Destinations: Kruger National Park, Johannesburg, Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park
Destinations: Moremi Game Reserve
From wildlife spotting in the legendary Kruger National Park to cruising the Zambezi River in Victoria Falls, this exclusive Signature Series tour is your ticket to Southern Africa’s natural wonders.
Join Jason Edwards, acclaimed National Geographic photographer and TV presenter, for a once-in-a-lifetime journey where wildlife encounters, unparalleled sunsets over the plains and insider knowledge of conservation, animals and landscapes take every experience to another level. With intimate on-the-ground activities and internal transfers included, this tour is the ultimate way to immerse yourself in the heart of Southern Africa, all with the comfort and expertise of world-class travel.
This small-group tour takes you deep into some of the continent’s most extraordinary locations – from the lion-stalked savannahs of Kruger National Park and the thundering mist of Victoria Falls to the elephant-lined riverbanks of Botswana’s Chobe National Park. Along the way, sharpen your photography skills during exclusive workshops and game drives with Jason Edwards, whose award-winning work has featured everywhere from National Geographic to Condé Nast Traveler. Whether you’re using a smartphone or a DSLR, master the art of capturing diverse terrains in intimate sessions led by Jason – no prior experience needed.
When you’re not rolling through grasslands where giants roam, find serenity in your handpicked accommodation. In Kruger National Park, Imbali Safari Lodge is your retreat in the wild – a luxurious suite with a plunge pool, where the time between twice-daily game drives is yours to relax and reset. At Chobe’s Cresta Mowana Safari Resort & Spa, your days may begin with game drives or river cruises and end with spa treatments (at own expense) and stories shared while watching the sun set over the Namibian floodplains.
Jason’s lifelong commitment to wildlife and the environment has shaped a globally recognised career. Beginning at the Royal Melbourne Zoo, he gained acclaim for his work in science, conservation and storytelling. Among his many accolades are two Eureka Prizes for Science Photography, five Communication Arts Photography Annual wins, two ProMax Golden Muse Awards and the Australian Geographic Society’s Pursuit of Excellence Award. Through commissioned work and as the face of National Geographic Channel’s Pure Photography, Jason brings the planet’s most urgent stories to life.
With signature highlights throughout accompanied by the skills and storytelling of Jason Edwards, this is more than a safari – it’s a front-row seat to the natural world at its most exhilarating and photogenic. Only departing once, don’t miss out!
Capture Every Moment with Nikon: Enjoy a complimentary Nikon Z5II or Z50II camera and super-telephoto lens (subject to availability) on loan for the duration of your tour. Plus, take advantage of exclusive offers to purchase your Nikon at a discounted price. For more information, call our customer service department at 1300 670 243.
Destinations: Kruger National Park, Johannesburg, Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park
Destinations: Moremi Game Reserve
After breakfast at the hotel, return to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) for your internal flight to Hoedspruit Airport (HDS). Upon touchdown, you’ll be transferred to your first safari lodge stay, in the renowned Kruger National Park – one of the largest and most popular reserves in the continent. Depending on the time of your arrival, a light lunch will be served at the lodge.
Signature Accommodation: Imbali Safari Lodge
Imbali Safari Lodge is an intimate retreat of just 12 suites, each a cocoon of comfort styled with subtle African-inspired design. Floor-to-ceiling French doors stretch the length of every suite, inviting the wilderness in without ever compromising on luxury. Stone and marble ensuite bathrooms feature Victorian-style bathtubs, while plush king beds promise a good night’s rest.
Between adventures, unwind by your private plunge pool on the sun-drenched deck – yours to savour beneath Kruger’s clear skies. To complete the experience, all-inclusive meals and free-flowing local wines, beers and spirits ensure you won’t go hungry or thirsty for a second.
