14-Day
Zambia & Botswana Overland Camping Safari
"Untamed Rivers" Code: ZB14
14 day small group participation camping & cabin
safari Group size max 12 people
Departs Livingstone on Sunday at 06:30am
Ends Livingstone on Saturday at ±18:00pm
2008: € 1 095 pps + local payment of US$ 300pp
Explore the wilderness areas of central southern Africa, Kafue NP, birdlife in Lochinvar NP, awesome Victoria Falls and the mighty Zambezi River. Open 4WD game drives, bush walks, canoe the Zambezi in the unexplored interior!
PLEASE NOTE: All camping tours are twin share basis and exclude: sleeping bag, visa, drinks, personal insurance, optional excursions
Highlights
* Kafue NP - game walks & game drives
* Victoria Falls - adventure activities
* Chobe NP – 4WD game drive & river cruise
* Lake Kariba
* Zambezi River - canoeing excursionIncludes
* 11 nights camping accommodation, 2 nights tented lodge
* Entrance fees
* Use of camping equipment (except sleeping bags)
* Transport in safari truck and 4WD
* Meals as per itinerary
* Professional guide
* Game drives and walks
* Lower Zambezi canoeing excursionITINERARY
Day 1 LIVINGSTONE - KARIBA
Our adventure begins in Livingstone at 06:30 as we head into Zambia and make our way to the shores of the huge Lake Kariba which is 290km long and 32km at its widest. The lake’s fishing and wildlife attractions provide valuable sustenance for the communities living on the shores. Our serene camp overlooks the lake, the perfect place for a relaxed sunset on our first welcoming day in Africa. [camping LD]Day 2 - 3 LOWER ZAMBEZI
Our adventure begins in Livingstone at 06:30 as we head into Zambia and make our way to the shores of the huge Lake Kariba which is 290km long and 32km at its widest. The lake’s fishing and wildlife attractions provide valuable sustenance for the communities living on the shores. Our serene camp overlooks the lake, the perfect place for a relaxed sunset on our first welcoming day in Africa. [lodge BLD]Day 4 LUSAKA
Leaving the Zambezi River behind we head towards the capital Lusaka. This bustling city is our overnight stop as we camp on the outskirts of the city and stock up with provisions for our time in Kafue National Park. We visit a local craft market in the afternoon. [camping BL-]Day 5,6,7 KAFUE NATIONAL PARK
We head for the northern part of the Kafue National Park where we’ll camp for 3 nights. This reserve, established in 1924, covers a huge area of wetland and miombo woodland and is a wilderness sanctuary for lion, elephant, leopard, puku, lechwe and many other antelope as well as over 400 species of birds. The Kafue River forms part of the eastern boundary of the reserve and is home to hippo and great numbers of crocodiles. The Kafue is a seldom visited area; untamed stretches of wilderness reminiscent of ancient primal Africa. We spend out mornings and afternoons on game drives. [camping BLD]Day 8 - 9 LOCHINVAR NATIONAL PARK
This national park south of Lusaka is situated on the Chunga Lagoon with its abundant birdlife. The wetlands and surrounding floodplains support herds of buffalo, lechwe and zebra and we’ll take full a day to explore the area. Our visits bring much needed funds which help support the anti-poaching teams in this area. Seeing the communities making their living around the park is a valuable cultural experience. [camping BLD]Day 10 - 11 CHOBE NATIONAL PARK
Crossing the Zambezi River on the Kazungula ferry we enter Botswana. The Chobe River flows lazily along the northern boundary of the Chobe National Park attracting some of the largest herds of elephant in Africa. We take a morning game drive in an open 4WD in search of the lions which patrol the river banks.In the afternoon we take a relaxing river cruise to watch the herds of elephant, lechwe, puku and other animals quench their thirst under the golden light of sunset. Our tranquil camp is on the banks of the river in Kasane and we fall asleep to the sound of hippo calling. [camping BLD]
Day 12,13,14 LIVINGSTONE/VICTORIA FALLS
The spectacular views over the Mosi oa Tunya or “the smoke that thunders” - Victoria Falls. These magnificent falls are one of the seven natural wonders of the world. We camp for 2 nights in Livingstone, Zambia, named after Dr David Livingstone, with ample time to enjoy the adventure capital of Southern Africa. Opportunities to white water raft or canoe on the mighty Zambezi, bungi jump or take the “flight of Angels” or experience wildlife up close with a ride on the back of an elephant (own expense). Tour finishes after breakfast on day 14 at 08:00. Transfers to airports and accommodation are available. Tour ends. [camping B -]
2008: € 1 095 pps + local payment of US$ 300pp2007 DEPARTURE DATES
2008 DEPARTURE DATES
BT 16-Mar-08 29-Mar-08
BT 27-Apr-08 10-May-08
BT 25-May-08 07-Jun-08
BT 13-Jul-08 26-Jul-08
BT 10-Aug-08 23-Aug-08
BT 31-Aug-08 13-Sep-08
BT 21-Sep-08 04-Oct-08
BT 19-Oct-08 01-Nov-08
BT 16-Nov-08 29-Nov-08
BT 14-Dec-08 27-Dec-08
*BT: The “Zambia and Botswana Untamed Rivers” can be combined with the “Botswana Wildside safari for an extended wildlife experience.
