Make Tracks for Africa
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Southern Explorer: Lusaka to Cape Town Make tracks for Africa This information pack has been put together so that you can prepare for your overland tour. It has been developed over many years of experience overlanding. Please read it carefully. The dates for the Southern Explorer (Lusaka) Departs Lusaka Arrives Cape Town Price Local Payment 09 Mar 2020 09 Apr 2020 £1,150 US$575 22 Mar 2020 22 Apr 2020 £1,150 US$575 25 May 2020 25 Jun 2020 £1,150 US$575 01 Jul 2020 01 Aug 2020 £1,150 US$575 26 Jul 2020 26 Aug 2020 £1,150 US$575 08 Aug 2020 08 Sep 2020 £1,150 US$575 07 Sep 2020 08 Oct 2020 £1,150 US$575 28 Sep 2020 29 Oct 2020 £1,150 US$575 04 Nov 2020 05 Dec 2020 £1,150 US$575 29 Nov 2020 31 Dec 2020 £1,150 US$575 18 Jan 2021 18 Feb 2021 £1,150 US$575 10 Mar 2021 10 Apr 2021 £1,150 US$575 11 Apr 2021 12 May 2021 £1,150 US$575 14 Jun 2021 15 Jul 2021 £1,150 US$575 14 Jul 2021 14 Aug 2021 £1,150 US$575 08 Aug 2021 08 Sep 2021 £1,150 US$575 25 Aug 2021 25 Sep 2021 £1,150 US$575 10 Sep 2021 11 Oct 2021 £1,150 US$575 Countries visited: Zambia • Zimbabwe • Botswana • Namibia • South Africa Highlights: • Lake Kariba houseboats • Great Zimbabwe Ruins • Matopos National Park • Rhino trek • 1 Victoria Falls • Whitewater rafting on the Zambezi • Flights over the Falls • Bungee jump • Zambezi gorge swing • Sunset cruise • Chobe National Park • Okavango Delta mokoro safari • Bushmen visit • Etosha National Park • Africat Carnivore Care • Skeleton Coast • Cape Cross Seal Colony • Swakopmund • Dune quad biking • Sandboarding • Tandem skydiving • Township tour • Open-sea fishing • Namib Naukluft National Park • Sossusvlei Dunes • Guided walk on the Dunes • Fish River Canyon • Orange River • Stellenbosch • Wine tour • Cape Town. Safari structure: A journey to many of southern Africa’s special places visiting Lake Kariba, Victoria Falls, the Okavango Delta, Etosha National Park, Namib Naukluft National Park, Sossusvlei Dunes and Cape Town. On the safari you might also find travellers with less time who will travel for shorter sections of this safari as well. The safari finishes in Cape Town where you can relax for a few days before returning home. Alternatively you may like to extend your time away and travel along the Garden Route. Please feel free to contact us for further details. Index Please click on any of these section names to go straight there. Safari departure dates and details Page 1 Flights Page 2 Insurance Page 3 Visa requirements Page 3 Pre and post safari Information Page 4 Health and immunisation Page 6 A detailed guide itinerary Page 8 Money and budgeting Page 11 Optional activities Page 14 Packing - what to bring, packing advice incl. electrical equipment Page 18 Life on your big yellow truck (Including advice on safety and security, trading and donating, general code of conduct, keeping in touch) Page 20 Wildlife chart Page 25 Further reading Page 26 Flights When arranging your flights we ask that you arrive the day prior to departure into Lusaka.This tour arrives into Cape Town on the final day and so we would recommend allowing a few days before booking outbound flights to explore the city and its surrounds. At certain times of the year flight availability can become very limited and if you delay your booking, you might have to pay a higher price. Please organise your flights as soon as you can once you decide to travel. The usual flight arrangements for this trip are sometimes known as ‘open jaw’ flights. These allow you to fly in to one destination and out of another. If searching online these are often called ‘multi city’ or ‘multi stop’ tickets. We can help you with a flight quote. Please feel free to call the office if you would like assistance. There are several airlines that fly into Lusaka and onwards from CapeTown including British Airways, Kenya Airways and South African Airways. British Airways and Qantas can be used if travelling on home to Australia or New Zealand. SAA is another carrier that flies this route. There is a budget airline that can be used for the connection from Cape Town to Johannesburg called Kulula www.kulula.com A Friendly Reminder - When purchasing flights, check whether your flight ticket already includes departure tax (if applicable) for the country you are flying out of and, if it does not, to keep the necessary funds aside in USD to make this payment. 