Signature Highlight: Kruger game drive with Jason Edwards
Jason Edwards will be with you every step of the way this afternoon as you set out on your first game drive across the open savannah. While searching for the Big Five – lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino – Jason brings each moment to life with photography tips, field stories and wildlife spotting advice. April marks the end of the green season, with clear skies and drying landscapes, and newborn impala and wildebeest darting through the grass. Regardless of the season, the bush is alive with activity. As the sun paints the sky pink and orange, pause for sundowners before heading back to the lodge for dinner.
Signature Highlight: Icebergs to Iguanas – with Jason Edwards
This evening, Jason Edwards takes the stage for an exclusive presentation, sharing the story behind his photographic journey featuring some of his favourite National Geographic images. Jason will offer insight into his life on the road documenting wild places, ancient cultures and deep connections to nature that have defined his career with National Geographic.
Travel time: Flight – approx. one hour / Drive – approx. two hours
Kruger game drive with Jason Edwards
Icebergs to Iguanas – with Jason Edwards
Rise early for your first game drive of the day, setting out at 6am to catch the sunrise. Jason Edwards will join you either this morning or later this afternoon on your second game drive for the day.
Return for a hearty breakfast, with everything from fresh fruit and flaky pastries to hearty hot options, then recharge in the seclusion of your private suite. Soak in your bathtub, stretch out with a book on your deck or enjoy a drink as you swap stories with fellow travellers.
After lunch, embark on your second game trip for the day. As the bush begins to stir, explore the wild landscapes of Mpumalanga – from Kruger National Park’s ancient granite kopjes to its dense forests and the distant Lebombo Mountains – all to the soundtrack of nearby wildlife.
This evening, indulge in a boma dinner – an open-air feast under the stars, often shared around a crackling fire. Please note, the boma dinner is weather-dependent and may be moved to Day 2 or 4 if necessary.
Tonight’s fun will continue with a smartphone photography session run by Jason Edwards.
Signature Highlight: Smartphone Photography & Wildlife Photography – learning with Jason Edwards
Join Jason for an engaging session on smartphone photography. This practical presentation will show you how to utilise your device to create better images. Discover simple tips and creative techniques to enhance your travel photography.
In the second half, the focus shifts to wildlife photography. Jason discusses the guiding principles he applies in the field to capture authentic, powerful animal images – regardless of the camera in hand. The emphasis is on instinctive shooting, ethical storytelling and making the most of the moment.
Smartphone Photography & Wildlife Photography – learning with Jason Edwards
Another day of safari exploration awaits. Once again, with your private guide leading the way, you’ll set out in a rugged open 4×4 Land Cruiser to navigate the private concession nestled within Kruger National Park.
After tonight’s expert-led session, rest well and prepare for an early rise – tomorrow begins your once-in-a-lifetime trip to Victoria Falls.
Signature Highlight: Landscape & People Photography Tips and Techniques – learning with Jason Edwards
This session explores Jason’s signature approach to photographing landscapes and the natural world. Learn how to frame scenes with purpose, harness natural light and produce impactful imagery with any device – while staying true to what you see.
In the second half, Jason delves into people and cultural photography, offering thoughtful guidance on photographing people with sensitivity and intent. The session focuses on building trust and telling honest visual stories about humanity.
Landscape & People Photography Tips and Techniques – learning with Jason Edwards
Rise early this morning for your approx. 5am transfer to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP). Breakfast boxes will be provided on the way. From here, take to the skies on your flight bound for Victoria Falls.
On arrival, you’ll be met and transferred to your handpicked hotel. At Pioneer Victoria Falls, settle into the tranquillity of a boutique lodge with just 50 rooms, set among sprawling manicured gardens alive with resident ducks – all just 2.5km from the thunder of the falls.
The afternoon is yours – take a refreshing dip in one of the lodge’s two pools beneath the African sun or choose to explore the nearby Chinotimba township on an optional guided tour.
This evening, a Zimbabwean feast at Zulu Bistro Bar awaits. Savour a five-course tasting experience celebrating African hospitality and culture, complete with a curated selection of local wines, spirits, beers and non-alcoholic drinks. Traditional music and dance performances during dinner bring the evening to life.
