TRAVEL PLANNING GUIDE
New! Africa in Depth: Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya & Tanzania 2021 Small Groups: 8-16 travelers—guaranteed! (average of 14) Overseas Adventure Travel ® The Leader in Small Groups on the Road Less Traveled in Over 85 Countries 1 Overseas Adventure Travel® 347 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210
Dear Traveler,
We’ve always felt that real travel is about meeting new people and discovering unfamiliar cultures—elements that are at the heart of every O.A.T. adventure.
That’s why when you join us on our Out of Africa: Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya & Tanzania Small Group Adventure, we’ll go beyond the iconic sites and into the true heart of Africa thanks to our small groups of just 8-16 travelers (with an average of 14). Plus, an African Trip Experience Leader will reveal their country’s hidden wonders and help us discover its essence like only a local can.
And throughout our explorations, we’ll meet local people where they live, work, and shop to get an intimate glimpse into the real Africa, not just a surface view. During our A Day in the Life experience in Kenya, we’ll spend time in a Maasai village, getting to know the daily lives of the local tribespeople, and perhaps visiting the local village school when in session. And in Botswana, we’ll alsomeet the women of Mabele Village, who will demonstrate their traditional basket-weaving techniques for us, and we may even get to try our hand at their craft.
We understand that no two travelers are the same. That’s why we give you the freedom to personalize your experience—extend your adventure in one of South Africa’s private game reserves; spend more time in Zimbabwe before, or in Tanzania after, your adventure; consider staying overnight in Amsterdam, a common connecting city on this adventure; and more.
We hope you find this Travel Planning Guide helpful. If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to contact one of our Adventure Specialists at 1-800-955-1925. Thank you again for your interest, and we look forward to welcoming you soon on a life-changing adventure.
Warm regards,
Alan E. Lewis Harriet R. Lewis Chairman Vice Chairman Overseas Adventure Travel
P.S. Visit us online to find videos and films about Africa—from independent films featuring the destinations you’ll visit, to itinerary highlights.
2 WHAT’S INSIDE
TRIP SUMMARY
It’s Included ...... 4 Departure Dates and Prices ...... 5 Freedom to Personalize Your Experience ...... 6
DETAILED DAY -TO-DAY ITINERARY ...... 7
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TRIP...... 48
Travel Documents & Entry Requirements ...... 50
Health ...... 52
Money Matters ...... 57
Preparing for Your Trip ...... 63 Packing ...... 67 Climate ...... 76 About Your Destinations ...... 81
Demographics & History ...... 87
Resources ...... 103
MAP ...... 111
3 New Adventure Savings: $500 per couple on ANY 2021 departure
New! A f r i c a i n D e p t h : Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya & Tanzania Small Group Adventure ZimbabwĕNƒÖłėā̇ÁĢóŶŋũĢÖDÖķķŭ̳Ά̳ZambiăbÖĕŽā̳Ά̳Botswană!Ğŋðā̇zĴÖƑÖłėŋ'āķŶÖΆ̵Kenya:̵pÖĢũŋðĢ̇mÖŭÖĢ mÖũÖpÖŶĢŋłÖķāŭāũƑā̇ĿðŋŭāķĢΆ̵¦ÖłơÖłĢÖ̵̆¦ÖũÖłėĢũā̇pėŋũŋłėŋũŋNĢėĞķÖłùŭͽ!ũÖŶāũ̇āũāłėāŶĢpÖŶĢŋłÖķÖũĴ
Countries: 5 ΆpÖŶĢŋłÖķÖũĴŭ̆7Άˑ˕pĢėĞŶŭRł¦āłŶāù!ÖĿťŭłùdŋùėāŭ
Small groups: 8-13 travelers—guaranteed! It’s Included (average of 12) • International airfare, airport transfers, • Services of a local O.A.T. Trip $ government taxes, fees, and airline fuel Experience Leader and driver-guides 35 days from surcharges unless you choose to make 10,590 Gratuities for local guides, drivers, your own air arrangements • Includes international airfare lodge and camp staff, driver-guides, Travel from only $303 a day • Accommodations for 33 nights, plus and luggage porters 1 day room • 5% Frequent Traveler Credit 34 days from $9090 • 93 meals—33 breakfasts, 30 lunches, toward your next O.A.T. trip—an and 30 dinners average of $739 Without international airfare • 53 small group activities, including • Unlimited filtered water at camps D11ĢłėķāŽťťķāĿāłŶ up to 39 game-viewing drives, boat O.A.T. safari duffle and laundry service cruises, and walks, plus park fees • at select tented camps • Explore in a small group of 8-13 mÖƗĢĿĢơāÈŋŽũ travelers (average group size of 12) Discoveries & Value To get a richer view of the Included Features on this adventure, zťŶĢŋłÖķāƗŶāłŭĢŋłŭ̆ watch our Trip Itinerary video at www.oatt ravel.com/bez2021 ŋŽŶĞĕũĢóÖ̆ũĢƑÖŶāFÖĿā āŭāũƑāÖĕÖũĢ 4 nights pre-trip from $1945 Travel from only $487 per night New! ėÖłùÖ̆mŽũóĞĢŭŋłDÖķķŭͽ ÑĢƒÖĞĢłŋÖłóŶŽÖũƘ 5 nights post-trip from $2995 Travel from only $599 per night Stopover in Johannesburg 2 nights from $495 Travel from only $248 per night
Lion drinking water, Botswana
Africa in Depth: Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya & Tanzania
4 Africa in Depth: Botswana, FREEDOM TO PERSONALIZE YOUR EXPERIENCE From spending more time abroad or adding extensions, to Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya choosing your air preferences, our Adventure Specialists are & Tanzania here to discuss your personalization options at 1-800-955-1925. Visit www.oattravel.com/personalize-bez2021 for details.
2021 Dates & Prices
DEPART FROM JANUARY MAY JUNE JULY AUG 11 AUG 30
New York, Newark $10,590 $13,690 $14,290 $14,590 $14,390 $13,990
Houston $10,690 $13,790 $14,390 $14,690 $14,490 $14,090
Atlanta, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Miami, $10,790 $13,890 $14,490 $14,790 $14,590 $14,190 San Francisco, Washington, DC Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, $10,890 $13,990 $14,590 $14,890 $14,690 $14,290 San Diego, Seattle, Tampa
Detroit, Minneapolis, Portland $10,990 $14,090 $14,690 $14,990 $14,790 $14,390
Without international airfare $9090 $12,090 $12,290 $12590 $12,790 $12,390
Additional departure cities are available. Upgrade to Business Class may be available for the international portion of your flight. Call for details. BEZ 2021
A visa is required for entry into Uganda on the pre-trip extension. You will receive application information after you reserve. We offer Free Single Supplements on all of our adventures and pre- and post-trip extensions. Prices are per person. Airfare prices include government taxes, fees, and airline fuel surcharges. All prices and availability are effective as of the date of this publication, and are subject to change without notice. Standard Terms & Conditions apply, please visit our website: www.oattravel.com/tc. Every effort has been made to produce this information accurately. We reserve the right to correct errors.
For specific departure dates, current availability, and detailed pricing, visit www.oattravel.com/bez2021pricing
NEW: SAVE UP TO 10% BEST PRICE GUARANTEE REFER & EARN WITH OUR GOOD BUY PLAN We promise you won’t find a lower price New travelers you refer will instantly save The earlier you reserve your departure and on a comparable adventure—if you do, $100, and you’ll earn increasing cash pay in full, the more you’ll save—up to 10%— we’ll match it. rewards—up to a FREE trip! plus, you’ll lock in your price. For details, visit www.oattravel.com/bpg For details, visit www.oattravel.com/va For details, visit www.oattravel.com/gbd
Publication Date 3/24/20
Information & Reservations 1-800-955-1925 www.oatt ravel.com/bez2021
5 Freedom to Personalize Your Experience Your Choice, Your Adventure, Your Way
We recommend you spend extra time in a destination to truly make your adventure everything you’ve ever dreamed about—in fact, 85% of our travelers are personalizing their experience in more than 85 countries. Call us at 1-800-955-1925 to discuss personalizing your adventure today or visit us online at www.oattravel.com/personalize-bez2021.
'āƩ łāÈŋŽũRùāÖķdāłėŶĞŋĕŶÖƘ̝ Please note: Our Adventure Specialists can help you plan your airfare if arrive early, stay later & more you’d like to “break away,” however since this option is completely on your own, you will need to plan your own accommodations, meals, tours, and Extending your time in a destination can improve your overall travel transfers. experience—and allow you to seek out even more eye-opening cultural interactions. Your local Trip Experience Leader will help to 2-night Stopover in Johannesburg from $495: More than 7,000 ensure you’re getting the personalized experiences you’re looking travelers arrive early for. With their unmatched understanding of African culture, it’s no Arrive early in Johannesburg for a fresh start before your main surprise that 94% of our travelers rate their Trip Experience Leader adventure. An O.A.T. representative will meet you at the airport in excellent. Dubai and assist with transfer into the city for three nights in a From extending your travels—whether with us or on your own—to centrally-located hotel with daily breakfast—the rest is up to you. building in time to ensure a smooth beginning and end to your Small Back-to-Back Adventures: 90% of travelers who combined two Group Adventure, the choice is yours. Here are some of your options: trips anywhere in the world rated it excellent Maximize Your Time & Value: 55% of travelers take an extension Many of our travelers take Africa in Depth, which already Trip extensions give you more time, allowing you to get refreshed combines Kenya & Tanzania Safari and Ultimate Africa. If you’re and acclimated before your adventure begins or before your return to already overseas, why not see more of the world and avoid another the U.S. On this adventure, you may choose to take our South Africa: international flight? And you’ll save up to $2800 per person Private Game Reserve Safari or our New! Uganda: Murchison Falls & compared to taking these trips separately. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary extensions. ũĢƑÖŶāùƑāłŶŽũāŭ̆¦ũÖƑāķĢłÖłāƗóķŽŭĢƑāėũŋŽť “Break Away” Options: 30% of travelers spend more time abroad ŋĕÖŭĕāƒÖŭ˓ Before or after your main adventure or trip extension, “break away” anywhere you’d like to go to do more exploring entirely on your Reserve an exclusive departure with your friends and family. It’s own. Extend your time abroad with the following options: simple: You choose the people you travel with, the departure date, and the size of your group. O.A.T. does the rest. • Spend more time before or after your adventure in Johannesburg or Arusha ĢũzťŶĢŋłŭ̆mŋũāŶĞÖł˔ˏͮŋĕŶũÖƑāķāũŭóŽŭŶŋĿĢơā • Stay overnight (or for a few days) in Amsterdam, a common ŶĞāĢũƪ ĢėĞŶŭ connecting city on this adventure, or in a destination of your choice • Choose your departure city and airline • Depart from one city and return to another • Upgrade your seat or choose a specific meal option
Zebras, Kruger National Park, South Africa White rhino, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Uganda
6 Overseas SM Adventure Travel Since 1978
Africa in Depth: Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya & Tanzania 2021 35-Day Small Group Adventure
EXTEND YOUR TRIP PRE-TRIP South Africa: Private Game Reserve Safari POST-TRIP Uganda: Murchison Falls & Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Your Day-to-Day Itinerary
7 OVERSEAS ADVENTURE TRAVEL
Overseas Adventure Travel, founded in 1978, is America’s leading adventure travel company. The New York Times, Condé Nast Traveler, The Los Angeles Times, Travel + Leisure, The Wall Street Journal, US News & World Report, and others have recommended O.A.T. trips. But our most impressive reviews come from our customers: Thousands of travelers have joined our trips, and 95% of them say they’d gladly travel with us again, and recommend us to their friends.
A WORD ABOUT ADVENTURE TRAVEL
We have designed this adventure to be a multifaceted and very rewarding journey—one that takes you far off the beaten path to a world most tourists never see. It is important to always bear in mind that because this is not an ordinary tour, and because we will be visiting undeveloped countries, there is always the possibility that the itinerary described in these pages may change. We may need to UHDUUDQJH\RXUWULSRQVLWHIRUDYDULHW\RIUHDVRQV̜ZHDWKHUURDGFRQGLWLRQVVHDVRQDOͬRRGLQJLQWKH 2NDYDQJR'HOWDRUͬLJKWVFKHGXOHFKDQJHVIRULQVWDQFH:HPD\QRWDOZD\VEHDEOHWRIROORZWKLVWULS itinerary exactly as published, although 99 percent our itineraries run to schedule. An open mind and ͬH[LEOHDWWLWXGHLVHVVHQWLDOWRJHWWKHPRVWIURP\RXUDGYHQWXUH
O.A.T. has years of experience and many contacts in this part of the world, and we are quite adept at dealing with changes on the spot. Rest assured that in any eventuality we will make every attempt to provide alternate arrangements that equal or exceed what was originally planned.
Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe offer the comfort of a relatively well-developed infrastructure. Moreover, Botswana and Zambia in particular have made a commitment to encourage only high-caliber tourism—an effort geared to produce maximum revenues for the country’s economy, while having minimal impact on the nation’s cultural and environmental integrity. As a result, you will ͫQGTXDOLW\IDFLOLWLHVIHZHUWRXULVWVDQGJUHDWHUH[SDQVHVRIXQWRXFKHGDQGSULVWLQHZLOGHUQHVV
In Kenya and Tanzania, the economy and the pace of life are quite different from what we are accustomed to in North America. Things do not always go as expected here—but this is part of the adventure. We often change our plans in response to animal migration patterns. It will help a great deal IRU\RXWREULQJWRWKHWULSDQRSHQPLQGDVHQVHRIKXPRUͬH[LELOLW\DQGDVSLULWRIDGYHQWXUHWKDW allows you to take the unexpected in stride. If you do, you will have a remarkable experience!
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925
8 INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE
» International airfare, airport transfers, » Services of a local O.A.T. Trip Experience government taxes, fees, and airline fuel Leader and driver-guides surcharges unless you choose to make your » Gratuities for local guides, drivers, lodge own air arrangements and camp staff, driver-guides, and » Accommodations for 33 nights, plus luggage porters 1 day room » 5% Frequent Traveler Credit toward your » 93 meals—33 breakfasts, 30 lunches, and next adventure—an average of $739 30 dinners » 8QOLPLWHGͫOWHUHGZDWHUDWFDPSV » 53 small group activities, including up to » 2$7VDIDULGXIͬHDQGODXQGU\VHUYLFHDW 39 game-viewing drives, boat cruises, and select tented camps walks, plus park fees » Explore in a small group of 8-13 travelers (average group size of 12)
WHAT THIS TRIP IS LIKE
PACING » We reserve the right for Trip Experience » 14 locations in 34 days with three Leaders to restrict participation, or in some 1-night stays circumstances send travelers home, if their limitations impact the group’s experience » Early morning game-viewing drives on safari days, rising as early as 5am » Travelers in need of a CPAP machine may only bring one that runs on rechargeable » You will have transfers of up to 6 hours to batteries reach your tented camps on two days CLIMATE PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS » The hottest months are October-February; » Not appropriate for travelers using mid-day temperatures can reach more wheelchairs, walkers, or other mobility aids than 100°F » You must be able to walk unassisted while » Daytime temperatures between carrying hand luggage; expect 2-4 hours of May-August can be 70-80°F, and as low as physical activities on some days 50°F at night » You will need to access vehicles by ladder » December-March brings heavy rain and without aid thunderstorms
TERRAIN & TRANSPORTATION » Travel on roads in poor condition can cause problems for travelers with leg or back issues
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925
9 » During game-viewing excursions, we’ll travel over bumpy, dusty terrain and walk on sandy, uneven terrain in the Okavango Delta and at our camps » On game-viewing drives, we travel overland in open-sided safari vehicles with bench seating and no air-conditioning; in closed Land Cruisers with roof hatches; and in dugout canoes and motorized boats » 1-2 guided walks of up to 1 hour each; 7 LQWHUQDOͬLJKWVRQWRVHDWDLUFUDIW and several 8- to 10-hour days in safari vehicles
ACCOMMODATIONS & FACILITIES » We spend 33 nights in comfortable but basic lodges and tented camps with private baths » Our lodges use generator electricity and lantern lighting at night, and do not have air-conditioning
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925
10 Africa in Depth: Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya & Tanzania 2021
Join O.A.T. for an epic Africa adventure–we’ve combined our Ultimate Africa and New! Kenya & Tanzania Safari: Masai Mara to the SerengetiVDIDULVLQWRRQHFRPSUHKHQVLYHGD\MRXUQH\WKDWVSDQVͫYH countries, now with three nights in Masai Mara. From the unspoiled wilderness of Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, to Kenya and Tanzania, which have long been two of the most sought-after safari destinations, we’ll set out in search of the continent’s exotic wildlife. Led by your experienced Trip Experience Leader, you may spot the “Big Five:” lion, elephant, leopard, rhino, and Cape buffalo. Immersive in every sense, you’ll explore the Okavango Delta by mokoro and picnic within the Ngorongoro Crater. Plus, thanks to our small group size, you’ll have the rare opportunity to meet with locals—including Maasai tribesmen and school children in a Hwange community—to see what life is really like here. And whenever you’d like, you have the freedom to explore more of Africa on your own: Break off from the group for independent discoveries—like enjoying dinner while listening to a live township jazz band at Mama Africa in Victoria Falls, or exploring the Nairobi National Museum—during free time.
EXTEND YOUR TRIP
South Africa: Private Game Reserve Safari 4 NIGHTS PRE-TRIP South Africa’s private game reserves are bursting with wildlife, housing more than 500 bird species and 140 species of mammals, including the famed “Big Five.” This rugged landscape—mostly open savannah, complemented by the beautiful Drakensberg Escarpment in the distance—is ideal for spotting the rich diversity of game here. On this trip extension, you’ll enjoy rustic accommodations at Karongwe Game Reserve, staying in a private, isolated area, where you can go off-road in search of elusive wildlife without the crowds.
Uganda: Murchison Falls & Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary 5 NIGHTS POST-TRIP Once known as the “Pearl of the British Empire in East Africa,” Uganda is now widely considered one of the most beautiful countries on the continent. Join us and tour the dynamic Ugandan city of Entebbe, take a bush walk among endangered white rhinos, go on a bird-viewing canoe safari, and witness the splendor of Murchison Falls, where the Nile River explodes through a narrow gorge to create the most powerful rush of water in the world.
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925
11 DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1 Depart U.S. for Johannesburg, Day 3 Fly to Victoria Falls • Transfer to South Africa Hwange National Park
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 12 wildebeest, impala, lion, leopard, cheetah, and usually best—blue or black clothing should be more than 400 known bird species. The park avoided in certain areas as they attract tsetse is also known for its herds of sable antelope, a ͬLHV$QGZKLOHWHPSHUDWXUHVYDU\JUHDWO\ graceful animal with large, elegant horns. depending on the time of year, the air is usually cool on early morning game drives, so you may Around 6:30pm, we’ll arrive at our camp wish to dress in layers to stay warm. located in the park. Upon arrival, we’ll have a VKRUWPLQXWHEULHͫQJ7KHFDPSPDQDJHU Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the camp’s will explain how camp staff will escort travelers main dining area starting at 6am, featuring to their rooms after dark. We will go into more a selection of hot and cold breakfast dishes. detail about the camp during tomorrow’s Morning: Around 6:30am, we’ll board RULHQWDWLRQEULHͫQJ1RPDWWHUZKLFKFDPSVLWH open-air safari vehicles and set off on a 3-hour you stay at, the site will offer panoramic game-viewing drive with our Trip Experience views of the surroundings with ideal access Leader and professional driver guide in Hwange to game-viewing. Typical amenities include National Park, which offers game viewing a large, tented main lounge, dining area, and year-round due to its man-made waterholes. tented rooms with en suite shower and toilet. During all of our drives, we will learn about the Dinner: Served buffet-style at our camp’s main UHJLRQ̞VͬRUDDQGWKHLQWULFDWHF\FOHRIOLIHLQ dining area just before 7pm, featuring a choice the bush. Our expert guides may expound on RIHQWUHHV ͫVKPHDWDQGYHJHWDULDQRSWLRQV everything from how elephant dung can be used along with regionally inspired side dishes that as mosquito repellent, to how the giraffe is able utilize fresh local ingredients. to eat leaves off of the thorny acacia trees. Evening: On your own—you are free to return We’ll return to the camp just after 9:30am. to your tent, or relax with fellow travelers by You’ll have about 30 minutes of free time to WKHͫUHSLWRULQWKHFRPPRQDUHDWRWDONDERXW relax and freshen up before we regroup at the day’s activities and your upcoming Africa DPIRUD:HOFRPH%ULHͫQJZLWKRXU7ULS discoveries. Experience Leader and camp staff. We’ll learn about the camp facilities and gain a familiarity Day 4 Game-viewing in Hwange ZLWKRXUVXUURXQGLQJV'XULQJWKLVEULHͫQJ National Park we will also introduce ourselves and review our itinerary in more detail (including any changes • Destination: Hwange National Park WKDWPD\QHHGWRRFFXU 2XU7ULS([SHULHQFH • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Leader will also discuss logistics, safety and • Accommodations: Kashawe Tented Camp, emergency procedures, and answer any Makalolo Plains Camp or similar questions we may have. Activity Note: This will be a full day of Brunch: Served around 11am at the camp’s game-viewing in Hwange National Park that main dining area, featuring a variety of cold and begins very early in the morning (with a 5:30am hot brunch choices. ZDNHXSFDOO :HZLOOUHWXUQWRWKHFDPSIRU brunch, and then head out again and get back Afternoon: Enjoy free time to relax in our to camp at about 6pm. When dressing for your tented rooms or in the common area during the safari adventure, keep in mind that neutral hottest part of the day. You may also choose to HDUWKWRQHV EURZQVWDQVJUH\VRUJUHHQV DUH join a local guide on a walk around the lodge. Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 13 They’ll identify which animals have passed pause at a supermarket where we’ll split up through the area, as well as the medicinal and you’ll have about 45 minutes to shop for uses of plants grown here. Then, we’ll gather your choice of local ingredients to bring with around 3pm for afternoon tea and snacks. After, you to our A Day in the Life experience. Then at we board open-air safari vehicles again and about 8:30am, we’ll continue on for another 30 set off on another game-viewing drive just minutes to a local village near Hwange. after 3:30pm. Later, we’ll rely on the tracking Upon arrival just after 9am, we’ll meet a village skills of our guides to choose the perfect spot leader, who takes us on a short walking tour to observe the animals during the fading revealing how local people live, tend to their DIWHUQRRQOLJKWDVZHHQMR\RXUͫUVW$IULFDQ animals, raise their crops, and fetch water for “sundowner” (drinks and snacks during sunset their families—a task that has long been a RYHUWKH$IULFD%XVK EHIRUHUHWXUQLQJWRFDPS challenge for the local community. around 6pm. In addition to the challenges facing the Dinner: At about 6:30pm, we’ll have dinner villagers, we’ll also learn a few words in the together at the main dining area with a language of the local Nambya people, before selection of regionally-inspired items prepared sitting down with some village members to gain by our expert chef. LQVLJKWLQWRWKHLUFXOWXUHͫUVWKDQG7KHQZH̞OO Evening: All evenings at our tented camps are have an opportunity for hands-on discovery free for you to relax in your room, linger in the when we take part in some farming activities FRPPRQDUHDIRUDQLJKWFDSRUVLWE\WKHͫUH VHDVRQSHUPLWWLQJ ̜OLNHSODQWLQJPLONLQJ with your fellow travelers. cows, and collecting eggs. We’ll also present the ingredients we collected at the supermarket Day 5 A Day in the Life of a Hwange earlier to some villagers who will prepare them Community • Game-viewing in Hwange for us to sample. National Park We’ll spend time in the village until just after • Destination: Hwange National Park 10am when we drive about 10 minutes to St. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 0DU\̞V3ULPDU\VFKRRO ZKHQLQVHVVLRQ ZKLFK • Accommodations: Kashawe Tented Camp, is supported in part by Grand Circle Foundation Makalolo Plains Camp or similar as part of the World Classroom initiative. Enjoy this opportunity to learn more about Activity Note: We will have an early wake-up what education is like in a remote village in call at about 5:30am before riding in open-air Zimbabwe. We may have a chance to meet the vehicles to the park gate. Then, we’ll switch to teachers and sit down with some students a minibus on our way to this morning’s village in their classroom. Perhaps we’ll help them outside of Hwange National Park and will travel out with their lessons, or let them practice over bumpy, dusty roads. their English during our time here. St. Mary’s Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the is typical of the many village schools in the camp’s main dining area at 6am, featuring region, and lacks a lot of the basic necessities. a continental breakfast. The Foundation has contributed to the building of some new classrooms and donated several Morning: We’ll leave camp at about 6:30am, computers, which you may see in the school’s board our safari vehicles, and drive to a small computer lab. Items that you may wish Hwange community. Around 7:45am, we’ll Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 14 to bring with you to donate might include small plane (4-12 seaters, and we may have to educational books, maps, solar-powered VSOLWXS IRUDSSUR[LPDWHO\KRXUVWR.DIXH calculators, toiletries, secondhand clothing, National Park. Total transfer time will be up GHͬDWHGVRFFHUEDOOVRUDQ\QXPEHURILWHPV to 11 hours. that are appropriate for eager students whose Breakfast: Served buffet-style at 6am in the needs are great. camp’s lounge area. We conclude our discoveries just after noon and Morning: After breakfast, we’ll check out of drive about 1.5 hours back to our camp, arriving our rooms and depart camp at about 7am to just in time to freshen up and enjoy lunch. make our way to our next destination—Kafue Lunch: At the camp around 2pm, featuring National Park in Zambia. Our overland transfer traditional dishes. The camp staff will prepare will take us back to Victoria Falls, arriving in our meals using local cooking techniques, as this area near an air strip around 11:45am. well as fresh, regional ingredients. Lunch: A packed lunch will be provided during Afternoon: After about 1 hour of free time, we’ll our overland transfer. set off on another late afternoon game-viewing Afternoon: Just before noon, we’ll cross the drive through Hwange National Park aboard Zambian border to the town of Livingstone, open-air safari vehicles at about 4pm. Perhaps, about seven miles from the falls. Just before we’ll seek out a pack of wild dogs or any 1pm, we’ll stop at a local market to stretch our number of the many different animals found legs and discover the goods sold here. You may here that we haven’t spotted yet. We’ll return choose to grab a snack for the road before we to camp at approximately 5:30pm. Enjoy some get into taxis around 1:30pm for the next leg of time to relax before we regroup for dinner. our journey. We’ll drive about 15 minutes to the Dinner: Served buffet-style at the camp’s airport where we’ll split up into smaller groups main dining area around 6:30pm, featuring and board small, privately chartered planes traditional African dishes. DURXQG SPIRURXUVKRUWͬLJKW DERXW KRXUV WRRXUFDPSDW.DIXH1DWLRQDO3DUN Evening: You’re free to relax at the campsite, Upon arrival around 4pm, we’ll drive around 15 perhaps to sit with a cool drink and observe the minutes to our camp. brilliant stars of the African night sky for our last night in Hwange. :H̞OOHQMR\D:HOFRPH%ULHͫQJDWWKHULYHUVLGH tented camps that we stay at in Kafue shortly Day 6 Overland to Livingstone • Fly to after arriving. Typical safari-style tents have en Kafue, Zambia suite toilets and showers and perhaps a deck, ZKLOHWKHFDPSPD\LQFOXGHDͫUHSLWWHQWHG • Destination: Kafue National Park dining area, lounge, and bar. Then around 5pm, • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner ZH̞OOHQMR\RXUͫUVWJDPHYLHZLQJH[FXUVLRQ • Accommodations: Lufupa Tented Camp, which will either be by boat or safari vehicle. Musanza Tented Camp or similar One of Zambia’s most impressive parks, Activity Note: We will have an early wake-up .DIXHLVRQHRIWKHͫUVWWRMRLQDQLQLWLDWLYH call at about 5:30am. Then this morning, WROLQNWKHQDWLRQDOSDUNVRIͫYH$IULFDQ we will drive from Hwange, Zimbabwe, to countries into what will eventually become a /LYLQJVWRQH=DPELDZKHUHZH̞OOͬ\DERDUGD 108,000-square-mile park, to be known as the Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 15 Kvango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Morning: Since the temperate hours of early $UHD DOVRWKH2NDYDQJR8SSHU=DPEH]L7)&$ morning and late afternoon are when the Our private O.A.T. campsites are situated in the wildlife is at its most active, we’ll set off at northern section of the park along the banks about 7:30am for a game-viewing excursion of the Kafue River, one of the three rivers either by land or water. Keep your eyes peeled nourishing the park. From the decks of our for the yellow-billed oxpecker, trumpeter safari-style tented rooms, we can view the hornbill, and grey crowned crane. Along slow-moving river—where we might enjoy the rivers that feed the park, we might also WKHFKDQFHWRͫVKIRUEUHDPDQGSLNHGXULQJ encounter the white-backed night heron, our stay. $IULFDQͫQIRRWRUVDGGOHELOOHGVWRUN In addition to 55 mammal species, Kafue is We’ll return to our camp just after 10am and home to 500 species of birds—as many in this you’ll have some free time to take a nap, catch park as in all of Europe. Our guides will help up on a book you brought with you, or relax us keep our eyes peeled for Black-cheeked before gathering for lunch. Lovebirds, Bohm’s Bee-eaters, Pel’s Fishing Brunch: We’ll enjoy a hearty brunch featuring Owls, a variety of cranes, and Zambia’s only African inspired specialties at our campsite at endemic species, the Chaplin’s Barbet. We’ll about 11:30am. also be on the lookout for puku, an antelope found only in Zambia and the Congo. Afternoon: Take advantage of free time at the camp where you can enjoy Kafue River We return to our camp around 6pm and views. Or, you may choose to join an insightful you have about 30 minutes to freshen up conversation with a park ranger about rhino before dinner. poaching at about 2pm. Trace the history of Dinner: Served at the camp’s main this cruel practice, the demand for rhino horns lounge around 6:30pm, featuring a traditional on the black market, and the steps that are dinner prepared by the camp staff. Our meal being taken to combat this issue. Then around ZLOOUHͬHFWWKHͬDYRUVRI$IULFDDQGZLOOFRQVLVW 3pm, we’ll gather at the main lodge for tea of fresh ingredients. and snacks. Evening: You’re free to go back to your walk-in Around 3:30pm, we’ll enjoy another tent or relax with your fellow travelers by a game-viewing excursion or boating activity FR]\FDPSͫUHVHWXSDORQJWKHVORZPRYLQJ highlighting the myriad wildlife of Kafue. We Kafue River. return to our camp around 6pm and you have about 30 minutes to freshen up. Day 7 Game-viewing in Kafue Dinner: At about 6:30pm, featuring a choice National Park of buffet options prepared by the camp staff. • Destination: Kafue National Park :H̞OOHQMR\WKHWUDGLWLRQDOͬDYRUVRI$IULFD • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner as our meal will be cooked with typical, local • Accommodations: Lufupa Tented Camp, ingredients. Musanza Tented Camp or similar Evening: Your evening is free to linger by the Breakfast: To get an early start, a light FDPSͫUHDQGHQMR\DQLJKWFDSRUUHWXUQWR breakfast will be served this morning at 7am at your tent. our camp. Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 16 Day 8 Game-viewing in Kafue Evening: After dinner, you may wish to swap National Park memories of all we’ve encountered on our explorations in this beautiful locale. • Destination: Kafue National Park • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 9 Fly to Livingstone • Transfer to • Accommodations: Lufupa Tented Camp, Chobe National Park, Botswana Musanza Tented Camp or similar • Destination: Chobe National Park Breakfast: A light breakfast with a choice • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner of eggs and other items will be served this • Accommodations: Baobab Safari Lodge morning at 7am at our camp. or similar Morning: At around 7:30am, we’ll set off on a Activity Note: This morning, we’ll split up into game-viewing excursion to explore the outer HYHQVPDOOHUJURXSVDQGͬ\E\VPDOOFKDUWHUHG reaches of the park by boat or safari vehicle. aircraft to Livingstone, Zambia, where we’ll It’s impossible to exhaust the discoveries at journey by bus to the Zambian border and take Kafue, one of the continent’s largest national a short boat ride to cross into Botswana. Then, parks—at 8,600 square miles, it is roughly the we’ll continue overland to Chobe National Park size of the entire state of New Jersey. Kafue’s in northern Botswana. Our total transfer time is KDELWDWVVSDQULYHULQHIRUHVWVͬRRGSODLQV up to 7 hours. woodlands, and dambos RSHQJUDVVODQGV :H return to our camp just after 10am and you have Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the camp’s about 1.5 hours of free time. Perhaps you’ll lay main dining area starting at 7am, featuring a down and rest in your tent, or you may choose selection of hot and cold dishes. to take a stroll along the river. Morning: Around 8am, we’ll leave our camp Brunch: Served with a variety of traditional DQGHQMR\DͫQDOJDPHYLHZLQJGULYHLQ dishes at our lodge at about 11:30am. Kafue of about 1 hour. Then we’ll drive to an airstrip, arriving just before 9:30am, for our Afternoon: Following our meal, you can relax KRXUͬLJKWWR/LYLQJVWRQH:HDUULYHDW at camp, enjoying the views of the Kafue River. the Livingstone airport around 11am before Around 2:45pm, we’ll regroup for afternoon boarding our bus for a 1.5-hour drive to tea and snacks before setting off on another the border. game-viewing excursion or boating activity focusing on Kafue wildlife around 3:15pm. Lunch: We’ll have a light boxed lunch of fruits, 7KHUHZLOODOVREHRSSRUWXQLWLHVWRͫVKDORQJ nuts, and an empanada on our way to Chobe the banks, as well as a sundowner cruise before National Park. returning to camp at approximately 6pm. Upon Afternoon: Upon arrival at the border around arrival, the camp staff will treat us to regional 12:30am, we’ll board a ferry for a 10-minute songs and dances. You choose to learn some ride into Botswana. Then around 1:30pm, we traditional moves yourself. board our next bus for a 1-hour drive to our Dinner: Around 6:30pm, prepared by the camp lodge. We’ll check in and gather for a short staff. We’ll enjoy dishes that showcase the RULHQWDWLRQEULHͫQJZLWKWKH7ULS([SHULHQFH GLVWLQFWͬDYRUVRIWKHUHJLRQDOFXLVLQH Leader. We spend the next three nights at an intimate safari lodge. No matter which lodge you stay in, its location just outside the park Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 17 gives us more time to spend on game-viewing populations—the present herd is estimated at drives while the dining room and bar may be 60,000. This enormous region offers variety in perfect spots to view the sun setting over the ERWKZLOGOLIHDQGWHUUDLQ5LYHULQHIRUHVWͬRRG river in the evening. Typical lodges feature plains, and mopane are home to large and small comfortable bungalows, each with two beds and game. Elephants gather around baobab trees, a private bathroom. drawn by the water stored in their bark. Chobe has one of the greatest concentrations of Large groups of giraffe amble about the land, game found on the African continent and is sure and hyena, cheetah, leopard, and wildebeest to be a highlight of our safari adventure. Around may also be glimpsed in this thickly populated 4pm, we’ll board open-air safari vehicles to habitat. The birdlife here is diverse, ranging JHWRXUͫUVWJOLPSVHRI&KREH̞VZLOGOLIHGXULQJ from eagles and bustards to plovers and rollers, a late afternoon game-viewing drive with our and bee-eaters bustle near their sandbank expert drive guides and Trip Experience Leader. nests. There are also water birds, such as egret, We’ll return to our camp shortly after 6pm. ibis, and heron, along the river. We’ll return to our lodge at about 10:30am. Dinner: A buffet-style dinner featuring a selection of salads, entrees, and side dishes Brunch: A selection of hearty brunch items prepared by the camp staff will be served at will be available in the lodge beginning about 6:30pm in the dining area. around 10:30am. Evening: After dinner, we can relax at the bar Afternoon: Following some free time after or enjoy views of the Chobe River from the main brunch, we’ll regroup around 2:30pm for tea lounge of our open-air lodge. and a conversation about Botswana’s history with a local guide. Then, several women from Day 10 Game-viewing in Chobe National a local village will visit us at camp to give our Park • Basket-weaving demonstration group a basket-weaving demonstration around 3pm. In our small group, we’ll get one-on-one • Destination: Chobe National Park time with some of the women who will show us • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner KRZWKH\XVHSDOPIURQGVWRPDNHWKHLUͫQHO\ • Accommodations: Baobab Safari Lodge detailed woven baskets and how they introduce or similar various colors from the bark of trees and Activity Note: We will have an early wake-up other natural sources. During this hands-on call at about 5:30am. demonstration, we’ll also have the opportunity to try weaving a design ourselves. Afterwards, Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the lodge’s we set off on a game-viewing drive in open-air main dining area starting at 6am, featuring a safari vehicles around 3:30pm, enjoying selection of hot and cold breakfast dishes. sundowners before we return to camp just before sunset around 6pm and gather to soak Morning: Around 6:30am, we set off on an in the views of the sun sinking behind a nearby early morning game drive in open-air safari waterhole. vehicles. The next two days are devoted to seeking out game in Chobe National Park, the Dinner: Served buffet-style at the lodge VHFRQGODUJHVW DQGͫUVWHVWDEOLVKHG QDWLRQDO around 6:30pm in the dining area, featuring park in the country. Chobe National Park is traditional dishes. home to one of the world’s largest elephant Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 18 Evening: You are free to enjoy the facilities Dinner: Beginning at 6:30pm at the lodge, of our lodge, relax with a book, or take in featuring a traditional South African braai, the serenity of our surroundings along the similar to our barbecue but more closely Chobe River. connected to the outdoor life, culture, and laid-back lifestyle of southern Africans. We’ll Day 11 Game-viewing in Chobe enjoy traditional dishes like boerewors, African National Park sausage, during this meal. • Destination: Chobe National Park Evening:$IWHUGLQQHUZHFDQUHͬHFWRQWKH • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner memorable animal sightings we’ve made while • Accommodations: Baobab Safari Lodge celebrating our last night in Chobe. or similar Day 12 Fly to the Okavango Delta Activity Note: This will be a full day of game-viewing in Chobe National Park that • Destination: Okavango Delta Region begins very early in the morning (with a 5:30am • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner ZDNHXSFDOO • Accommodations: Santawani Camp, Saguni Safari Lodge or similar Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the camp’s main dining area starting at 6am, featuring a Activity Note: This morning, we take a minibus selection of hot and cold dishes. ride of about an hour to Kasane, Botswana, and WKHQDͬLJKWRIDOLWWOHPRUHWKDQDQKRXUE\ Morning: We’ll begin a full day of small bush plane to the Okavango Delta region. game-viewing activities at about 7am. With Our total transfer time is up to 6 hours. the help of our expert driver guides, we hope to spot some of Chobe’s elephants, in addition to Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the lodge zebra, Cape buffalo, hippo, and crocodile. at 7:30am, featuring a selection of hot and cold dishes. Lunch: Around 1pm, we’ll take a break from our full-day game-viewing drive to enjoy a picnic Morning: Around 8:30am, we check out of our lunch of fruits, vegetables, pasta, cheeses, rooms and board a minibus to Kasane’s airport, homemade bread, and more among the wildlife arriving around 9:30am. At about 10:30am, of Chobe National Park. we’ll split into smaller groups for our 1-hour ͬLJKWWRWKHQRUWKHUQDUHDRIWKH2NDYDQJR Afternoon: We continue our game-viewing Delta region. Upon landing, we’ll enjoy a in Chobe throughout the afternoon, relying game-viewing drive in an open-air safari on the expert tracking skills of our guides vehicle en route to our private O.A.T. camp. We and Trip Experience Leader. Around 2:30pm, arrive at our camp around 12:30pm and check our game-viewing excursion concludes and in. The camp includes tented cabins. Each we return to camp where you’ll have some walk-in tent includes an en suite bathroom free time to relax. Then around 5:30pm, we’ll with running water, toilets, and showers. regroup for drinks as we watch the sun set before enjoying a performance by the lodge Lunch: Around 1pm at our camp, featuring staff. At about 6pm, they will treat us to some a variety of hot and cold selections. The traditional dances and songs. camp staff will prepare typical dishes using WUDGLWLRQDOWHFKQLTXHVVRRXUPHDOZLOOUHͬHFW WKHͬDYRUVRIWKHUHJLRQ Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 19 Afternoon: You are free to relax, or you may Morning: At about 6:30am, we’ll split into choose to join the camp staff for some tea smaller groups and explore the Okavango Delta around 2pm. Then, we gather together for a by mokoro LIFRQGLWLRQVSHUPLW RUZH̞OOVHWRII late-afternoon game-viewing drive beginning on a game-viewing drive aboard open-air safari at about 4pm. One of the world’s largest inland vehicles. Mekoro (the plural of mokoro DUH deltas, the Okavango is a watery wonderland of traditional canoe-like vessels commonly used islands, marshlands, and waterways teeming in the Okavango Delta as a mode of transport. with wildlife. Designated a UNESCO World If we explore using these canoes today, we’ll Heritage Site, the Okavango Delta is also home divide into pairs and travel along the calm to some of the world’s most endangered species waters of the delta alongside a local guide. We’ll of large mammals, including cheetahs, white GLVFRYHUWKHGLVWLQFWͬRUDDQGIDXQDRIWKHGHOWD and black rhinos, and African wild dogs. We as our local guide propels our mokoro forward return to our camp just after 6pm and you have by using a long pole. We return to our camp some time to freshen up. around 11am. Dinner: Served in the camp’s main dining Brunch: Just after 11am at our camp, featuring a area at about 6:30pm, with many hot and cold variety of hot and cold selections. selections. Afternoon: You have some free time to enjoy Evening: You can relax in our camp, which our surroundings, or you may challenge our IHDWXUHVDGLQLQJDUHDODUJHORXQJHͫUHSLW Trip Experience Leader or the camp staff to a and an area overlooking a watering hole where traditional African game. They can teach you we can observe the local wildlife. the rules before playing. Then, just after 4pm, we’ll regroup and set off on a game-viewing Day 13 Explore Okavango Delta drive and sundowner in the Delta’s neighboring savannah. We conclude our drive around 6pm • Destination: Okavango Delta Region and return to the camp where you have some • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner time to relax before dinner. • Accommodations: Santawani Camp, Saguni Safari Lodge or similar Dinner: In the camp’s main dining area around 6:30pm, featuring a selection of Activity Note: This morning, we will have traditional dishes. an early wake-up call at about 5:30am. Our mokoro excursions are dependent on safety and Evening: On your own—you may wish to relax ZDWHUOHYHOVZKLFKͬXFWXDWHFRQVWDQWO\LQWKH E\WKHZDUPWKRIWKHͫUHSLWRUHQMR\DQLJKWFDS Delta, regardless of the season. When you arrive at the bar before retiring for the night. in the Delta, your Trip Experience Leader will monitor conditions and advise you of whether Day 14 Game-viewing in the it’s possible to explore by canoe. You will either Okavango Delta explore by mokoro or set off on a game-viewing drive on Day 13 and Day 14. • Destination: Okavango Delta Region • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the camp • Accommodations: Santawani Camp, Saguni dining area at 6am, featuring a selection of hot Safari Lodge or similar and cold dishes. Activity Note: This morning, we will have an early wake-up call at about 5:30am. Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 20 Breakfast: Breakfast begins at 6am to get hours. During our tours of the Falls, it’s a good another early start for our game-viewing drive. idea to wrap your camera equipment, cash, and other valuables in plastic. Morning: At 6:30am, we continue to search for wildlife in the Okavango Delta region. We’ll Breakfast: Served buffet-style at 6:30am in the again split into groups and explore the area dining area of our camp, featuring a selection of by mokoroRQWKH'HOWD LIFRQGLWLRQVSHUPLW hot and cold dishes. or we’ll set off on a game drive aboard open-air Morning: We board our bus, depart camp safari vehicles. We return to our camp around around 7:30am, and head to a nearby airport, 11am, just in time for brunch. arriving around 8am. We’ll split up into smaller Brunch: Just after 11am at our camp, featuring a JURXSVIRURXUKRXUͬLJKWWR.DVDQHEHIRUH variety of hot and cold selections. crossing the border into Zimbabwe around 11:30am. Afternoon: We can relax during the hottest part of the day (this is the time when the wildlife Lunch: Around 12:45pm, we’ll enjoy a UHOD[HVWRR EHIRUHUHJURXSLQJIRUKLJKWHDDW traditional African lunch at a local restaurant 3:30pm and then setting off around 4pm on upon our arrival in Victoria Falls. We’ll get a a 2-hour game-viewing drive in the Delta’s true taste of Africa when we have rice, chicken neighboring savannah aboard open-air safari or oxtail, and vegetables cooked with peanut vehicles. butter for lunch today. As we enjoy our meal, we’ll also be treated to the melodies of a Dinner: Served around 6:30pm back at ͫQJHUSLDQR camp, featuring a selection of hot dishes and regional cuisine. Afternoon: Around 1:30pm, we’ll continue on to our hotel, arriving shortly after 2pm. We’ll Evening: You are free to take some time after check in, and depending on the hotel, it may GLQQHURQ\RXUͫQDOQLJKWLQWKH2NDYDQJR feature an on-site swimming pool, bar, and 'HOWDWRREVHUYHWKHVWDUVDQGUHͬHFWRQWKH restaurant, while typical rooms include air daily drama of the wildlife encounters you may conditioning, an in-room safe, and a bathroom have observed here. with a hair dryer. Day 15 Transfer to Victoria Then at about 3pm, we’ll board our bus and Falls, Zimbabwe drive about 20 minutes to Victoria Falls—the largest curtain of water in the world and one • Destination: Victoria Falls of the world’s Seven Natural Wonders—where • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner we’ll enjoy a 1-hour walking tour with our • Accommodations: Shearwater’s Explorers Trip Experience Leader. We’ll discover walking Village or similar trails and lookout points—each with different Activity Note::HWDNHDVKRUWͬLJKWWR.DVDQH YLHZV7KHUHDUHͫYHPDLQFDWDUDFWVLQFOXGLQJ a small settlement about 20 minutes from the most dramatic, the Main Falls and Devil’s the border crossing between Botswana and Cataract. These cataracts, whose African Zimbabwe. From there, we’ll continue by bus to name (Mosi-oa Tunya PHDQV̡WKHVPRNHWKDW Victoria Falls. Our total transfer time is up to 4 thunders,” are nearly twice as high as Niagara, one and a half times as wide, and generate three times as much water. On a clear day, you can Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 21 see the mist sprayed into the air from these • Watch the vulture feeding at Victoria Falls crashing waters from more than 50 miles away. Safari Lodge: With a local guide giving $WSHDNͬRRGWLPHVELOOLRQJDOORQVRIZDWHU commentary, and over drinks if you’d like, SHUPLQXWHSDVVRYHULWVHGJH7KHͬRUDDURXQG take your spot at a viewing platform above a the Falls is naturally profuse: You’ll see ebony, nearby watering hole as vultures descend to ͫJWUHHVDQGPDQ\ͬRZHULQJVSHFLHV7KHUDLQ feed on meat scraps from the hotel kitchen. forest surrounding the Falls is particularly lush, While vultures play an important part of the fed by the Falls’ perpetual spray. ecosystem in the wild (preventing carcasses IURPURWWLQJDQGVSUHDGLQJGLVHDVH WKHUH We’ll conclude our discoveries around 4:30pm is not enough food for them in Victoria Falls. and drive back to the hotel where you have 1.5 You can learn much more about the eating hours to relax and freshen up before dinner. habits of vultures while observing this feed- Dinner: Around 6:30pm, we’ll enjoy a sit-down ing frenzy. dinner with a variety of selections at our hotel’s • How to get there: A 30- to 40-minute taxi restaurant. ride, about $10 USD one way. • Hours: 1pm-2pm, daily. Evening: On your own—you may wish to head • Cost: Free. into town for souvenirs or enjoy the amenities of our hotel, which may include a bar and a • Listen to live music at Mama Africa: Enjoy lounge, and an outdoor swimming pool. dinner and dance the night away at Mama Africa, a restaurant that serves local cuisine Freedom To Explore: During your two days in and features live musical performances each Victoria Falls, you have the freedom to explore night by a 4-man band specializing in African this bustling town on your own during free Township Jazz. time. Below are a few recommended options for • How to get there: A 5- to 10-minute taxi independent explorations: ride, about $6 USD one way. • Visit the COMESA Clothing Market: This • Hours: 6pm-9pm, daily. informal trading market established by • Cost: About $35 USD, including dinner. COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and 6RXWKHUQ$IULFD FDWHUVPDLQO\WRORFDOVDQG Day 16 Explore Victoria Falls • Optional features authentic African attire, wall hang- Tours • Local interactions ings, colorful chitenges VDURQJV DQGPRUHDW • Destination: Victoria Falls reasonable prices. A roughly 30-minute stroll • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner through the market reveals a colorful, hectic • Accommodations: Shearwater’s Explorers atmosphere that can be thrilling for visitors, Village or similar and provides a great opportunity to meet local residents, many of whom live below Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel’s the poverty line and sell crafts to provide for restaurant beginning at 7am, featuring local their families. and American dishes. • How to get there: A 20- to 30-minute taxi Morning: Enjoy the morning on your own to ride, about $8 USD one way. relax or explore the area at your own pace. • Hours: 8am-5pm, daily. Or, you can choose from a number of Optional • Cost: Free. Tours, including a visit to the historic Victoria )DOOV%ULGJHRUDKHOLFRSWHUͬLJKWKLJKDERYHWKH Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 22 Falls. Your Trip Experience Leader will facilitate Day 17 Fly to Johannesburg, reservations for travelers who would like to South Africa take any of the Optional Tours. Travelers who • Destination: Johannesburg choose to take on of our Optional Tours will return to the hotel around 11am. • Included Meals: Breakfast • Accommodations: Southern Sun O.R. Tambo Lunch: Served back at our hotel’s restaurant International Hotel or similar at about 1pm, featuring a selection of Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel, traditional dishes. starting at 7am, featuring a selection of hot and Afternoon: You can continue exploring the area cold dishes. on your own or relaxing at the hotel. Perhaps Morning: Around 8am, we’ll gather for a you’ll venture to the Victoria Falls Hotel for talk with a local expert about the life of David high tea. You may also choose to join your /LYLQJVWRQHWKHͫUVW(XURSHDQWRZLWQHVVWKH Trip Experience Leader for explorations of the PDJQLͫFHQFHRI9LFWRULD)DOOV7KHQDWDERXW Victoria Falls Women’s Curio Market around 8:45am, we drive to the airport and board our SP+HUH\RX̞OOͫQGDYDULHW\RIKDQGFUDIWHG ͬLJKWWR-RKDQQHVEXUJ6RXWK$IULFD goods designed by local women. Lunch: On your own—ask your Trip Experience We’ll regroup at the hotel around 4:30pm and Leader for recommendations. board our bus for a 20-minute drive to a nearby boat dock. Afternoon: Settle in to your hotel in Johannesburg. Depending on where we stay, Dinner: At about 5pm, we’ll enjoy a festive our hotel is likely in close proximity to a variety dinner cruise along the Zambezi River as of local shops and restaurants. Typical hotel RXUͫQDOIDUHZHOOWRVRXWKHUQ$IULFD$VZH amenities include an outdoor pool, spa, and watch the sun setting over the water, we’ll on-site restaurant. Rooms commonly feature enjoy dining on a variety of dishes, including TV, wireless Internet, coffee- and tea-making Western-style and traditional dishes. facilities, and a private bath. Evening: Our cruise ends around 7:30pm, and Dinner: On your own—ask your Trip we’ll board our bus to make the return journey Experience Leader for local restaurant to our hotel, arriving around 8pm. You’ll recommendations. have free time to relax at the hotel’s lounge RUEHJLQSDFNLQJIRU\RXUUHWXUQͬLJKWKRPH Evening: You have the freedom to spend the tomorrow morning. rest of your evening as you wish—ask your Trip Experience Leader for recommendations. Day 18 Fly to Nairobi, Kenya • Destination: Nairobi • Included Meals: Breakfast • Accommodations: Eka Hotel or similar Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel’s restaurant at 7:15am, featuring local and American dishes. Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 23 Morning: We depart our hotel around 8:30am it, you’ll gain deep insight into the history, WRFDWFKDͬLJKWDURXQG DPOHDYLQJ wildlife, art, and culture of Nairobi. We -RKDQQHVEXUJRQDODWHPRUQLQJͬLJKWWR recommend you spend around 1.5 hours here. Nairobi, Kenya. • How to get there: A 40- to 50-minute taxi Lunch: Served on the plane. ride, about $25 USD one way. • Hours: 8:30am-5:30pm, daily. Afternoon: We’ll arrive in Nairobi, Kenya this • Cost: About $12 USD. afternoon around 4:30pm. After transferring • Tour Kiambethu Farm: Located on lush to our hotel, we’ll check in and get our room green hills, tour the home of AB McDonell, assignments. Depending on where we stay, who pioneered tea cultivation in Kenya in our hotel will likely include amenities such the early 20th century. Walk through the DVDVZLPPLQJSRROVSDEDUͫWQHVVFHQWHU indigenous forest with a resident Kenyan DQGUHVWDXUDQW7\SLFDOURRPVIHDWXUHDͬDW guide and wander through pristine gardens screen TV with satellite channels, a private while keeping an eye out for colobus monkeys bathroom with a shower, and wireless Internet. before sitting down in the restored house for After settling in, we’ll enjoy a Welcome Drink lunch. Dine on a three-course meal made DQGDEULHͫQJRQRXUXSFRPLQJH[SORUDWLRQV with fresh ingredients from the garden. And, around 5:45pm. depending on the season, you may also have Dinner: On your own—ask your Trip the chance to interact with tea pickers to Experience Leader for local restaurant learn about their livelihood and how tea has recommendations. become a major economic contributor here. Typically, travelers spend around two to three Evening: You have the freedom to spend the hours here. rest of your evening as you wish—ask your Trip • How to get there: A 50- to 60-minute taxi Experience Leader for recommendations. ride, about $30 USD one way. Freedom To Explore: During your two days • Hours: Tours begin at 11am, in Nairobi, you have the freedom to explore Tuesday-Sunday. this capital city on your own during your free • Cost: About $34 USD. time. Below are a few recommended options for independent exploration: Day 19 Visit Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage • Kazuri Bead Factory • Visit the Nairobi National Museum: Located • Destination: Nairobi in an expansive modern structure, you’ll glimpse a collection of artifacts including the • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Birds of East Africa exhibit boasting more • Accommodations: Eka Hotel or similar than 900 stuffed specimens and the Cradle of Breakfast: Served as a full English/Irish Humankind collection, the most important breakfast at the hotel beginning at 7am. display of early human fossils and skulls in the world. You may choose to enjoy a guided Morning: Around 9am, we’ll meet with our tour of the museum or explore on your own, 7ULS([SHULHQFH/HDGHUIRUDZHOFRPHEULHͫQJ but no matter how you choose to experience DWWKHKRWHO'XULQJWKLVEULHͫQJZHZLOO review our itinerary in more detail (including DQ\FKDQJHVWKDWPD\QHHGWRRFFXU 2XU7ULS Experience Leader will also discuss logistics, Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 24 safety and emergency procedures, and answer Nairobi city center aboard a matatu, one of the questions we may have. After about an hour, colorfully decorated minibuses used by locals to we’ll embark on a 20-minute walk around the get around town. We’ll reconvene at the hotel hotel and surrounding area. This gives us a around 6:30pm to make the 15-minute bus ride FKDQFHWRJHWDFFOLPDWHGͫQGDQ$70RUVHHN to a local restaurant. out a local market. Dinner: Around 7pm at Nairobi’s We’ll board our bus at about 10:30am to open-air Carnivore restaurant for a HPEDUNRQWKHGD\̞VGLVFRYHULHV2XUͫUVW Welcome Dinner. Kenya’s famous nyama stop, a 30-minute ride away, is the Daphne choma EDUEHFXHGPHDW LVVHUYHGRQDQ Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage. Since 1977, this all-you-can-eat basis, and carved right at organization has worked to rescue more than your table. Dinner includes a variety of meats, 150 distressed, orphaned elephants—many of including ostrich, camel, crocodile, and the whom face slim chances of survival in the wild. more standard beef, chicken, and pork. An Our small group size gives us the opportunity appetizer, main course, and dessert will be to discuss the work of the orphanage with served with your choice of bottled water, soft members of its team during our 1-hour visit. In drink, glass of beer, or wine. addition to learning about their conservation Evening: Following dinner around 8:15pm, and rehabilitation efforts, we’ll hear about we’ll board our bus and drive 15 minutes back how they gradually introduce rehabilitated to the hotel. The remainder of the evening is on elephants back into the wild. We’ll depart the your own. Perhaps you will visit the American orphanage around noon, and ride another 45 Embassy Memorial Garden. The 1998 bombing minutes to reach our lunch spot. of the U.S. Embassy caused the death of 218 Lunch: Around 1pm at a local lodge, featuring a people and injured thousands of others. This selection of regional and Western dishes. site honors the victims and also serves as a place to educate the public on the effects of Afternoon: Shortly before 2pm, we’ll drive violence and to encourage peace. Your Trip about 15 minutes to the Kazuri bead factory. Experience Leader is happy to provide other More than 300 local women, most single recommendations on how you can spend this mothers, work together to produce handmade free time. beads, pottery, and jewelry that gets exported to more than 20 countries around the world. Kazuri, Swahili for “small and beautiful,” aptly Day 20 Overland to Kibera • Giraffe describes the precise, detailed work undertaken Center visit by these skilled artisans, and our small group • Destination: Nairobi size will give us the opportunity to witness their • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner SURFHVVͫUVWKDQG3HUKDSV\RX̞OOWU\\RXURZQ • Accommodations: Eka Hotel or similar hand at this craft and make something. Activity Note: Today we’ll spend time in one We’ll return to our bus around 3:30pm for a of Africa’s largest slums—where you’ll be 30-minute ride back to our hotel. Upon arrival, exposed to scenes of extreme poverty that may the rest of the afternoon is yours for relaxation, EHGLIͫFXOWIRUVRPHWUDYHOHUVWRZLWQHVV&RPH or you’re free to embark on some independent prepared with an open mind to all these new discoveries. Perhaps you’ll continue to explore experiences. the neighborhood by foot, or even travel to the Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 25 Breakfast: Served as a full English/Irish After arriving around 4pm, we’ll have about 2.5 breakfast at the lodge from 6am-8am. hours of free time. You may choose to settle into your room, take a dip in the pool, or ask your Morning: Shortly after 8am, we’ll venture Trip Experience Leader for more insight into out on a drive of about 1.5 hours to witness Kibera’s long history. Perhaps you’ll venture to daily life in Kibera, one of the largest slums a local mall lined with bars and shops. in Africa. Reports offer drastically different takes on precisely how many people call Kibera Dinner: Around 6:30pm at the hotel, featuring home—estimates range from approximately traditional and Western dishes. 