Go beyond a standard Chobe day trip. This extended safari from Victoria Falls combines a game drive in Chobe National Park, a guided visit to Impalila Island in Namibia, buffet lunch at the Cresta Mowana’s The Muzi Boma Restaurant and a wildlife-rich river cruise, all while experiencing the unique Chobe Safari Plus Impalila Island.
You will cross international borders, explore three countries in one day and experience the region from land, water and island perspectives. Chobe is famous for its elephants and river wildlife. Impalila Island adds a quieter cultural and geographical experience that most visitors do not fit into a conventional safari itinerary, making it part of the Chobe Safari Plus Impalila Island adventure.
From US$200 per person
Duration: approximately 13 hours, depending on the selected itinerary
Departure: early morning from selected Victoria Falls accommodation
Activities: Chobe game drive, Impalila Island visit, buffet lunch and Chobe River cruise
Book online: Select your date and traveller details to check availability.
A standard Chobe day trip usually includes a game drive and river cruise. This extended experience adds Impalila Island, giving you more variety in a single day:
This is the right choice for travellers who want more than a conventional safari and have one full day available for a memorable multi-country experience.
The exact order may change according to border queues, river conditions, park operations, seasonal conditions and the selected departure option. The confirmed schedule will be provided with your booking.
Your guide collects you from your selected Victoria Falls/Livingstone hotel or lodge. The early departure helps you reach Chobe in time for the best morning wildlife activity and allows enough time for the international border crossings.
Travel to the Kazungula border and complete the required immigration and customs procedures before entering Botswana. Keep your passport and travel documents accessible throughout the day.
Continue into Chobe National Park in an open safari vehicle. Your guide will explore the Chobe Riverfront and surrounding habitats in search of elephants, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, kudu, impala and other wildlife.
Lion, leopard and African wild dog may also be seen, but wildlife sightings are never guaranteed. The value of the game drive is the opportunity to observe animals in their natural environment while learning about Chobe’s ecology, habitats and conservation.
Enjoy buffet lunch at Cresta Mowana’s The Muzi Boma Restaurant venue before continuing with the afternoon activities. The lunch stop provides time to rest after the early start and border crossings.
After the scheduled Chobe activity, board a boat across the river to Impalila Island. The crossing is scenic and offers another view of the waterways and wildlife of the region. The island sits at the precise point where the Zambezi River and Chobe River converge, making it one of the most geographically unique inhabited places on earth.
Explore the island with a local guide and learn about the community’s relationship with the rivers, fishing, farming, traditional homes and surrounding landscape. This is a cultural visit, not a staged wildlife attraction, so the experience should be approached respectfully and with an open mind. Impalila Island is also known for its location near the meeting point of the Chobe and Zambezi river systems and the surrounding international borders.
The Village
Impalila is home to a small Namibian community whose way of life has changed remarkably little from the traditional fishing and farming culture that has existed here for generations. Your guide leads you through the village, introducing you to residents, explaining the local customs and daily life, and giving you an honest look at existence on an island where the closest town requires a boat crossing.
The Landscape
The island’s riverine forest, ancient baobab trees, and the sweeping confluence of two great African rivers create a landscape of genuine beauty and drama. The sound of the rivers, the birdlife, and the remoteness combine to make Impalila feel completely different from the tourist circuit, which, for most visitors, is exactly the point.
The Four-Country Point
Standing on Impalila Island, you are simultaneously adjacent to four countries, Namibia (where you are standing), Botswana (across the Chobe), Zambia (across the Zambezi), and Zimbabwe (visible in the distance). On a clear day, all four are visible. There is nowhere else in the world where this is possible. You cannot, however, stand in all the four countries at once!
The Birdlife
Impalila’s position at the confluence of two major rivers makes it exceptional for birdwatching. African Fish Eagles, various kingfisher species, herons, storks, and a rich array of waterbirds are active throughout the island. Birders should bring binoculars and a field guide
Finish the safari with a river cruise along the Chobe River. Look for elephants drinking or swimming, hippos surfacing, crocodiles resting on the banks and buffalo gathering near the water. The cruise is also excellent for birdwatching, with possible sightings of African fish eagles, kingfishers, herons, storks and bee-eaters.
Return through the relevant border points and continue by road to your Victoria Falls accommodation. Arrival time depends on the day’s border queues, activity sequence, road conditions and the selected option.