Signature Highlight: Creative breakout sessions with Jason Edwards
Throughout your Southern African journey, you’ll enjoy rare access to Jason in small-group creative breakout sessions. These informal gatherings are a chance to dive deeper into your personal photography goals, receive tailored feedback, and explore the art of visual storytelling with one of National Geographic’s leading photographers.
Travel time: Flight – approx. two hours / Driving – approx. 4.5 hours
Creative breakout sessions with Jason Edwards
After breakfast, prepare for a day of awe and adventure as you witness the sheer, untamed force of otherworldly Victoria Falls, providing countless moments to capture with your newly honed photography skills.
Signature Experience: Victoria Falls guided tour
Today, embark on an extraordinary tour of Victoria Falls, one of the original Seven Natural Wonders of the World. David Livingstone was the first European to visit the Falls and named it after Queen Victoria. To the locals, it is known as Mosi-oa-Tunya, ‘the Smoke that Thunders’ – an accurate description of what happens when the waters of the Zambezi River plunge over the 1,700-metre-wide and 100-metre-deep chasm, creating a shower of spray and deafening noise.
Your private guide will take you on an exploration of the Zimbabwean side of the falls, the best vantage point of the booming cascade, where 70–80% of the water can be seen. Along the way, you’ll learn about the unique flora and fauna that inhabit this rainforest region. You might also pass ‘the Big Tree’ along the way – one of the largest and oldest African baobabs, standing as a symbol of this region’s natural heritage and resilience.
After your tour, take a moment to soak it all in with lunch at the Wild Horizons Lookout Café. Set on the edge of Batoka Gorge, this semi-open-air restaurant serves sweeping views of Victoria Falls Bridge, the gorge below and the mist from the Falls. Savour one main and one dessert from the curated menu – a meal to remember in a setting you’ll never forget.
If you’re up for a thrill, the legendary ‘Flight of Angels’ scenic helicopter trip is not to be missed. This optional experience is an adventure like no other, revealing Victoria Falls from a breathtaking new perspective over a 13-minute flight, with bubble windows framing views of the Zambezi River and the Falls’ awe-inspiring expanse (surcharges apply).
Signature Highlight: Victoria Falls sunset river cruise with Jason Edwards
There’s truly no better way to end a day in Victoria Falls than with the Zambezi Sunset Cruise – made even more special by the guaranteed expertise of Jason Edwards. Departing at approx. 4pm, board your vessel and drift along the river, sipping complimentary sundowners and enjoying snacks as Jason shares insider information. Golden hour brings a different kind of magic – and with Jason alongside, you’ll see it through the eyes of a professional, navigating shifting light and changing wildlife behaviour. Search for hippos, crocodiles, elephants and flocks of birds skimming the river as the African sunset lights up the horizon in a spectacular display of colour – a scene that simply demands to be photographed.
Victoria Falls sunset river cruise with Jason Edwards
After a hearty breakfast, you’ll be transferred to your next accommodation – Cresta Mowana Safari Resort & Spa, on the banks of the mighty Chobe River in Botswana. Enjoy lunch and settle into your luxury accommodation at your own pace before this afternoon’s cruise.
Signature Accommodation: Cresta Mowana Safari Resort & Spa
With its signature thatched roof, the lodge feels both rooted and refined – a stay you’ll remember forever. Herds of elephants, antelope, giraffes, zebras, lions, leopards and more roam freely nearby in Chobe National Park, while the floodplains shimmer beneath sunrises and sunsets.
With countless riverside paths, a pool framed by the Chobe River, a 9-hole golf course, a spa boasting a jacuzzi and infinity pool and all-inclusive dining prepared for you, downtime at Cresta Mowana Safari Resort & Spa is an experience in its own right.