170,000 to a million or more—but what is Evening: On your own. You’re free to remain undisputable is the extreme poverty in which on the hotel grounds, or explore more of the most of its residents live. A local guide from city at night. Kibera will lead our small group around the slum. Our group size gives us the opportunity to walk through this densely populated and Day 21 Fly to Masai Mara National compact maze of narrow streets, where many Reserve • Afternoon game-viewing drive of the tin-roofed buildings lack electricity or • Destination: Masai Mara National Reserve running water. As we meet residents of the • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner slum during our 1.5-hour exploration, we’ll • Accommodations: Sentrim Masai Mara hear their candid perspectives and develop a Lodge or similar better understanding about life here. After our visit, we’ll drive approximately 30 minutes to Activity Note: You will have a very early wake our lunch spot. up call this morning in order to catch your ͬLJKWWR0DVDL0DUD Lunch: Around 12:15pm at a local lodge in Nairobi featuring regional specialties. Breakfast: Served buffet-style at our lodge from 5am-6am, with a selection of hot dishes Afternoon: At about 1:15pm, we’ll board our as well as fresh fruit. vehicles and depart for an approximately 10-minute drive, arriving at about 1:30pm to Morning: We depart via bus today around behold the majesty of the Rothschild giraffe at 6am, on an approximately 30-minute drive WKH ͫWWLQJO\QDPHG *LUDIIH&HQWHUIRUDERXW to the airport. We’ll arrive at the airport and 1.5 hours. Distinct to Kenya and Uganda, this GHSDUWDURXQGDPIRURXUͬLJKWRQDVPDOO endangered giraffe subspecies is estimated aircraft to the Masai Mara. When we land at to have fewer than 2,000 animals in the wild about 9:30am, we’ll board closed safari vehicles today—and the Giraffe Center is striving and drive about 2 hours to our lodge, enjoying to protect and populate the species. It also game-viewing en route. Depending on exactly provides visitors the unique opportunity to where we stay, our lodge is likely to feature a view the giraffes up close. We’ll have the chance reception area, restaurant, bar, and lounge. to see the Rothschilds’ bronze patches, creamy Each tent may feature an en suite bath, hot white legs, and towering height—sometimes shower, and a private balcony with views of the up to 19 feet, they are among the tallest in the surrounding hills and wildlife. giraffe family. After our discoveries here, we’ll Lunch: At our lodge around noon, featuring drive about 45 minutes by bus to return to a mix of regionally-inspired and our hotel. Western options. Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 26 Afternoon: Following lunch, you will have lingering on the riverbanks looking for unwary about two hours of free time to settle into your prey, or wildebeest and zebra migrating rooms or explore the lodge’s surroundings. through the plains. Then, at about 3pm, we’ll enjoy an afternoon Lunch: We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch, which game-viewing drive, in search of even more may feature a sandwich, fruit, dessert, and wildlife. We’ll return to our lodge around 6pm. juice, around noon, where you’ll have time to Dinner: Served at our lodge around 6:30pm, relax and recap your discoveries with fellow featuring a mix of regionally-inspired and travelers. Western options. Afternoon: We’ll continue our exploration Evening: You are free to remain in the lodge’s around 1:15pm as we resume our game-viewing bar area for a night cap, or retire to your room drive for about three more hours. We’ll return to relax before tomorrow’s day of discoveries. to our camp around 3pm for some time to relax before dinner. Day 22 Game-viewing drives in Masai Dinner: At our lodge around 6:30pm, Mara National Reserve featuring a mix of regionally-inspired and • Destination: Masai Mara National Reserve Western options. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Evening: You are free to remain in the lodge’s • Accommodations: Sentrim Masai Mara bar area for a night cap, chat with fellow Lodge or similar travelers about various highlights from the Activity Note: Today we will experience a full day, or retire to your room to relax before day of game-viewing in Masai Mara National tomorrow’s day of discoveries. Reserve over roads that may be bumpy or uneven. Dryer weather may cause roads to Day 23 Masai Mara National Reserve be dusty, and you may wish to cover your • Optional Sunrise Safari & Hot Air face. Like many of our days here in Africa, Balloon Ride tour it begins early in the morning (with a 6am ZDNHXSFDOO :H̞OOSDXVHIRUOXQFKDORQJWKH • Destination: Masai Mara National Reserve way, and return to our lodge at about 3pm. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner • Accommodations: Sentrim Masai Mara Breakfast: Served buffet-style at our lodge Lodge or similar from 6am-7am, with a selection of hot and cold Activity Note: If you’d like to take the optional dishes as well as fresh fruit. balloon bide, you must reserve it at least 45 Morning: Shortly after 7am, we’ll break into days prior to departure. Prices are subject smaller groups and board our safari vehicles, to change. departing on a full-day game-viewing Early morning: If you’d like, you’re free to join excursion. The Mara is considered one of the our optional Sunrise Safari & Hot Air Balloon great natural wonders of Africa. Perhaps we’ll Ride tour early this morning. We’ll rise around see great herds of elephants foraging among 5am and enjoy tea and coffee at the camp before the clumps of trees that dot the grasslands, setting off in safari vehicles around 5:30am for or large predators such as lions and leopards. a pre-dawn game-viewing drive on the way We’ll also keep our eyes peeled for crocodiles to the hot-air balloon. Then around 6:30am, Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 27 catch the sweeping vista of the morning light Evening: You are free to remain in the over Masai Mara. View the game reserve from lodge’s bar area and discuss highlights DELUG̞VH\HSHUVSHFWLYHDV\RXJHQWO\ͬRDWIRU from your pre-trip extension, toast to the an hour over the grassy plains. Around 8:30am, discoveries you’ve made, or retire to your we’ll celebrate with a sparkling-wine breakfast, room to relax before beginning your main including options like fruits, pastries, eggs, adventure tomorrow. sausage, and bacon. Breakfast: For travelers not taking the optional Day 24 Fly to Amboseli • Game-viewing tour, a packed breakfast featuring items like in Amboseli National Park boiled eggs, sausages, bacon, bread, fruits, • Destination: Amboseli and vegetables will be served en route to this • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner morning’s game-viewing drive. • Accommodations: Sentrim Amboseli Tented Camp or similar Morning: If you elected not to join this morning’s optional tour, you will follow a Activity Note: This morning will include similar plan as yesterday, departing around about a 5-hour drive in our safari vehicles 7:15am for a day of game-viewing. If you took over occasionally bumpy and uneven the optional tour, we’ll meet up with the rest roads, in addition to about three hours of of the group for another game viewing drive. game-viewing drives. Or, we may depart on safari vehicles to drive Breakfast: Served buffet-style at our lodge back to camp depending on the situation on from 6am-7am, with a selection of hot and cold the ground. dishes as well as fresh fruit. Lunch: At our lodge around noon, Morning: Departing shortly after 7am, we’ll featuring a mix of regionally-inspired and board our safari vehicles and drive about one Western options. hour to the airport to catch about a 1.5-hour Afternoon: Following lunch around 1pm, you ͬLJKWMXVWEHIRUH DPWR1DLUREL2QFHZHODQG will have about two hours of free time. Perhaps we’ll transfer about 6 hours via motorcoach to you’ll compare notes about your morning our lodge, arriving around 4:30pm. Set on the discoveries with fellow travelers. Then, around border of Tanzania and in the shadow of Mount 3pm, we’ll head out on our safari vehicles for Kilimanjaro, Amboseli is a bird-watcher’s our afternoon game-viewing drive. We’ll spend paradise: It shelters more than 400 bird about two hours exploring the African bush VSHFLHVLQFOXGLQJSHOLFDQVͬDPLQJRV this afternoon. All of the “Big Five” roam here, NLQJͫVKHUVDQGLELV:HPD\VHHVRPHRIWKHVH but there are especially notable populations avian wonders while we take in the view of the of lions, leopards, and cheetah year-round. sweeping savanna. During the annual migration, the wildebeest, And while the region’s birdlife is abundant, zebra, and Thomson’s gazelles number in the elephants are by far the kings of this park. tens of thousands. We’ll return back to our Said to be among the largest in the country, lodge around 6pm. Amboseli’s elephants are fond of the swamps: Dinner: At our lodge around 7pm, Here they share the cool waters with hippos featuring a mix of regionally-inspired and that often hide from view beneath the papyrus. Western options. Along our drive, our Trip Experience Leader Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 28 and driver-guides will show us how to detect Morning: Around 7am, we’ll drive 10 minutes the elusive wildlife in our midst, in addition to in our safari vehicles to experience A Day in pointing out other highlights of this vibrant the Life of a Maasai village here in Amboseli ecosystem. Perhaps we’ll glimpse some of National Park. Thanks to our small group size, Amboseli’s large wildebeest and Burchell’s we’re able to not only witness Maasai village zebra populations as we drive. life, but also participate in it. Upon arrival, we’ll be greeted by an enthusiastic community Lunch: Enjoy a packed lunch en route to our of Maasai villagers—and treated to a display lodge, at your convenience. of color and detail. The Maasai are known for Afternoon: Upon arrival, we’ll be introduced their vibrant clothing and ornate, beaded body to our camp’s amenities, which may include decoration. Attire says much about the person panoramic views of our surroundings, with wearing it: Color choices tend to vary by age ideal access to game-viewing and convenient and location, and the accessories worn offer amenities, including a swimming pool, context into a person’s personality and position bookshop, restaurant, and a bar and lounge. within the village. Your tent may include a secluded veranda, fan, During our 2-hour visit, we’ll learn more coffee- and tea-making facilities, and a private about how they tend their livestock, make bath with a hot shower and hair dryer. You may natural medicine, and create their ceremonial enjoy a a couple hours of free time to settle in dress, and we’ll take part in these daily and familiarize yourself with the lodge. activities—from milking the cows or plastering Dinner: Served at our camp’s main restaurant a home to jumping into ceremonial rituals. around 7pm. Dinner usually features a choice Throughout the experience, you’ll have RIHQWUHHV ͫVKPHDWDQGYHJHWDULDQRSWLRQV opportunities to make connections with the along with regionally inspired side dishes that warm and spirited Maasai people. If you’d utilize fresh local ingredients. like, you may choose to bring a small trinket from your hometown to share with our hosts: Evening: All evenings at our tented camp are A postcard, photo, or map is a wonderful way free for you to relax in your room, linger in the to convey the great distance you traveled EDUIRUDQLJKWFDSRUVLWE\WKHͫUHZLWK\RXU to participate in this special day. Then fellow travelers. around 8:45am, we’ll begin walking to the village school. Day 25 A Day in the Life of a Maasai When school is in session, we’ll meet up with village • local primary school visit • local children en route to a local primary Afternoon game-viewing in Amboseli school—and we’ll accompany them on their National Park walk to class. Upon our arrival around 9am, • Destination: Amboseli village we’ll meet even more of the school’s nearly 500 • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner students, take part in morning activities, and • Accommodations: Sentrim Amboseli Tented meet with the school’s headmaster. In addition Camp or similar to learning about the school’s future during our chat, we’ll also learn about the unique Breakfast: Served buffet-style in the camp’s challenges of life here—including the elephants main restaurant, beginning at 6am, with who were known to stroll through school Western and Kenyan options available. Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 29 grounds. Grand Circle Foundation installed Day 26 Overland to Arusha, Tanzania • a solar-powered electric fence here to keep Overland to Tarangire National Park students safe and elephants off the property. • Destination: Tarangire National Departing the school around 11am, we’ll make Park, Tanzania the 10-minute drive back to camp—with • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner enough time to relax before lunch. • Accommodations: Tarangire Simba Lodge or similar Lunch: Around noon in the camp’s main restaurant, featuring hot and cold items. Activity Note: Today includes a total of about seven and a half hours of travel (with stops Afternoon: After lunch, you will have about 1.5 DORQJWKHZD\ RYHUURDGVWKDWPD\EHEXPS\ hours of free time to enjoy our camp amenities or uneven. DQGUHͬHFWXSRQRXUYLOODJHYLVLW:H̞OOUHJURXS around 3pm for a 3-hour game-viewing drive Breakfast: Served buffet-style in the camp’s within the park. As we set out in our safari main restaurant, beginning at 6am, with vehicles, look for the elusive gerenuk, a delicate Western and Kenyan options available. antelope with a long, giraffe-like neck that Morning: Around 7:15am, we’ll depart for enables it to reach the middle branches of the Kenya-Tanzania border, enjoying a acacia trees. We may see families of giraffe, game-viewing drive en route. We’ll drive herds of zebra and antelope—and, if we’re by safari vehicles for about 2.5 hours to the lucky, the rare serval cat. Here in Amboseli, Tanzania border, arriving around 9:45am. Once we’re also well-positioned to spot older we pass through the border, we will board a bus “tuskers”: Because the park’s elephants are and drive about two hours to reach the town almost constantly tracked by researchers, they of Arusha, a multicultural hub of activity at were able to escape the ravages of poaching the base of Mount Meru. We will arrive in time when it was on the rise during the 1980s. And for lunch. DVZHULGH\RXPD\ͫQG\RXUVHOIHVSHFLDOO\ fascinated by the abundant birdlife, from the Lunch: Around 12:30pm at the Arusha Coffee colorful little lilac-breasted roller and comical Lodge—not only one of Tanzania’s oldest guinea fowl to graceful hawks and eagles. Upon coffee plantations, today it is the largest in arrival to the camp around 6pm, you will have the country. about an hour to relax before dinner. Afternoon: Shortly after 1pm, we’ll reboard Dinner: Around 6:30pm in the camp’s main our bus to travel overland toward Tarangire restaurant, featuring hot and cold items. National Park, about a 2.5-hour ride to the southwest. We’ll arrive at our lodge around Evening: Your evening is free to linger by the 4pm, at which time we’ll check in and get our FDPSͫUHDQGHQMR\DQLJKWFDSRUUHWXUQWR tent assignments. We’ll spend the next two your tent. nights here, and depending on the location of our lodge, we may be on the shores of Lake Burunge. Lodge amenities may include a large dining room, outdoor dining deck, bar, and swimming pools; and your classic safari tent, Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 30 erected upon a wooden platform, may feature a Our driver-guides and Trip Experience Leader private deck and basic amenities, including en have extensive knowledge of the native animals suite toilet facilities. and their behavior, and they’ll point out to us WKHZLOGOLIHRQGLVSOD\DVZHGULYH7KHͬRUDLV Around 4pm, you’re welcome to join your Trip similarly dramatic here, as we take in sweeping Experience Leader for an optional guided walk views of the baobab tree-dotted landscape. around your surroundings, which will set the Known as the “Tree of Life,” these trees can stage for the discoveries that await us here. provide shelter, food, and water to animals Tarangire features nine distinct vegetation and humans. In fact, every part of the baobab zones—ranging from grassland to woodland, tree is valuable from the bark and trunk to the from deep gully vegetation to scattered rocky nutrient-packed fruits. The elongated trunk hilltops. and expansive branches have become a symbol Dinner: Around 6:30pm in the lodge dining of the African landscape—most notably from room, featuring Western and regional items. Disney’s The Lion King. Evening: On your own, with the freedom to Lunch: A picnic boxed lunch, which may revel in the sounds of an African night, or chat feature a sandwich, fruit, dessert, and juice, with your fellow travelers. around noon in the park. Afternoon: Following lunch around 1pm, we Day 27 Game-viewing in Tarangire continue our game-viewing into the afternoon, National Park and we’ll learn about how the Tarangire River • Destination: Tarangire National Park serves as the hub for the thriving ecosystem • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner we’re witnessing. The river plays a key role in the annual African migration of wildebeest and • Accommodations: Tarangire Simba Lodge zebra—and is a critical water source during or similar the continent’s dry season. In addition to Activity Note: Today includes a full day of wildebeest and zebra, Tarangire hosts Cape game-viewing drives. It’s wise to dress in buffalo, elephants, giraffe, dik dik, lion, leopard layers to be prepared for the chilly morning. and cheetah—and if we’re lucky, we’ll be able to observe them as we explore. We may also Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the lodge spot the park’s famous termite mounds: Some beginning at 7am, with Western and local continue to contain termites, while others have options available. been taken over by dwarf mongooses. We’ll Morning: We’ll break into smaller groups and return to our lodge by 4pm, and you’ll have set off for our full-day of game-viewing in our about three hours to relax. Around 5pm, you safari vehicles a little after 8am. As we travel may choose to set off on about an hour-long toward the park, our Trip Experience Leader nature walk. Your Trip Experience Leader and driver-guides will help set the stage for will point out birds and plants indigenous to what awaits us inside—a diverse landscape the region, and perhaps you’ll use your scat with a variety of wildlife. Of particular note is LGHQWLͫFDWLRQVNLOOV\RXOHDUQHGHDUOLHULQ the birdlife: Tarangire is home to the largest your adventure to discover the habits of local concentration of breeding bird species in wildlife. the world. Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 31 Dinner: Around 7pm in the lodge, featuring hot an on-site restaurant, gardens, and wireless and cold items. Internet. Your room may feature a telephone, fans, and a private en suite bath. Evening: You have the freedom to relax in your tent, or compare safari photographs with your Lunch: Around 1pm at our lodge, featuring fellow travelers. traditional cuisine. Afternoon: After, you’ll have about 3.5 hours to Day 28 Mto Wa Mbu Village • settle into your room or start exploring on your Transfer to Karatu own. You may choose to start your explorations • Destination: Karatu of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area: Set off on • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner DQDWXUHZDONWKURXJKWKLVPDVVLYHVLWHWRͫQG • Accommodations: Tloma Lodge or similar elephant caves, the cave-like formations that were created as a result of elephants digging Activity Note: Today includes a total of about into the soil. Then around 5pm, our Trip 4.5 hours of travel by safari vehicle (with stops Experience Leader will lead us on about a 1.5 DORQJWKHZD\ RYHUURDGVWKDWPD\EHEXPS\ hour guided walk through the village our lodge or uneven. is situated in. We’ll see locals going about their Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the lodge daily routines, including tending to livestock, beginning at 7:30am, with Western and local farming, and building clay bricks. We may even options available. have the opportunity to join in with these locals during their daily activities, such as tasting Morning: We’ll depart our lodge around 8am local beer at a bar or helping a family feed their for a transfer of about 4.5 hours by safari cows and prepare a meal. Returning to the lodge vehicle to the Karatu district—an area we’ll be around 6:30pm, you’ll have about 30 minutes staying in for the next three nights. Along the to relax before dinner. way around 10:30am, we’ll stop at Mto Wa Mbu Village. During our time here, we’ll discover the Dinner: Around 7pm in the lodge’s restaurant, importance of agriculture to this village, which featuring hot and cold items. is known for producing crops like the famous Evening: On your own, with the freedom to red banana. We’ll see how this unusual fruit is explore the common spaces, or perhaps take a utilized when a local invites us into their home dip in the pool. to show us how they produce banana beer. A local guide from the village will lead us on an Day 29 Full-day game-viewing drive in exploration of the village on foot for around 1.5 hours before boarding our safari vehicles Ngorongoro Crater around 12pm and driving about an hour to our • Destination: Karatu lodge. Upon arrival around 1pm, we’ll check • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner in and get our room assignments. Depending • Accommodations: Tloma Lodge or similar on which lodge we stay at, we may spend the Activity Note: Today’s explorations require an next three nights situated in the Ngorongoro early wake up call of 5:30am, and will include Highlands adjacent to a small farming about eight hours of travel via safari vehicles, community, with lodge amenities including often along bumpy and uneven roads. Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 32 Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the lodge the rest of the afternoon is yours. You’re free beginning at 6am, with Western and Tanzanian to retire to your room or explore the lodge options available. grounds by foot. Morning: A little after 7am, we’ll depart on a Dinner: Around 7pm at the lodge restaurant, morning game-viewing drive in safari vehicles featuring hot and cold dishes. through the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO Evening: On your own, with the freedom to take World Heritage Site. The crater was formed LQ\RXUVXUURXQGLQJVRQRXUͫQDOQLJKWKHUHLQ between two and three million years ago, when Ngorongoro. a volcano exploded and then collapsed into itself; today the crater spans about 100 square miles. We’ll arrive at the crater around 8am to Day 30 Hadzabe & Datoga village visits • begin our descent down into the center. Explore Karatu • Destination: Karatu The name of the crater—and the surrounding region—comes from the Maasai, who were • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner inspired by the sound a cowbell makes, and • Accommodations: Tloma Lodge or similar fossils suggest that animal species have been Activity Note: Today begins especially early, on the land for at least three million years. The with a 5:30am wake up call. land has been occupied by various tribes of hunters and gatherers in recent millennia: The Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the lodge Mbulu and Datoga were here until the Maasai beginning at 6am, with Western and Tanzanian took over the land in the 19th century. No options available. Europeans stepped foot in the crater until 1892, Morning: We’ll board our safari vehicles but today it is a popular travel destination for around 7:15am to embark on a rare opportunity visitors from all over the world. made possible by our small group size. This As we drive through the crater, we’ll discover morning, we’ll travel for about two hours to WKHGLYHUVHͬRUDDQGIDXQDWKDWPDNHXSWKLV Lake Eyasi, where we’ll visit two lesser-known vast expanse of highland plains, savanna, Tanzanian tribes. savanna woodlands, and forests. The crater is First, we’ll meet the Hadzabe—considered home to about 25,000 larger animals, among by some experts to be the oldest continuing them Cape buffalo, rhinoceros, wildebeest, ethnicity in the world. When we meet tribe zebra, and an especially dense population of members around 8:45am, our small group will OLRQV:H̞OOVSHQGDERXWͫYHKRXUVH[SORULQJ slip into the daily rhythm of the tribe. These before we stop for lunch. hunter-gatherers have changed very little in Lunch: Around 12:30pm, featuring a boxed 10,000 years and use a clicking-based dialect. lunch, which may feature a sandwich, fruit, While here, we’ll have the unique opportunity dessert, and juice, at a picnic site. to explore the bush on foot with an expert local guide seeking out bird species. Afternoon: Around 1:30pm, we’ll begin our climb through the cloud forest and out of the At about 10:30am, we’ll board our safari FUDWHUͬRRUDQGGULYHDERXWKRXUVEDFNWR vehicles and drive about 20-minutes to our lodge, arriving around 4pm. Upon arrival, meet the Datoga, who also boast a lengthy history—it’s believed that the tribe migrated Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 33 here from Cape Horn about 3,000 years ago. Day 31 Overland to Serengeti National Skilled farmers and craftsman, the Datoga are Park • Ngorongoro Crater viewing • NQRZQIRUWKHFLUFXODUVFDULͫFDWLRQSDWWHUQVRQ Full-day game-viewing drive WKHLUIDFHVDGGHGIRUEHDXWLͫFDWLRQSXUSRVHV • Destination: Serengeti National Park We’ll spend about an hour immersing ourselves in their tribal culture—maybe even taking part • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner in traditional song and dance. • Accommodations: Mbugani Camp or similar Activity Note: Today, our transfer from Karatu We’ll depart Lake Eyasi around 11:45am, to the Serengeti will involve about a 5-hour arriving at our lodge around 1:15pm. ride by safari vehicle (with game-viewing along Lunch: Around 1:30pm at the lodge, featuring WKHZD\ RYHUURDGVWKDWPD\EHEXPS\RU hot and cold items. uneven at times. Afternoon: Following lunch, you will have Breakfast: Served buffet-style in the lodge about 3.5 hours of time on your own. You’re beginning around 7am, with Western and local free to enjoy the time as you’d like—perhaps options available. you’ll seek out some of the views offered, Morning: Around 7:30am, we’ll set out for among them a waterfall within the rain forest Serengeti National Park, perhaps one of the and the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. Later most famous wildlife-viewing destinations in on, we’ll have the opportunity to visit the Africa. We’ll stop for a bird’s-eye view of the Karatu market and immerse ourselves in the Ngorongoro Crater and then travel by safari local culture—and perhaps even strike up vehicles during our full-day game-viewing conversation with locals. Around 2:30pm, we’ll GULYHZLWKLQWKHLQͫQLWHH[SDQVHRIWKH set off for a 30-minute drive by safari vehicle Serengeti Plain. to the market, and we’ll have about an hour to explore on your own. The market sells various Here, masses of wildlife roam the expanse SURGXFWVDQGFDQEHOLNHQHGWRDͬHDPDUNHW landscape. The Serengeti stretches over 5,700 Our group will reconvene and drive back to our miles of plains, riverine bush, and acacia lodge, arriving around 5pm. woodland, with savanna grassland as the dominant environment. Our driver-guides Dinner: At about 7pm at the lodge, featuring ZLOOFDOORXUDWWHQWLRQWRWKHͬRUDDQGIDXQDRQ hot and cold dishes. display around us as we explore. We’ll drive for Evening: On your own. You’re free to continue about 4 hours before we stop for lunch. your explorations, or you may prefer to meet Lunch: Around 12:15pm, featuring a boxed up with fellow travelers to discuss your favorite lunch, which may feature a sandwich, fruit, moments of the day. dessert, and juice, within the park. Afternoon: We’ll board our safari vehicles and resume our game-viewing drive around 1:30pm. Over the course of the next few days, each of our game-viewing drives will give us a chance to spot a wide range of wildlife species that call the Serengeti home. Lion, cheetah, hyena, and jackal stalk herds of gazelle, zebra, Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 34 wildebeest, and impala. Warthogs bend down light offers a unique opportunity to discover on their front knees to graze while cheetah animals we may not see during our morning or rest in the shade of acacia trees after a hunt. evening game drives. We’ll drive for about an Isolated rock groups, called kopjes, provide hour before we reach the balloon site. Around shelter to lion, leopard, and cheetah—and to 6:30am, we’ll ascend into the morning sky the tiny rodent-like hyrax, the closest relative on a 45-minute hot-air balloon-ride, which of the elephant. offers a new perspective on the Serengeti and the creatures that call it home. Travelers who We’ll arrive at our tented camp around 3:30pm, partake in this experience will rejoin the rest of where we’ll spend the next four nights. Our the group around 10am. tented camp in the Seronera region, within the central Serengeti, is remote enough to Breakfast: For travelers on the optional tour, offer stunning views of a natural water source a full English breakfast will be served with popular among animals, while offering sparkling wine under the shade of an acacia convenient amenities that may include wireless tree following your balloon ride. Travelers Internet, laundry service, and a bar and lounge. who elected not to join today’s optional tour Your tent may feature large screened windows, may enjoy a buffet-style breakfast at the electricity, and a private bath. camp beginning at 6:30am with Western and Tanzanian options available. The rest of the afternoon is yours—with the freedom to explore the camp grounds, or settle Morning: Those of us who didn’t partake in into the shade of your tent. the early-morning optional tour will embark on a game-viewing drive around 7:30am. The Dinner: Around 6:30pm at the camp, featuring Serengeti’s varied landscape of savannas, hot and cold dishes. grassy plains, and riparian woodlands makes Evening: On your own. You’re free to retire to it one of the world’s most hospitable places your tent to rest—especially if you’re joining for wildlife, which we will likely see in large tomorrow’s early-morning optional balloon numbers today. We’ll pause around 10am, safari—or enjoy a drink at the bar. as optional tour participants join the rest of the group, and we resume our game-viewing Day 32 Optional Sunrise Safari & Hot Air until 12:30pm. Balloon Ride tour Serengeti National Lunch: Around 12:45pm at the camp featuring Park • Game-viewing in Serengeti Western and regionally inspired dishes. National Park Afternoon: Following lunch, we will have • Destination: Serengeti National Park about 2 hours of free time. Then, we return to • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner the bush on our safari vehicles around 3:30pm • Accommodations: Mbugani Camp or similar for an additional 2.5 hours of game-viewing. Our drive coincides with the animals’ daily Early morning: Early risers are welcome routines—it’s in the early- to mid-afternoon to join our optional Sunrise Safari & Hot Air that they resume their activity, so we’ll do the Balloon Ride this morning. An extremely early same. We’ll return to our camp around 6pm. wakeup call around 4:15am will be rewarded with a pre-dawn game-viewing drive on safari Dinner: Around 7pm at the camp, featuring hot vehicles, beginning around 5am. The pre-dawn and cold dishes. Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 35 Evening: On your own. Those who rose before Day 34 Serengeti National Park • dawn today have the freedom to get some extra Game-viewing sleep this evening—or share favorite highlights • Destination: Serengeti National Park with your fellow travelers. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 33 Morning & afternoon • Accommodations: Mbugani Camp or similar game-viewing drives in Serengeti Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the camp National Park around 7am, with Western and Tanzanian options available. • Destination: Serengeti National Park • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Morning: At 8:15am, we’ll continue to explore • Accommodations: Mbugani Camp or similar the ecosystem of the Serengeti aboard our safari vehicles. Our schedule and approach Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the camp to our game-viewing drives is designed to beginning at 7am, with Western and Tanzanian maximize our understanding of this region and options available. its inhabitants: We’ll travel at a pace (and at Morning: Today we’ll begin our day of WLPHV WKDWDOORZXVWRWUXO\IRFXVRQREVHUYLQJ game-viewing around 8am, as we set off for animal behavior and interaction. We’ll spend a 4.5-hour morning drive on safari vehicles. about 4 hours exploring before we return to the As we explore, our driver guides are ready to camp for lunch around 12:45pm. reveal the great diversity of Serengeti wildlife: Lunch: Around 1pm at our camp, featuring hot Look for buffalo, hippopotamus, elephant, and cold dishes. lion, giraffe, antelope, and Thompson’s and Grant’s gazelle. Afternoon: Following lunch around 2pm, as the wildlife tends to rest during the Lunch: Around 12:30pm at the camp featuring early-afternoon hours, so shall we—you’ll Western and regionally inspired dishes. EHIUHHWRUHOD[DWWKHFDPSEHIRUHRXUͫQDO Afternoon: Following some free time, we’ll game-viewing drive in the Serengeti. This is board our safari vehicles around 3:30pm and a great opportunity to seek out any animals resume our game-viewing. In certain seasons, we may have missed, and to ask any lingering you may be lucky enough to witness the questions of our Trip Experience Leader migration of the wildebeest herds—annually, or driver-guides. We’ll return to the lodge more than a million wildebeest, zebra, and around 6pm. antelope travel from the Serengeti to the Masai Dinner: Around 7pm at our camp, we’ll toast Mara, and then back again. We’ll return to the to the memories we’ve made during our camp around 6:30pm. adventure. Tonight’s Farewell Dinner will Dinner: Around 7pm at the camp, featuring hot feature local cuisine and includes an appetizer, and cold dishes. main course, and dessert. Bottled water, soft drinks, beer, or wine are included. Evening: On your own. You’re free to enjoy the camp as you’d like tonight. Evening: On your own—with the freedom to UHͬHFWRQ\RXUIDYRULWHPRPHQWVRUWRJDWKHU with your fellow travelers to revel in the vast H[SDQVHRIWKH$IULFDQVNLHVRQHͫQDOWLPH Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 36 Day 35 Fly to Arusha • Local workshop visit • Fly to U.S. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch • Accommodations: Mount Meru Hotel or similar Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the camp from 6:30am-7:30am, with Western and Tanzanian options available. Morning: We’ll say goodbye to the Serengeti around 7am, with about a 3-hour drive to a small airstrip in Seronera. Upon arrival, we’ll FKHFNLQIRURXUͬLJKWWR$UXVKD2XUͬLJKW will last approximately 45 minutes. Travelers taking our New! Uganda: Murchison Falls & Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary post-trip extension will then continue on to Entebbe, Uganda. Upon our arrival in Arusha for the rest of the group, we make a 15-minute drive by bus to Shanga, a local enterprise that employs people with physical disabilities. In this workshop, our small group will meet with locals, learn the basics of sign language, and see how these artisans come together to create unique, artisanal gifts. After our hour-long visit, we’ll drive 30 minutes to our hotel, where we have day rooms available to us, arriving around 12:30pm. Lunch: At 12:30pm in the hotel, featuring local cuisine. Afternoon: We’ll check out of the hotel later in the afternoon to travel overland to Kilimanjaro International Airport, about a 1.5 hour drive. Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 37 OPTIONAL TOURS During your trip you will be able to book optional tours directly with your Trip Experience Leader. He RUVKHZLOODVN\RXWRFRQͫUPWKHSD\PHQWIRUWKHVHWRXUVE\ͫOOLQJRXWDSD\PHQWIRUP2SWLRQDOWRXUV can only be purchased with a credit or debit card. We accept Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit cards. We also accept Visa and MasterCard debit cards, but it must be a debit card that allows you to sign for purchases. In order to correctly process these charges, there can be a delay of 2-3 months from the date of your return for the charges to be posted to your account. Therefore we ask that you use a card that will not expire in the 2-3 months following your return. Please note: Optional tour prices are listed in U.S. dollar estimates determined at the time of publication and are subject to change. Optional tours may vary. Helicopter ride over Victoria Falls his dream railway: the Victoria Falls Bridge. 'D\SHUSHUVRQ Designed by George Hobson, and positioned directly within range of the spray coming off -RLQXVIRUDͬLJKWRYHU9LFWRULD)DOOVDQG the falls (a dramatic effect insisted upon by appreciate the “smoke that thunders” 5KRGHV LWZDVWKHZRUOG̞VKLJKHVWUDLOZD\ from a whole new angle. Aboard a four- or bridge at the time of its completion. With its six-passenger helicopter, your experienced enthralling history and scenic setting, this pilot will treat you to a bird’s-eye view of historic bridge tour is a great way to enhance majestic Victoria Falls, the wide Zambezi River, your visit to Victoria Falls while getting a better and the zigzag-shaped gorges below. This VHQVHRIWKHVLJQLͫFDQFHRIWKHDUHD is the best way to see such vast, impressive landscapes—as Dr. David Livingstone said himself, the falls are “so lovely they must have Sunrise Balloon Safari EHHQJD]HGXSRQE\DQJHOVLQWKHLUͬLJKW̢ 'D\SHUSHUVRQ Please note: There is a national park fee of U.S. $15 in addition to the price of this tour. Rise before dawn in order to catch the sweeping vista of the morning light over Masai Mara. View the game reserve from a Historic Victoria Falls Bridge ELUG̞VH\HSHUVSHFWLYHDV\RXJHQWO\ͬRDW 'D\SHUSHUVRQ for an hour over the grassy plains. Celebrate touchdown with a sparkling wine-style picnic In his quest to build a railway line from Cape breakfast in the bush before returning to Town, South Africa to Cairo, Egypt, Cecil camp mid-morning. Please note: This tour is Rhodes encountered one overwhelming only available on select departures and must be challenge: the Zambezi Gorge. On this tour, delve into 100 years of history and fascinating engineering feats as we uncover the story behind what would ultimately be the solution to his problem, and the key to completing Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 38 purchased at least 45 days prior to departure. Optional tour may be sold on-site, if available. Prices are subject to change. This tour is only available on select departures and must be purchased at least 45 days prior to departure. Optional tour may be sold on-site, if available. Prices are subject to change. Serengeti Sunrise Balloon Safari 'D\SHUSHUVRQ 5LVHEHIRUHGDZQIRUDEDOORRQͬLJKW$V \RXͬRDWKLJKRYHUWKH6HUHQJHWLZDWFKWKH morning sun wash across the plains. After touchdown, celebrate with breakfast and sparkling wine. This tour is pre-sold only. Due to limited space, it is strongly advised that you reserve this optional tour at least 45 days prior to departure. It is also dependent on wind conditions, and may be canceled at the discretion of the balloon operators. Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 39 PRE-TRIP South Africa: Private Game Reserve Safari INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE » Accommodations for 1 night in » 6 game-viewing activities Johannesburg at the Southern Sun O.R. » Services of a local O.A.T. Extension Guide Tambo hotel or similar and 3 nights in » Gratuities for Extension Guide, local guides, Karongwe Game Reserve at Kuname Lodge drivers, and luggage porters or similar » All transfers » 10 meals—4 breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 3 dinners PRE-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY South Africa’s private game reserves are bursting with wildlife, housing more than 500 bird species and 140 species of mammals, including the famed “Big Five.” This rugged landscape—mostly open savannah, complemented by the beautiful Drakensberg Escarpment in the distance—is ideal for spotting the rich diversity of game here. On this trip extension, you’ll enjoy rustic accommodations at Karongwe Game Reserve, staying in a private, isolated area, where you can go off-road in search of elusive wildlife without the crowds. Day 1 Depart U.S. restaurant, and health club. Each of the air-conditioned rooms typically include a TV, Day 2 Arrive in Johannesburg, Dinner/Evening: On your own—you are free South Africa WRUHVWLQ\RXUURRPDIWHU\RXUORQJͬLJKWWR prepare for tomorrow’s discoveries, eat dinner • Destination: Johannesburg at the hotel restaurant, or venture out to • Accommodations: Southern Sun O.R. Tambo explore Johannesburg’s nightlife. You may seek International Hotel or similar out traditional ugali, a type of porridge that is Afternoon: You’ll arrive in Johannesburg in the usually combined with meat or vegetable stew. afternoon. An O.A.T. representative will meet you at the airport, where you’ll board a bus and transfer to your hotel—a 10- to 15-minute WUDQVIHUGHSHQGLQJRQWUDIͫF Upon arrival, you will check in and receive your room assignments. Depending on where we stay, our hotel may feature a pool, bar, Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 40 Day 3 Fly to Hoedspruit • Transfer by knowledgeable driver-guides who know the to Karongwe Game Reserve for best locations for spotting wildlife, and will be game-viewing drive pleased to point out highlights. We return to our lodge around 6pm. • Destination: Karongwe Private Game Reserve • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Dinner: The lodge will have a buffet containing • Accommodations: Kuname Lodge or similar a variety of cuisines, including traditional dishes, for dinner starting at about 7pm. Activity Note::LWKDPRUQLQJͬLJKWWR Hoedspruit Airport, followed by a drive to Evening: All evenings at our lodge are free for Karongwe Private Game Reserve, this is a \RXWRUHOD[LQ\RXUURRPRUVLWE\WKHͫUHZLWK long travel day. Total transfer time will be your fellow travelers. approximately 5.5 hours. Freedom To Explore: During your three days Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel at the Karongwe Game Reserve, you have the starting at 7am, with American and regional freedom to explore this conservation area on options available. your own during free time. Below are a couple of recommended options for independent Morning: Around 10am, we’ll board a bus and explorations: drive about a half-hour to the airport to check LQIRURXUͬLJKW:H̞OOͬ\IRUDERXWRQHKRXUWR • Learn how to cook traditional potjiekos: With Hoedspruit Airport. the help of the cook at our lodge, you’ll learn how to make this traditional African dish. Lunch: We’ll enjoy a light lunch during our Potjiekos most closely resembles a stew and is ͬLJKWWRGD\ made with a variety of vegetables and either Afternoon: We arrive around 12:30pm and chicken, beef, lamb, or venison. And after our leave the airport around 1pm. We’ll board a lesson comes perhaps the most rewarding bus for the approximately 1-hour drive to our SDUW :H̞OOHQMR\WKHͫQLVKHGSURGXFWIRU lodge where we’ll check in. Then, we’ll set off dinner this evening. on an orientation walk with a local guide to • How to get there: Located on the premises get acquainted with the lodge’s amenities and of our lodge. surroundings. Depending on where we stay, our • Hours: 6pm, daily. 5-chalet lodge may include a swimming pool • Cost: Free. and an open-air dining area. Lodges typically • Stargaze with a local guide: Sit back, relax, feature air-conditioned rooms with a minibar, and behold the beauty of the starry night coffee- and tea-making facilities, and private sky. Let one of our local guides show you the bathroom. best location for stargazing at our lodge. On a At around 3:30pm we’ll have about 1.5 hours clear night, our guide will be able to point out to enjoy afternoon tea before boarding iconic constellations as we observe. VDIDULYHKLFOHVDQGVHWWLQJRXWIRURXUͫUVW • How to get there: Located on the premises game-viewing drive with “sundowners” of our lodge. GULQNVDQGVQDFNVGXULQJVXQVHW 'XULQJRXU • Hours: 8pm, daily. drive, we may spot herds of elephant, buffalo, • Cost: Free. antelope, zebra, and eland—among other species. Your game-viewing drives will be led Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 41 Day 4 Enjoy game-viewing drives After having afternoon tea at around 3pm, we’ll enjoy a game-viewing drive with sundowners. • Destination: Karongwe Private Game Reserve Keep an eye out for a leopard slinking by • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner or perched in a tree. We return to our lodge • Accommodations: Kuname Lodge or similar around 6pm. Activity Note: We’ll set out very early in the Dinner: Around 7:30pm at our lodge, we’ll have PRUQLQJ ZLWKD DPZDNHXSFDOO :KHQ a variety of regional options to choose from at dressing for these game-viewing drives, keep the buffet. in mind that neutral earth tones (browns, tans, JUH\VRUJUHHQV DUHXVXDOO\EHVW̜EOXHRUEODFN Evening: On your own—you are free to return clothing should be avoided in certain areas as to your room or relax with fellow travelers by WKH\DWWUDFWWVHWVHͬLHV$QGZKLOHWHPSHUDWXUHV WKHͫUHSLWWRWDONDERXWWKHGD\̞VDFWLYLWLHVDQG vary greatly depending on the time of year, your upcoming Africa discoveries. the air is usually cool on early morning game drives, so you may wish to dress in layers to Day 5 Enjoy game-viewing drives stay warm. • Destination: Karongwe Private Game Reserve Early morning: We rise at around 5:30am. We’ll • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner have tea, coffee, and light snacks before we set • Accommodations: Kuname Lodge or similar off on a game-viewing drive at around 6:30am. Activity Note: We will have an early wake-up We’ll return to our lodge around 10am. call at about 5:30am. Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the lodge Early morning: We rise early at around 5:30am. beginning at 10am, featuring a selection of hot We’ll have tea, coffee, and light snacks before and cold breakfast items. we set off on a game-viewing drive—during Morning: We’ll enjoy some free time to relax at which we’ll enjoy another opportunity to spot the lodge today. a diverse array of species, including cheetah, giraffe, baboon, vervet monkey, impala, and Lunch: Enjoy a buffet-style lunch at the lodge more. We return to our lodge at around 10am. around 1pm. Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the lodge Afternoon: You are free to spend some time beginning around 10am, featuring a selection of on your own this afternoon—perhaps you’ll hot and cold breakfast items. simply take the opportunity to relax at our camp. Or, opt for another chance to discover Morning: Enjoy some free time this morning your surroundings on foot during a guided to relax at the lodge. On our last full day, you’ll game-viewing walk. Let an expert guide lead have another opportunity to take an optional you on an exploration in the bush where you guided game-viewing walk in the bush at about may take in the reserve’s natural beauty, and 11am with a local guide. This time, you may perhaps discover animals taking a drink from want to change your focus and start looking up: the nearby Makutsi River. Bustards, bee-eaters, eagles, and herons are common in this area. Lunch: Enjoy lunch from the lodge’s buffet around 1pm. Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 42 Afternoon: You’ll have about 30 minutes of free rest of your fellow travelers who are joining time to relax before we gather for tea at 2:30pm. you on your Africa in Depth: Botswana, Zambia, Then around 3pm, we’ll enjoy an afternoon Zimbabwe, Kenya & Tanzania adventure. game-viewing drive with sundowners as our ͫQDOGD\RIH[SORUDWLRQGUDZVWRDFORVH:H return to our lodge around 7:30pm. Dinner: We’ll toast to our discoveries we’ve made over the past few days and the explorations to come during our Farewell Dinner at the lodge this evening. Evening: On your own—you’re free to relax at WKHFDPSVLWH3HUKDSV\RX̞OOVLWE\WKHͫUHDQG observe the stars of the African night sky for our last night at the game reserve. Day 6 Enjoy game-viewing drive • Fly to Johannesburg • Join main trip • Destination: Johannesburg • Included Meals: Breakfast Activity Note: You’ll have an early 5:30am wake-up call for a morning of game viewing. Early morning::HULVHHDUO\IRURXUͫQDOGD\RI H[SORUDWLRQV DURXQG DP :H̞OOKDYHWHD coffee, and light snacks before we take one last game-viewing drive in this area. Breakfast: We return to the lodge at about 9am where a selection of hot and cold breakfast items will be served buffet-style. Morning: We depart the lodge at around 11am and board our bus for the nearly 1.5-hour drive to Hoedspruit Airport. Lunch: Lunch is on your own today, so you may ZDQWWRJUDEVRPHWKLQJWRHDWEHIRUHRXUͬLJKW Afternoon: 2XUVKRUWKRXUͬLJKWOHDYHV around 12:15pm. Upon arrival just after 1pm, we board our bus and depart for Johannesburg. We arrive in Johannesburg at about 2pm and transfer to our hotel where you’ll meet the Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 43 POST-TRIP Uganda: Murchison Falls & Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE » $LUIDUHWR(QWHEEHDQGDQLQWHUQDOͬLJKW » 11 small group activities from Entebbe to Murchison Falls » Services of an English-speaking O.A.T. » Accommodations: 1 night in Entebbe at Extension guide, as well as step-on The Boma Hotel or similar, 3 nights in local guides Murchison Falls at Paraa Safari Lodge or » Gratuities for your Extension Guide, local similar, and 1 night in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary guides, drivers, and luggage porters at Anuka Safari Lodge or similar » All transfers » 14 meals—5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, and 4 dinners POST-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY Once known as the “Pearl of the British Empire in East Africa,” Uganda is now widely considered one of the most beautiful countries on the continent. Join us and tour the dynamic Ugandan city of Entebbe, take a bush walk among endangered white rhinos, go on a bird-viewing canoe safari, and witness the splendor of Murchison Falls, where the Nile River explodes through a narrow gorge to create the most powerful rush of water in the world. Day 1 Fly to Entebbe, Uganda Afternoon: Upon our arrival at the airport in Arusha around noon, we’ll check in for our • Destination: Entebbe, Uganda ͬLJKWWR(QWHEEH8JDQGD2XUͬLJKWZLOOODVW • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner approximately 5.5 hours. Around 8pm, we’ll • Accommodations: The Boma Hotel or similar drive approximately 15 minutes to our hotel. Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the camp Depending on where we stay, typical amenities from 6:30am-7:30am, with Western and include a restaurant, bar, and swimming pool. Tanzanian options available. Each room features satellite TV, wireless Internet, and private bath. Morning: We’ll say goodbye to the Serengeti around 7am, with about a 3-hour drive to a Dinner: On your own around 8:30pm. Perhaps small airstrip in Seronera. Upon arrival, we’ll you’ll enjoy a meal at the hotel’s restaurant. FKHFNLQIRURXUͬLJKWWR$UXVKD2XUͬLJKWZLOO Evening: The rest of the evening is yours to last about 45 minutes. do as you please—perhaps you’ll rest up for Lunch: At around 11am, enjoy a boxed lunch on WRPRUURZ̞VͫUVWIXOOGD\LQ8JDQGD \RXUͬLJKWWR$UXVKD Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 44 Day 2 Explore Entebbe • Fly to Murchison Murchison is home to a wide variety of wildlife Falls National Park species, including more than 76 mammal and 450 bird species. There are everything from • Destination: Murchison Falls buffalo, antelope, lion, and giraffe to hyena, • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner bushbuck, and warthog here, all widely spread • Accommodations: Paraa Safari Lodge out over the savannah grasslands, grazing or similar or hunting for prey. We’ll see the diversity of Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel OLIHKHUHGXULQJRXUͫUVWJDPHYLHZLQJGULYH beginning at 6am, with hot and cold selections departing the lodge around 4pm. We’ll spend available. about 2 hours roaming the vast expanse of these grasslands via safari vehicles. We’ll Morning: Around 9am, we’ll board our bus arrive back to the lodge around 6pm, where for a city tour of Entebbe, lasting about two you’ll have about 30 minutes to freshen up hours and led by a local guide. During our before dinner. explorations, we’ll stop at a local market, where we’ll enjoy the opportunity to brush shoulders Dinner: Around 6:30pm at our lodge, featuring with locals, and witness traditional produce and a selection of regional cuisine. crafts for sale. Around 11am, we’ll stop for an Evening: On your own—you’re free to enjoy early lunch. the facilities of our lodge, have a drink at the Lunch: Around 11am at a local restaurant, bar, or cool off after a long day at the outdoor featuring an array of regional and swimming pool and take in the scenic views Western-style dishes. of the Nile. Afternoon: Around 12:30pm, we’ll arrive and Day 3 River cruise to Murchison Falls • check in at the Entebbe airport, where we’ll Game-viewing drive ERDUGRXUͬLJKWWR0XUFKLVRQ)DOOV$IWHU landing around an hour later, we’ll board our • Destination: Murchison Falls motorcoach and begin the transfer to our lodge, • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner a total drive of about a half hour. We’ll arrive at • Accommodations: Paraa Safari Lodge our lodge at about 3pm. Depending on where we or similar stay, our accommodations may feature on-site Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel DPHQLWLHVLQFOXGLQJDUHVWDXUDQWEDUͫWQHVV around 6am, featuring hot and cold options. center, and swimming pool. Typical rooms may include a balcony and private bath. Morning: Around 7am, we’ll depart for a game-viewing drive, keeping our eyes out Our lodge is situated within the dramatic for herds of elephant, buffalo, large cats, landscape of Murchison Falls National critically-endangered Rothschild’s giraffe, and Park, home to the thundering Murchison SUROLͫFELUGOLIH$IWHUZHUHWXUQWRRXUORGJHDW Falls—where some 11,000 cubic feet of water about 11:30am and enjoy some time to relax. per second explode through a narrow gorge, creating the most powerful rush of water in Lunch: Around noon at our safari lodge, the world. featuring local dishes. Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 45 Afternoon: Around 2pm, we’ll set off for the our hotel around 6pm and you’ll have a bit marina, about a 10-minute drive away, where of time to relax in your room, or explore the we’ll embark on a scenic boat cruise to the base lodge grounds. of Murchison Falls, watching out for crocodiles Dinner: Around 6:30pm at our safari lodge, and hippos in the Nile and wildlife along its featuring regional cuisine. banks along the way. Evening:2XUͫQDOQLJKWLQ0XUFKLVRQ)DOOV We return to our hotel around 5pm and you’ll is free for you to relax or begin packing have time to relax in your room, explore the for tomorrow’s journey to the Ziwa Rhino hotel grounds, or sit by the pool. Sanctuary. Dinner: Around 7pm at our safari lodge, featuring regional cuisine. Day 5 Overland to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary Evening:2XUͫQDOQLJKWLQ0XUFKLVRQ)DOOV • Rhino trek on foot is free for you to relax or begin packing • Destination: Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for tomorrow’s journey to the Ziwa Rhino • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Sanctuary. • Accommodations: Amuka Safari Lodge or similar Day 4 River cruise to Murchison Falls • Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel Game-viewing drive around 7:30am, featuring hot and cold options. • Destination: Murchison Falls Morning: Around 8:30am, we’ll depart • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Murchison Falls, crossing the Nile by ferry • Accommodations: Paraa Safari Lodge for our overland journey of about 3 hours to or similar the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. We’ll break up Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel our journey with a stop at the top of the Nile around 6am, featuring hot and cold options. waterfalls so we can enjoy a tour of the area before our arrival Ziwa. Morning: Around 7am, we’ll take a 10-minute bus ride to the marina for another boat cruise to Lunch: Around 1pm, at our safari lodge within the falls. This time, we explore the Murchison the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Falls Delta, known for its rare wetland bird Afternoon: After time to settle in to our rooms species. By about 10:30am, we’ll return to the and explore the facilities of our safari lodge, marina and board our motorcoach, enjoying we’ll regroup at about 4pm for our rhino trek a game-viewing drive en route to our camp, experience. Extinct for two decades due to where we’ll arrive around noon. poaching during the wars of the 1970s, rhinos Lunch: Shortly after noon at our safari lodge, have been reintroduced into this protected area featuring local dishes. of Uganda, and we’ll have the rare opportunity WRREVHUYHWKHVHPDJQLͫFHQWFUHDWXUHVLQWKH Afternoon: You’ll have approximately three wild during our afternoon bush walk with the hours to relax or explore on your own following assistance of a local guide. We’ll return to our lunch. Then, at about 4pm, we’ll set off on lodge by about 6pm. another game-viewing drive. We return to Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 46 Dinner: Around 7pm at our safari lodge, Evening: After, we’ll transfer to the airport, featuring regional cuisine. arriving shortly before 8pm, when we’ll check LQDQGERDUGRXUͬLJKWVKRPHWRWKH86 Evening: You are free to retire to your room, relax at the swimming pool, or gather at the bar for a cocktail to go over the discoveries of the day. Day 6 Nature walk along Lugogo Wetlands • Transfer to Entebbe • Return to U.S. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch • Accommodations: The Boma Hotel or similar Activity note: We’ll rise very early this morning at about 5:30am to get ready before we set off on a nature walk. Breakfast: Tea, coffee, and biscuits will be served around 6am. Morning: Around 6:30am, we’ll set off on a nature walk along the Lugogo Wetlands, one of Africa’s richest birding destinations. We’ll keep our eyes especially peeled for Uganda’s most sought-after sighting—the rare and prehistoric-looking shoebill stork. Then around 8am, we’ll continue our birding and wildlife discoveries aboard a canoe in these lush wetlands. After returning to our safari lodge around 10am, we’ll have approximately one hour to relax and freshen up. Brunch: Brunch-style selections are served buffet-style around 11am at the lodge. Afternoon: At about 12:30pm, we’ll depart the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for an overland journey to Entebbe. We’ll arrive in Entebbe at about 4pm and enjoy the services of a hotel located a short distance from the airport. You’ll have some free time to pack or relax before dinner. Dinner: Around 6:30pm at our hotel, featuring local cuisine. Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925 47 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TRIP: With the planning of any adventure comes the need to research and ask \`P^_TZY^BPɪ]PSP]P_ZSPW[4Y_SPQZWWZbTYR[LRP^dZ`ɪWWʭYOTYQZ]- XL_TZY_SL_Z`]_]LaPWP]^SLaPQZ`YOXZ^_MPYPʭNTLWL^_SPdɪaP[]P[L]PO for this adventure, on subjects ranging from passports to weather, and currency to recommended reading. BPɪaPTYNW`OPO_SPZʯNTLW?]LaPW3LYOMZZV_SL_dZ`ɪWW]PNPTaPbSPYdZ` reserve your departure of this trip, which outlines everything you’ll need to know before and during your adventure. What’s more, our Adventure Specialists will be ready and eager to address any additional questions you may have. With all of our resources available to you, enjoy peace of mind … and look forward to the incredible discoveries that await. 48 CONTENTS TRAVEL DOCUMENTS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS...... 50 HEALTH ...... 52 MONEY MATT ERS ...... 57 Top Tips Local Currency Tipping Guidelines PREPARING FOR TRIP...... 63 PACKING ...... 67 CLIMATE...... 76 ABOUT YOUR DESTINATION ...... 81 Culture & Points to Know Shopping DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY...... 87 RESOURCES ...... 