DETAILED TOUR INFO
In a nutshellExplore the rivers and wilderness of central Southern Africa!
All inclusive trip with cultural experience, adventure and wildlife.
Kafue and Lochinvar National Parks, Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park (Botswana), Lake Kariba and Lower Zambezi canoeing.
Why travellers like this trip
Variety - Travel from the wilds of Kafue National Park to the Victoria Falls, natural wonder of the world, open 4WD elephant viewing in Chobe National Park and canoeing the Lower Zambezi River!
National Parks and wildlife areas - We visit the second largest park in Africa, the Kafue National Park, as well as the fascinating Lochinvar wilderness with its incredible bird life and Botswana’s Chobe National Park, famous for its huge herds of elephants. This trip explores the still largely undiscovered wilderness parks of Zambia.
Culture and history - we learn of the local cultures and myths such as the Nyami Nyami Zambezi River God legend.
Small group - travelling in groups of up to 12 people creates a friendly, holiday atmosphere.
Walking - every opportunity to get out and walk in the areas such as Kariba Gorge, Victoria Falls and Lochinvar NP. Walks are easy to moderate exertion and optional. Duration from ½ - 2 hours.
Adventure - activities available include: rafting the mighty Zambezi! bungi jumping, sky diving, horse riding, game drives, river cruise, Lower Zambezi canoeing and game walks!
Accommodation
Camping - 11 nights on safari we stay at designated campsites in national parks, on private land and in towns. Campsite facilities are at best basic but generally clean. There are hot, but sometimes only cold, showers, washing facilities at some of the campsites. Some camps in Zambia have simple reed enclosures for showers but do have flush toilets!
Your operator supplies all the camping equipment with the exception of your sleeping bag and pillow. The dome tents we use are 2.2 x 2.2 x 1.8 metres and putting them up or down takes only 5 minutes. Tents have built-in insect nets. We supply mattresses, which are about 5 cm thick, warm and comfortable. The camp chairs have a backrest.
Permanent Tented Lodge - on the Lower Zambezi River we spend 2 nights(2&3) at a river side permanent tented camp. Tents are twin sharing and have beds with mattresses and insect nets.
2007 -Pre & Post tour accommodation available at the Zambezi Riverfront Lodge - If breakfast is not included you can have it for US$10pp
UPPER ZAMBEZI (LIVINGSTONE / VICTORIA FALLS - ZAMBIA) - THE ZAMBEZI WATERFRONT
ACCOMMODATION MEAL US$ P/P US $ P/P PLAN SHARING SINGLE RIVERSIDE ROOM B/B USD 80 USD 105 STANDARD ROOM B/B USD 65 USD 85 ADVENTURE VILLAGE TENT R/O USD 28 USD 38 EXECUTIVE ROOM - MAX 2 B/B USD 90 USD 130 FAMILY ROOM - MIN/MAX 4 B/B USD 180 N/A CAMPSITE PER PERSON S/C USD 8 USD 8 Transport
On foot - easy to moderate walks throughout the tour.
Boat - an afternoon river cruise on the Chobe River in a 16 seater launch or pontoon cruiser.
Canoe – a full day canoeing down stream on the Lower Zambezi River on flat water. Two-man Indian canoes provided which are stable and easy to paddle. An experienced river guide will accompany the group and no previous paddling experience is required.
