absolute AFRICA
Safari Dossier for The Southern Explorer – 27 / 32 Days Lusaka (or Lilongwe) to Cape Town Dates of Departure in 2009 - 2010
Departs Lusaka June 30, 2009 July 28 August 25 September 5 October 7 October 30 November 4 November 11 November 19 December 25, 2009 January 17, 2010 March 5 Arrives Cape Town July 29 August 26 September 23 October 4 November 4 November 27 December 2 December 9 December 18 January 23, 2010 February 15 April 3 price £ £570 £570 £570 £570 £570 £570 £570 £570 £570 £570 £570 £570 kitty £ US$650 US$650 US$650 US$650 US$650 US$650 US$650 US$650 US$650 US$650 US$650 US$650
SPECIAL DEPARTURE DETAILS 25 Dec 09 – Christmas on a houseboat on Lake Kariba, New Years in Livingstone (Victoria Falls). Lilongwe Departures : On 30 Jun 09 to 19 Nov 09 departures only, you can start this safari 5 days earlier in Lilongwe, Malawi for the same price, and visit the wild and beautiful South Luangwa National Park. Here are the departure dates if you would like to depart early from Lilongwe, Malawi:June 25, 2009, finishing July 29 in Cape Town July 23, finishing August 26 in Cape Town August 20, finishing September 23 in Cape Town August 31, finishing October 4 in Cape Town October 2, finishing November 4 in Cape Town October 25, finishing November 27 in Cape Town October 30, finishing December 2 in Cape Town November 6, finishing December 9 in Cape Town November 15, finishing December 18 in Cape Town
Countries Visited: Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa Highlights: Lake Kariba Houseboats, Walking with lions, Rhino trek, Victoria Falls, Whitewater Rafting on the Zambezi, Flights over the Falls, Bungee jump, Elephant ride, Chobe National Park, Okavango Delta, Visit with a Himba or Bushmen tribe, Etosha National Park, Cheetah Park, Skeleton Coast, Cape Cross Seal Colony, Swakopmund Dune Quadbiking, Sandboarding, Tandem Skydiving, township tour, Namib Naukluft National Park, Sossusvlei Dunes, guided walk on the dunes, Fish River Canyon, Orange River, Cape Town. Safari Structure: This safari is a component of our main program of Absolute Safaris. Along the way you may meet many other travellers who are doing other shorter or longer components of the Absolute Safari. We finish in Cape Town where you may like to relax for a few days. Alternatively you may like to extend your time away and travel along the Garden Route. Please feel free to contact the office for further details.
absolute Africa 41 Swanscombe Road, Chiswick, London W4 2HL tel: 0208 742 0226, fax: 0208 995 6155 absaf@absoluteafrica.com www.absoluteafrica.com
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Visa Requirements for The Southern Explorer
If you are travelling on a passport not detailed below, please contact the office. Your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months after your intended date of departure with adequate pages for all required visas. Up to 4 pages may be required. Do be aware it is illegal to travel in some African countries on two passports. Visa requirements can change without warning. All visas need to be paid for in US Dollars cash and can usually be arranged at the border including the visa for Zambia which can be arranged at Lusaka on arrival at the airport. Below is an estimation of how much the visas will cost. If starting in Lilongwe please note there are usually no visa charges for entry into Malawi.
NATIONALITY British Australian New Zealand South African Canadian American German
Zimbabwe US$55 US$30 US$30 US$30 US$60 US$30 US$30
Botswana NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE
Namibia NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE
South Africa NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE
Zambia US$150 US$50 US$50 NONE US$55 US$135 US$50
When costing an overland safari you need to consider:Your price Your optional excursions Your airfare Your visa and vaccination requirements Your kitty, paid in US $ cash Personal spending money Insurance requirements Personal equipment Pre and post safari needs
The Group Kitty on The Southern Explorer Safari pays for:
All camping costs including three nights in a lodge or similar at Swakopmund in Namibia and your final nights accommodation at Ashanti Lodge in Cape Town, South Africa. Two meals a day (breakfast and dinner) and contributions to occasional restaurant meals including the final meal in a restaurant in Cape Town Core Game Parks - Etosha National Park, Namibia. - Namib Naukluft National Park, Namibia and Fish River Canyon. - South Luangwa National Park (10 Sep 08– 19 Nov 08 and 30 Jun 09 to Sep 09 ) Visit with a local tribal group – the Himba or Bushmen Entrances to reserves and sites in Namibia such as the Seal Colony, Cheetah Park, Twyfelfontein rock engravings and a guided walk on the dunes. The kitty is the group’s money. It is paid to the safari leader in Africa who manages it for the group. Operating a kitty gives the group control over a lot of what happens on the safari. The kitty has been realistically costed to allow you to eat well and also camp in secure sites. Kitty also covers a proportion of the game parks and some of the other safari highlights particularly in Namibia. Any remaining funds in your kitty are returned to you at the end of the trip. For further game parks you might like to visit on safari please check the optional game parks listed on page 4. At lunchtime we encourage you to get out independently to mix with the local community, shop in the markets or try a local cafe which allows you the chance for some free time to “do your own thing’.