103 49 TRAVEL DOCUMENTS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Your Passport • Must be in good condition • Must be valid for at least 6 months after your scheduled return to the U.S. • Must have the required number of blank pages (details below) • The blank pages must be labeled “Visas” at the top. Pages labeled “Amendments and Endorsements” are not acceptable Need to Renew Your Passport? Contact the National Passport Information Center (NPIC) at 1-877-487-2778, or visit their website at www.travel.state.gov for information on obtaining a new passport or renewing your existing passport. You may also contact our recommended visa service company, PVS International, at 1-800-556-9990 for help with your passport Recommended Blank Pages 3OHDVHFRQͫUPWKDW\RXUSDVVSRUWKDVHQRXJKEODQNSDJHVIRUWKLVDGYHQWXUH • Main trip only: If you are taking only the main trip, you will require 14 blank pages for entry into South Africa (4), Botswana (2), Zambia (2), Zimbabwe (2), Kenya (2), Tanzania (1) and re-entry into the U.S. (1). At least 4 of these 14 pages need to be consecutive—the front and EDFNRIWZRVKHHWV̜EHFDXVHWKLVLVVRPHWLPHVUHTXLUHGE\ORFDORIͫFLDOVLQ6RXWK$IULFD The U.S. State Department reports that there have been U.S. citizens turned away at the border for not having 2 consecutive pages for each entry into South Africa. • Private Game Reserve pre-trip extension: No additional pages needed. • Post-trip extension in Uganda: You will need 1 additional page. • Stopover in Johannesburg: No additional pages needed. Please note: You might not use all of these pages on your adventure (when you return, some may still be EODQN EXWORFDORIͫFLDOVZLOOZDQWWRVHHWKDW\RXKDYHWKHP Visas Required We’ll be sending you a detailed Visa Packet with instructions, application forms, and fees about 100 days prior to your departure. In the meantime, we’re providing the information below as a guideline on what to expect. 7KLVLQIRLVIRU86FLWL]HQVRQO\$OOYLVDVDQGIHHVDUHVXEMHFWWRFKDQJH • Botswana and South Africa: No visas needed. 50 • Zambia: Visa required. We recommend that you wait and obtain this visa upon arrival. This is based on changes to the application process that make getting a visa on arrival a reliable and more cost-effective option. • Zimbabwe: Visa required. You must obtain this visa on arrival. • Tanzania: Visa required. Both the U.S. Department of State and the Tanzanian embassy highly recommended that you obtain your visa in advance, which will be issued as an e-visa. Tanzania also requires documentation about the yellow fever vaccine. Please see “Yellow Fever Vaccination—Documentation Required” for details. • Kenya: Visa required. It is important that you get this visa in advance. • Uganda (post-trip extension only): Visa required. This visa can only be obtained in advance; you cannot obtain it upon arrival. Traveling Without a U.S. Passport? If you are not a U.S. citizen, or if your passport is from any country other than the U.S., it is your responsibility to check with your local consulate, embassy, or a visa services company about visa requirements. We recommend the services of PVS International, a national visa service located in Washington D.C.; they can be reached at 1-800-556-9990 or www.pvsinternational.org. Traveling With a Minor? Some governments may require certain documentation for minors to enter and depart the country or to obtain a visa (if applicable). For further detail on the required documentation, please contact your local embassy or consulate. Emergency Photocopies of Key Documents We recommend you carry color photocopies of key documents including the photo page of your passport plus any applicable visas, air itinerary, credit cards (front and back), and an alternative form of ID. Add emergency phone numbers like your credit card company and the number for your travel protection plan. Store copies separate from the originals. If you plan to email this information to yourself, please keep in mind that email is not always secure; consider using password protection or encryption. Also email is not always available ZRUOGZLGH$VDQDOWHUQDWLYH\RXFRXOGORDGWKHVHGRFXPHQWVRQWRDͬDVKGULYHLQVWHDGZKLFK can do double-duty as a place to backup photos during your trip. Overseas Taxes & Fees This tour may have taxes and fees that cannot be included in your airline ticket price because you are required to pay them in person onsite. All taxes are subject to change without notice and can be paid in cash (either U.S. or local currency). If applicable, you will receive a list of these fees with your Final Documents. 51 HEALTH Is This Adventure Right for You? Please review the information below prior to departing on this adventure. We reserve the right for our Trip Experience Leaders to modify participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home, if their condition would adversely affect the health, safety, or enjoyment of themselves or of other travelers. PACING • 14 locations in 34 days with three 1-night stays • Early morning game-viewing drives on safari days, rising as early as 5am • You will have transfers of up to 6 hours to reach your tented camps on two days PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS • Not appropriate for travelers using wheelchairs, walkers, or other mobility aids • You must be able to walk unassisted while carrying hand luggage; expect 2-4 hours of physical activities on some days • You will need to access vehicles by ladder without aid • We reserve the right for Trip Experience Leaders to restrict participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home, if their limitations impact the group’s experience • Travelers in need of a CPAP machine may only bring one that runs on rechargeable batteries !dRm¦1̵ • The hottest months are October-February; mid-day temperatures can reach more than 100°F • Daytime temperatures between May-August can be 70-80°F, and as low as 50°F at night • December-March brings heavy rain and thunderstorms TERRAIN & TRANSPORTATION • Travel on roads in poor condition can cause problems for travelers with leg or back issues • During game-viewing excursions, we’ll travel over bumpy, dusty terrain and walk on sandy, uneven terrain in the Okavango Delta and at our camps • On game-viewing drives, we travel overland in open-sided safari vehicles with bench seating and no air-conditioning; in closed Land Cruisers with roof hatches; and in dugout canoes and motorized boats 52 • JXLGHGZDONVRIXSWRKRXUHDFK LQWHUQDOͬLJKWVRQWRVHDWDLUFUDIW DQGVHYHUDO 8- to 10-hour days in safari vehicles ACCOMMODATIONS & FACILITIES • We spend 33 nights in comfortable but basic lodges and tented camps with private baths • Our lodges use generator electricity and lantern lighting at night, and do not have air-conditioning Steps to Take Before Your Trip Before you leave on this adventure, we recommend the following: • Check with the CDC for their recommendations for the countries you’ll be visiting. You can contact them online at http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel or by phone at 1-800-232-4636. • Have a medical checkup with your doctor at least 6 weeks before your trip. • Pick up any necessary medications, both prescription and over-the-counter. • Have a dental and/or eye checkup. (Recommended, but less urgent) Yellow Fever Vaccination—Documentation Required $OOWUDYHOHUVZLOOQHHGWREULQJ(,7+(5SURRIRID\HOORZIHYHUYDFFLQDWLRQ25DQRIͫFLDO vaccination waiver in order to meet Tanzania’s entry requirements. While the CDC offers a wide range of vaccination and medication suggestions, there is one in particular that we’d like to draw your attention to—the yellow fever vaccine. For some countries, the yellow fever vaccination is a legal entry requirement, like a passport. For other countries, it is a health recommendation to protect you from getting sick. On this adventure, this vaccination is a legal entry requirement for Tanzania (as well as Uganda on the post-trip extension)—but fortunately, authorities will accept a doctor’s waiver in place of getting the actual shot. The requirement applies to us because we’ll be entering Tanzania from Kenya, which is considered an endemic country. This means you might be asked for documentation on the vaccine when you cross the border from Kenya to Tanzania. Therefore EITHER proof of a yellow IHYHUYDFFLQDWLRQ25DQRIͫFLDOYDFFLQDWLRQZDLYHULVDUHTXLUHPHQWIRUWKLVWULS You should discuss the vaccine with your doctor to see if he or she recommends it and if your health allows for it. (He or she can offer a suggestion tailored to your personal medical history.) If you and your doctor decide the vaccination is right for you, then he or she will issue you a If you and your doctor decide the vaccination isn’t right for you, then have your doctor issue an RIͫFLDOYDFFLQDWLRQZDLYHU$QRIͫFLDOZDLYHULVDOHWWHUWKDWPHHWVWKHVHUHTXLUHPHQWV • It must be on business letterhead paper. 53 • It must be signed by a doctor. • It must be stamped using the same stamp that the doctor uses on a Yellow Fever Card. • It must give the medical reason why you cannot get the vaccine, say how high the risk is, and cite an authority. (For example: Mr. Smith cannot receive the yellow fever vaccine due to a high risk of side effects as outlined in the Center for Disease Control’s guidelines for people over the age of 65.) :KHWKHU\RXUHFHLYHD Medication Suggestions • An antibiotic medication for gastrointestinal illness • Prescription pain medication in the unlikely event of an injury in a remote location • Motion sickness medicine, if you are susceptible (the roads are very bumpy). • Anti-malaria medication for Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Check with WKH&'&DQG\RXUGRFWRUͫUVWEHFDXVHWKHVHPHGLFDWLRQVFDQKDYHVWURQJVLGHHIIHFWV • Allergy medication, in case dusty roads cause allergies, asthma, or other breathing complaints that may require prescription medication Traveling with Medications • Pack medications in your carry-on bag to avoid loss and to have them handy. • Keep medicines in their original, labeled containers for a quicker security screen at the airport and a better experience if you get stopped by customs while overseas. • Bring copies of your prescriptions, written using the generic drug name rather than a brand name to be prepared for any unforeseen loss of your medications. We recommend checking with the State Department for medication restrictions by country: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel- Country-Information-Pages.html. (Pick the country and then follow the links to “Local Laws & 6SHFLDO&LUFXPVWDQFHV̢ LI\RXGRQ̞WVHHDQ\PHGLFDWLRQVVSHFLͫFDOO\PHQWLRQHGWKHQ\RXFDQ presume major U.S. brands should be OK). ,03257$177,3 $WWLPHRIZULWLQJWKH6WDWH'HSDUWPHQWGLGKDYHDZDUQLQJWKDWWUDYHOHUVVKRXOG not bring over-the-counter drugs with the ingredient diphenhydramine or anti-histamines (like %HQDGU\O WR=DPELD7KHVHPHGLFDWLRQVDUHFRQVLGHUHGFRQWUROOHGVXEVWDQFHVLQ=DPELDDQGZKLOHWKH =DPELDQDXWKRULWLHVKDYHVWDWHG\RXFDQEULQJWKHPZLWKDGRFWRU̞VSUHVFULSWLRQWKH6WDWH'HSDUWPHQW UHFRPPHQGVOHDYLQJWKHPEHKLQG 54 Staying Healthy on Your Trip Jet Lag Tips • Start your trip well-rested. • Begin a gradual transition to your new time zone before you leave or switch to your destination time zone when you get on the plane. • Attempt to sleep and eat according to the new schedule. • Avoid heavy eating and drinking caffeine or alcoholic beverages right before–and during– \RXUͬLJKW • 'ULQNSOHQW\RIZDWHUDQGRUIUXLWMXLFHZKLOHͬ\LQJ • Stretch your legs, neck, and back periodically while seated on the plane. • After arrival, avoid the temptation to nap. • 'RQ̞WSXVK\RXUVHOIWRVHHDORWRQ\RXUͫUVWGD\ • 7U\WRVWD\DZDNH\RXUͫUVWGD\XQWLODIWHUGLQQHU Allergies If you have any serious allergies or dietary restrictions, we advise you to notify us at least 30 days prior to your departure. Please call our Traveler Support team at 1-800-221-0814, and we will FRPPXQLFDWHWKHPWRRXUUHJLRQDORIͫFH(YHU\HIIRUWZLOOEHPDGHWRDFFRPPRGDWH\RX Water • Tap water is usually safe to drink in Botswana and South Africa, but always use caution. If in doubt, ask your Trip Experience Leader about the water. • In Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Uganada tap water is not safe to drink. • %RWWOHGDQGRUͫOWHUHGZDWHULVSURYLGHGDWPRVWRI\RXUKRWHOVORGJHVDQGWHQWHGFDPSV as well as on your game drives. • At most lodges it is safe to use ice in your drinks, but check with your Trip Experience /HDGHUͫUVW • During your adventure, you will receive one complementary bottle of water each day at your lodgings, and during safari days, you’ll also receive a second complementary bottle of water in your safari vehicle. Additional bottled water is available for sale in the lodges. Prices vary, but generally fall in the $3-4 range for a one-liter bottle. • Our Trip Experience Leaders suggest that you bring some re-hydration sachets with you (the type that help to replace lost electrolytes). They will make you feel much better if you get dehydrated. 55 Food • The food served at our lodges is safe, including salads and fruits. • Exercise more caution when eating at small local restaurants or buying food from street vendors. • Eat only food that is well done and is still hot. • Since the tap water is not safe to drink, you should be mindful about eating salads or fruits outside of our lodges—they may have been washed in tap water. (Fruit that you peel yourself should be OK.) • Your Trip Experience Leader will advise you if he/she feels that something is unsafe for you to eat. TIP:'XULQJWKLVDGYHQWXUH\RXPLJKWEHRIIHUHGIRRGWKDWLVVWUDQJHDQGQHZWR\RX,I\RXDUHRIIHUHG food that you do not feel comfortable with, no one will feel offended if you politely decline; this is OK HYHQGXULQJDKRPHYLVLW Electricity Supply A constant electricity supply cannot be guaranteed during overnight stays. Travelers who rely on a CPAP machine must bring one that runs on rechargeable batteries. Insects Besides the usual suspects like mosquitoes, you may encounter uniquely African insects, like WVHWVHͬLHV$IHZGHFDGHVDJRWKHVHͬLHVJDLQHGQRWRULHW\DVFDUULHUVIRUVOHHSLQJVLFNQHVVEXW on this adventure they aren’t a health hazard. (Sleeping sickness is rare nowadays and largely limited to the Congo.) However, they are a nuisance because they bite. Fortunately, we only encounter them in one location on this trip—Zambia. Wearing bug spray helps, as does avoiding EODFNDQGEOXHFORWKLQJZKLOH\RXDUHLQ=DPELD7KHͬLHVDUHPRVWDFWLYHGXULQJWKHGU\VHDVRQ (May-November) but can be present other times of year. 56 MONEY MATTERS Top Three Tips • Bring enough cash to cover your needs for 80% of the trip and only expect to be able to use plastic (credit, debit, or ATM card) 20% of the time. When budgeting, keep in mind that your biggest expenses will be tips, meals, and souvenirs. As a guideline, an average meal in this region costs between $15 and $20 per person including a non-alcoholic drink and a tip. • A mix of small bills ($1s-$20s), in good condition, and printed after 2006. You’ll be able to pay in U.S. dollars in most places except in South Africa. • Traveler’s checks are not recommended.7KH\FDQEHGLIͫFXOWWRH[FKDQJHDQGWKH commission fee for cashing them is quite high. It’s more practical to view them as a last resort in the event of a special situation. Local Currency For current exchange rates, please refer to an online converter tool like www.xe.com/ currencyconverter\RXUEDQNRUWKHͫQDQFLDOVHFWLRQRI\RXUQHZVSDSHU South Africa 7KHRIͫFLDOFXUUHQF\RI6RXWK$IULFDLVWKH5DQG 5 ZKLFKLVGLYLGHGLQWRFHQWV • Bills come in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 rand • Coins come in denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and 1, 2 and 5 rand U.S. dollars aren’t readily accepted for payment in South Africa; you will need rands instead. Zimbabwe Zimbabwe has recently brought back the Zimbabwean dollar (or Zimdollar) and announced plans to restrict foreign currency. However, you will still be able to pay for many purchases in U.S. dollars. At hotels and markets, you can use U.S. cash; at shops and supermarkets you may be able to use a Visa card to do transactions in U.S. dollars. When using U.S. cash, please note two things: 1. Bills in bad condition or older than the year 2000 are not accepted and 2. You may receive change in Zimdollars, which are useless outside of Zimbabwe (paying with exact change is recommended). Zambia 7KHRIͫFLDOFXUUHQF\RI=DPELDLVWKH.ZDFKD =0. RU . ZKLFKLVGLYLGHGLQWRQJZHH However, it is common to pay in U.S. dollars, which are accepted everywhere. • Bills come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 ZMK 57 • Coins come in denominations of 50 ngwee and 1, 2, 5, and 10 ZMK Botswana • Bills come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 pula • Coins come in denominations of 5, 10, 25, thebe and 1, 2 and 5 pula Kenya 7KHRIͫFLDOFXUUHQF\RI.HQ\DLVWKH.HQ\DQVKLOOLQJ .6K ZKLFKLVGLYLGHGLQWRFHQWV2QH shilling is written Shs.1/-. Banknote and coin denominations are as follows: • Banknotes: 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 shillings (written Shs.1000/-) • Coins: 50 cents and 1, 5, 10, 20 and 40 shillings In Kenya, U.S. dollars are accepted for payment in most situations. Newer bills (2006 or newer) in very good condition are strongly preferred. However, when paying in dollars, the exchange rate is not in your favor. You’ll get a better rate by exchanging dollars for shillings and then paying in shillings. Tanzania The basic unit of currency in Tanzania is the Tanzanian Shilling (TSh), which is divided into 100 senti. • Banknotes: 1,000, 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 shillings • Coins: 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 senti and 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 shillings In Tanzania, U.S. dollars are accepted for payment in most situations. Bills in very good condition DUHVWURQJO\SUHIHUUHG RUQHZHU 2XUUHJLRQDORIͫFHVXJJHVWVWKDWDPL[RIGHQRPLQDWLRQV ($1, 5, 10, and 20s) is best/most convenient for paying with dollars. For exchanging, you’ll get a better rate on large bills ($50s and $100s). Uganda The basic unit of currency in Uganda is the Ugandan Shilling (UGX). • Banknotes: 10, 20, 50, 1,000, 2,000, and 5,000 shillings • Coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000 shillings In Uganda, U.S. dollars are accepted for payment in most situations. Bills must be issued after 2006 and be in good condition. 58 How to Exchange Money In many of the countries we visit on this adventure—Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya,Tanzania, and Uganda—you won’t need to exchange money because you can pay in U.S. dollars. But you will want a mix of small bills ($1, 5, 10, and 20s), in good condition, printed after 2006. Large bills ($50s and $100s) will be hard to break, and bills in bad condition (dirty, worn, or torn) or printed before 2006 might be rejected, even by banks. However, there is one country where U.S. dollars aren’t readily accepted: South Africa, which uses rands instead of dollars. If you want to get rands before your trip, you can usually do so through \RXUEDQNRUDWDQH[FKDQJHRIͫFH During the trip, the easiest way to get rands is to use a local ATM (your bank at home will convert and charge you in U.S. dollars). You can also exchange cash at some hotels and money exchange RIͫFHV7RH[FKDQJHFDVK\RX̞OOXVXDOO\QHHG\RXUSDVVSRUWDQGELOOVLQJRRGFRQGLWLRQ QRWZRUQ torn, or dirty). Never exchange money on the street. All exchange methods involve fees, which may be built into the conversion rate; ask beforehand. 7,3 :KLOHLWPLJKWEHWHPSWLQJWRZLWKGUDZDEXQFKRIELOOVIURPWKH$70DWKRPHDPL[RIVRPH DQGVZRXOGEHEHWWHU,WPDNHVWLSSLQJDQGEDUJDLQLQJHDVLHUZKHQ\RXKDYHH[DFWFKDQJH ATMs When using the ATM, keep in mind that it may only accept cards from local banks, and may not allow cash advances on credit cards; you might need to try more than one ATM or more than one card. Many banks charge a fee of $1-$5 each time you use a foreign ATM. Others may charge you a percentage of the amount you withdraw. We recommend that you check with your bank before you depart. Lastly, don’t forget to memorize the actual digits of your card’s PIN number (many keypads at foreign ATMs do not include letters on their keys—they only display numbers.) South Africa: ATMs are common in South Africa, especially in large cities like Johannesburg and &DSH7RZQ7KHRQO\SODFH\RXPLJKWKDYHGLIͫFXOW\ͫQGLQJRQHLVLQDUHPRWHJDPHUHVHUYHRU national park. Zimbabwe: ATMs are not to be relied on. A few are available in Victoria Falls, but they are consistently out of money. If you don’t have enough cash on hand for Zimbabwe, your best bet is to use an ATM at one of the regional airports outside of Zimbabwe, such as Livingston or Jo’burg. Then convert the money you get (which will be in local currency) to U.S. dollars at the exchange desk. Zambia: ATMs are practically non-existent in the parts of Zambia that we visit. The only place you might see one is if you pass through Livingstone Airport. Botswana: The places we visit in Botswana are generally out in the bush where there are no ATMs. 59 Kenya: International ATM networks are typically available in the larger cities like Nairobi, however when you are on safari in the bush, you will not have access to ATMs. Local ATMs may only accept cards from local banks and usually will not allow cash advances on credit cards; therefore it is best to bring a cash reserve large enough to pay for most expenses. Tanzania: In larger cities, ATMs are typically available for major international networks. However, outside of large cities, ATMs may only accept cards from local banks and generally do not allow cash advances on credit cards. It is best to bring a cash reserve large enough to pay for most expenses. Uganda:$70VDUHFRPPRQLQODUJHFLWLHVVXFKDV.DPSDODEXWPDQ\EHPRUHGLIͫFXOWWRͫQG in rural areas. Keep in mind that ATMs are not always reliable so we recommend that you keep a cash reserve on hand. Credit & Debit Cards Even if you don’t plan on using a credit card during your trip, we still suggest that you bring one or two as a backup, especially if you are planning a large purchase (artwork, jewelry). We also suggest that you bring more than one brand of card (i.e. Visa, MasterCard, American Express) if possible, because not every shop will take every card. For example, although the Discover card is accepted in some countries outside the U.S., it is not widely adopted, so other brands will work at a much larger range of stores, restaurants, etc. South Africa: Credit card use is fairly common in South Africa, so you’ll be able to use one in most hotels and shops, plus some restaurants. Zimbabwe:Credit cards are only somewhat accepted. You can usually use them at hotels in Victoria Falls, high-end shops, pharmacies or supermarkets. (In contrast, camps/bush lodges, street vendors, and small souvenir shops tend to be cash only.) Of the major credit cards, Visa is the most useful as it is accepted in more places and may let you process the transaction in U.S. dollars. MasterCard is not as well-known and both American Express and Discover are not accepted at all. If possible, we recommend using credit/debit cards at supermarkets and pharmacies to avoid issues with PDNLQJRUUHFHLYLQJFKDQJH Zambia: Credit cards are rarely accepted. Botswana: Credit cards are rarely accepted. Kenya: Credit cards are becoming more common in Kenya, but are not as widely accepted as they are in the U.S. Many camps, lodges, and shops will be cash only. Businesses that do accept cards tend to use a slow approval process that may involve calling your credit card company to get authorization. 60 Tanzania: Although credit cards are becoming more common, they are not as widely accepted in Tanzania as they are in the U.S. Many camps, lodges, and shops will be cash only and businesses that do accept credit cards may use a slow approval process that sometimes involve calling your credit card company to get authorization. Uganda: Credit cards may be accepted at some large hotels, but are not commonly used outside of Kampala. Notify Card Providers of Upcoming Travel Many credit card companies and banks have fraud alert departments that will freeze your card if they see suspicious charges—such as charges or withdrawals from another country. To avoid an accidental security block, it is a good idea to notify your credit card company and/or bank you will be using your cards abroad. You can do this by calling their customer service number a week or two before your departure. Some banks or credit card companies will also let you do this online. You should also double-check what phone number you could call if you have a problem with a card while you are abroad. Don’t assume you can use the 1-800 number printed on the back of your card—most 1 800 numbers don’t work outside of the U.S.! Tipping Guidelines Of course, whether you tip, and how much, is always at your own discretion. But for those of you who have asked for tipping suggestions, we offer these guidelines. • O.A.T. Trip Experience Leader: It is customary to express a personal “thank you” to your Trip Experience Leader at the end of your trip. As a guideline, many travelers give $7-$10 USD (or equivalent in local currency) per person for each day their Trip Experience Leader is with them. 3OHDVHQRWHWKDWWKHVHWLSVFDQRQO\EHLQFDVK,I\RXDUHWDNLQJDQ\RIWKHRSWLRQDO H[WHQVLRQV\RXU7ULS([SHULHQFH/HDGHUGXULQJWKHH[WHQVLRQ V PD\QRWEHWKHVDPHDVWKHRQH RQ\RXUPDLQWULS • Please note that the 3ULYDWH*DPH5HVHUYH6DIDUL 4XHVWIRU6RXWK$IULFD̞V%LJ and Uganda: 0XUFKLVRQ)DOOV=LZD5KLQR6DQFWXDU\ extensions are run by local Extension Guides who specialize in their respective game reserves instead of your Trip Experience Leader. Their tip is included. • Housekeeping staff at city hotels: $1-2 per room, per night. This only applies to the hotels LQ9LFWRULD)DOOV PDLQWULS 1DLUREL PDLQWULS DQGRQWKH-RKDQQHVEXUJ6WRSRYHU7LSSLQJ for housekeepers at tented camps and safari lodges is included as they are part of the camp/ ORGJHVWDII • Waiters: When dining on your own, you would tip up to 10% of the bill in Southern Africa, up to 5% in Tanzania, and from 5%-10% in Kenya or Uganda—but only if a service charge isn’t already on the bill. • Taxis: Tipping isn’t necessary, but if you want to give something you can round up the bill and let the driver keep the change. 61 • Your Trip Price Includes: Gratuities are included for local guides, drivers, lodge and camp staff, driver-guides, and luggage porters on your main trip, extensions, and all optional tours. 3OHDVHQRWH 7LSVDUHTXRWHGLQ86GROODUVIRUEXGJHWLQJSXUSRVHV WLSVFDQEHFRQYHUWHGDQGSDLGLQ ORFDOFXUUHQF\RULQ86GROODUV3OHDVHGRQRWXVHSHUVRQDORUWUDYHOHU̞VFKHFNVIRUWLSV 62 PREPARING FOR YOUR TRIP Land Only Travelers & Personalized Air ŽĢóĴ'āƩłĢŶĢŋłŭ • Land Only: • Air-Inclusive: You booked international air with us. Airport transfers are included as long as you didn’t customize your trip’s dates (see next bullet). • Personalized Air: You booked international air with us, and have customized it in some way. If you have customized your trip’s dates to arrive early, stay longer, or stop on your own in a connecting city, airport transfers will NOT be included. You must also arrange your own accommodations for any additional nights. For your convenience, a preliminary list of your included hotels is available on your My Account at www.oattravel.com/myaccount under “My Reservations”. Airport Transfers Can Be Purchased )RUHOLJLEOHͬLJKWVDLUSRUWWUDQVIHUVPD\EHSXUFKDVHGVHSDUDWHO\DVDQRSWLRQDODGGRQVXEMHFW WRDYDLODELOLW\7REHHOLJLEOH\RXUͬLJKW V PXVWPHHWWKHIROORZLQJUHTXLUHPHQWV • • Airport transfers can be purchased up to 45 days prior to your departure; they are not available for purchase onsite. To learn more, or purchase airport transfers, please call our Traveler Support team at 1-800-221-0814. ,I\RXGRQ̞WPHHWWKHUHTXLUHPHQWVDERYH\RX̞OOQHHGWRPDNH\RXURZQWUDQVIHUDUUDQJHPHQWV:H suggest the Rome to Rio website as a handy resource: www.rome2rio.com :KHQERRNLQJ\RXULQWHUQDWLRQDOͬLJKWVSOHDVHDOVRQRWHWKDWWKHWRXUZLOOHQGRQ'D\RIWKH PDLQWULS RUWKHODVWGD\RIWKHSRVWWULSH[WHQVLRQ EHFDXVHRIWKHRYHUQLJKWͬLJKWEDFNWRWKH United States. Optional Tours Optional tours are additional add-on tours that allow you to personalize your adventure by tailoring it to your tastes and needs. And if you decide not to join an optional tour? Then you’ll have free time to relax or explore on your own—it’s about options, not obligations. 63 What You Need to Know • All optional tours are subject to change and availability. • Optional tours that are reserved with your Trip Experience Leader can be paid for using credit/debit cards only. We accept MasterCard, Visa, and Discover credit cards; we can also take MasterCard or Visa debit cards as long as the card allows you to sign for purchases. (You won’t be able to enter a PIN.) • To ensure that you are charged in U.S. dollars, your payment will be processed by our U.S. headquarters in Boston. This process can take up to three months, so we ask that you only use a card that will still be valid three months after your trip is over. The charge may appear on your credit card statement as being from Boston, MA or may be labeled as “OPT Boston”. • Your Trip Experience Leader will give you details on the optional tours while you’re on the trip. But if you’d like to look over descriptions of them earlier, you can do so at any time by referring to your Day-to-Day Itinerary (available online by signing into My Account at www.oattravel.com/myaccount). Optional Tours: Reserve Before You Go We strongly recommend that you reserve the following optional tours in advance. Unless otherwise noted, the deadline to do so is 45 days prior to your departure. Occasionally, space will be available for booking onsite, but this not guaranteed. Optional tours with O.A.T. can only be purchased with a credit card (Visa or MasterCard) or a debit card with credit card functionality. Because our headquarters are in Boston, charges may appear to be from Boston or might be labeled as “OPT Boston” (depending on your credit card company). Sunrise Safari & Hot Air Balloon Ride If you choose to take this optional tour, plan on waking up before dawn as we’ll begin with an early morning game-viewing drive. Then we’ll retreat under the shade of a nearby acacia tree where we’ll enjoy breakfast in the bush with a celebratory glass of sparkling wine. Following breakfast, our excursion continues with a breathtaking hot air balloon ULGHRYHUWKH6HUHQJHWL:LWKDFHUWLͫHGSURIHVVLRQDOSLORWDWWKHFRQWUROVZH̞OOJOLGHRYHU the majestic savannas at dawn, when the morning light bathes the plains in a golden hue. There’s simply no better vantage point from which to appreciate the sheer vastness of the Serengeti’s more than 5,700 square miles of plains, riverine bush, and acacia woodlands. Once we land, we’ll return to our camp to reunite with any travelers who chose not to take this optional tour. This optional tour is offered during the main trip. The cost is $570 per person. Please note: 7KLVWRXULVSUHVROGRQO\'XHWROLPLWHGVSDFHLWLVVWURQJO\DGYLVHGWKDW\RX UHVHUYHWKLVRSWLRQDOWRXUDWOHDVWGD\VSULRUWRGHSDUWXUH,WLVDOVRGHSHQGHQWRQZLQG FRQGLWLRQV 64 Communications One of the advantages of a safari is the chance to “unplug” and unwind—but the trade-off is that you won’t have the same access to the Internet, email, or phone service that you would back at home. Cell phone or Internet service will be available in some places, but not all. Even basic telephone and email service is not always available in the bush, where you will be spending much of your time. You won’t be completely out of touch—our bush camps and safari lodges do have satellite radio service. However, the satellite radio service is usually for emergencies only. Outside of the bush, you’ll be able to send emails and make phone calls in large towns, like Victoria Falls and Nairobi. Cell Phones If you want to use your cell phone on the trip, check with your phone provider to see if your phone and service will work outside of the U.S. It may turn out to be cheaper to rent an international phone or buy a SIM card onsite. If you want to use a local SIM, just make certain your phone is “unlocked”, meaning it can accept a local SIM card. If your cell is “unlocked” then you will be able to purchase a local SIM for it and then buy minutes with “Pay as You Go” cards, so that you have a local contact number for your friends and family. Please understand that throughout Africa, good cell phone service is only available in large towns or cities. Calling Apps Another option is to use a smartphone app like Skype or FaceTime. These services are usually less expensive than making a traditional call, but you’ll need a Wi-Fi connection and the calls may count towards your phone plan’s data allowance. Many smartphones—and some tablets or laptops—come with one of these apps pre-installed or you can download them for free from the appropriate apps store. Calling Cards & 1-800 Numbers When calling the U.S. from a foreign country, a prepaid calling card can be useful because it circumvents unexpected charges from the hotel. Calling cards purchased locally are typically the best (less expensive, more likely to work with the local phones, etc.). One reminder: Do not call U.S. 1-800 numbers outside the continental United States. This can result in costly long distance fees, since 1-800 numbers do not work outside the country. Internet Internet access on this adventure will be mostly limited to cities and towns. In many cases, it will not be WiFi, but rather public computers in the hotel lobby or business center. The hotels and lodges that do offer WiFi will usually charge for the service. There is usually no Internet service at all in tented camps. 