This 8 Days Best Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari combines the pristine wilderness of Zambia's premier national parks with the dramatic landscapes of Namibia's most iconic destinations. Your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari journey begins in the wildlife-rich Lower Zambezi National Park, where canoe safaris and walking experiences offer intimate encounters with four of the Big Five species. The adventure continues through South Luangwa National Park, known locally as "Luangwa Wamuyaya" (Valley of the Leopard), before transitioning to Namibia's breathtaking Skeleton Coast and world-famous Etosha National Park.
Your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari experience showcases the remarkable diversity of southern African ecosystems, from the lush riverine forests of the Zambezi Valley to the stark beauty of the Namib Desert's coastal regions. The carefully crafted itinerary maximizes wildlife viewing opportunities while incorporating unique activities such as canoe safaris, guided bush walks, and classic game drives across varied terrains and climates.
Throughout your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari adventure, expert guides share their extensive knowledge of regional wildlife, conservation efforts, and local cultures that make this journey truly transformative. From tracking elephants along the Zambezi River to witnessing Etosha's spectacular wildlife congregations around ancient waterholes, each day brings new discoveries and unforgettable moments.
Day 1: Pick Up from Lusaka and Transfer to Lower Zambezi National Park
Day 2: Canoe Safari and Walking Experience in Lower Zambezi
Day 3: Transfer to South Luangwa National Park
Day 4: Classic Safari and Walking Safari in South Luangwa
Day 5: Proceed to Namibia via International Flight
Day 6: Continue to Skeleton Coast National Park
Day 7: Transfer to Etosha National Park
Day 8: Classic Game Drive in Etosha and Departure
Your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari begins with an early morning pick up from Lusaka, followed by a scenic 130-kilometer drive southeast to Lower Zambezi National Park, known locally as "Mana-a-Pansi" (Lower Pool). This initial phase of your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari takes approximately 2.5 hours through rural Zambian countryside before arriving at your riverside lodge on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River. Your afternoon Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari experience includes a welcome game drive along the riverine forests, where you'll encounter elephants, buffalo, hippos, and various antelope species in this pristine wilderness that borders Zimbabwe's Mana Pools across the river.
Today's Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari adventure features the park's signature canoe safari along the Zambezi River, starting at dawn with a gentle 3-hour paddle through channels teeming with hippos, crocodiles, and diverse birdlife. Your unique Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari experience continues with a guided walking safari in the afternoon, led by professional scouts who share insights about tracking four of the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, and buffalo) in this 4,092-square-kilometer wilderness. The evening portion of your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari includes a boat cruise along the Zambezi's edge, where you'll witness spectacular sunsets while observing elephants drinking and bathing along the shoreline.
Your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari continues with an early morning departure from Lower Zambezi for the 280-kilometer journey northeast to South Luangwa National Park, approximately a 5-hour drive through Zambia's Eastern Province. This transitional day of your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari offers scenic views of rural villages and changing landscapes as you approach the Luangwa Valley, known as one of Africa's greatest wildlife sanctuaries. Upon arrival at your lodge in the Mfuwe area, your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari experience resumes with an afternoon game drive through this 9,050-square-kilometer park, famous for its large leopard population and spectacular wildlife densities along the meandering Luangwa River.
Dawn breaks on your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari with an early morning game drive through South Luangwa's diverse ecosystems, including riverine woodlands, grasslands, and lagoons known locally as "Nsefu" areas. Your comprehensive Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari Day features encounters with giraffes, elephants, lions, and leopards, plus over 400 bird species in this valley that Norman Carr called "one of the most intense game areas in all of Africa." The afternoon segment of your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari includes a guided walking safari with armed scouts, offering ground-level perspectives of the intricate relationships between predators, prey, and the ecosystem that supports abundant wildlife populations year-round.
Your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari transitions today with a morning transfer to Mfuwe International Airport for your onward flight to Windhoek, Namibia's capital city, covering approximately 1,200 kilometers across southern Africa. This pivotal day of your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari involves international customs procedures and a connecting flight to Walvis Bay, the coastal gateway to Namibia's Atlantic shoreline. Upon arrival, your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari experience continues with a 30-kilometer drive north to Swakopmund, where you'll overnight before proceeding to the remote Skeleton Coast, preparing for dramatically different landscapes and wildlife encounters.
Today's Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari adventure takes you 500 kilometers north from Swakopmund to Skeleton Coast National Park, known locally as "Kaokoveld" among the Himba people, requiring approximately 6 hours of driving through the world's oldest desert. Your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari experience transforms from lush African riverine environments to stark desert landscapes where adapted wildlife includes desert elephants, lions, and diverse marine life along the treacherous Atlantic coastline. The afternoon portion of your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari includes exploration of seal colonies, shipwrecks, and unique desert-adapted flora in this 16,845-square-kilometer wilderness that stretches from the Ugab River to the Angolan border.
Your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari continues with an early morning departure from Skeleton Coast for the 280-kilometer journey southeast to Etosha National Park, approximately a 4-hour drive through Namibia's stark but beautiful northwestern region. This transition day of your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari brings you from the Atlantic coast to one of Africa's premier wildlife destinations, centered around the massive Etosha Pan, a 4,760-square-kilometer salt flat visible from space. Upon arrival at your lodge near Okaukuejo, your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari experience resumes with an afternoon game drive around permanent waterholes where elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, and various antelope species congregate in spectacular numbers.
The final day of your Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari begins with an early morning game drive through Etosha's 22,270-square-kilometer expanse, focusing on the famous waterholes like Okondeka, Aus, and Salvadora where wildlife viewing opportunities are exceptional. Your concluding Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari experience includes visits to different sections of the park, where you might encounter all of the Big Five plus giraffes, zebras, and over 340 bird species in this remarkable ecosystem. As your transformative Zambia African Safari Tour and Namibia Safari adventure comes to an end, you'll transfer to Windhoek's Hosea Kutako International Airport for departure, carrying memories of two distinctly different but equally spectacular African wilderness experiences spanning 2,500 kilometers across southern Africa.