Signature Highlight: Chobe river cruise with Jason Edwards
This afternoon, Jason Edwards will join you for a cruise along the majestic Chobe River, renowned for its vast herds of elephants – up to 85,000 roam the park during the dry season, many gathering along the riverbanks. With decades of field experience, Jason brings real-world know-how to the safari, sharing insights into animal behaviour and the art of anticipating the perfect shot. Beyond the elephants, the landscape is alive with lions, leopards, buffalo and a variety of antelope. The river itself brims with pods of hippos and some of Africa’s largest crocodiles. Glide quietly aboard the lodge’s solar-electric safari boats, enjoying a peaceful, eco-friendly cruise where wildlife encounters come in abundance.
Return to the resort for a bountiful buffet dinner of Western and African favourites, set against the river’s twilight glow, and share stories deep into the night.
Travel time: Driving – approx. 2.5 hours
Chobe river cruise with Jason Edwards
Signature Highlight: Chobe game drive with Jason Edwards
Begin your day at first light with a 6am Chobe game drive led by the expert eye and photography skills of Jason Edwards. Over approximately three hours, explore the park’s rich ecosystems and unique wildlife. Seek out elephants feeding and bathing, herds of buffalo on the move, hyenas evading majestic lions, and abundant antelope, including the rare semi-aquatic puku, red lechwe and sitatunga.
Return for a well-earned breakfast, then claim a poolside lounge overlooking the Chobe River for some relaxation or unwind with a tension-melting massage at the Mowana Spa.
Later this afternoon, choose between a second game drive or another Chobe River cruise at sunset.
Tonight is one for the books – savour an African BBQ feast as you farewell Jason Edwards and your fellow travellers. Raise a glass and share stories to the soundtrack of nature. There’s no better way to wrap up your whirlwind adventure.
Chobe game drive with Jason Edwards
After breakfast, bid goodbye to your fellow travellers as your once-in-a-lifetime safari journey comes to an end. Wave goodbye to Africa’s rugged beauty as you return to either Victoria Falls Airport (VFA) or Livingstone Airport (LVI) this afternoon for your onward journey.
Travel time: Driving – approx. two hours
After more than three decades capturing the great outdoors in its rawest form, and having travelled to every continent, Jason Edwards has built one of the most extensive portfolios in his field. His photography has appeared in National Geographic Magazine, BBC Wildlife, Australian Geographic, Condé Nast Traveler and beyond, earning him global recognition and awards for his contributions to wildlife and conservation.
Beyond the lens, it’s his on-ground expertise that sets him apart – the result of years spent working alongside scientists, conservationists and local communities. His projects span the globe, from remote mountain patrols in Africa and lemur rehabilitation in Madagascar to documenting the impact of climate change in Antarctica.
Imbali Safari Lodge
Cradled within a private stretch of Kruger National Park, Imbali Safari Lodge is a quiet masterpiece of wilderness luxury. Your suite is designed for slow, indulgent living: a marble and stone bathroom with a clawfoot tub, a king bed made for deep sleep and a private deck with a plunge pool.
Out in the wild, expert rangers lead twice-daily game drives through untouched terrain known for Big Five sightings. Back at the lodge, meals are generous, drinks are always flowing and hours between safaris are yours for the taking.
Cresta Mowana Safari Resort & Spa
Set beside the Chobe River, Cresta Mowana Safari Resort & Spa offers front-row access to one of Africa’s most iconic wildlife regions. Game drives into Chobe National Park take you deep into elephant territory, while quiet hours back at the resort are waiting for you with a spa treatment, a round of golf or time well spent by the pool. Meals spotlight seasonal ingredients and local influences, best paired with river views and an easy pace.
Booking Summary: After you book, please follow the instructions in your booking summary email and ensure you complete your Traveller Details in full.
7-Day Change of Mind ‘No Questions Asked’ Refund Guarantee:
Date Changes
Itinerary Amendments & Changes
Surcharges
Fine Print and package inclusions are accurate at the time of purchase and not subject to change, unless updates or corrections are specifically noted in the latest Fine Print with a timestamp. Please check the Fine Print prior to departure for any updates.