65 Receiving Calls from Home To ensure you are available during your trip to friends and relatives at home, you will receive two copies of your hotel list, including phone numbers, with your Final Documents. One copy is for you to bring, and one is to leave behind with friends or relatives in case they need to contact you during the trip. It is worth noting that most of the time the phone number for a bush camp or bush lodge is IRUDFHQWUDORIͫFHLQDQHDUE\FLW\; they take a message and then relay it to you in the bush by the satellite radio service. Please explain to your friends and family that there might be a delay in reaching you when you are on safari, and it’s best if they only try to reach you in case of an emergency. How to Call Overseas When calling overseas from the U.S., dial 011 for international exchange, then the country code (indicated by a plus sign: +), and then the number. Note that foreign phone numbers may not have the same number of digits as U.S. numbers; even within a country the number of digits can vary depending on the city and if the phone is a land line or cell phone. South Africa: +27 Kenya: +254 Zimbabwe: +263 Tanzania: +255 Zambia: +260 Uganda: +256 Botswana: +267 66 PACKING Luggage Limits MAIN TRIP LIMITS Pieces per person One checked bag and one carry-on per person. Weight restrictions Combined weight of checked and carry-on luggage: Up to 44 lbs total in Southern Africa. Up to 33 lbs total in East Africa. Size Restrictions Standard airline size: Checked luggage should not exceed 62 linear inches (length+width+depth) and carry-on should not exceed 45 linear inches. Luggage Type Must use a duffel bag as your checked luggage. TRIP EXTENSION(S) LIMITS Combined weight of checked and carry-on luggage: Up to 44 lbs total. REMARKS/SUGGESTIONS EXCESS BAGGAGE CANNOT BE TAKEN. Type of luggage: Use of a duffel bag is a requirement on this adventure. We ask that you use the complimentary O.A.T. safari bag that we will be sending you. Limit changes halfway through trip: During the first half of the trip, the weight limit is 44 pounds total (checked and carry-on). During the second half in Tanzania the combined weight cannot exceed 33 pounds. If you choose to bring 44 lbs, then you will be able to leave your excess luggage in Arusha when you stop for lunch en route to Tarangire National Park, and then pick it up when you return to Arusha. If you do not want to store your excess luggage, then you can choose instead to bring 33 lbs for the whole trip. Don’t Forget • These luggage limits may change. If the airline(s) notify us of any changes, we will include an update in your Final Documents booklet. • ,W̞VDJRRGLGHDWRUHFRQͫUPEDJJDJHUHVWULFWLRQVDQGIHHVGLUHFWO\ZLWKWKHDLUOLQHDZHHNRU so prior to departure. For your convenience, we maintain a list of the toll-free numbers for the most common airlines on our website in the FAQ section. 67 • Baggage fees are not included in your trip price; they are payable directly to the airlines. • 7KHOXJJDJHOLPLWVDERYHDUHEDVHGRQ\RXUVDIDULMHHSVDQGUHJLRQDOͬLJKWVZKLFKPD\EH OHVVWKDQ\RXULQWHUQDWLRQDOͬLJKWV(YHQLI\RXULQWHUQDWLRQDODLUOLQHRIIHUVDODUJHUZHLJKW limit, you will need to pack according to the lower restrictions. Your Luggage 'ŽƦāķ Öė̆āŨŽĢũāù On safaris, the room allowed for checked luggage is limited to one piece per person. • Use of a duffel bag is a requirement on this adventure. • We ask that you use the complimentary O.A.T. duffel bag that we will be sending youEHFDXVHLWKDVEHHQDSSURYHGIRUWKLVVDIDULE\RXUUHJLRQDORIͫFHLQ$IULFD6XLWFDVHV of any kind, hard-sided luggage, or luggage with an internal frame are not allowed. If you bring something other than a cloth duffel bag without an internal frame, your luggage may QRWͫWRQWKHVPDOOSODQHVRULQWKHVDIDULYHKLFOHVZHXVHRQWKLVDGYHQWXUH:H̞GOLNH\RXWR KDYH\RXUOXJJDJHZLWK\RXRQWKHZKROHDGYHQWXUH̜VRDGXIͬHEDJLVNH\ • The O.A.T. duffel bag has wheels and measures 28” x 13” x 11” • 3UHYLRXVWUDYHOHUVKDYHUHFRPPHQGHGDGGLQJDQLGHQWLͫHUWR\RXUGXIIHOEDJVXFKDVDVFDUI or colored tape, to set it apart from the others. 7,3 :KHQWUDYHOLQJZLWKDFRPSDQLRQZHUHFRPPHQG̡FURVVSDFNLQJ̢LHSDFNRXWͫWVRI\RXU FORWKLQJLQ\RXUFRPSDQLRQ̞VOXJJDJHDQGYLFHYHUVDLQFDVHRQHEDJLVGHOD\HG Carry-on Bag You are allowed one carry-on bag per person. We suggest a tote or small backpack that can be XVHGDVERWKDFDUU\RQEDJIRU\RXUͬLJKWDQGWRFDUU\\RXUGDLO\QHFHVVLWLHV̜ZDWHUERWWOH camera, etc—during driving excursions and walking trips. Luggage Handling on Arrival Airport porters are not allowed in the customs hall area. On arrival, you must take your luggage off the baggage carousel and then clear customs. When you exit the airport building, your motor coach driver will load your luggage onto your motor coach. Locks )RUͬLJKWVWKDWRULJLQDWHLQWKH86\RXFDQHLWKHUXVHD76$DSSURYHGORFNRUOHDYH\RXUOXJJDJH unlocked. Outside of the U.S. we strongly recommend locking your luggage as a theft-prevention measure. 7,3 0RVWFDPSVRUORGJHVGRQRWKDYHSHUVRQDOVDIHVLQWKHWHQWVURRPV,QVWHDGYDOXDEOHV SDVVSRUWVDQGPRQH\FDQEHVHFXUHGLQORFNDEOHFDQYDVEDJVWKDWDUHSXWLQWRDORFNHGFHQWUDOVDIH &DPSVDQGORGJHVSURYLGHWKHEDJVDQGWKHORFNVIRUWKLVSXUSRVH 68 Clothing Suggestions Functional Tips As you will experience a wide range of temperatures and weather conditions, we suggest several layers of clothing. If you like to hand-wash your clothes, look for fabrics that will dry out overnight. You can buy clothing designed especially for travel, with features like wrinkle- resistant fabric or built-in sun protection. • Layers for game drives: Many game drives are in the early morning or late evening. Even at the height of summer, these times of day are cooler than the afternoon. Therefore we suggest bringing a piece that you can wear over your clothing for cooler mornings and remove as the day heats up (windbreaker, jacket, sweater, sweatshirt, etc.). And just a reminder: south of the equator, the seasons are reversed. Travelers on summer departures will want to bring more than one layer—it is winter in southern Africa. • Footwear: You’ll be on your feet a lot during the trip, and walking over some rough and slippery surfaces. We recommend you wear sturdy walking shoes or similar supportive sports shoes that offer good traction. We also recommend you bring a pair of rubberized sandals (i.e., Tevas) for showering, wearing around the lodge, and general warm weather use. They will come in particularly handy when you walk through wet areas in Victoria Falls National Park. Fashion Dos and Don’ts • Do wear muted earth or nature colors on game drives—beige, tans, browns, greens, etc.—because they don’t show dirt easily, coordinate well, don’t distract animals, and don’t DWWUDFWWVHWVHͬLHVOLNHEODFNDQGEOXH • Don’t wear white or very brightly colored clothing on game drives. These colors have traditionally been used to keep animals away, and even color-blind animals can spot dark and light shades like black and white, which is why white is a danger signal for some species. • Do wear clothes that are functional and casual. There’s no need for formal or dressy clothing. • 'RQ̞WZHDUFDPRXͬDJH or military-type clothing in Zimbabwe—it is illegal. What to Bring We have included suggestions from Trip Experience Leaders and former travelers to help you pack. These lists are only jumping-off points—they offer recommendations based on experience, but not requirements. You may also want to consult the “Climate” chapter of this handbook. And don’t forget a reusable water bottle̜\RX̞OOQHHGLWWRWDNHDGYDQWDJHRIDQ\UHͫOOVZHRIIHU as we are working to eliminate single-use plastic bottles on all of our trips. 69 Year-Round Clothing Checklist T Shirts: A mixture of short and long-sleeved shirts to layer T 7URXVHUVDQGRUMHDQV &RPIRUWDEOHDQGORRVHͫWWLQJLVEHVW T Shoes and socks: Comfortable walking/ running shoes or low-cut hiking shoes, with arch VXSSRUW/LJKWKLNLQJERRWVZLOOVXIͫFH WKHUHLVQRKHDY\KLNLQJGXULQJWKHWULSEXWKLNLQJ boots should offer better support and traction than shoes. We also recommend you bring a pair of rubberized sandals (i.e., Tevas) for showering, wearing around the lodge, and general warm weather use. T Light rain jacket/windbreaker with hood T Wide-brim sun hat or visor for sun protection T Underwear: Most camps and lodges will not include “smalls” (underwear) in their laundry service. This is partly for cultural reasons and partly because many properties still do laundry by hand. It is usually OK for you wash them yourself in your room. For women WUDYHOHUVZHVXJJHVWFORVHͫWWLQJEUDVVLHUHVVXFKDVVSRUWVEUDV̜WKHURDGVDUHYHU\ bumpy. T Sleepwear T Optional: Swimsuit Seasonal Clothing Recommendations For spring and summer (September-March): T Walking shorts T A jacket or sweater. Even in summer it can be cool during early morning game drives. For the rainy season (November-March): Your laundry will take more than a day to be returned dry because most lodges don’t have dryers. T Light rain jacket/windbreaker with hood T Hood/lens cap/waterproof bag for camera For fall and winter (May-August): It’s colder than you think in winter, especially during early morning game drives or at night in a tented camp. Warm clothing is essential, so add these items your packing list. T /RQJVOHHYHGVKLUWVLQDZDUPKHDY\IDEULFIRUFRROQLJKWVLHͬDQQHORUNQLW 70 T $ZDUPLQVXODWHGMDFNHWLQDGGLWLRQWRDZRRORUͬHHFHVZHDWHU,I\RXRZQDOLJKWRU PHGLXPZHLJKWLQVXODWHGͫHOGMDFNHWRUSDUND\RXFDQXVHWKDW T Warm hat, gloves, and a scarf (especially useful on the game-drive vehicles) T Warm sleepwear T Long underwear. It keeps you warm but doesn’t take up a lot of space or weigh much. Essential Items T 'DLO\HVVHQWLDOV WRRWKEUXVKWRRWKSDVWHͬRVVKDLUEUXVKRUFRPEVKDYLQJLWHPV deodorant, etc. Tented camps and lodges provide shampoo, soap, and insect repellent, but you may want to bring your own if you have preferred brands. Camps and lodges do not typically provide wash cloths. T Spare eyeglasses/contact lenses; sunglasses T Sunscreen: SPF 15 or stronger T Flashlight or headlamp: Consider a small but powerful LED version or a version with an alternative power source (wind-up, solar powered). T Lightweight binoculars: To avoid disturbing the animals’ natural activities, we stop the vehicle at a respectful distance. By having your own binoculars, you’ll be able to enjoy WKHH[SHULHQFHPRUH0RGHOVVXFKDV[RU[SURYLGHVXLWDEOHPDJQLͫFDWLRQDQG illumination. 10 x models are usable, but are usually heavy, expensive, and require a very steady hand. T Pocket-size tissues T Moist towelettes (baby wipes) and/or anti-bacterial “water-free” hand cleanser T Electrical transformer & plug adapters. We do not recommend electric shavers or hair dryers, as electricity is limited at many of our lodges. T Camera gear with extra batteries or battery charger Medicines & First Aid Gear T Your own prescription medicines T 7UDYHOͫUVWDLGNLW %DQG$LGVKHDGDFKHDQGSDLQUHOLHIOD[DWLYHVDQGDQWLGLDUUKHD tablets, something for upset stomach. Maybe a cold remedy, moleskin foot pads, or antibiotic cream. 71 T An antibiotic medication for gastrointestinal illness T Optional: A strong prescription pain medication for rare emergency purposes T Optional: Motion sickness medicine if you are susceptible (the roads are very bumpy). T 2SWLRQDO $QWLPDODULDOPHGLFDWLRQ̜GLVFXVVZLWK\RXUGRFWRUͫUVW T Optional: Allergy medications if you are susceptible to allergies, asthma, or other breathing problems (roads are dusty) 7,3 $WWLPHRIZULWLQJWKH6WDWH'HSDUWPHQWZDUQHGWKDWWUDYHOHUVVKRXOGQRWEULQJRYHUWKHFRXQWHU GUXJVZLWKWKHLQJUHGLHQWGLSKHQK\GUDPLQHRUDQWLKLVWDPLQHV OLNH%HQDGU\O WR=DPELD Optional Gear T Eye drops: The dry air and dusty roads can cause itchy eyes. T Surgical masks: Consider bringing masks to cover your mouth during game drives on dusty terrain T ,QͬDWDEOHVHDWFXVKLRQIRUEXPS\URDGV T Travel alarm or travel watch with alarm T Hanging toiletry bag (with hook to hang on doorknob and pockets to organize items) T Basic sewing kit T Hand-wash laundry soap T Reading materials T Travel journal/note pad and pens T Field guide: A small, lightweight guide so you are not encumbered during game drives. T Phrase book T Small gift for Home-Hosted visit T Folding walking staff, sold in most camping stores 72 Do Not Bring Single-Use Plastic Bags Single-use plastic bags are banned in Kenya and Tanzania. (The only exception are Ziploc-style bags which are allowed for toiletries and liquids as per the TSA.) If you like to bring a plastic shopping bag for shoes or laundry, we recommend a lightweight nylon bag, packing cube, or UHXVDEOHFORWKWRWHLQVWHDG7KHEDQLVRQO\ORRVHO\HQIRUFHGEXWYLRODWLRQVFRXOGUHVXOWLQͫQHVRU even imprisonment, so please double-check your luggage before you depart. Tips on Packing Light Simply put, space and weight are at a premium on this adventure. You’ll need to pare down to the EDVLFVWKDW\RXQHHGEXWWKLVFDQEHKDUGWRͫJXUHRXW+HUHDUHDIHZWHFKQLTXHVWKDWFDQKHOS • Bring half the clothes. Plan to pack less and wash your clothes and/or have laundry done during the trip. Many of our lodges or tented camps will launder 2-3 items a day for each traveler without charge. Even at the handful of lodges that do charge a fee, the prices are quite reasonable. Laundry is not available in Tarangire National Park or Serengeti National Park, but is usually available for a small fee in other parts of Tanzania. Laundry service does not include “smalls” (underwear), but it is usually OK for you to wash them yourself in your room. • Stick to a simple color palette LWZLOOEHHDVLHUWRPL[DQGPDWFKWRFUHDWHRXWͫWVRXWRI OLPLWHGFORWKLQJ:DWFKRXWIRUWRRPXFKEODFNDQGEOXH WKH\FDQDWWUDFWWVHWVHͬLHV RU white (gets dirty easily). • Divide and conquer. If you are traveling with a companion, you can save space by deciding in advance to share some essential items. • Consolidate by going digital. A tablet or smart phone can easily replace multiple items VXFKDVDERRNDSKUDVHJXLGH\RXUMRXUQDODͬDVKOLJKWDQDODUPFORFNHWF$QGLILWLV WiFi enabled, you can also use it to send the occasional email. (Some properties will have limited service.) Electricity When traveling overseas, the voltage is usually different and the plugs might not be the same shape. Voltage Electricity in Botswana, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda is 220-240 volts. In the U.S. it is 110 volts. Most of the things a traveler will want to plug in—battery chargers, MP3 players, tablets or computers—can run off both 110 and 220-240. But you should FKHFNWKHLWHPRUWKHRZQHU̞VJXLGHͫUVWWRFRQͫUPWKLVEHIRUH\RXSOXJLWLQ,I\RXKDYH something that needs 110 volts—like a shaver or a hairdryer—you can bring a transformer to change the current. (But transformers tend to burn out, so it might be better to leave whatever it is at home.) 73 Plugs The shape of plugs will vary from country to country, and sometimes even within a country depending on when that building was built. To plug something from the U.S. into a local socket \RX̞OOQHHGDQDGDSWHUWKDWͫWVEHWZHHQWKHSOXJDQGWKHVRFNHW%HFDXVHWKHUHDUHPDQ\GLIIHUHQW types of plugs in this region, it may be easier to purchase an all-in-one, universal adapter/ converter combo. Versatile and lightweight, these can usually be found at your local electronics goods or hardware stores. Sometimes you can buy them at large retailers too, like Target or :DOPDUW,I\RXIRUJHWWREULQJDQDGDSWHU\RXPLJKWDOVRͫQGWKHPIRUVDOHDWWKHDLUSRUWZKHQ you arrive at your destination. Different plug shapes are named by letters of the alphabet. Standard U.S. plugs are Type A and Type B. Here is the list of plugs for the countries on this trip: South Africa:0,WFDQEHGLIͫFXOWWRͫQGD7\SH0DGDSWHULQWKH86 \RXFDQͫQGWKHPDWODUJH local airports like the Johannesburg and Cape Town airports. Zimbabwe: M or G Zambia: C, D, or G Botswana: M Kenya: G Tanzania: D or G 74 Uganda: G Type D Type G Type M Type C Availability In the remote lodges, the generator that supplies electricity may operate during limited hours. It is possible to recharge camera batteries, but only while the generator is running. Therefore, bringing two batteries—one to use while the other is recharging—is recommended. Electric current is usually adequate to run an electric razor, but not a hairdryer. The lighting at the lodges PD\QRWEHDVEULJKWDV\RXDUHXVHGWR DVPDOO/('ͬDVKOLJKWFDQEHXVHIXO A constant electricity supply cannot be guaranteed during overnight stays. Travelers who rely on a CPAP machine must bring one that runs on rechargeable batteries. 75 CLIMATE Johannesburg, South Africa: Johannesburg lies in the High Veld, an area of plains at elevations from 4,000 to 6,000 feet. Summers are warm, though rarely uncomfortably hot; this is the time of year when the most rain falls. Nights are cool in winter, but daytime temperatures are mild and dry weather predominates. A high percentage of sunshine and low humidity year-round make for a pleasant climate. Zimbabwe: Most of Zimbabwe has a pleasant climate for much of the year; temperatures are generally warm. The hottest month is usually October, when daytime highs can be extreme (as high as 100 degrees F, or more). From May to August, evenings can be surprisingly chilly. The rainy season from November to March brings heavy rains and thunderstorms. Zambia: Zambia is warm all year long, but not tropical. It has three distinct seasons; December through April is hot and wet, May through August is cooler and dry, and from September to November it is hot but dry. Botswana: Most of Botswana is considered desert or semi-desert. It is usually comfortably warm, but can get hot, especially between October and March, when mid-day temperatures can get as high as 110-120 °F. Rain is quite rare, but can occur even in the driest months. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe: Victoria Falls is humid and hot most of the year, with temperatures often in the 90s. Kenya: The climate in Kenya varies with the terrain—the coast is tropical, the interior temperate, and the north is arid. The Masai Mara Reserve, which is in the southwest, is at a moderate- to-high elevation (4,900-7,100 feet above sea level). This makes the climate wetter and more temperate than other parts of the country, with temperatures usually falling in the range of 85-65 degrees. The rainy seasons are April-May and November; the dry season is from July to October. Uganda: Uganda enjoys a tropical climate with steady temperatures throughout the year due to its location near the equator. Temperatures typically range from the mid-50s to mid-80s, except in the mountains which are much cooler. Rain can occur throughout the year, especially from March-May and September-November. January-February and June-August are considered the “dry season.” East Africa: East African weather is fairly consistent. Temperatures will typically range from comfortably warm to hot, especially at mid-day. Evenings can be surprisingly chilly. Rain can occur even in the driest months, and heavy rains occur frequently in Tanzania and Kenya from March to May. The “short rains” occur in November and December. Seasonal Notes You will be in the southern hemisphere throughout this tour. South of the equator, the seasons are the reverse of those in the northern hemisphere; the warmest months are between October and March, and the coldest are between April and September. 76 • Rainy Season (November-March): The rainy season brings heavy rains and thunderstorms, particularly in January and February. You will want good rain gear during this period, and your laundry will take more than a day to be returned dry. (Most lodges don’t have dryers; some don’t even have washing machines—the laundry is done by hand.) In addition to being rainy it is also hot. Temperatures can easily be in the 90s, although it will feel cooler on game drives. • Winter (May-August): When most people think of Africa, they picture a warm climate—the hot sun beating down on a savannah or a humid jungle. But winter in Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is actually colder than most travelers expect. Nighttime lows are in the 40s or 50s; daytime highs are usually in the 70s or 80s. And given that our early-morning game drives are in open vehicles, you’ll feel at least 10 degrees cooler than the actual temperature. Bring warm clothes and wear layers; that way you are prepared for the combination of cold mornings, warm days, and cold nights. Climate Averages & Online Forecast 7KHIROORZLQJFKDUWVUHͬHFWWKHaverage climate as opposed to exact weather conditions. This means they serve only as general indicators of what can reasonably be expected. An extreme heat wave or cold snap could fall outside these ranges. As your departure approaches, we encourage you to go online to www.oattravel.com/myaccount for your 10-day forecast. 77 Average Daily High/Low Temperatures (°F), Humidity & Monthly Rainfall MONTH JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA HWANGE NATIONAL PARK, ZIMBABWE Temp. High-Low % Relative Average # of Days Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Humidity (am-pm) with Rainfall Humidity (am-pm) (inches) JAN 77 to 60 85 to 52 15 85 to 65 -- 5.7 FEB 75 to 59 88 to 54 13 84 to 64 -- 5.1 MAR 74 to 58 85 to 53 12 84 to 62 -- 2.2 APR 69 to 53 80 to 47 8 82 to 56 -- 0.8 MAY 66 to 48 70 to 38 3 79 to 48 -- 0.1 JUN 60 to 42 70 to 38 2 75 to 41 -- -- JUL 61 to 42 68 to 34 2 75 to 40 -- -- AUG 65 to 46 66 to 32 2 80 to 45 -- -- SEP 71 to 51 68 to 34 4 88 to 54 -- 0.1 OCT 73 to 54 77 to 42 12 90 to 61 -- 0.8 NOV 74 to 56 82 to 49 15 89 to 64 -- 2.2 DEC 76 to 59 84 to 51 17 86 to 64 -- 5.0 MONTH KAFUE NATIONAL PARK, ZAMBIA KASANE, BOTSWANA Temp. High-Low % Relative Average # of Days Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Humidity (am-pm) with Rain Humidity (am-pm) (inches) JAN 78 to 68 91 to 68 13 87 to 67 -- 5.3 FEB 78 to 67 93 to 68 12 87 to 67 -- 5.3 MAR 78 to 67 91 to 66 9 88 to 66 -- 2.8 APR 77 to 63 89 to 55 4 87 to 61 -- 0.9 MAY 75 to 57 85 to 46 1 84 to 56 -- 0.1 JUN 71 to 52 84 to 42 - 79 to 50 -- -- JUL 72 to 51 80 to 37 - 79 to 49 -- -- AUG 76 to 55 73 to 31 - 85 to 54 -- -- SEP 83 to 63 64 to 28 - 91 to 61 -- 0.1 OCT 85 to 68 63 to 32 2 94 to 67 -- 0.8 NOV 83 to 69 73 to 43 6 92 to 69 -- 2.5 DEC 78 to 68 88 to 65 13 89 to 68 -- 5.0 78 MONTH VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE NAIROBI, KENYA Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Humidity (avg) (inches) Humidity (am-pm) (inches) JAN 86 to 65 73 6.6 77 to 58 93 to 41 1.8 FEB 85 to 64 77 5.0 80 to 58 89 to 35 1.7 MAR 86 to 63 69 2.8 80 to 60 92 to 38 2.9 APR 85 to 57 60 1.0 76 to 61 96 to 52 6.3 MAY 81 to 49 53 0.1 74 to 59 96 to 56 4.7 JUN 77 to 43 52 -- 73 to 56 94 to 53 1.2 JUL 77 to 42 44 -- 71 to 54 93 to 52 0.5 AUG 82 to 47 37 -- 72 to 54 92 to 49 0.5 SEP 89 to 55 33 0.1 76 to 55 92 to 41 1.0 OCT 92 to 63 35 1.1 78 to 58 93 to 40 1.7 NOV 90 to 65 57 2.5 75 to 60 96 to 51 4.7 DEC 86 to 65 71 6.8 75 to 59 96 to 49 3.0 MONTH MASAI MARA, KENYA KARATU, TANZANIA Temp. High-Low % Relative Avg # of Days with Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Humidity (avg) Rain Humidity (am-pm) (inches) JAN 84 to 59 -- 21 62 to 52 -- 2.1 FEB 88 to 59 -- 17 59 to 52 -- 1.9 MAR 90 to 59 -- 17 61 to 53 -- 4.0 APR 85 to 59 -- 23 64 to 56 -- 6.4 MAY 80 to 58 -- 25 61 to 55 -- 3.1 JUN 77 to 59 -- 30 55 to 50 -- 0.5 JUL 80 to 57 -- 25 58 to 51 -- 0.2 AUG 84 to 59 -- 17 60 to 50 -- 0.1 SEP 85 to 59 -- 18 65 to 50 -- 0.1 OCT 85 to 61 -- 15 68 to 52 -- 0.6 NOV 83 to 61 -- 23 67 to 54 -- 3.5 DEC 78 to 60 -- 31 64 to 54 -- 3.3 79 MONTH SERENGETI PARK, TANZANIA KAMPALA, UGANDA Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Humidity (am-pm) (inches) Humidity (am-pm) (inches) JAN 81 to 59 -- 3.6 75 to 66 -- 2.3 FEB 81 to 59 -- 3.8 79 to 66 -- 2.4 MAR 81 to 61 -- 5.2 77 to 66 -- 4.8 APR 79 to 61 -- 5.0 75 to 66 -- 7.1 MAY 77 to 57 -- 2.4 75 to 66 -- 5.2 JUN 77 to 55 -- 1.1 73 to 66 -- 2.6 JUL 75 to 55 -- 0.5 73 to 64 -- 2.1 AUG 77 to 57 -- 1.0 75 to 64 -- 3.5 SEP 81 to 59 -- 1.1 75 to 64 -- 4.0 OCT 82 to 59 -- 1.5 75 to 64 -- 4.7 NOV 81 to 59 -- 3.5 75 to 64 -- 5.5 DEC 82 to 61 -- 4.1 75 to 64 -- 3.7 80 ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS z̍̍¦̍¦ũĢť1ƗťāũĢāłóādāÖùāũŭ̆Âŋũķùŋĕ'ĢƦāũāłóā During your adventure you’ll be accompanied by one of our local, expert Trip Experience Leaders. $OODUHͬXHQWLQ(QJOLVKDQGSRVVHVVWKHVNLOOVFHUWLͫFDWLRQDQGH[SHULHQFHQHFHVVDU\WRHQVXUH an enriching adventure. As locals of the regions you’ll explore with them, our Trip Experience /HDGHUVSURYLGHWKHNLQGRIͫUVWKDQGNQRZOHGJHDQGLQVLJKWWKDWPDNHORFDOKLVWRU\FXOWXUH and wildlife come alive. Coupled with their unbridled enthusiasm, caring personalities, and ability to bring diverse groups of travelers together, our Trip Experience Leaders ensure that your experience with O.A.T. is one you’ll remember for a lifetime. Culture & Points to Know Fall and Winter Departures Please note, January-March and November-December departures will have a slightly altered itinerary in Zambia. On these departures, you will visit Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park instead of Kafue National Park with minor differences in included activities and transfer times. For more details, please refer to the website at www.oattravel.com. Your detailed itinerary will also be provided in your Final Documents booklet, which will arrive approximately 2 weeks prior to departure. Keep an Open Mind • This is not a typical tour, and the itinerary you follow is subject to change. This is Africa— weather, the political situation, migration of game, fuel availability, road conditions, VHDVRQDOͬRRGVLQWKH2NDYDQJR'HOWDDQGͬLJKWVFKHGXOHFKDQJHVPD\DOOLPSDFW\RXUWULS • In some cases, they may change the sequence of places visited, or we may not follow the trip itinerary exactly as published. • Poverty is prevalent in Africa, so be prepared to witness a lower standard of living during our visits to local villages and schools. Accommodations • Our hotels and lodges are comfortable, but not luxurious. • There can be occasional problems with electricity, hot water, and air conditioning (where it exists in the cities; there is not air conditioning in the safari camps). • The roads within and between the parks can be dusty and very bumpy. • Near the towns, some roads may be littered with trash. • Water is scarce in the parks. We ask that you conserve water when washing, and shower only once each day. 81 • During the 3ULYDWH*DPH5HVHUYH6DIDUL 4XHVWIRU6RXWK$IULFD̞V%LJ pre-trip extension, we will stay in either Karongwe Game Reserve or Thornybush Game Reserve, depending on availability. The number of included features, meals, and game drives remains the same in either reserve. Our Meals Many mornings, we have a full breakfast including eggs, cereal, toast or bread with jam and butter, fresh or tinned fruit. (We have brunches on some other mornings). Most lunches in the lodges are served buffet-style, and typically include meats, stews, vegetables, rice, potatoes, and dessert. Lodge dinners are usually served at table, and include soup and breads, a main entree VXFKDVFKLFNHQPHDWRUͫVKZLWKDYHJHWDEOHVLGHGLVKIROORZHGE\GHVVHUWDQGFKHHVHERDUG Most of our meals are from the familiar Western cuisines, but we’ll mix this up with characteristic African fare: you can try ugali, a maize meal dish, nyama na mtuzi, a meat stew, or sukuma wiki, fried green collards. Beverages such as tea and coffee are served at all meals. During your adventure, you will receive one complementary bottle of water each day at your lodgings, and during safari days, you’ll also receive a second complementary bottle of water in your safari vehicle. Additional bottled water is available for sale in the lodges. Prices vary, but generally fall in the $3-4 range for a one-litter bottle. Safari Vehicles 7KURXJKRXWWKHWULSZHPDNHVKRUWͬLJKWVEHWZHHQVLWHVDERDUGVHDWDQGVHDWOLJKWDLUFUDIW 2XUORQJHVWͬLJKWLVDSSUR[LPDWHO\RQHKRXUDQGPLQXWHV PRVWDUHVKRUWHU,QWKHHYHQWRI LQFOHPHQWZHDWKHUZHPD\EHXQDEOHWRͬ\EHWZHHQFDPSV,QWKHVHLQVWDQFHVZHZLOOWUDYHO overland. *DPHYLHZLQJGULYHVDUHGRQHLQVSHFLDOO\RXWͫWWHGIRXUZKHHOGULYHYHKLFOHVRIWHQRYHU bumpy, muddy, or dusty paths. In Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, the open-sided vehicles hold a maximum of eight travelers and one guide each and have bucket or bench-style seating, ZLWKWKHEHQHͫWRIDGHJUHHYLHZ In Tanzania, we travel between parks and do our game drives in four-wheel-drive vehicles. In Kenya, we use comfortable seven-seater safari minibuses. Each passenger has an individual, high-backed seat. The vehicles are designed for maximum visibility: every seat is a window seat. A large hatch lifts up from the roof for unrestricted viewing. You will