The-African-Big-Five-1140x530

13 Days of Spectacular Big 5 Safaris & Idyllic Island Retreat

What to expect

This tour offers a perfect blend of Africa’s diverse experiences. Start in Botswana’s game-rich Chobe region, renowned for its river safaris and large elephant herds. After a night in Johannesburg, continue on to the stunning beaches of the Seychelles. It’s the ultimate mix of safari adventure and tropical paradise!

4 Nights in Chobe Region

How to Plan a Chobe Safari in Botswana | Chobe National Park Safari Guide

The Chobe Region’s vast wilderness is an inviting place for an African traveller with many exquisite places to stay, tons to see, much to do and of course elephants, lots and lots of elephants! What’s more, this part of the continent is the meeting place of not one, but four countries: Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, and Namibia.

The unassuming town of Kasane is the gateway to this diverse and rich part of Africa. Its neighbours include the Chobe National Park, known for its population of Kalahari elephants, and the village of Kazungula where ferries can be taken across to Zambia allowing travellers to stand before the roaring waters of Victoria Falls. Chobe National Park’s dynamic landscape lends itself to a variety of fauna and flora.

Extensive floodplains along the Chobe River to the north – home to the elusive puku antelope – mirror the African sky and fold into mahogany and teak woodlands. An eerie graveyard of trees lies in the Savuti marshlands along the remnants of an inland lake which grow into riverine forests near the Linyanti River. Rocky outcrops across the park are embellished with artwork left behind by San bushmen who still roam parts of Botswana today. Chobe National Park is home to a number of lodges, houseboats, and camps eager to welcome visitors.

Those wanting to explore the wider Chobe region can find accommodation in Kasane and easily make day trips into the park, visit the Chobe Crocodile farm or traverse a mere 100 kilometres across the border to Victoria Falls. Daily flights to Kasane Airport are available from Johannesburg, Gaborone, and Maun Airports.

Highlights

  • Elephant Capital, home to more than 120,000 elephants
  • Chobe National Park is Botswana’s first and third largest national park
  • Popular safari destination for wildlife photographers
  • Endangered animals like the African wild dog thrive here.

1 Night in Johannesburg

Johannesburg Travel Guide | AFAR

Johannesburg, South Africa’s vibrant “City of Gold,” is a bustling mix of energy and colour. Once the heart of a mining boom, it now stands as the country’s economic powerhouse and a prime example of the modern African metropolis.

In fact, Johannesburg’s urban sprawl has nearly connected it to Pretoria! The city’s fast-paced, work-hard-play-hard vibe shines through in affluent Sandton, home to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and one of Africa’s largest shopping centres, Sandton City.

Here, you can shop luxury boutiques, dine in top-tier restaurants, or unwind with craft beers and street-style fashion in the trendy Maboneng district. Yet, amidst the glamour, Johannesburg remains deeply rooted in its history. A visit to the powerful Apartheid Museum is essential, and a trip to the historic township of Soweto will take you to the Hector Pietersen Museum or Nelson Mandela’s former home on Vilakazi Street.

Highlights

  • South Africa’s business hub and home to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange
  • Sandton City, a luxury shopping haven with high-end boutiques
  • O.R. Tambo International Airport, the largest on the continent
  • Explore South Africa’s history at the Apartheid Museum, Hector Pietersen Museum, or Nelson Mandela’s house in Soweto

7 Nights in Seychelles

Why the Seychelles are the most beautiful islands on Earth

The Seychelles, located off the coast of East Africa and northeast of Madagascar, is made up of over 100 islands—most of which are uninhabited. Granite hills rise from the ocean, draped in lush tropical forests, while powder-soft beaches and crystal-clear waters surround them. In short, it’s a picture-perfect island paradise. For those keen to explore the local culture, a tour of Mahé is a great starting point, while beach lovers may prefer hopping on a ferry to Praslin to unwind on one of the world’s top beaches.

La Digue, an island with fewer than 2,000 residents and limited vehicles, offers a tranquil escape for those wanting to disconnect. For ultimate luxury, charter a helicopter to one of the exclusive resorts nestled on private islands. With flights from airlines like Emirates, South African Airways, and Air Seychelles connecting directly to Victoria on Mahé, your tropical getaway is only a flight away.

The islands’ clear, shallow waters make for fantastic diving, snorkelling, and glass-bottom boat excursions, while a rich history adds a cultural touch for those willing to leave the beach.

Highlights

  • Easy access via flights from Emirates, South African Airways, and Air Seychelles
  • Each island offers a unique experience—Mahé is the hub for activities
  • Hundreds of excellent diving spots scattered across the islands
  • Convenient and affordable bus system for getting around

 

Package includes:

  • Transport: vehicle, fuel, and  driver
  • Gorilla permit
  • Full board accommodation for the
  • Entrance fees.
  • All activities.
  • Bottled drinking water

Package excludes:

  • Visas
  • Air ticket
  • Personal expenses.
  • Cost for anything that is not mentioned in the itinerary.

