.
- From here, you, and other fellow guests, will be flown to Nxabega Airstrip, which is an approximate 25-minute flight. Your first flight over Botswana’s pristine water wilderness will leave lasting impressions. Keep a look out for hippo in the waterways and elephant amongst the trees.
- Adventure awaits at your 2-night stay at &Beyond Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp, known for its elegant, tented accommodation, which boasts breathtaking views of both mature mopane woodlands and seasonally flooded grasslands.
Experience Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp
Browse some of our favourite lodge experiences that can be enjoyed during your stay
Day 7 to 9:
Botswana, Okavango Delta | &Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge
- After a hearty lodge breakfast, enjoy a short game drive to Nxabega Airstrip where a Mack Air light aircraft will be waiting to fly you, and fellow guests, to Chitabe Airstrip, which is an approximate 15-minute flight.
- From above, marvel at the endless beauty of the Okavango Delta as you fly over the massive expanse of this inland lake.
- Reawaken your safari soul during your 3-night stay at &Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge.
- Set in the heart of the Delta, on the edge of a waterway, Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge is situated on a diverse, wildlife-rich, private concession, and has exclusive traversing rights over a vast 22,500 hectares (55,600 acres) of wildlife land bordering the Moremi Game Reserve making for an incredible wildlife viewing experience.
Experience Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge
Access to a range of unique experiences that can be enjoyed during your stay
Day 10:
South Africa, Cape Town | Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel
- Your time in Botswana has come to an end, and it is time to wave a fond farewell to the majestic Okavango Delta, and its incredible natural beauty and wildlife.
- After one last delicious breakfast at the lodge, enjoy a short game drive to Chitabe Airstrip where a Mack Air light aircraft will be waiting to fly you, and other fellow guests, to Maun International Airport, which is an approximate 15-minute flight. Savour the views of the sparkling lagoons and palm tree islands as you fly over this water wonderland for one last time.
- From Maun International Airport, you will be heading to Cape Town International Airport, South Africa to enjoy the last leg of your adventure.
- Upon arrival at Cape Town International Airport, you will be met by a friendly Menzies Aviation representative and assisted through customs and immigration. You will then be guided into the arrivals hall where you will be met by a welcoming member from our &Beyond team who will drive you to Nelson Hotel, A Belmond Hotel.
- As you drive toward the city of Cape Town, your view from afar will be Table Mountain, one of the most spiritual places on earth, with its heart, two oceans and the beautiful city at its feet.
- You will be staying at Nelson Hotel, A Belmond Hotel for the next three nights.
Day 11:
South Africa, Cape Town | Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel
- After breakfast at the hotel, begin your Mother City exploring with a half-day scenic tour of Cape Town starting at iconic Table Mountain or, if the weather is not favourable, at the flat-topped mound known as Signal Hill.
- Browse vibrant Greenmarket Square, one of the city’s oldest markets, and take a walk-through Company Gardens, established by Dutch settlers in 1652.
- Drive past the Houses of Parliament and the historical Castle of Good Hope, as well as the Slave Lodge, which used to house thousands of slaves belonging to the Dutch East India Company.
- Next you will visit the traditional Malay Quarter in the predominantly Muslim Bo-Kaap, with its brightly coloured houses dating back as far as the 17th century. Pause to listen to the firing of the noonday gun from Signal Hill.
Day 12:
South Africa, Cape Town | Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel
- Today sees you going on another exciting city tour, this time exploring the scenic highlights of the Cape Peninsula, beginning at the spectacular coastal suburb of Hout Bay, a former fishing village with a long, sandy beach facing a bay framed by the mountains.
- Explore the restaurants, shops and markets of Mariner’s Wharf, a harbour-front emporium with a distinct maritime ambiance. Depending on whether the road is open, the tour will continue along the breathtaking Chapman’s Peak Drive before heading to the Cape of Good Hope to explore the nature reserve, see the Diaz Cross and perhaps even indulge in lunch at a local restaurant.
- From here you will travel to Simon’s Town, famous for its naval military base, and then visit the charming penguin colony at Boulders Beach. The tour ends at the beautiful Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, set against the eastern slopes of spectacular Table Mountain.
Day 13: Departure
South Africa, Cape Town | Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel
- Your incredible journey has come to an end, and it is time to say goodbye.
- After breakfast, you will be collected from Nelson Hotel, A Belmond Hotel and driven to Cape Town International Airport for your flight onward.
Rates
What's included
- Accommodation as specified in the itinerary
- Meals, drinks, and laundry as specified in the itinerary
- Scheduled flights as specified in the itinerary
- Private transfers as specified in the itinerary
- Private and scheduled sightseeing and excursions as specified in the itinerary
- Scheduled safari game viewing experiences as specified in the itinerary
- National parks, concession, and landing fees, where applicable
- Emergency medical evacuation insurance
- Domestic / International departure tax, fuel and safety levies from airports and airstrips, unless otherwise stipulated
- Global Concierge
- Personal Travel Journal
What's not included
- Items of personal nature
- Gratuities
- Visas (visit our partner, Sherpa, for reliable and convenient access to all visa-related requirements, supporting information, and costs)
- Travel Insurance – should you be interested we can introduce you to our recommended partners
Conditions
- The operator may re-route the itinerary or change the accommodation to similar hotels / lodges when and where required
- A single traveller supplement and child rates will be quoted on request
- The Table Mountain Cable Way will be closed for its annual maintenance from 15 July to 01 September 2025 (subject to change)
- The estimated rates for 2026 are provided, with the understanding that inclusions and room categories may change. Final costs are also subject to adjustments and will require a quote upon request.
- Fares for internal / regional flights as quoted are subject to change and will be re-quoted at the time of booking request
- Validity periods are as specified above, should a booking fall over two rate periods the rate will change, and we reserve the right to re-quote
- The rates quoted are subject to change without warning if there are any increases in bed levies, park fees, fuel, ROE, sales tax or VAT, third-party services, or any other circumstances beyond our control
- Rates exclude gratuities and all items of a personal nature
- Rates are subject to currency fluctuations and are subject to change depending on the ROE used at the time of booking
- &Beyond Trading Terms apply
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