have ample opportunities to photograph wildlife—a telephoto lens is best for getting dramatic close-ups. We will also explore the Kwando River in a pontoon boat, and have the chance to explore a bit on foot. In the Okavango Delta, we will enjoy exploring and game viewing aboard mokoro dugout FDQRHV̜ZDWHUOHYHOV ZKLFKͬXFWXDWH\HDUURXQGLQWKH'HOWD SHUPLWWLQJ&UDIWHGRIͫEHUJODVV to resemble the traditional wooden boats of yore, these small vessels are poled by expert guides, and carry only two passengers each. 82 Reminder: The roads can be very bumpy, and there will be times when you are “off-roading” over UXJJHGWHUUDLQIRUJDPHYLHZLQJGULYHV6RPHGD\VZH̞OOVSHQGQHDUO\DOOGD\ KRXUV LQWKH YHKLFOHKRZHYHUWKHUHZLOOEHEUHDNVDORQJWKHZD\ Safety & Security As you travel, exercise the same caution and awareness that you would in a large American city. Don’t be overly nervous or suspicious, but keep your eyes open. If you are venturing out after dark, go with one or two other people. Carry a one-day supply of cash in your pocket. Carry most of your money, and your passport, in a travel pouch or money belt under your shirt. Replenish your pocket supply when you are in a safe and quiet place, or in our vehicle. Don’t leave valuables unattended in your hotel room. Most hotels will offer use of a hotel safe at the front desk or an electronic in-room safe (for which you can set your own personal number). Please utilize them. Pickpockets may create a sudden distraction. In any sort of puzzling street situation, try to keep one hand on your money belt. If an encounter with a local turns out to be long and complicated and involves money or your valuables, be very careful. Con artists sometimes target travelers. Be careful when taking photos from the vehicle in towns or city centers. It is not unheard of for thieves to reach inside the open window while you are distracted and grab cameras or purses. If you’re taking photos out of an open window in a crowded area, have someone else in the group watch over your valuables. Laundry Many of our lodges or tented camps will launder 2-3 items a day for each traveler without charge, though laundry services are not available in Tarangire National Park or Serengeti National Park. Even at the handful of lodges that do charge a fee, the prices are quite reasonable. Laundry service does not include “smalls” (underwear), but it is usually OK for you to wash them yourself in your room. Language Barrier You can have some great “conversations” with local people who do not speak English, even if you don’t speak a word of the local language. Indeed, this non-verbal communication can be a highly rewarding part of travel. To break the ice, bring along some family photographs, or a few postcards of your hometown. If you want to meet kids, bring a puppet or other interactive toy. Your Trip Experience Leader can help get the ball rolling. Your attire is a key part of your non-verbal presentation. Your clothing should show a respect for local tradition. In small towns or near villages, you should dress in a relatively modest style— DYRLGUHYHDOLQJRUWLJKWͫWWLQJRXWͫWV7KHDSSOLFDWLRQRIWKLVJXLGHOLQHYDULHV 83 Taking Photographs The etiquette of photographing most people in the countries on your itinerary is about the same as it would be on in your hometown. Some tribal members have particular concerns about SKRWRJUDSK\7KH\NQRZWKDWSURIHVVLRQDOSKRWRJUDSKHUVKDYHSURͫWHGIURPVHOOLQJWKHLU images, and they will often ask for money in exchange for you taking their picture. Try to set a clear understanding when photographing tribal people, even from a distance. In general, you need permission to take a close-up, as you would at home, but not for a crowd scene. Be especially polite if you want to photograph an older person. If you want to shoot a great SRUWUDLWVKRZLQWHUHVWLQ\RXUVXEMHFWDQGWU\WRKDYHDELWRILQWHUDFWLRQͫUVW7KHQXVHVLJQ language to inquire if a picture is OK. Your Trip Experience Leader can help. Responsible Safari Travel We do our best to have a minimum negative impact on local cultures and the natural environment in every country we operate trips. Here’s how you can assist in this effort. Respecting Wildlife • Observe the animals silently and with a minimum of disturbance to their natural activities. Loud talking on a game drive can frighten the animals away. • Never attempt to attract an animal’s attention. Don’t imitate animal sounds, clap your hands, pound on the vehicle, or throw objects. Failure to obey this rule could result in your removal from a National Park by one of the Park Rangers on patrol. • Please respect your driver-guides’ judgment about your proximity to wildlife. Don’t insist that he or she take the vehicle closer so you can get a better photograph. A vehicle driven too close can hinder a hunt or cause animals to abandon a hard-earned meal. • Litter tossed on the ground can choke or poison animals and birds. • Never attempt to feed or approach any wild animal on foot. This is especially important near lodges or in campsites where animals may have become accustomed to human visitors. Failure to adhere to this could cause you to be bitten and need immediate rabies shots, which are unpleasant and costly. • 6PRNLQJLVQRWDOORZHGRQJDPHGULYHV7KHGU\$IULFDQEXVKLJQLWHVYHU\HDVLO\DQGDͬDVK ͫUHFDQKDUPKXQGUHGVRIDQLPDOV Conserving the Natural Environment • Minimize the disposable items you bring on the trip and dispose of your trash properly. • Ask whether plastic drinking water bottles can be recycled. Most days, it’s better to keep your empty bottles with you until you reach your hotel. • Stay on established trails to avoid damaging plants. 84 • Don’t pick any vegetation, or remove any item of biological interest. Shopping There may be scheduled visits to local shops during your adventure. There is no requirement to make a purchase during these stops, and any purchase made is a direct transaction with the shop in question, subject to the vendor’s terms of purchase. O.A.T. is not responsible for purchases you make on your trip or for the shipment of your purchases. Returns If you discover an issue with an item, you should contact the vendor directly and expect that any resolution will take longer than it would in the U.S. We recommend that you keep a copy of all your receipts, invoices, or contracts, along with the shop’s contact information. Keep in mind, local practice may vary from U.S. standards, so don’t assume that you have a certain number of days after the purchase to speak up or that you are guaranteed a refund. Crafts & Souvenirs South Africa Traditional items for sale include hand-woven rugs, pottery, beadwork, wood carvings, kangas DFRORUIXOZRYHQJDUPHQW PHHUVFKDXPSLSHVͫQHEDVNHWU\DQGTXDOLW\FRIIHHDQGWHD,Q sophisticated Cape Town, there are fashionable boutiques and big-city shopping malls. South Africa is a major source of the world’s diamonds and other precious stones—either as jewelry or as gems you can have set back at home. Southern Africa Traditional souvenirs include gems and gemstone jewelry, batik artwork, traditional African ZRYHQFORWKVVWRQHDQGZRRGVFXOSWXUHVOHDWKHUJRRGVEHDGZRUNDQGͫQHEDVNHWU\ East Africa Traditional souvenirs include woodcarvings, gems and gemstone jewelry, batik artwork, traditional African woven cloths, hand-woven carpets and mats, leather goods, Maasai beadwork, ͫQHEDVNHWU\DQGH[FHOOHQWFRIIHHDQGWHD Mokonde The authentic woodcarvings called mokonde are made only in Tanzania, and are prized by collectors worldwide. Usually made of ebony, traditional mokonde art depicts spirit gods, DQFHVWRUVDQGKDOIKXPDQKDOIDQLPDOͫJXUHV7RGD\PRNRQGHKDVEHHQDGDSWHGWRLQFOXGH ͫJXUHVRIZLOGOLIH 85 Bargaining 6RPHVKRSVKDYHͫ[HGSULFHV,QWKHRSHQDLUPDUNHWVSULFHVDUHXVXDOO\ͬH[LEOHDQGQHJRWLDWLQJ is normal. The only rule is that if you make an offer, you should be prepared to buy at that price. Bring a mix of small bills so that you can pay in exact change. For bargaining in East Africa, our Trip Experience Leaders suggest that you ask how much the item is, and start your bidding at a quarter of that price, working your way up to half the asking price. This is a good rule of thumb for getting the “right” price. Uganda In Uganda, look for gold, silver, and beaded jewelry, wood carvings, handmade bags, woven rugs, curtains, hats, traditional baskets, and spices. U.S. Customs Regulations & Shipping Charges For all things related to U.S. Customs, the ultimate authority is the U.S. Bureau of Customs & Border Protection. Their website, www.cbp.gov has the answers to the most frequently asked questions. Or you can call them at 1-877-227-5511. The top three points to know are: • At time of writing, your personal duty-free allowance is $800 for items brought with you. Items totaling more than $800 are subject to duty fees. • Items shipped home are always subject to duty when received in the U.S. Even when the shop has offered to include shipping and duties in the price, this typically means shipping to the nearest customs facility and payment of the export duties—not door-to-door shipping or payment of the import duties. All additional duties or shipping charges would be your responsibility. Unless an item is small enough to send by parcel service (like FedEx), chances are you will need to arrange shipping or pick-up once the item is in the U.S. and will need to pay customs duties. • It is illegal to import products made from endangered animal species. U.S. Customs & Border Protection will seize these items, as well as most furs, coral, tortoise shell, reptile skins, feathers, plants, and items made from animal skins. When buying gemstones—such as Tanzanite set in jewelry—make sure to ask if it comes ZLWKDFHUWLͫFDWHbefore purchasing, as often transactions that have been completed cannot be reversed due to the TRA (Tanzania Revenue Authority) receipting system. 86 DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY South Africa Facts & Figures • Area: 470,693 square miles • Capital: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial) • Languages:7KHUHDUHHOHYHQRIͫFLDOODQJXDJHV (QJOLVK$IULNDDQV,VL=XOX,VL;KRVD Sepedi, Setswana, Sesotho, and Xitsonga and others are all spoken. • Ethnicity: Black African 80.2%, white 8.4%, biracial 8.8%, Indian/Asian 2.5% • Location: South Africa is bordered by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, the Indian Ocean, and the South Atlantic Ocean to the west. • Geography: Africa’s southernmost country, South Africa has three major natural regions: the plateau, the mountains, and the coastal belt. • Population: 53,675,563 • Religions: Protestant 36.6% (Zionist Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%), Catholic 7.1%, Muslim 1.5%, other &KULVWLDQRWKHUXQVSHFLͫHGQRQH • Time Zone: South Africa is on South Africa Standard Time (SAST), seven hours ahead of U.S. EST. When it is 6am in Washington D.C., it is 1pm in South Africa. National Holidays: South Africa In addition to the holidays listed below, 05/01 Workers’ Day South Africa celebrates a number of national 06/16 Youth Day holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such DV(DVWHUDQG)DPLO\'D\7RͫQGRXWLI\RX 08/09 National Women’s Day will be traveling during these holidays, please visit www.timeanddate.com/holidays. 09/24 Heritage Day 01/01 New Year’s Day 12/16 Day of Reconciliation 03/21 Human Rights Day 12/25 Christmas Day 04/27 Freedom Day 12/26 Day of Goodwill 87 Historical Overview of South Africa The San, nomadic hunter-gatherers, were the earliest people to inhabit southern Africa. DNA evidence suggests that the San—sometimes referred to as “Bushmen”—lived here as long ago as 100,000 B.C, very likely making them the oldest people in the world. If so, then we can all trace RXUJHQHVWRWKHP,QWKHIRXUWKRUͫIWKFHQWXU\%&WKHͫUVW%DQWXVDUULYHGEULQJLQJWKHͫUVW tribal structure to the region and taking over most of the arable land. ,QWKHODWHWKFHQWXU\WKH(XURSHDQVDUULYHGͫUVWIURP3RUWXJDOWKHQIURP+ROODQG7KHODWWHU settled here and took slaves from Madagascar, India, and Indonesia. The Dutch were losing their foothold by the late 18th century, leaving them vulnerable to the British, who set up a base in Cape Town as a pit stop en route to India and Australia. The British continued what the Dutch had started: They fought the native Xhosa people, pushing eastward to expand their reach and erecting fortresses along the Fish River. The remaining Dutch Boer farmers escaped British control when they set off to establish their own colony in the north and the east of South Africa. But en route, they came across many deserted or decimated villages. Villagers they met were dazed and confused. The Boers would meet the culprits of this ransacking when they came upon the Zulu, who were running their FDPSDLJQRIWHUURUWRRYHUWDNHODQGIURPVXUURXQGLQJWULEHV:LWKͫHUFHVWUXJJOHWKH%RHUVIDFHG them down and formed their own settlements, only to be confronted themselves by the British, who were bent on land acquisition. Then, a sea of diamonds appeared in the earth in nearby .LPEHUOH\JLYLQJWKH%RHUVDELWPRUHLQFHQWLYHWRVWD\̜DQGWRͫJKWWKH%ULWLVKZLWKHYHU\WKLQJ they had. They resisted the British push with guerilla tactics in the First Boer War. But the British returned with greater force to defeat them in the Second Boer War at the turn of the 20th century. The formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910 by the British and the Dutch-Afrikaaners set the stage for apartheid with its race-based policies, restrictions, and repression. Blacks were segregated to live in squalid backwaters known as “homelands.” 7KHZKLWHUXOLQJ$IULNDDQHUVSDLGSOHQW\RIOLSVHUYLFHWRWKHVXSSRVHGVHOIVXIͫFLHQF\RIWKHVH regions, but provided no means or opportunities for improvements. In the 1960s, blacks began to protest with strikes and marches. It wasn’t long before things turned violent: 69 were killed in Sharpeville and members of the African National Congress (ANC) were jailed, Nelson Mandela among them. Opposition against apartheid grew worldwide, and with the economic impacts of sanctions and divestments, the National Party’s FW de Klerk lifted the ban on the ANC and, 27 years after his LPSULVRQPHQWUHOHDVHG1HOVRQ0DQGHOD,Q KHZRQWKHFRXQWU\̞VͫUVWPXOWLUDFLDOHOHFWLRQ by a landslide and became president. Some of the disparities of apartheid remain, but South Africa is far more optimistic than it once ZDV7KDER0EHNLZDVHOHFWHGLQWRRIͫFHLQ DIWHU0DQGHOD̞VUHWLUHPHQW̜HDUQLQJHYHQPRUH YRWHVWKDQKLVSUHGHFHVVRU̜EXWWKHQZDVUHFDOOHGIURPRIͫFHLQ DQGUHSODFHGE\-DFRE =XPD,QUHFHQW\HDUV6RXWK$IULFDKDVVWHSSHGXSLWVͫJKWVDJDLQVW+,9$,'6ZLWK0DQGHOD once again gaining international attention as an outspoken advocate of anti-AIDS drugs. 88 Zimbabwe Facts & Figures • Area: 150,872 square miles • Capital: Harare • Languages:(QJOLVKLVWKHRIͫFDOODQJXDJH 6KRQDDQG1JXQLDUHDOVRVSRNHQ • Ethnicity: African 99.4% (predominantly Shona; Ndebele is the second largest ethnic JURXS RWKHUXQVSHFLͫHG • Location: Zimbabwe is bordered by Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa, and Botswana. • Geography: Zimbabwe is twice as large as Great Britain. Its Victoria Falls, approximately one mile long with a maximum drop of 420 feet, is located on the Zambezi River by the Zambia-Zimbabwe border. • Population: 14,229,541 • Religions: Protestant 75.9% (includes Apostolic 38%, Pentecostal 21.1%, other 16.8%), Roman Catholic 8.4%, other Christian 8.4%, other 1.2% (includes traditional, Muslim), none 6.1% • Time Zone: Zimbabwe is on Central Africa Time, seven hours ahead of U.S. EST. When it is 6am in Washington D.C., it is 1pm in Harare. National Holidays: Zimbabwe In addition to the holidays listed below, 04/18 Independence Day Zimbabwe celebrates a number of national 05/01 Workers Day holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such DV(DVWHUDQG+HURHV̞'D\7RͫQGRXWLI\RX 05/25 Africa Day will be traveling during these holidays, please visit www.timeanddate.com/holidays. 12/22 Unity Day 01/01 New Year’s Day 12/25 Christmas Day 02/21 National Youth Day 12/26 Boxing Day Historical Overview of Zimbabwe The name “Zimbabwe” comes from the capital city of the Monomotapa Empire, whose heyday occurred between the 5th and 15th centuries in this part of Africa. A remnant of this empire survives today at the Great Zimbabwe ruins, about 110 miles south of Harare, where there is an DFURSROLVDWRSDIRRWKLJKJUDQLWHKLOODQGDJUHDWHQFORVXUHLQWKHSODLQVEHORZ7KHIRUWLͫHG acropolis housed the priests of the Mwari Cult. In the great enclosure, traders exchanged local gold and ivory for porcelain, glass beads, and other luxuries from overseas markets. Evidence shows that trade was brisk with lands as far away as India and China. 89 By the late 19th century, the area was occupied by African tribes including the Ndebele and the Shona, led by the powerful chief Lobengula. In 1890, a British column led by Cecil Rhodes marched from South Africa in search of precious minerals. They established Fort Salisbury (now Harare) and disbanded. Through treaties and persuasion, Rhodes and his British South Africa Company acquired mineral rights in Lobengula’s kingdom. Rhodes claimed the territory north of the Limpopo River for Great Britain and distributed it among his pioneers and the indigenous Africans. The country was known as Rhodesia for many years in his honor. The northern portion is now Zambia, while the former Southern Rhodesia was renamed Zimbabwe in 1980 in honor of its historical and cultural heritage. The Ndebele took up arms in 1893 and again in 1896. European settlers spread from the area around Fort Salisbury, and by 1897 the railway had reached from South Africa to Bulawayo, the capital of Lobengula’s former kingdom. A few years later the line was extended to reach the FRDOͫHOGVRI+ZDQJHWKHFRSSHUEHOWLQ1RUWKHUQ5KRGHVLD QRZ=DPELD DQG6DOLVEXU\ZKLFK was already linked by rail to the port of Beira in Portuguese Mozambique. Southern Rhodesia was granted independence by the British in 1923 as an autonomous member RIWKH&RPPRQZHDOWKEXWWKHSDVVDJHRIWKH/DQG$SSRUWLRQPHQW$FWLQ VROLGLͫHGSROLWLFDO power in the hands of the white minority. In 1953 Southern Rhodesia was joined with Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland (now Malawi) into the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Vigorous opposition by nationalists in Zambia and Malawi led to the dissolution of the federation in 1963 and to independence for Zambia and Malawi in 1964. In 1965, Rhodesia’s prime minister, Ian Smith, announced a unilateral declaration of independence. During the 1960s and 1970s, nationalism was building in Rhodesia under the parties led by Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe. Both groups had to take refuge in neighboring independent countries. From there they waged a seven-year struggle for liberation from white minority rule. At last an agreement was reached to hold a popular election in 1980. Mugabe won a landslide victory to EHFRPH=LPEDEZH̞VͫUVWSULPHPLQLVWHUXQGHUPDMRULW\UXOHDQGFRQWLQXHVWRKROGRIͫFHWRGD\ The parliament passed a Land Acquisition Bill in 1992, allowing the government to redistribute about half the land owned by white commercial farmers to black peasants. In his successful 1996 re-election campaign, Mugabe made a pledge that drew a large measure of concern from Zimbabwe’s 100,000 remaining whites, promising to do more to speed up the resettlement of poor blacks on land acquired by the government. But there has been concern and controversy among the black population as well, with Mugabe’s recent years being marred by scandals, charges of corruption, economic problems, and even outcries about his choice of wives. After 28 years of what had effectively become a one-party state, some opposition parties began to challenge the status quo. In Zimbabwe’s 2008 elections, for instance, the leader of the country’s opposition party, Morgan Tsvangirai, won the popular vote, but Mugabe refused to step down from power quietly. He strong-armed opposition supporters and insisted on a run-off election, despite widespread condemnation from world leaders. In the end, South Africa’s president Thabo Mbeki brokered a power-sharing agreement in which Mugabe retained the presidency, with Tsvangirai serving as prime minister. 90 Zambia Facts & Figures • Area: 290,587 square miles • Capital: Lusaka • Ethnicity: African 99.6% (includes Bemba, Tonga, Chewa, Lozi, Nsenga, Tumbuka, Ngoni, Lala, Kaonde, Lunda, and other African groups), other 0.4% (includes Europeans, Asians, and Americans) • Location: Zambia is bordered by Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia. • Geography: Near the southern edges of the country, where the plateaus dip down towards ODNHVDQGULYHUYDOOH\VDUHWKHWKUHHPDMRUULYHUVWKDWͬRZLQWR9LFWRULD)DOOV7RWKHQRUWK DQGWKHZHVWWKHSODWHDXVGHVFHQGLQWRYDVWͬRRGSODLQV • Languages:(QJOLVKLVWKHRIͫFLDOODQJXDJH %HPED1\DQMD7RQJD/R]L/XQGD.DRQGH and Luvale are also spoken. • Population: 15,066,266 • Religions: Protestant 75.3%, Roman Catholic 20.2%, other 2.7% (includes Muslim Buddhist, Hindu, and Baha’i), none 1.8% • Time Zone: Zambia is on Central Africa Time, seven hours ahead of U.S. EST. When it is 6am in Washington D.C., it is 1pm in Lusaka. National Holidays: Zambia In addition to the holidays listed below, 03/12 Youth Day Zambia celebrates a number of national 05/01 May Day holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as (DVWHUDQG8QLW\'D\7RͫQGRXWLI\RXZLOOEH 05/25 Africa Freedom Day traveling during these holidays, please visit www.timeanddate.com/holidays. 08/03 Farmers Day 01/01 New Year’s Day 10/24 Independence Day 03/08 International Women’s Day 12/25 Christmas Day Historical Overview of Zambia The earliest known inhabitants of Zambia were the San, a group of hunter-gathers who relied on stone tools to hunt antelope and search for fruits and nuts. The San made Zambia their favorite hunting ground up to the 4th century when of other tribes from the north began arriving. The new tribes were more technologically advanced; they used copper tools, knew how to make pottery, and were farmers. With their migration south, the hunting lands became farmland instead, and 91 the San were slowly edged out. To this day, the descendants of the San live south of Zambia, in Namibia and South Africa, and are known for their unique “clicking” language. While the new tribes, which were Bantu-speaking, became the forbearers of the more than 70 tribal groups in modern Zambia. Even to day, most of the tribal dialects in Zambia are derived from the Bantu language. These ancestors not only left a linguistic heritage, but also a direct connection to one of the major industries that would dominate Zambian history—copper. Copper weapons and tools gave the Bantu groups an advantage over the San, and in time copper mining became a viable alternative to farming. This was especially true in the 11th and 12th centuries when the Bantu style of slash- and-burn agriculture had diminished the land’s fertility, but the population had increased and developed into villages and towns. Like the Silk Road from China or the spice route from India, a copper trade route sprang up from Zambia. Evidence uncovered at the archeological site of Ingombe Ilede indicates that at its height the Zambian copper route was trading with empires as far away as India. Although the copper route was vast and lasted for centuries, by the 16th century iron weapons and goods overtook copper, and new iron-age kingdoms began to form in Zambia. Eventually, two main iron-using kingdoms emerged: Barotseland and Mwata Kazembe. So when the ͫUVW(XURSHDQH[SORUHUVDUULYHGLQWKHODWHVDQGHDUO\VWKH\NQHZQRWKLQJDERXW Zambia’s copper wealth; they were interested in establishing a trade route from Mozambique to Angola instead. Ironically, it was another African kingdom, and not the Europeans, that caused the biggest SROLWLFDOFKDQJHLQ=DPELDDWWKLVWLPH&RQͬLFWKDGDULVHQLQWKH=XOX.LQJGRPWRWKHVRXWK resulting in the expulsion of the Makololo tribe from Zulu in the 1820s. Under the guidance of their leader, Sebetwane, the clan migrated north and conquered the Zambian kingdom of %DURWVHODQG1RWWRRORQJDIWHUZDUGWKHͫUVW%ULWLVKH[SORUHUDUULYHGLQ=DPELD+HZDVWKHQRWHG 'U/LYLQJVWRQHWKHͫUVW(XURSHDQWRVHHWKH̡VPRNHWKDWWKXQGHUV̢DQGWKHPDQZKRQDPHGLW Victoria Falls in honor of his Queen. (And, yes—he is that Dr. Livingstone, so you might as well go ahead and say it —“Dr Livingstone, I presume?”). With the arrival of the British in the late 1800s, copper once again entered into Zambia’s history. Although “Northern Rhodesia” (as Zambia was then known) was declared part of the British VSKHUHRILQͬXHQFHLQLWZDVQ̞WXQWLOWKHSUHVHQFHRIPDMRUFRSSHUGHSRVLWVZHUHFRQͫUPHG in 1895 that the British took a real economic interest in Zambia. In 1924 Zambia’s status changed to a British protectorate. In theory this meant the British agreed to allow the local population a certain amount of self-rule and military protection in exchange for trading rights, but in practice the “self-rule” was limited to votes for the European population and none for the Africans. Britain retained control of Northern Rhodesia until after WWII (copper was very useful to the war effort) when it merged with Southern Rhodesia (present-day Zimbabwe) and Nyasaland (present-day Malawi) in 1953. But the federation of the three nations was short-lived. On October WK WKH5HSXEOLFRI=DPELDZDVIRUPHGDVDQLQGHSHQGHQWFRXQWU\7KHͫUVWSUHVLGHQW Kenneth Kaunda looked to the socialist system for inspiration—policies were based on central 92 planning, industries were nationalized, and a one-party system was adopted. In 1973 a new constitution formalized the one-party system, banning all other parties except Kaunda’s United National Independence Party (UNIP). $WͫUVWWKHQHZV\VWHPVHHPHGWRZRUN7KHHFRQRP\LPSURYHGDQG=DPELDEHJDQWRWDNH a role in regional politics as a supporter of groups who sought to end colonial rule in other African countries. But the mainstay of the economy was still copper, and when copper prices plummeted in the late 1970s, so to did the Zambian economy. The political support of sometimes- FRQWURYHUVLDOJURXSVZRUNLQJWRHQGFRORQLDOUXOHDOVRFUHDWHGGLIͫFXOWLHVDV=DPELDIRXQGLWVHOI the target of raids from other countries like South Africa and Zimbabwe. As ordinary Zambians grew fed up with the one-party system, there were protests and occasionally riots, but Kaunda remained president. In 1991 President Kaunda lifted the ban on the formation of other parties and a new constitution allowing for a multi-party system was passed. But the change was not without controversy. The new political powerhouse, the Movement of Multiparty Democracy (MMD) was swept into power with the 1991 elections, but was almost immediately accused of corruption and misbehavior towards members of the UNIP. Matters escalated in 1997 with a failed coup d’etat, which prompted the arrest of former president Kaunda by the then current president, Frederick Chiluba. The arrest provoked international response, as did the anti-corruption investigation of Chiluba by his successor. The fallout from this back-and- IRUWKEHWZHHQWKHWZRSDUWLHVVWLOOLQͬXHQFHV=DPELDQSROLWLFVWRGD\ LWZLOOEHLQWHUHVWLQJWRVHH the impact on the next election. Botswana Facts & Figures • Area: 224,607 square miles • Capital: Gaborone • Languages:(QJOLVK RIͫFLDO 6HWVZDQD 7VZDQD • Ethnicity: Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and white 7% • Location: Botswana is bordered by Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Namibia. • Geography: Botswana is a landlocked republic in southern Africa covering an area slightly smaller than France. Bordering nations include Zimbabwe in the northeast, South Africa in the south and southeast, and Namibia to the north and west. The country is geologically a vast sandy tableland with an average elevation of about 3,300 feet (1,000 meters). Large tracts of land in the central south and west (about two-thirds of the country) are covered by the Kalahari Desert. In the north-central portion of Botswana lie the wetlands of the Okavango Delta, the world’s largest inland delta, and the salt pans of the Makgadikgadi area. • Population: 2,182,719 93 • Religions: Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4% (includes Baha’i, Hindu, Muslim), XQVSHFLͫHGQRQH • Time Zone: Botswana is 7 hours ahead of U.S. EST. When it is 6am in Washington D.C., it is 1pm in Botswana. National Holidays: Botswana In addition to the holidays listed below, 05/01 May Day Botswana celebrates a number of national 07/01 Sir Seretse Khama Day holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as (DVWHUDQG$VFHQVLRQ'D\7RͫQGRXWLI\RX 07/20 President’s Day will be traveling during these holidays, please visit www.timeanddate.com/holidays. 09/30 Botswana Day 01/01 New Year’s Day 12/25 Christmas Day Historical Overview of Botswana The earliest known inhabitants of what is now Botswana were the San, or Bushmen, who continue to wander the Kalahari Desert today. Their origins are unknown, but they are estimated to have lived here for some 30,000 years. The San were followed by the Khoi-Khoi, or Hottentots; and then came the Bantu tribes, who migrated from the northwestern and eastern regions of Africa, SUREDEO\DURXQGWKHͫUVWRUVHFRQGFHQWXU\$',QWKHFHQWXULHVWKDWIROORZHGVRXWKHUQ$IULFDQ tribes like the Basotho made incursions into Botswana, and there was much fragmentation (mostly peaceful) among the tribes until the end of the 18th century. By 1652, Europeans had arrived on the Cape and had begun their inexorable spread northwards. %\%RWVZDQDKDGLWVͫUVW(QJOLVK&KULVWLDQPLVVLRQ%XWWKHIDFHRI%RWVZDQDZDVPRUH VLJQLͫFDQWO\DOWHUHGZLWKWKHXQLͫFDWLRQRIWKH=XOXWULEHVXQGHUWKHͫHUFHZDUORUG6KDNDLQ (in what is now South Africa). His military machine conquered or destroyed all tribes in his path; by 1830, many tribes in southern and eastern Botswana had either fallen or been absorbed into the Shaka Zulu Empire. Meanwhile, as the European missions and settlements grew, the Dutch Boers and British colonists began their own partitions of southern Africa, basically taking advantage of the shifting DOOLDQFHVEHWZHHQIUDJPHQWHGWULEHV7HQVLRQEHWZHHQWKH%ULWLVKDQGWKH%RHUVͫQDOO\HUXSWHGLQ war in 1887. Its geopolitical result was the withdrawal of Britain from the Transvaal in exchange for Boer allegiance to the British Crown. But the Boers continued to push into Tswana territory in the north, in what was then called Bechuanaland (and later to become Botswana). The Tswana people lobbied for British protection, and in 1885, their territory became the Bechuanaland Protectorate, administered by Britain. Britain’s interest in the Bechuana colony was scant until Cecil Rhodes and his British South African Company began trying to wrest control of it. A delegation of three powerful Tswana chiefs, with backing from Christian missionaries, appealed to London for more direct government control in an effort to stop Rhodes. The government agreed, consolidated administration of its southern African colonies, and thereby aggravated the simmering tensions with the Boers. War again erupted in 1899. 