2 Insurance Your safety and enjoyment when travelling with Absolute Africa are of the utmost importance to us, which is why it is essential that you have arranged adequate travel insurance to cover your whole trip. We are happy to introduce you to specialist insurance brokers Campbell Irvine, underwritten by AWP P&C SA. The cover includes a 24-Hour Worldwide Emergency Medical Service who are expert in providing friendly and professional emergency help. Click on the following link to the page on our website to find out more: http://www.absoluteafrica.com/Insurance Do note that it is a condition of booking that you have contacted your insurers to confirm that the cover you have arranged is appropriate for ALL your requirements, taking into account the remote nature of overland travel, and that any hazardous activities you may intend to undertake are fully covered, including whitewater rafting on grade 5 rapids, scuba diving, trekking Kilimanjaro, volunteer work, lion walks, tandem sky diving and bungee jumping. When selecting insurance carefully consider the cancellation policy, as well as cover for any valuables you might take. If you buy insurance in the UK you should check that your policy is valid if you are a non-UK resident and the provision for one-way travel if this is required. Remember when travelling it is important to take all sensible precautions in regards to your security, safety and health, including taking precautions to avoid illness such as malaria. We advise you to make an appointment with a travel clinic as soon as possible after deciding to travel. Your travel insurance might also be affected by the relevant government’s Travel Advice for the countries on your route. Do stay up to date with the latest official government Travel Advice. Visa requirements for the Southern Explorer Your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months after your trip finishes. Ensure as well you have adequate pages in your passport for each country you visit. Up to 2 consecutive blank pages can be required when you enter South Africa at the end of your trip. As a guide then, for the Southern Explorer you will want to have a minimum of 7 blank pages (sides). If you have dual nationality you can only use one passport for the entire trip, but bringing both is a wise back-up strategy. More information can be found in the different country listings on the FCO’s website (www.fco.gov.uk) under ‘entry requirements’. Do be aware it can be illegal to travel in Africa on two passports. Visas for most passport holders including British, Australian, New Zealand, Irish, South African, German, French, Dutch, Canadian and American passport holders can be arranged in Africa en route. This includes the Zambian visa, which for most passport holders can be easily arranged upon arrival at Lusaka Airport. Visas can only be paid for in US Dollars cash. Below is an estimation of current visa requirements and their cost: Passport Zambia Zimbabwe South Africa No. of visas required Total value USD Australian $50 $30 2 $80 New Zealand $50 $30 Payable in 3 $80 + SA visa advance charge South African - - 0 - Canadian $50 $75 2 $125 American $50 $30 2 $80 British $50 $55 2 $105 German $50 $30 2 $80 3 Dutch $50 $30 2 $80 Irish - $55 1 $55 French $50 $30 2 $80 Visas are not normally required for most passport holders for Botswana, Namibia and South Africa The above information covers current visa requirements for British, Australian, New Zealand, Irish, South African, German, French, Dutch, Canadian and American passport holders only. If your passport is not detailed above please do not hesitate to contact the office if you would like further details of your visa requirements. Thank you. Be aware that visa requirements can change without prior notice. This information is given as a guide only. We do ask that you also check your personal current visa requirements with the relevant embassies well in advance before you travel. Ultimately you are responsible to ensure you have the appropriate visas for your trip. For more information on visas check out www.projectvisa.com Pre and post safari information Joining us in Lusaka Please note you need to be in Lusaka by late afternoon on the day prior to the safari start date if at all possible. The meeting point for your trip is Eureka Camp in Lusaka. We can reserve accommodation for you at Eureka Camp, or you are welcome to camp with the group on the evening prior to departure if you wish. EUREKA CAMP If you arrive in a few days early then we recommend that you stay at Eureka Camp. Eureka is a private game farm just outside of Lusaka. It is located 10km from the centre of Lusaka on the Kafue Road. Eureka has dorm accommodation and a number of small chalets, as well as a bar, light meals, volleyball area, swimming pool, pool table and satellite TV.