Overseas SM Adventure Travel Since 1978 Ultimate Africa: Botswana, Zambia & Zimbabwe Safari 2017 EXTEND YOUR TRIP Thornybush Game Reserve: Quest for Africa’s Big 5 Cape Town & the Cape of Good Hope Your Travel Handbook CONTENTS Travel Documents & Entry Requirements . 3 Electricity . 24 Your Passport . 3 Visas Required . 3 Climate . 27 Trusted Traveler Programs . 4 Emergency Photocopies of Key Documents . 5 Overseas Taxes & Fees . 5 About Your Destinations . 30 Botswana Tourism Development Levy . 5 OAT Trip Leaders: A World of Difference . 30 Culture & Points to Know . 30 Responsible Safari Travel . 32. Health . 6 Shopping . 32 Is This Adventure Right for You? . 6 U .S . Customs Regulations & Shipping Steps to Take Before Your Trip . 7 Charges . 33 No Vaccines Required . 7 Staying Healthy on Your Trip . 8 Demographics & History . 34 Money Matters . 10 Resources . 44 Top Three Tips . 10 Local Currency . 10 Suggested Readings . 44 How to Exchange Money . 11 Suggested Movies . 46 ATMs . 11 Useful Websites . 47 Credit & Debit Cards . 12 Tipping Guidelines . 12 Preparing for Your Trip . 14 Land Only Travelers . 14 Optional Tours . 14 Optional Tours: Reserve Before You Go . 15 Communications . 15 Packing . 18 Your Luggage . 19 Duffel Bag: Required . 19 Clothing Suggestions . 20 What to Bring . 21 Tips on Packing Light . 24 2 BOT2017 08/30/2017 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 Please confirm that your passport has enough blank pages for this adventure. • Main trip only: You will need 8 blank pages for entry into South Africa (2 pages, front and back of 1 sheet), Botswana (1), Zambia (2), Zimbabwe (2), and to re-enter the U.S. (1). Even if local officials do not end up using all 8 pages, you should have them. The U.S. State Department reports that travelers who don’t have the correct number of blank visa pages can be fined and/or denied entry, especially in South Africa. • Pre-trip extension to Thornybush Game Reserve: This extension does not require any additional pages beyond the 8 needed for the main trip. • Post-trip extension to Cape Town & the Cape of Good Hope: You will need 2 more fully blank visa pages for a total of 10 blank passport pages. • Both the pre and post-trip extensions: You will need a total of 10 blank passport pages. Please note: You might not use all of these pages on your adventure (when you return, some may still be blank) but local officials will want to see that you have them. 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. This information is for U.S. citizens only. All visas and fees are subject to change. 08/30/2017 BOT2017 3 • Botswana and South Africa: No visas needed. U.S. citizens do not need visas for stays of less than 90 days in these countries. • Zambia: Visa required. We recommend that you wait and get this visa on arrival. Typically, all you need to do is show your passport and pay the visa fee, although you may need to fill out a form too. • Zimbabwe: Visa required. You must obtain this visa 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? Both the South African and Botswana government require certain documentation for minors to enter and depart from either country. For details, please contact the South African Embassy at 1-202-232-4400, and the Embassy of the Republic of Botswana at 1-202-244-4990. Trusted Traveler Programs Some travelers have found that Trusted Traveler programs can expedite long waits at customs when re entering the U.S. There are currently three programs available: Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI. These three programs also include TSA Pre-Check, which allows you to use a dedicated security line at participating airports, or you can apply solely for TSA Pre-Check. TIP: Keep in mind that not all airports and airlines participate in these programs. You may want to consider checking with your airport prior to applying to find out if these programs would benefit you. To apply for a Trusted Traveler program or TSA Pre-Check, typically you will be asked to pay an application fee (varies by program) and schedule a background check and/or an interview. If you are approved, you will be issued a Known Traveler Number (KTN). Your KTN is valid for a set number of years, based on the conditions of the program. Please see the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website for more details on each of these programs: www.cbp.gov/ travel/trusted-traveler-programs. You can also find more information about TSA Pre-Check at www.tsa.gov/precheck. If you are enrolled in TSA Pre-Check (or a Trusted Traveler program that includes it), you must provide your KTN to the airlines. 4 BOT2017 08/30/2017 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 worldwide. As an alternative, you could load these documents onto a flash drive instead, which 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. Botswana Tourism Development Levy Beginning in June 2017, Botswana has implemented a Tourism Development Levy of $30 per person to be paid at the border, prior to passing through Immigration. This levy cannot be included in your tour price because you are required to pay them in person onsite. The amount of the levy is entirely at the discretion of the government of Botswana; they are subject to change at any moment without prior notice. This levy can be paid by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, and American Express), or in cash. Please note, if you plan to pay in cash, we strongly recommend that you carry exact change as they may not be able to give change or break larger bills at the border. 08/30/2017 BOT2017 5 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 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 • 6 locations in 16 days with one 1-night stay • Early morning game-viewing drives on safari days, rising at 5am • Your longest transfer between camps will be up to 9 hours on Day 3 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 • Not appropriate for travelers in need of CPAP machine • We reserve the right for Trip Leaders to restrict participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home, if their limitations impact the group’s experience CLIMATE • The hottest months are October-February; mid-day temperatures can reach more than 113°F • Daytime temperatures between May-August can be 70-80°F, and as low as 32°F at night • December-March brings heavy rain and thunderstorms • Morning and evening game drives may be colder due to wind TERRAIN & TRANSPORTATION • Travel on roads in poor condition and on unpaved trails that can cause problems for travelers with leg or back issues • During game-viewing excursions, we’ll travel over bumpy, dusty terrain and occasionally go off-roading in the bush, as well as walk on sandy, uneven terrain in the Okavango Delta and at our camps 6 BOT2017 08/30/2017 • On game-viewing drives, we travel overland in open-sided safari vehicles with bench seating and no air-conditioning, dugout canoe, and motorized boats • 1-2 game-viewing walks of up to an hour each; and 5 internal flights on 5- to 14-seat aircraft ACCOMMODATIONS & FACILITIES • We spend 12 nights in comfortable but basic lodges and tented camps • Our lodges use generator electricity and lantern lighting at night, and do not have air- conditioning.