94 After the Boer War ended in 1902, the Union of South Africa was established with provisions for the incorporation of Bechuanaland. Self-rule advanced within Botswana when advisory councils of African and European residents were set up in 1920. A parliamentary government consisting of the National Assembly and the advisory House of Chiefs and headed by a president was instituted in 1965. Complete independence as a republic came on Sept. 30, 1966. Despite these political developments, Botswana remained among the poorest of nations. Then, in 1967, diamonds were discovered, and the entire economic base of Botswana changed overnight. Botswana now has one of the fastest growing economies in the world. )RUQH[WIHZGHFDGHV%RWVZDQD̞VKLVWRU\EHFDPHGHͫQHGE\LWVUHODWLRQVKLSZLWKRWKHUVRXWKHUQ African nations. In the 1970s, the relationship was one of contrast—Botswana was seen as a more liberal, more open country that it’s neighbors. With a growing economy and no apartheid regime, Botswana was particularly attractive to South African refugees, anti-apartheid activists, and to WKRVHͬHHLQJWKH&LYLO:DULQ=LPEDEZH 7RGD\%RWVZDQDLVVWLOORQHRIWKHIHZ$IULFDQQDWLRQVWR VSHFLͫFDOO\JXDUDQWHHIUHHGRPRIVSHHFKSUHVVDQGUHOLJLRQLQLWVFRQVWLWXWLRQ A shift in the political landscape brought about movement towards unity rather than contrast. In 1980 the Southern African Development Coordination Conference was founded with the H[SUHVVSXUSRVHRIFUHDWLQJDXQLͫHGHFRQRP\LQVRXWKHUQ$IULFD,QWLPHWKLVRUJDQL]DWLRQ became today’s Southern African Development Community, which continues to champion the cause of a more united Africa. Sadly, the country’s biggest crisis to date is one that does unite much of Africa—the AIDS epidemic. But in keeping with their history of openness, Botswana’s National Health Council has been working hard against the epidemic in ways unheard of in most other African countries: with increased spending, open and frank communications about AIDS transmission, and by working with the government to ensure antiretroviral drugs reach the infected. The success of these measures has made modern Botswana an example for other countries facing a similar crisis. Kenya Facts & Figures • Area: 224,080 square miles • Capital: Nairobi • Languages:(QJOLVKDQG.LVZDKLOLDUHWKHRIͫFLDOODQJXDJHV QXPHURXVLQGLJHQRXV languages are also spoken. • Ethnic groups: Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab) 1% • Location: Kenya straddles the equator on the eastern coast of Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania. 95 • Geography: Kenya has an impressively varied landscape. Lake Victoria is on the southwestern border of the country, with Tanzania to the south. The other features of Kenya UDQJHIURPDͬDWEXVKFRYHUHGSODLQLQWKHQRUWKHDVWWREHDXWLIXO,QGLDQ2FHDQEHDFKHV scenic highlands, lakes, the Great Rift Valley, and the towering Mount Kenya. • Population: 45,925,301 (estimate) • Religions: Christian 82.5%, Muslim 11.1%, Traditionalists 1.6%, other 1.7%, none 2.4%, XQVSHFLͫHG • Time zone: Kenya is on East Africa Time, eight hours ahead of U.S. EST. When it is 6am in Washington D.C., it is 2pm in Nairobi. National Holidays: Kenya In addition to the holidays listed below, Kenya (LGDO)LWU7RͫQGRXWLI\RXZLOOEHWUDYHOLQJ celebrates a number of national holidays that during these holidays, please visit www. follow a lunar calendar, such as Easter and Historical Overview of Kenya Some of the earliest humans roamed the land now known as Kenya. Since those primordial times, groups of people from all over Africa and the Middle East have migrated through or into the area. As long as a millennium ago, the Swahili language, which blends Arabic with African Bantu speech, had developed as a common tongue in this region. The aristocratic Hima moved in prior to A.D. 1000, establishing large kingdoms and introducing cattle herding. Bantu peoples followed, including the Kikuyu, who remain the largest single group today. Arabs sailed south from the Middle East to become a dominant presence in the coastal region as early as the 11th century A.D. In Arabic the country was called the land of the Zenj, or “black people.” For centuries, the coastal area was divided up into city-states known as the “Zenj states.” Mombasa, one of Kenya’s major cities today, originated as one of these city-states. 7KHͫUVW(XURSHDQVWRKDYHDQLPSDFWRQ(DVW$IULFDZHUHWKH3RUWXJXHVHZKRDUULYHGE\VHDLQ the 15th century and dominated the coastal region for a time. In 1729, the Arabs regained control IURPWKH3RUWXJXHVHDQGUXOHGXQWLO.HQ\DFDPHXQGHU%ULWLVKLQͬXHQFH'XULQJDOORIWKLVWLPH Arabs and Africans conducted a slave trade whose effects extended far inland. By the latter half of the 19th century, Britain had become the dominant power, drawing the borders of the newly GHͫQHGQDWLRQRI.HQ\D7KH%ULWLVKHQGHGWKHVODYHWUDGHEXWFODLPHGDOOODQGRXWVLGHGHͫQHG tribal areas as crown land available for white settlement. Decades of colonial rule bred resentment among native Africans. In the 1950s, Kikuyus played a prominent role in the Mau Mau rebellion, which was one act in the drama that culminated in LQGHSHQGHQFHLQ -RPR.HQ\DWWDWKHͫUVWSUHVLGHQWRILQGHSHQGHQW.HQ\DZDVD.LNX\X Though he had been involved in the Mau Mau rebellion, he established moderate, pro-Western policies and was acknowledged as Mzee, “the wise old one,” by his own people and many world 96 leaders upon his death in 1978. Kenyatta’s successor, Daniel arap Moi, continued to follow the PRGHUDWHVRFLDODQGHFRQRPLFSROLFLHVWKDWNHSW.HQ\DUHODWLYHO\SHDFHIXOLQWKHͫUVWGHFDGHV after independence. %XW0RL̞V\HDUVLQSRZHUZHUHQRWZLWKRXWFRQWURYHUV\DQGFRQͬLFWHVSHFLDOO\LQUHJDUGVWRKLV SHUVRQDOͫQDQFHVDQGDXWKRULWDULDQSROLWLFV,WLVUXPRUHGWKDWGXULQJKLVWLPHLQRIͫFH0RL amassed such a large fortune that he may still be the richest man in Africa. In 1991, he submitted to international pressure to allow the formation of other political parties, but still won the 1992 election. International observers noted that the movement to create more parties relied heavily on support that cut across tribal divisions; in contrast, Moi’s political machine emphasized and played on tribal rivalries, resulting in mass evictions of the Kiyuku and oppressive measures DJDLQVWRWKHUJURXSV(YHQWXDOO\WKHVWUDWHJ\EDFNͫUHGDQGLQ0RL̞VFKRVHQVXFFHVVRUZDV defeated. Today’s Kenya is still marked by tribal differences and rivalry but with the end of Moi era, it’s slowly making its way towards a more promising future. Tanzania Facts & Figures • Area: 365,755 square miles • Capital: Dodoma • Languages:6ZDKLOLLVWKHRIͫFLDOODQJXDJH (QJOLVKDQGWULEDOODQJXDJHVDUHDOVRVSRNHQ • Ethnicity: Mainland - African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, African, mixed Arab and African • Location: Tanzania is bordered by Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zambia • Geography:0DLQODQG7DQ]DQLD̞VODQGVFDSHLVͬDWDQGORZDORQJWKHFRDVW,QWKHLQWHULRU a plateau at an average altitude of about 4,000 feet makes up most of the country, and isolated mountain groups rise in the northeast and southwest. • Population: 51,045,882 (estimate) • Religions: Mainland - Christian 61.4%, Muslim 35.2%, folk religion 1.8%, other 0.2%, XQDIͬLOLDWHG =DQ]LEDU̜PDMRULW\0XVOLP • Time Zone: Tanzania is on Eastern Africa Time, eight hours ahead of U.S. EST. When it is 6am in Washington D.C., it is 2pm in Dar es Salaam. 97 National Holidays: Tanzania In addition to the holidays listed below, 05/01 Worker’s Day Tanzania celebrates a number of national 06/07 Saba Saba holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as (DVWHUDQG(LGHO)LWUL7RͫQGRXWLI\RXZLOO 08/08 Peasants’ Day be traveling during these holidays, please visit www.timeanddate.com/ 10/14 Nyerere Day holidays. 12/09 Republic Day 01/01 New Year’s Day 12/25 Christmas Day 01/12 Zanzibar Revolution Day 12/26 Boxing Day 04/26 Union Day Historical Overview of Tanzania Tanzania is home to the Olduvai Gorge, the site where some of the earliest human remains on earth have been discovered. For hundreds of thousands of years, hunter-gatherer societies inhabited the area, though details about them are lost in the mists of time. More recently, the interior of the country has been occupied by pastoral and agricultural societies. The cattle-herding Maasai are notable among these. They are known to have settled as far south as Dodoma by the early 19th century, and they live around Tanzania’s game parks to this day. In WKHSDVWWKLVWULEH̞VUHSXWDWLRQDVͫHUFHZDUULRUVNHSWDZD\QHLJKERULQJWULEHVDQG$UDEWUDGHUV and neither the slave trade nor tribal warfare had much impact in their territory. Today, many Maasai proudly continue their traditional way of life with few inroads from modern civilization, especially in the northern part of the country. Over one thousand years ago, sea-borne traders established a strong Arab presence on Tanzania’s Indian Ocean coast, which includes the island of Zanzibar. Sultans of Oman ruled Zanzibar by the 18th century, and in 1832 Sultan Seyyid Said located his capital city there. Because of this history, Islam continues to be the dominant religion on Zanzibar today. Rivalry among European colonial powers brought historic change to the area in the 19th century. /LYLQJVWRQDQG6WDQOH\ZHUHDPRQJWKHͫUVW(QJOLVKPHQWRDUULYHLQWKHLQWHULRUZKHUH6WDQOH\̞V famous “Dr. Livingston, I presume” was uttered at Ujiji on Lake Tanganyika. The British made Zanzibar their protectorate in 1890. On the mainland, however, Britain yielded to Germany after German explorer Carl Peters laid the groundwork for colonial exploitation of the country by the German East Africa Company. The two countries signed an agreement giving the Germans what was then known as Tanganyika, while Britain got Kenya and Uganda. World War I, during which Germany and Britain fought intense land and naval battles in Tanganyika, ended this arrangement. Following Germany’s defeat in Europe, Britain was put in charge of the League of Nations mandate for Tanganyika. 98 In the 20th century, the movement to end colonialism in Tanganyika took shape among farmers’ unions and cooperatives. Julius Nyerere led the political party that grew out of this movement, DQGEHFDPHWKHFRXQWU\̞VͫUVWSUHVLGHQWZKHQLWPDGHDSHDFHIXOWUDQVLWLRQWRLQGHSHQGHQFHLQ 1961. The island of Zanzibar gained independence in 1963, in a transition that involved a bloody revolution during which the bulk of the Arab population was expelled. In 1964, Tanganyika, Zanzibar, and Pemba (another offshore island) joined to become the United Republic of Tanzania. Tanzania’s leaders stood at the forefront of African liberation movements during the 1970s and the early 1980s. They allowed Mozambique nationalists to use Tanzanian territory for training and attack bases as they fought for independence from the Portuguese. In 1979, Tanzanian troops helped overthrow the regime of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. President Nyerere also played a key role in the negotiations for ending white rule in Zimbabwe. Although it maintained good relations with the West, Tanzania followed a strongly socialist path in the decades immediately following independence. In November 1985, Nyerere retired and was succeeded in the presidency by Ali Hassan Mwinyi. Nyerere continued as the chairman of the Revolutionary Party of Tanzania until August 1990. Tanzania began moving toward a multiparty system in the early 1990s; in 1992 a new constitutional rule allowed for the formation of other parties provided they were active in both Tanganyika (the mainland) and Zanzibar. The ruling was meant to address the growing concerns RIWKH=DQ]LEDULZKRIHOWWKDWXQLͫFDWLRQKDGUHOHJDWHGWKHLVODQGWRVHFRQGSODFHVWDWXVLQ FRPSDULVRQZLWKWKHPDLQODQG%XWZKHQWKHͫUVWPXOWLSDUW\HOHFWLRQVWRRNSODFHLQ there were sharp divisions between the island and the mainland; these divisions would crop up periodically throughout the following decades. A key example of this divide occurred shortly after the highly contested 2000 general elections, which were won by a party with strong support on the mainland, the CCM. Not long after the HOHFWLRQWKHRIͫFHVRIWKH=DQ]LEDUEDVHGRSSRVLWLRQSDUW\̜WKH&8)̜ZHUHUDLGHGE\WKHSROLFH and the CUF chairman was charged with unlawful assembly. Supporters took to the streets in protest, which sadly disintegrated into a violent clash with the police. Ultimately the heads of both parties joined together to restore calm, but the incident prompted many in Tanzania to call for a greater level of freedom for opposition parties. In addition to political struggles, the residents of Zanzibar have also struggled with their dependence on the mainland for electricity, which is supplied by an underwater cable. In 2008 the cable’s connection failed, leaving the island without electricity for roughly one month. (Many in Zanzibar have backup generators for this very reason.) But these internal squabbles are relatively mild, especially compared to other African nations. In recent years the relative stability has helped Tanzania emerge as one of the anchors for the East African region, accepting refugees IURPWKHFRQͬLFWVLQ5ZDQGDKRVWLQJSHDFHWDONVIRU%XUXQGLDQGIRUPLQJDQ(DVW$IULFDQWUDGH alliance with neighboring states like Kenya. Uganda Facts & Figures • Area: 93,065 square miles 99 • Capital: Kampala • Languages:(QJOLVK RIͫFLDOODQJXDJH *DQGDRU/XJDQGDRWKHU1LJHU&RQJRODQJXDJHV Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili, and Arabic • Ethnicity: Baganda 16.5%, Banyankole 9.6%, Basoga 8.8%, Bakiga 7.1%, Iteso 7%, Langi 6.3%, Bagisu 4.9%, Acholi 4.4%, Lugbara 3.3%, other 32.1% • Location: Uganda is bordered by Kenya on the East, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the West, South Sudan on the North, and Rwanda and Tanzania on the South. • Geography: Uganda consists of a plateau with mountains along the border. It is surrounded by three lakes: Lake Albert, Lake Edward, and Lake Victoria. • Population: 39,570,125 (estimate) • Religions: Protestant 45.1%, Roman Catholic 39.3%, Muslim 13.7%, other 1.6%, none 0.2% • Time Zone: Uganda is on Central Africa Time, seven hours ahead of U.S. EST. When it is 6am in Washington D.C., it is 1pm in Uganda. National Holidays: Uganda In addition to the holidays listed below, 03/08 International Women’s Day Uganda celebrates a number of national 05/01 May Day holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as (DVWHUDQG(LGDO)LWU7RͫQGRXWLI\RXZLOO 06/03 Martyr’s Day be traveling during these holidays, please visit www.timeanddate.com/ 06/09 National Heroes Day holidays. 10/09 Independence Day 01/01 New Year’s Day 12/25 Christmas Day 01/26 Liberation Day 12/26 Boxing Day 02/16 Remembrance of Archbishop Janani Luwum Historial Overview of Uganda $JULFXOWXUDO%DQWXVHWWOHUVDUHEHOLHYHGWREHVRPHRIWKHͫUVWLQKDELWDQWVRI8JDQGDGDWLQJEDFN to 1,000 B.C. In the 17th and 18th centuries, several kingdoms were formed, including Bunyoro, Buganda, Busoga, Ankole, and Toro. By the 19th century, English Protestant and French Catholic PLVVLRQDULHVDUULYHGZKRVHLQͬXHQFHFDQVWLOOEHVHHQLQPRGHUQGD\8JDQGD,Q WKH NLQJGRPRI%XJDQGDEHFDPHD%ULWLVK3URWHFWRUDWHDQGWKH%ULWLVK&RORQLDO2IͫFHWRRNFRQWURORI the country in 1905. 100 In 1921, a legislature and executive counsil were formed to bring power back to the local people and by 1955, Ugandans made up more than half of the legislature. Britain granted independence WR8JDQGDLQ DQGWKHͫUVWHOHFWLRQVZHUHKHOGRQ0DUFK %HQHGLFWR.LZDQXNDRIWKH 'HPRFUDWLF3DUW\EHFDPHWKHͫUVWFKLHIPLQLVWHU8JDQGDEHFDPHDUHSXEOLFWKHIROORZLQJ\HDU maintaining its Commonwealth membership. In succeeding years, supporters of a centralized state vied with those in favor of a loose federation and a strong role for tribally-based local kingdoms. Political maneuvering climaxed in February 1966, when Milton Obote, the Prime Minister, suspended the constitution and assumed all government powers, removing the positions of president and vice president. In September 1967, a new constitution proclaimed Uganda a republic, gave the president even greater powers, and abolished the traditional kingdoms. After a military coup on January 25, 1971, Obote was deposed from power and the dictator Idi Amin seized control of the country. Amin ruled Uganda with the military for the next eight years and carried out mass killings within the country to maintain his rule. An estimated 300,000 Ugandans lost their lives at the hands of his regime, many of them in the north, which he associated with Obote’s loyalists. Aside from his brutalities, he forcibly removed the entrepreneurial Indian minority from Uganda, which left the country’s economy in ruins. A border altercation involving Ugandan exiles who had a camp close to the Ugandan border of Mutukula resulted in an attack by the Uganda army into Tanzania. In October 1978, the Tanzanian armed forces repulsed an incursion by Amin’s troops into Tanzanian territory. The Tanzanian army, backed by Ugandan exiles, waged a war of liberation against Amin’s troops and the /LE\DQVROGLHUVVHQWWRKHOSKLP2Q$SULO .DPSDODZDVFDSWXUHGDQG$PLQͬHGZLWKKLV remaining forces to Libya. Amin’s reign ended after the Uganda-Tanzania War in 1979, in which Tanzanian forces aided by Ugandan exiles invaded Uganda. This led to the return of Obote, who was deposed again in 1985 by General Tito Okello. Okello ruled for six months until he was deposed. This occurred after the so-called “bush war” by the National Resistance Army (NRA) operating under the leadership of Yoweri Museveni, and various rebel groups, including the Federal Democratic Movement of Andrew Kayiira, and another belonging to John Nkwaanga. During the Bush War the army carried out mass killings of non-combatants. Negotiations between the Okello government and the NRA were conducted in Nairobi in the fall RI ZLWK.HQ\DQ3UHVLGHQW'DQLHODUDS0RLVHHNLQJDFHDVHͫUHDQGDFRDOLWLRQJRYHUQPHQW LQ8JDQGD$OWKRXJKDJUHHLQJLQODWH WRDFHDVHͫUHWKH15$FRQWLQXHGͫJKWLQJDQGVHL]HG .DPSDODDQGWKHFRXQWU\LQODWH-DQXDU\ IRUFLQJ2NHOOR̞VIRUFHVWRͬHHQRUWKLQWR6XGDQ Museveni’s forces organized a government with Museveni as president. Since assuming power, the government dominated by the political grouping created by Museveni and his followers, the National Resistance Movement (NRM or the “Movement”), has largely put an end to the human rights abuses of earlier governments, initiated substantial political liberalization and general press freedom, and instituted broad economic reforms after consultation with the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and donor governments. 101 Between 1998 and 2003, the Ugandan army was involved in the Second Congo War in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Uganda continues to support rebel groups, such as the Movement for the Liberation of Congo and some factions of the Rally for Congolese Democracy. In August 2005, Parliament voted to change the constitution to lift presidential term limits, allowing Museveni to run for a third term if he wished to do so. Mesuveni remains the current President of Uganda. 102 RESOURCES Suggested Readings We’ve compiled a list of suggested books to help as you prepare for your safari adventure. Keep in mind that this is not a comprehensive list, but a starting point based on recommendations from our staff, previous travelers, and trusted book review websites. If you’re interested in a particular subject or just looking for more reading material, you may want to research online or speak to your local librarian for further suggestions. General Africa $IULFD$%LRJUDSK\RIWKH&RQWLQHQW by John Reader (History): A great introduction to Africa from its ancient cultures up to modern times. 'DUN6WDU6DIDUL by Paul Theroux (Travel Narrative) Famed travel writer Paul Theroux recounts his epic overland journey from Cairo to Cape Town. South Africa Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (Memoir) Stories about growing up in South Africa under apartheid by TV host and comedian Trevor Noah, told in an informative and engaging way. The Ones with Purpose by Nozizwe Cynthia Jele (Fiction) After a 10-year hiatus, South African novelist Jele came back into the spotlight with this emotional story about a women dealing with her sister’s terminal illness. A sad story, but moving and relatable. Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton (Classic) First published in 1948, Cry has been lauded as a poetical and powerful novel, and is considered a classic in South Africa. The story centers on an apartheid-era black man who is accused of killing a white man. $+LVWRU\RI6RXWK$IULFD by Leonard Thompson (History) A comprehensive overview of South Africa’s history, updated every few years and now its fourth edition. /RQJ:DONWR)UHHGRP by Nelson Mandela (Biography) Although there are more recent books about the charismatic South African leader, this is his story in his own words. Zimbabwe :KHQD&URFRGLOH(DWVWKH6XQ $0HPRLURI$IULFD by Peter Godwin (Memoir) A deeply moving account of growing up in Zimbabwe, the impact of the civil war, and his father’s death (which reveals some family secrets) by veteran journalist Peter Godwin. +DUYHVWRI7KRUQV by Shimmer Chinodya (History) A powerful and personal account of the Rhodesia Bush War. 103 7KH*LUO:KR0DUULHGD/LRQDQG2WKHU7DOHVRI$IULFD by Alexander McCall Smith (Short Stories) Brings together a collection of often hilarious, often bizarre, folktales that the author heard as a child growing up in Zimbabwe. Also includes seven new tales from Botswana. 7KH*UDVVLV6LQJLQJE\'RULV/HVVLQJ )LFWLRQ /HVVLQJ̞VͫUVWQRYHOWKHVWRU\RIDZKLWHIDUPZLIH in Zimbabwe, and her relationship with her African servant. An explosive topic for the times, the book is a thoughtful portrait of the country, its people and social challenges 7KH/DVW5HVRUW $0HPRLURI0LVFKLHIDQG0D\KHPRQD)DPLO\)DUPLQ$IULFD by Douglas Rogers (Memoir) A critically-acclaimed tale about the author’s family’s last-ditch effort to save their farm from a government ordinance re-claiming land owned by white farmers. Touching, and at times darkly funny. Zambia $IULFDQ:LOG'RJV 2QWKH)URQW/LQH by Brendan Whittington-Jones (Nature) Outlines the GLIͫFXOWLHV̜DQGLPSRUWDQFH̜RIWKHFRQVHUYDWLRQHIIRUWWRVDYH$IULFD̞VSDLQWHGGRJV$OWKRXJK the book is based on the author’s experiences in South Africa, the conservation effort continues in Zambia. 6HFUHWVRIWKH6DYDQQDE\0DUNDQG'HOLD2ZHQV 1DWXUDO+LVWRU\ 7KH2ZHQVͫUVWPRYHGWR Zambia to save the lions, but ended up being captured by the plights of the elephants instead. This ERRNUHFRXQWVWKHLU\HDUHIIRUWWRͫJKWDJDLQVWSRDFKHUV 7KH(\HRIWKH/HRSDUG by Henning Mankell (Fiction) Mankell masterfully contrasts a man’s life in Zambia and his troubled youth in Sweden in this haunting novel, an uncanny portrait of cultural difference. 7KH$IULFD+RXVH 7KH7UXH6WRU\RIDQ(QJOLVK*HQWOHPDQDQG+LV$IULFDQ'UHDP by Christina Lamb (Biography). A beautifully wrought account of the life of a pioneering white settler—and supporter of African independence—set amidst his estate in Northern Rhodesia, which is now Zambia. Botswana :KDWHYHU 7KH1XPEHU/DGLHV̞'HWHFWLYH$JHQF\E\$OH[DQGHU0F&DOO6PLWK 0\VWHU\ 7KHͫUVWRIDSRSXODU series featuring the resourceful detective, Precious Ramotswe. The novel evokes the cultures, customs and diverse landscapes of Botswana—including Botswana’s tremendous national pride. Cry of the Kalahari by Mark and Delia Owens (Nature/Memoir) The bestselling story of a young American couple who relocate to the Kalahari Desert, where they work to conserve the local animals, especially lions. When Rain Clouds Gather by Bessie Head (Fiction) Everything changes for a rural village in Botswana when a South African refugee and a British farming expert cross paths there. 104 Eastern Africa: Kenya & Tanzania /RYH/LIHDQG(OHSKDQWV $Q$IULFDQ/RYH6WRU\ by Daphne Sheldrick (Memoir) The lively and HQJDJLQJELRJUDSK\RIDPXFKDGPLUHGH[SHUWRQ$IULFDQHOHSKDQWV̜DQGWKHͫUVWSHUVRQWR raise one in captivity from birth. The book recounts her experiences helping her husband to create and run one of Kenya’s national parks and her role in raising orphaned elephants to release back into the wild. &UD]\5LYHU ([SORUDWLRQDQG)ROO\LQ(DVW$IULFD by Richard Grant (Travel Narrative) Author Grant risks his life to travel the relatively unexplored Malagarasi River from Tanzania into Burundi, which he then follows up with a jaunt into Rwanda. At times adventurous, scary, and crazy. 6HUHQJHWL $6FLHQWLVWLQ3DUDGLVHE\$QWKRQ\6LQFODLU (FRORJ\0HPRLU 3URIHVVRU6LQFODLUͫUVW came to study zoology in the Serengeti in the 1960s, and he still works there today. This book FRPELQHVKLVVFLHQWLͫFNQRZOHGJHKLVWRU\RIWKHQDWLRQDOSDUNDQGOLYHO\DQHFGRWHVDERXWOLIHDV DͫHOGUHVHDUFKHU ,W̞V2XU7XUQWR(DW 7KH6WRU\RID.HQ\DQ:KLVWOH%ORZHU by Michela Wrong (History/Politics) -RXUQDOLVWWXUQHGDXWKRU0LFKHOD:URQJXVHVWKHGUDPDWLFWUXHVWRU\RIDQWLFRUUXSWLRQRIͫFHU John Githongo as a way to shed light on tribal politics and corruption in Kenya. 1RUWKRI6RXWKby Shiva Naipaul (Travel Narrative) In the 1970s Naipaul traveled to Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia. Through his travels, he tried to discover what the liberation and revolution movements of the time meant to the ordinary people of Africa. A sharp book that offers insights into how Africa was changing at the time. 2XWRI$IULFD by Isak Dinesen (Biography/Memoir) The classic tale of a young woman who gives up her life in Demark to run a coffee plantation in Kenya around the time of WWI. Her lyrical descriptions and love for the land and people have made this book an international favorite. 6HUHQJHWL 1DWXUDO2UGHURQWKH$IULFDQ3ODLQ by Mitsiako Iwago (Natural History) A stunning collection of nearly 300 photographs that capture the daily dramas of life and death in the Serengeti. 7KH*XQQ\6DFN by Moyez G. Vassanji (Fiction) A sweeping novel that focuses on Asian experiences in East Africa. Generations of Asians from Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kenya, and Uganda offer views and perspectives on the past and the future. 7KURXJKD:LQGRZ0\7KLUW\ 7KH6QRZVRI.LOLPDQMDUR by Ernest Hemingway (Short Stories). Regarded as one of Hemingway’s most mature works, this story deals with man’s fear of death and emotional aloneness. :HVWZLWKWKH1LJKW by Beryl Markham (Biography/Memoir) A childhood in Kenya and a career as a bush pilot during the 1930s—what more could a girl want? The author’s stylish prose evokes her free and adventure-loving spirit. 105 :LOG+HDUWRI$IULFD 7KH6HORXV*DPH5HVHUYHLQ7DQ]DQLD by Rolf D Baldus (sometimes available under just Wild Heart of Africa or just Selous Game Reserve). The book was a limited printing, so LWFDQEHGLIͫFXOWWRͫQGRUH[SHQVLYH+RZHYHUWKHDXWKRULVFRQVLGHUHGDZRUOGFODVVH[SHUWRQ the Selous Reserve. Uganda 2SHUDWLRQ7KXQGHUEROW )OLJKW DQGWKH5DLGRQ(QWHEEH$LUSRUWWKH0RVW$XGDFLRXV+RVWDJH5HVFXH 0LVVLRQLQ+LVWRU\ by Saul David (Non-Fiction) Days after Idi Amin Dada is declared Presdient, DQ$LU)UDQFHͬLJKWLVKLMDFNHGDQGGLYHUWHGWR(QWHEEH$LUSRUWRQWKHVKRUHRI/DNH9LFWRULDLQ Uganda for six days where Israeli Special Forces must stage a rescue mission to free the hostages. $E\VVLDQ&KURQLFOHV $1RYHO by Moses Isegawa (Literature) The story of a young man living in Uganda following the end of President Idi Amin’s regime. Suggested Movies South Africa Invictus (2009, Drama) Director Clint Eastwood tells the story of how Nelson Mandela used the 1995 World Cup rugby matches to unite the people of South Africa. Breaker Morant (1980, Drama). Brilliant recounting of events that transpired during South Africa’s Boer War revolving around the court martial of three Australian lieutenants—with lots of parallels to modern warfare. Zulu (1964, Classic). Filmed against exotic African locales, this rousing adventure recounts the true story of a small 18th-century regiment of British troops besieged by an overwhelming number of Zulu tribesmen. Botswana 7KH1XPEHU/DGLHV̞'HWHFWLYH$JHQF\ 0\VWHU\ $ͫOPYHUVLRQRIWKHSRSXODUERRN$IWHUWKH GHDWKRIKHUIDWKHU3UHFLRXV5DPRWVZHVHWVRXWWREHFRPHWKHͫUVWIHPDOHSULYDWHGHWHFWLYHLQDOO of Botswana. But will anyone hire her? Kenya Born Free (1986, Drama) The true-life story of a rescued lion named Elsa and the family who helped save her. Shot on location in Kenya. 1RZKHUHLQ$IULFD 'UDPD $-HZLVKFRXSOHͬHH*HUPDQ\IRU.HQ\DDWWKHVWDUWRI::,,DQG try to build a new life in a strange land. In German, with subtitles. 2XWRI$IULFD (1985, Drama/Romance) A young Danish woman falls for Kenya, her new coffee plantation, and a restless big-game hunter in 1910s. Based on the book by the same name. The First Grader (2010, Biopic/Drama) An 84-year old Kenyan villager is determined to learn how to read and write no matter the odds. An uplifting movie based on a true story. 106 Tanzania 7KH6QRZVRI.LOLPDQMDUR (1952, Classic) While Hemingway didn’t like it much, viewers admired WKLVLQWHUSUHWDWLRQRIDG\LQJZULWHUUHͬHFWLQJRQKLVOLIHLQWKHVKDGRZRI0W.LOLPDQMDUR Uganda /DVW.LQJRI6FRWODQG (2006, Historical Drama) Forest Whitaker won Best Actor at the 2006 $FDGHP\$ZDUGVIRUKLVUROHDV8JDQGDQ3UHVLGHQW,GL$PLQLQWKLVͫOPZKLFKIROORZVWKHVWRU\ RIWKH8JDQGDQ3UHVLGHQW̞VSHUVRQDOSK\VLFLDQDQGFRQͫGDQW 4XHHQRI.DWZH (2016, Drama) The inspiring story of a Ugandan girl living in a slum who learns to play chess and goes on to become a Woman Candidate Master at the World Chess Olympiad. Useful Websites Overseas Adventure Travel Forum (tips from World Weather previous travelers) www.intellicast.com www.oattravel.com/forum www.weather.com www.wunderground.com Overseas Adventure Travel Store www.oatshop.com Basic Travel Phrases (80 languages) www.travlang.com/languages Overseas Adventure Travel Frequent Asked Questions Packing Tips www.oattravel.com/faq www.travelite.org International Health Information/CDC U.S. Customs & Border Protection (Centers for Disease Control) www.cbp.gov/travel http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel Transportation Security Electricity & Plugs Administration (TSA) www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/ www.tsa.gov plugs-and-sockets National Passport Information Center Foreign Exchange Rates www.travel.state.gov www.xe.com/currencyconverter Holidays Worldwide www.oanda.com/converter/classic www.timeanddate.com/holidays ATM Locators www.mastercard.com/atm www.visa.com/atmlocator 107 Notes 108 Notes 109 Notes 110 Arusha N.P. Nairobi From KENYA Amboseli Arusha Johannesburg Mto Wa Mbu Lake KENYA Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary TANZANIA Victoria u N.P. Murchison Falls t a r le a Ni K Entebbe UGANDA Tarangire N.P. Tarangire . C . R L. Albert . D RWANDA BURUNDI POST-TRIP EXTENSION Lake Eyasi Nat. Park Nat. Serengeti Masai Mara Nat. Reserve Nat. TANZANIA E Ngorongoro Crater W B To Nairobi To A N.P. B Hwange M I Z Miles To/From U.S. Internal flight Land route Livingstone Victoria Falls 060 To/From Johannesburg Kafue N.P. i z e b m a Kasane Z ZAMBIA Chobe N.P. Hoedspruit Ocean Indian BOTSWANA Karongwe Game Reserve SOUTH AFRICA Okavango Delta Johannesburg BOTSWANA PRE-TRIP EXTENSION 111 TRAVELER PHOTOS FROM THIS ADVENTURE Memories submitted by your fellow travelers Overseas SM Adventure Travel Since 1978 Visit www.oattravel.com or call us toll-free at 1-800-955-1925 Please recycle and give back to the world we travel. 11 Traveler 03/2020 112