– Pick up at your hotel at 5:30 AM
– Game drive from around 7:00 AM to 10:30 AM
– Impalila Island visit from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM
– Lunch from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
– Afternoon cruise from 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM
– Return to hotel around 5:30 PM
Cost:$200/adult
– Pick up at your hotel at 7:00 AM
– Game drive from around 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM
– Lunch from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
– Visit Impalila Island, Namibia from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
– Return for cruise from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM
– Return to hotel around 7:30 PM
Cost: $200/adult
– Pick up at 5:30 AM
– Extended game drive from 7:00 AM to 12:30 PM (5 hours with breakfast in the park)
– Lunch from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
– Impalila Island visit from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
– Sunset cruise from 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM
– Arriving at hotel between 7:30 PM and 8:00 PM
Cost:$250/adult
| Species | Likelihood | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| African Elephant | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ high likely | Often seen in herds of 50–200+ |
| Hippo | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ high likely | Large pods throughout the river |
| Crocodile | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ high likely | On every riverbank |
| Giraffe | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ high likely | Browsing in the mopane woodland |
| Buffalo | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very likely | Large herds in dry season |
| Lion | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very likely | Commonly encountered |
| Leopard | ⭐⭐ Lucky sighting | Excellent habitat; patience rewarded |
| Impala, Kudu, Waterbuck | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ high likely | Abundant throughout |
| African Fish Eagle | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ high likely | Iconic call and presence on every cruise |
| Kingfishers, Herons, Bee-eaters | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ high likely | Exceptional birdwatching throughout |
The game drive and river cruise complement each other. Some animals are easier to observe from a vehicle, while the river provides close views of water-dependent wildlife and birds.
See Chobe by vehicle and boat, then add a Namibian island and cultural visit to the experience.
Travel through the Victoria Falls region and experience the close relationship between Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and the connected river systems.
The day is not only about ticking off animals. It also includes a guided visit that adds local context to the landscape.
Your tour team coordinates the transfers and activity handovers, helping you navigate a complex multi-border day.
If you have limited time in Victoria Falls, this tour combines several regional highlights without requiring an overnight stay.
This tour crosses international borders. Every traveller must carry a valid passport and comply with the entry and re-entry requirements of Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia.
Visa rules depend on nationality, passport type, travel history and current immigration policy. Before booking, send us the nationality of every traveller’s passport so we can help identify what needs to be checked. Any required visa or immigration fees are normally the traveller’s responsibility.
If travelling with children, carry the documents required for minors, this include copy birth certificate, parental consent documentation and copies of parents’ passports. Contact us to confirm the exact requirements before travel.
Pack light. You will spend the day moving between a vehicle, boats, border points and the island.
Wildlife viewing is improving as the dry season begins, while landscapes may still retain some green colour. This can offer a good balance of wildlife and scenery. The dry season is popular for elephant and riverfront wildlife viewing because animals concentrate around reliable water sources. September and October can be hot, but they may offer excellent elephant activity near the Chobe River.
The green season brings lush scenery, migratory birds and young animals. Rain may affect road conditions and wildlife distribution, but the experience can be rewarding and visitor numbers may be lower.
The tour can suit families, but it is a long day with an early start, multiple border crossings, boat travel and a walking visit on Impalila Island. Send the ages of all children before booking so the operator can confirm the child rate, vehicle arrangements, boat requirements and documentation needed at the borders.
Ready to explore Botswana and Namibia from Victoria Falls?
Select your travel date, enter the number of travellers and provide your accommodation details. After booking, we will confirm the pickup time, itinerary option, border documentation, inclusions and any visa requirements that apply to your group.
Need help before booking? Send your passport nationalities and hotel name so the correct border and pickup information can be confirmed.
Time Activity05:30 Hotel pickup in Victoria Falls06:30–07:00 Kasungula border crossing (Zimbabwe → Botswana)07:00–10:30 Morning game drive in Chobe National Park (3.5 hours)10:30–11:00 Boat to Impalila Island, Namibia11:00–12:30 Impalila Island guided village and cultural tour12:30–13:30 Buffet lunch at Cresta Mowana Lodge13:30–16:00 Afternoon river cruise on the Chobe River16:00–17:30 Border return (Botswana → Zimbabwe)17:30 Arrival at your Victoria Falls hotelCost: $200/adult | $130/child
Time Activity07:10 Hotel pickup in Victoria Falls08:15–09:00 Kasungula border crossing09:00–12:30 Morning game drive in Chobe National Park12:30–13:30 Buffet lunch at Cresta Mowana Lodge13:30–15:00 Impalila Island, Namibia15:00–18:00 Afternoon river cruise on the Chobe River18:00–19:30 Border return and transfer19:30 Arrival at Victoria Falls hotelCost: $200/adult | $130/child
Time Activity05:30 Hotel pickup in Victoria Falls06:30–07:00 Border crossing07:00–12:30 Extended 5-hour game drive with bush breakfast in the park12:30–13:30 Buffet lunch at Cresta Mowana Lodge13:30–15:00 Impalila Island tour, Namibia15:30–18:30 Sunset river cruise18:30–20:00 Border return and transfer19:30–20:00 Arrival Victoria FallsCost: $250/adult | $150/child After booking, please confirm your preferred option and your hotel name via email or WhatsApp.
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