With so much to do, see and discover, planning your first visit to Africa can be overwhelming. Before you look at a map or Instagram or search the web, it’s probably a good idea to take a step back and vaguely outline what you want from your first trip to our stunning shores.

A Big 5 safari is probably right at the top of the list. You might want a variety of experiences too – a safari is a big drawcard but maybe you could throw in a natural wonder and some cultural experiences too. A few beach days, some world-class restaurants, stunning vineyards, exuberant nightlife, great coffee and a dynamic city experience would probably round off the trip nicely.

The incredible thing about Africa is that we have it all, and we also have the exact trip that ticks all those boxes. It’s the Cape Town – Victoria Falls – Botswana trip and it is the ultimate introduction to the wonders of Africa. Anyone who has been lucky enough to stroll on Cape Town’s beaches below towering mountains, glide along the waters of Botswana’s Okavango Delta past elephants and admire the power and size of Victoria Falls up close, will be very quick to agree that it simply does not get any better than these three destinations.

Start your journey in spectacular Cape Town

Cape Town has recently been voted as ‘The Greatest City on Earth’ in the 2023 Telegraph Travel Awards. Almost 30,000 Telegraph readers took part in the awards survey and it’s easy to understand why Cape Town came out tops. Whether it’s three days, three weeks or three months, there is such a diversity of things to do in Cape Town that it will captivate every visitor.

Where do you even begin? Table Mountain is one of the most iconic mountain wildernesses in the world and a sunset cablecar ride to the top will give you the best views of this incredible peninsula with bays on either side. There’s a beach for every occasion, from surfing to kiteboarding to sunbathing on trendy Camps Bay. Just 20 minutes from the city centre you can enter the oldest wine region in Africa and sip on some of the world’s most iconic and mythical wines, below the slopes of yet more majestic mountains. Many visitors will go on a Peninsula Tour while here and visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Boulders Beach (to see the African penguins) and Cape Point Nature Reserve.

Cape Town is a vibrant city, buzzing with creative energy. Hence, the restaurant scene has an incredible variety and some excellent fine-dining restaurants as well as lively music venues, art galleries and shopping galore! This is the great gateway to Africa and the best way to introduce yourself to this magnificent continent before you venture deeper into the interior.

Venture into Big 5 territory in Botswana

They call Botswana the Wild Heart of Africa for good reason. The Okavango Delta is the world’s largest inland wetland and still retains its pristine nature as much as it was thousands of years ago. This is a place to delve into primal Africa and the wildlife behaviour and sightings reflect that.

The Okavango Delta is one of the best places to observe wildlife in their natural habitat. From majestic elephants and graceful giraffes to big cats and numerous bird species, you’ll have the chance to witness a diverse array of animals, both on land and in water.

Sustainable lodges on the water’s edge, rides in traditional canoes (mokoros) that glide past hippos and elephants, bush walks in Big 5 territory and some of the brightest night skies on the planet are what you can expect from this unique country.

Chobe National Park, just north of the Okavango Delta, has the world’s largest elephant population and the highlight of any trip there is a sunset boat cruise, known for its incredible birdlife and wildlife sightings, most notably, the big elephant herds coming to drink at the water’s edge.

End off on a high at Victoria Falls

So you’ve been whisked around ‘The Greatest City on Earth‘ and come face-to-face with the earth’s most magnificent animals, but the thrills don’t stop there. Finishing off your first trip to Africa with a visit to ‘The Smoke That Thunders’ is the ultimate climax to the perfect journey.

One of the world’s most spectacular natural wonders, Victoria Falls is located on the Zambezi River, straddling the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. It’s considered the largest waterfall in the world based on its combined width (1.1 miles) and height (355 feet), creating a stunning curtain of water cascading into the gorge below.

Apart from simply staring at the falls in absolute awe, what can you do there? An exciting option is to go white water rafting. After plummeting 110 metres from the top of Victoria Falls, the Zambezi River is transformed into a turbulent 70 km cauldron of exhilarating rapids. This stretch of water is recognised as the best Grade 5 white water rafting in the world, this is a must-try for thrill seekers.

Victoria Falls is known as the adventure capital of Africa so there’s plenty more to do. Take to the sky on a sunset helicopter flight over Victoria Falls, take a dip in The Devil’s Pool high above the falls, go bungee jumping or walk with rhinos in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park.

Overall, Cape Town, Botswana and Victoria Falls offer a wonderfully balanced mix of culture, adventure, wildlife, and natural beauty, making it an excellent introduction to the captivating continent of Africa. If you’d like to find out where to stay and how to plan your trip, get in touch with one of our expert travel curators who will put you on a path to Africa.