We reserve the right to modify prices for marketing and commercial reasons. Please note that full terms and conditions apply. Refer to the website’s terms and conditions.
Accommodation for the duration of your tour is included in the Tour package.
You can find relevant accommodation details for each day of the itinerary on the Tour offer page, or in your ‘My Escapes’.
Please note:
Pre- & Post-Tour Accommodation
Pre- and post-tour accommodation can be booked to extend your stay before or after your tour by contacting our Tours Concierge Team at tours@luxuryescapes.com.
For pre- and post-tour accommodation bookings, you may be required to check out of your room and check in again on the first or last day of your tour. You will need to confirm these details directly with the hotel.
Please contact the Tours Concierge Team at tours@luxuryescapes.com for further information.
Optional experiences may be cancelled if minimum numbers to operate are not met. Final confirmation of your optional excursions and activities will be provided while on tour.
Optional experiences may be updated prior to departure to accommodate changes in weather, common seasonal changes to timetables and transport routes, and unforeseen circumstances.
Victoria Falls helicopter flight:
Transfers
Dietary Requirements
Tipping
Please Note:
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is required on all our tours, which (at a minimum) covers medical expenses and repatriation. You may not be permitted to join the tour group if evidence of travel insurance is not provided prior to your trip. If you are unable to obtain travel insurance for whatever reason, you may be required to sign a waiver and/or provide a letter from a medical practitioner which confirms you are fit for travel. For any enquiries regarding travel insurance, please call 1300 88 99 00 or email sales@luxuryescapes.com.
Passports & Visas
Traveller Details
Tour Pace
Travel Styles
Health and Fitness Acknowledgement:
Your tour begins at O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) and ends at either Victoria Falls Airport (VFA) or Livingstone Airport (LVI), with departure airport transfers. For the Moremi Game Reserve Extension, your tour ends at Maun International Airport (MUB), with departure airport transfers.
A visa may be required for the destination you are visiting. It is each traveller’s responsibility to ensure they are holding a current visa. Please take the time to visit our preferred vendor website, Visas Direct, to assist you with any visa application requirements and processes. If you require any supporting documentation when applying for your visa, please let us know and we will be more than happy to assist. Click here to visit the website.
Important Destination Information:
Zimbabwe
Time zone: GMT+2
Telephone: +263
Currency: Both the Zimbabwe Dollar and US Dollar are currently in use.
Accessing money: ATMs may not be able to provide cash with an international debit card and changing money is only possible at officially licenced banks and exchange bureaus. Cash is advised when visiting rural areas. Travellers are advised to inform their bank of their travel plans.
Language: Zimbabwe recognises 16 official languages, however, the most widely spoken are Shona, English and Ndebele.
Climate: Varies by region. Winter falls between May and August, while summer is from September to May.
Dress code: Relaxed but respectful, especially when visiting religious institutions.
Botswana
Time zone: GMT+2
Telephone: +267
Currency: Botswana pula (BWP)
Accessing money: ATMs are widely available with credit cards widely accepted within the city. Cash is advised when visiting rural areas. Travellers are advised to inform their bank of their travel plans.
Language: English
Climate: The annual climate ranges from months of dry temperate weather during winter to humid subtropical weather interspersed with drier periods of hot weather during summer.
South Africa
Time zone: GMT+2
Telephone: +27
Currency: South African rand
Accessing money: ATMs are widely available with credit cards widely accepted within the city. Cash is advised when visiting rural areas. Travellers are advised to inform their bank of their travel plans.
Language: South Africa recognises 11 official languages, however, the most widely spoken are Afrikaans, English and Zulu
Climate: Varies by region. Winter falls between June and August, while summer is from December to February.
Dress code: Relaxed but respectful, especially when visiting religious institutions.