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The best safari tours in Africa are the ones that fit your budget, the days you have, and how you like to travel, not the ones with the longest itinerary. For a first trip, the five-day Victoria Falls and Chobe package at $1,100 per person is the safest pick. Choose the 12-day Botswana circuit for depth, a Hwange safari for dawn and dusk drives, Chobe camping for the lowest multi-night price, and an Okavango Delta day trip if you only have one spare day.
Searching for the best Africa safari tours leaves you with operator pages that quote "from" prices and never line up side by side. You need to know what each trip includes, what it costs per person, and which months suit it. This article answers those three questions for five trips.
Every trip below is one we run at Maximum Adventure Trails, which has organized safaris in Southern Africa since 2019. They sit in Zimbabwe and Botswana, with Victoria Falls on both the Zimbabwe and Zambia sides. If you are chasing the Serengeti wildebeest migration, this list is not for you. If you want Southern Africa, read on. All prices are per person.
1. 4-night Victoria Falls and Chobe safari
This five-day package is the best all-round safari tour for a first visit to Southern Africa. It pairs one of the world’s great waterfalls with a full day of game viewing, and we arrange every transfer in between.
What you get
You see Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwe and Zambia sides, then spend a full day on a game drive in Chobe National Park in Botswana. The trip is fully guided and organized from airport pickup to drop-off. It includes:
- A 13-minute "Flight of Angels" helicopter flight
- Accommodation at Shearwater Village
- Roundtrip airport transfer and a professional driver and guide
- All taxes and VAT
International flights and tips are not included.
Price, season and who it suits
The package costs $1,100 per person, quoted for your dates, group size and room type. A couple pays about $2,200 before flights. Adding Devil’s Pool, which costs $130 to $175 per person and runs roughly August to January, brings the total for two to between $2,460 and $2,550. Rhino tracking and lion walks start at $160 per person each. August to October lines up the Devil’s Pool season with dry-season game viewing in Chobe.
First-timers, couples, families and small groups get the most from it. It suits anyone who wants one provider handling the whole trip.
Pick this trip if you have five days and want the falls and a real game drive without planning either.
2. 12-day Botswana and Victoria Falls safari
The 12-day Safari Adventure is the right choice when you want the full Botswana circuit rather than a taste of it. It is the most complete of the best safari tours in Africa that we offer.
What you get
The route moves through the Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, Khwai Concession, Savuti and Chobe National Park, and ends at Victoria Falls. Our guides know these areas well, and that matters more over twelve days than over one. Expect:
- Five distinct wildlife areas in one trip
- A mix of tented accommodation and mid-range lodges
- A finish at the falls, so you end with rest instead of a long drive
Price, season and who it suits
The price is $4,680 per adult. That works out to about $390 per person per day, or $9,360 for a couple. We take a 50% deposit at booking and the balance 90 days before departure. The dry months, roughly May to October, concentrate animals near water, which helps sightings across all five areas.
Nature lovers and adventure seekers get the most from it. It also suits travelers who would rather do Botswana properly once than return for pieces of it.
Twelve days across five Botswana areas costs about $390 per person per day, and you never repeat the same scenery.
3. 2-night Hwange National Park safari
This three-day safari from Victoria Falls is the best option for deeper park access without committing a week. Hwange is Zimbabwe’s largest national park, and sleeping near it changes what you see.
What you get
You stay two nights at Gwango Heritage Resort and take four guided game drives in an open 4×4. Full board covers every meal. Park entry is $24 per adult per day, so $48 for two days, payable at the gate.
Price, season and who it suits
Prices start from $800 per person. A couple pays $1,600 plus $96 in gate fees, so $1,696 in total. The dry season, roughly July to October, pulls animals to waterholes and gives the best sightings. Early October can be very hot, so plan your drives around dawn and dusk.
Travelers who find a day trip too rushed should choose this one. You are in the park when animals are most active, instead of arriving at midday.
Four drives across two nights beat any day trip, because you are in the park at dawn and dusk.
4. Chobe 3-night camping safari
The Chobe camping safari is the cheapest multi-day option on this list. It suits travelers who want more than a day trip but do not need a lodge.
What you get
You camp for three nights inside Chobe National Park across four days, with daily game drives, a river cruise and an optional walking safari. Tents, sleeping bags, toiletries and camping equipment are provided. Also included:
- All meals, plus soft drinks and water
- Return transfers from Victoria Falls
- A professional licensed guide
- Chobe National Park entry fees
Botswana visa fees (if your nationality needs one), alcohol and personal travel insurance are not included.
Price, season and who it suits
The price is $620 per person, or $1,240 for a couple. That is about $207 per person per night, all meals included. Chobe is best in the dry months, May to October. Nights can be cold from June to August, so pack layers.
Budget-conscious and adventurous travelers get the most from it. You trade a lodge bed for time inside the park.
At roughly $207 a night with meals and park fees covered, camping in Chobe is the lowest-cost way to sleep in the park.
5. Okavango Delta day trip from Maun
The Okavango Delta mokoro day trip is the best pick when you have a single day and want a quiet, water-based wildlife experience. The Delta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What you get
The trip lasts 10 hours. A hotel pickup in Maun is followed by a road transfer of 45 to 90 minutes, then a mokoro (dugout canoe) safari, a guided island nature walk and a picnic lunch. Taxes are included. Bottled water is not, so bring at least 2 litres.
Price, season and who it suits
Prices start from $140 per person, or $280 for two. If you would rather see animals from a vehicle, the Moremi Game Reserve day trip costs $270 per person. It includes 80 km each way, full-day 4×4 game drives, a picnic lunch and all park fees. Delta water levels typically peak around June to August, which suits mokoro travel best.
This day suits travelers who are already in Maun and want to be on the water. Photographers and wildlife enthusiasts should take the Moremi step up.
For $140 you get a full day on the water in the Okavango Delta.
Which safari tour to book first
Choose by the days you have. One day means the Delta at $140 or Moremi at $270. Three or four days means Hwange from $800 or Chobe camping at $620. Five days means the classic Victoria Falls and Chobe package at $1,100. Twelve days means the Botswana circuit at $4,680. Prices are per person, so multiply by your group size, and international flights are not included.
The best safari tours in Africa reward a clear match between the trip and your travel style. Our team is available 24/7 to answer questions about dates, seasons and add-ons. When you are ready, see each tour and book the one that fits.