Open Game drives - for game viewing activities in Chobe National Park we use open game viewing 4WD vehicles. This allows us the opportunity to really feel part of the bush, the smells, sounds and of course great views!
Safari Truck – custom built safari truck with 12 forward facing seats. Comfortable touring and good for game viewing. Large, sliding windows and viewing hatches give everyone a great view. There are a couple of long days of travelling but the vehicles have a comfortable cruising speed and Zambia lends itself to the pace of African travel. The emphasis of the trip is "getting out and doing things".
Local Payment
A local payment is required on this safari and this will be collected by ther tour leader on departure. This covers a portion of the local operational costs including entrance and park fees. This ensures that a major portion of your tour price goes directly into the country you are visiting, benefiting local communities and contributing to the conservation of the area.
Participation
An essential part of your safari is participation – from putting up your tent (while camping) or packing away in the morning to helping with meal preparation and cleaning up – it’s all part of your adventure and when everyone puts in a little effort the trip will run smoothly. Your tour leaders will do all the meal preparation but we do ask the clients to help with the washing up. Team spirit is part of the fun!
ShoppingCraft shopping for carvings, batiks, paintings and clothing is best in Zambia, particularly Livingstone / Victoria Falls which has a wide variety of curios. We also visit a craft market outside Lusaka, which is good for wooden carvings. (Remember to buy small items and limit your impact on the environment)
In Botswana crafts are limited but you may find some small local vendors with carvings or grass work.
Food
We pride ourselves on giving very good healthy meals to our clients and will provide three meals per day, except 3 dinners in Livingstone, where we try out local restaurants.
The tour leaders do the shopping and meal planning for each group. He/she will always try to obtain fresh produce wherever possible. A rough idea of what these will consist of is: Breakfast - cereals or coffee and toast or the occasional fried breakfast, Lunch - cheese, cold meats, salads on bread or rolls, Dinner - braais (local barbecue), potjies (stews), stir fries etc. We use regular plates, cups and cutlery. All cooking and eating utensils will also be provided.
We do cater for special dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian or allergies.)
We will supply fruit squash served with breakfast and tea or coffee served with breakfast and dinner. All other beverages will be for your own expense. We will not supply bottled drinking water although it is available at many shops on tour.
Difficulty
Anyone who is generally active and in good health should enjoy this trip. The outdoor enthusiast enjoys simple campsites, you will get dusty on occasion; but this is Africa!
Everyone is asked to help out with the running of camp on tour. In other words if everyone spends a little time setting up camp, preparing meals and cleaning up then the tour will run smoothly and everyone will have a good time. Participation is the name of the game.
Road conditions on this tour vary enormously so please be aware that some days may be delayed due to local conditions. Although there will some long days in the vehicle we try to keep these to a minimum.
Things you should know
Includes all park entrances, game drives and canoeing on the Lower Zambezi River!
You will need a valid passport and visas for entry into Botswana and double entry into Zambia. Please note that these can be arranged in advance and can also be obtained at the border. (Please check visa requirements with your travel agent)
There is a visa waiver service available through your operator for Zambia – please enquire at the time of booking.
Because of limited banking facilities and tour schedule clients will only be to change travellers cheques in Lusaka and Livingstone.
Please note that travellers cheques receive a poor rate of exchange in Zambia compared to US$ / ? cash.
Common questions about this trip
What do I need to bring? A warm sleeping bag, comfortable clothes for warm days and cool evenings, walking shoes, a raincoat, hat and sunglasses, swimsuit, a water bottle and a small pair of binoculars also comes in very handy and most importantly - a sense of adventure!
Is it safe? Zambia and Malawi are relatively safe and your guide knows the countries intimately and will endeavour to show you the best parts while looking after you. In the city of Lilongwe keep a careful eye on your belongings and don’t leave anything lying about - petty theft is rife. In the wild areas your guide will brief you on the necessary precautions, follow this advice and you will be fine. Be aware of your personal belongings and you will have a great trip!
Do I need malaria tablets? Yes, the trip passes through malaria areas and prophylactics are recommended.
Can I buy camera film? Film and other accessories are not readily available on tour - we suggest you bring all the film and everything else you expect to need. A camera with a zoom lens from wide angle to telephoto, 35-200mm, is advisable to capture both scenic and wildlife shots.
Can I wash my clothes on tour? There are facilities for hand washing your clothes along the way.
