ITINERARY

 

Day 1 - 2                     LIVINGSTONE [camping Bx1 - -]

(B= breakfast, L= lunch, D= dinner)

The group will meet in Livingstone, in Zambia, at 14:00 where we have 2 days to explore Victoria Falls, a natural wonder of the world, plunging into the Zambezi Gorge. Adventure activities abound, white water rafting on the mighty Zambezi, or an 111m bungi jump (own expense).

 

Day 3                           LAKE KARIBA [camping BLD]

We camp on the tranquil shores of Lake Kariba, home to hippo, crocodile and a wide range of bird life.  A sunset cruise on the lake is a photographers dream.

 

Day 4 - 5                     LOWER ZAMBEZI CANOEING [lodge BLD]

We drive down into the Lower Zambezi Valley and spend two nights at our lodge on the banks of the river. Enjoy a full day canoeing down the Zambezi River, home of the tribal mythical god – Nyami Nyami.  The river attracts elephants and other wildlife from the surrounding wilderness. After a day highlighted by bird watching and game viewing, relax around the campfire in the evening.

 

Day 6                           LUSAKA [camping BLD]

After a morning relaxing on the banks of the Zambezi we head towards Lusaka.  We stock up on supplies in the bustling shops and markets of the Zambian capital.

 

Day 7, 8, 9                   SOUTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK [camping BLD]

Make our way down into “the valley” of the Luangwa River. South Luangwa National Park is wild and remote. It has an abundance of wildlife that is rarely seen in other game reserves and is one of Africa’s finest wildlife sanctuaries, full of hippo, crocodiles, elephants, lion and leopard. We camp on the banks of the Luangwa River for 2 nights and explore the area on game walks and an open 4WD night drive, with spotlights, to see nocturnal animals.

 

The camp we use operates under the auspices of the Wildlife Environmental and Conservation society of Zambia and donate 60% of their proceeds towards the education of Zambian children.

 

Day 10                         LILONGWE [camping BL-]

Malawi “the warm heart of Africa”. We head to the Capital, Lilongwe were we restock with fresh supplies in the markets. The old city centres’ vibrant markets, cafes, shops and restaurants are worth visiting.

 

Day 11 - 12                 CAPE MACLEAR [camping BLD]

We’ll camp on the beach at Cape Maclear in the Lake Malawi National Park, a World Heritage Site, overlooking the beautiful scattered islands. Snorkel around the island at Otter Point to see the colourful endemic fish. We’ll also take a boat out to the islands to explore the fantastic bays and coves in the area.

 

Day 13 - 14                TRANSIT MOZAMBIQUE [camping BLD]

Heading south through Blantyre, named after the birth place of legendary explorer David Livingstone, we enter Mozambique. Making our way back over the Zambezi River we travel through the Tete region camping en route.

 

Day 15 - 16                 BENGUERRA ISLANDS [camping Bx2 Lx2 Dx1]

Upon reaching the Indian Ocean we turn south to overnight in casitas (reed cabins) in Vilankulo.  We take a full day to explore the Benguerra Islands on a local dhow, a traditional ocean going trade vessel. Beautiful blue sea, expansive white beaches and some excellent seafood available – what a day!

 

Day 17 - 18                 INHAMBABE [casitas Bx2 Lx2 Dx1]

Arab influences are strong in Inhambane dating back to when slaves, ivory, gold and spices were traded. Explore Inhambane and its 200-year-old cathedral, before moving to Praia de Barra to our casitas under the palms next to the beach. Dhow rides and scuba diving on coral reefs are available (own expense)

 

Day 19 - 20                 KRUGER NATIONAL PARK [camping BLD]

We enter Kruger National Park, South Africa, and visit big game country! Exciting game drives to spot lions, giraffe and the mighty elephant. Relaxing in the tranquil bush we experience a land forgotten by time, a true African wilderness.

 

Day 21                         JOHANNESBURG  [- B - -]

After an early morning game drive we return to Johannesburg in the evening, sun-tanned, laid-back and ready to rejoin life. Tour ends @ 18:00

 

In a nutshell

·         A diverse African adventure – discovery route.

·         All inclusive trip with cultural experience, adventure and wildlife through Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa!

·         Vic Falls, Lower Zambezi canoeing, Lake Malawi, Benguerra Island, Kruger National Park – great diversity!