We use 4×4 safari cars for our safaris and therefore every traveler is guaranteed a window seat, bellow are photos of the cars.

EXCELLENT
69 reviews on
Tony M
Tony M
2024-01-08
Jewel Safaris has a jewel in a female driver, Rachel My trip to Lake Mburo National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park on 5th Jan 2024, could not have gone better. My great experience was all down to Jewel Safaris' professionalism and industry experience. The car arrived at my house on time (5 am) to pick me up for the trip. The tour guide driver, a lady named Rachel Aheebwa, was such a delight. Female tour guides drivers are so rare, so this was unexpected. But looking back at how much of a success my tour went, Rachel was the best part of the trip. Two hours into the drive, she suggested a breakfast place that turned out to serve the best coffee I'd ever taken. The small eatery happened to be ran by a lady with tourism experience of 17 years. We set off for Lake Mburo about an hour later and arrived at the park gate three hours later. Because we planned to sleep in Queen Elizabeth National Park and we still had hundreds of kilometers to cover, she made sure we wasted no time Mburo. She was always friendly and firm in her advice when it came to time keeping. We made it to our final destination before dark and had time to rest. Before going to bed, she told me, firmly that we must leave at 7 if we are to see all the animals we wanted to see. I would have loved to sleep in but she made it clear that this was not an option. I was later thankful for this. There were several tourist vehicles at the UWA offices when we arrived. After payments, all the cars left through a Northwards track but Rachel went Eastwards and in less than thirty minutes of Game driving, we hit a jack pot. We found lions on the road and I was able to take close up pictures for several minutes as she made calls to all her friends letting them know that she had found lions. By the time all the vehicles crowded around the lions, I had spend over half an an hour with them. One of the best moments of my life. Jewel safaris couldn't have chosen a better tour guide driver for me. Every thing was well planned to help me see all there was to be seen.
TimmyHensel
TimmyHensel
2023-08-10
Murchison Falls Adventure This was my first safari adventure and it was a trip of a lifetime. The owner, Dona was very professional and helpful and made sure he understood what we wanted. The vehicle was wonderful and roomy and well kept. Our guide, Patrick made the trip exceptional. He knew the park, he knew the animals and he was a former ranger who spent years protecting the animals of that park. It was clear that the other guides respected him and Patrick was kind, funny and made sure we had a wonderful adventure. The first night, the owner called me to ask how everything was going and he messaged me after the trip to make sure we had a great time. That was above and beyond what I expected. Great company, great customer service and fantastic guide with years of experience. This is the company I would choose over and over.
pablo
pablo
2023-08-09
Great safari!!!! Fantastic. The owner went out of the way to make sure we had what we wanted. I highly recommend Patrick as guide and driver. He loves what he does and you can tell.
Simon T
Simon T
2023-08-07
Two-day trip to Lake Mburo Our two-day trip to Lake Mburo with our driver and guide Patrick was great. He delivered what we asked for, and more! Other than being a very kind person and good driver, Patrick was able to share a lot of information about the different animals and places we encountered. A big thanks to Jewel Safaris and Patrick! 100% Recommend!
Sander T
Sander T
2023-08-07
2 days Safari to Lake Mburo We had a blast of a weekend with Patrick from Jewel Safari's. He knew so much about the animals, was so friendly and flexible to arrange it the way we wanted. I would advice to go on a Safari with him!
George H
George H
2023-05-31
Uganda 2023 We had the great pleasure of having Patrick from jewel safaris for a week in Uganda. Hugely informative and fun, Patrick is a perfect ambassador for a fun, beautiful and dramatic country which is Uganda. A fabulous tour by a class guide. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting most of Africa and Uganda is top. Will go back
astrid H
astrid H
2023-05-31
Incredible experience Amazing service and amazing country and people. It was an incredible trip, I can’t fault anything. We all enjoyed it so much and our guide was so attentive and catered to what we wanted to do
goran52
goran52
2022-11-30
Utmärkt service, bra bil och kunnig guide. Jewel Safaris arrangerade vår resa till Uganda, med bland annat gorillorna i Bwindi. Vi var även i nationalparken där schimpanserna finns. Jewel Safaris har lång erfarenhet av att anordna safaris i Uganda. Goran
K F
K F
2022-11-29
good service We had a great trip with Jewel Safari and would definitely recommend to book trips with Jewel Safari.
Ola Karlsson
Ola Karlsson
2022-11-10
Great agency We ordered the trip in 2019 to go to Uganda in April 2020. Then Covid came and the trip was postponed for 2,5 yrs and in the meantime we kept contact and When we finally could go it all went super-smooth. Well organized and very friendly personnel and a fantastic guide. Nothing went wrong during the 10 days we visited and the arrangements were spotless.

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