 

Why travellers like this trip

1.         Variety - a tour that discovers the diversity of East and Southern Africa! Spectacular Victoria Falls - National Parks, Zambian wilderness, Lake of Stars, Tropical Island get away, and wildlife in Kruger. From the wildlife areas and cultural interaction to historical sites all set in beautiful landscapes!

2.         National Parks and wildlife areas - We visit the world famous Lower Zambezi conservation area, South Luangwa NP in Zambia, Kruger National Park in South Africa as well as other lesser known wildlife areas. This trip covers a huge variety of African wildlife of Southern Africa.

3.         Culture and history - for example the history of the slave trading on the “Inhambane” Mozambique, the friendly people of Malawi.

4.         Scenery - You can’t ask for more than this trip, from Victoria Falls to the Benguerra Island and everything in between!

5.         Small group - travelling in groups of up to 12 people creates a friendly, holiday atmosphere.

6.         Walking - every opportunity to get out and walk in the areas such as Lower Zambezi, Luangwa NP, Lake Malawi & Bengurra Island. Walks are easy to moderate exertion and optional. Duration from ½ - 4 hours.

7.         Adventure - activities available include: canoe trail, boat excursions, dhow rides, diving, snorkelling, game drives, fishing, horse riding and game walks!

 

Accommodation

·         Camping - 16 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!

      Sunway 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.

·         Wild camping - There is a possibility on this trip that, due to local conditions, we will camp wild. Wild camps have no facilities; we will need to take our own water and all equipment. Wild camping can be very enjoyable but please remember that we leave no trace of our stay and take all rubbish away with us. Toilets will be of the “dig and bury” variety.

·         Casitas, Barra Reef – for 2 nights in Inhambane (Barra peninsula) we stay in reed and thatch casitas. These are basic twin or quad rooms with bed and mattress and shared ablutions. Bar, restaurant, telephone.

·         Lower Zambezi, Kayila Lodge - on the Lower Zambezi River we spend 2 nights at a riverside permanent tented camp. Tents are twin sharing and have beds with mattresses and insect nets and are en suite.

 

Transport

·         On foot – easy to moderate walks throughout the tour.

·         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 South Luangwa NP 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 Sunway 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 these countries lend themselves 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 the 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. A large part of this tours local payment is used for the Tanzania National Park entrance fees.

 

Participation

·         An essential part of your Sunway 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!

Shopping

·         Craft shopping for curios en route is diverse and rewarding. Remember - if you see something you like, it is best to buy it because it is unlikely that you will see something similar further along.

 

Food

·           We pride ourselves on giving very good healthy meals to our clients and will provide three meals per day, except 5 dinners and 2 lunches en route, where we try out local restaurants or fresh produce markets.

·           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. Simple campsites are enjoyed by the outdoor enthusiast, you will get dusty on occasion; but this is Africa!

·           This is a long distance trans Africa safari - there is a lot of distance to be covered and so there will be some long travelling days. Due to local conditions, border crossings, road detours and weather, the trip may alter route / schedule - please remember that this continent has its own time scale and things work differently here. Keep an open mind and a sense of humour  - it’s all part of the adventure!

·           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.

 

Things you should know

·         Includes all National Park entrance fees, canoeing in the Lower Zambezi River and a trip out to Beguerra Island in the warm Indian Ocean

·         Your client will need a valid passport and visas for entry into Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa. Please note that these can be arranged in advance and cannot always be obtained at the border. (Please check visa requirements with your travel agent)

·         There is a visa waiver service available through Sunway Safaris for Zambia – please enquire at the time of booking.

·         Because of limited banking facilities and tour schedule clients will only be to change traveller’s cheques in Livingstone, Lilongwe, Blantyre & Vilanculos. We recommend that you bring Euro or US$ for personal expenses on this trip. Expenses in Livingstone can be paid in US$ or Euro and major credit cards can also be used for optional activities. See the Sunway tour dossier for approximate costs of drinks and meals etc.

 

Common questions about this trip

1.       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!

2.       Is it safe? Africa and on the route we follow is relatively safe and your guide knows the countries intimately and will endeavour to show you the best parts while looking after you. We do not enter Zimbabwe on this trip. In the cities 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!

3.       Do I need malaria tablets?  Yes, the trip passes through malaria areas and prophylactics are recommended.

4.       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.

5.       Can I wash my clothes on tour?  There are facilities for hand washing your clothes along the way.