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Pre and Post Safari Information
We can assist with any pre safari accommodation if you wish in Lusaka at the Eureka campsite where we collect you as well as transfers from the airport to the campsite. Eureka Campsite is a private game farm just outside Lusaka. Eureka has dorm accommodation and small chalets. Dorms are 10 US$ per person. Chalets are between 35 US$ and 60 US$ per night. Breakfast is 5 US$. Lite meals are also available. A transfer from the airport is 50 US$. If arriving early into Lilongwe we collect you at Mabuye Campsite dorm accommodation is 6 USD per night and a transfer from the airport is 28 USD. The Southern Explorer finishes at Ashanti Lodge at the foot of Table Mountain, Cape Town, your final night’s accommodation being covered at the Lodge by the kitty. Further accommodation for your stay in Cape Town can be booked for you on safari. Dorm accommodation at the Lodge is £8, single rooms £18 and double/twin rooms £26 - £34. Airport transfers are £8 to £10 per person. The Travel Shop at the Ashanti Lodge where we finish is happy to assist with your post safari requirements including white shark dives, car hire, Baz bus reservations and much more. There are also many sights to see in Cape Town including Table Mountain, Robben Island, the Cape of Good Hope Reserve and some excellent museums including The District 6 Museum.
Personal Spending Money
We find you are wise to allow £70 - £100 approximately a week for personal spending money. This amount is very individual and depends largely on how much you drink, shop for souvenirs and your personal needs including lunch and snacks, as well as the occasional opportunity to upgrade. The figure is a regularly updated weekly average the crew and recent passengers have provided. Some weeks you will spend more and other weeks less. £270 to £460 spending money is the current recommendation for this safari covering lunch, drinks, snacks, souvenirs, other personal needs including communication with home, postage and the occasional upgrade. Regularly smallish optional activities also arise costing under £10 such as entry to Mosi Oa Tunya at Victoria Falls and these also will be covered by this money. Spending money is also calculated to cover those times when we don’t eat on the truck eg for overnight excursions such as when we head out on the the houseboat. For those who enjoy shopping or even browsing there are many different items to tempt you. Some clients also like to buy a t-shirt at Swakopmund or Victoria Falls of one of the many activities you might try or a video of “the big day out”- white water rafting or gorge swinging in Victoria Falls. Bear in mind too that Cape Town is one of the places where the local restaurants offer huge variety and after weeks on the road are too tempting to miss not to mention the night club and casino at Vic Falls. Remember to budget carefully to ensure you have adequate spending money to cover all eventualities and enjoy all you wish to do once out in Africa, bearing in mind that it is very difficult to access money from overseas once you are on the trip. Remember also to budget for whatever pre and post safari arrangements you might also have in mind.
Meals and cooking on the truck
Day to day meals are prepared from the truck using both the non perishable supplies we buy in bulk prior to the safari and fresh supplies we buy as we travel. Staying fit and healthy on tour is a priority as we keep busy and we want you to enjoy all you do. Everyone takes turns on a roster basis cooking for the group, being “assistants” to the cooks and with the clean up. The safari leader assists with menus, recipes and loads of ideas. She/he is also available to provide support and encouragement at any time during meal preparation. Cooking together is loads of fun and all part of the group experience! The sort of meals provided day to day are spaghetti and pasta dishes, stir fries, cottage pies, kebabs, curries, stews and casseroles, hamburgers or jacket potatoes, which are then complimented with rice and/or salads. Breakfast is usually fruits, muesli and/or other cereals, toast, as well as some regular cooked breakfasts like eggs, bacon, baked beans or pancakes. We also during the tour often organise to cook a spit roast pig or goat or alternatively do a hungi which is usually a project in itself ..........
There are also a few prearranged meals booked ahead of time so the whole group can occasionally relax in the evenings in the knowledge that someone else is doing the cooking.. This also frees up the itinerary so you can enjoy a little more of Africa. On one of these occasions we might organise for you to experience a
4 more traditional local meal during the tour, and at least once on this safari we will aim to arrange a seafood buffet so the group can experience seafood fresh from the Indian Ocean. The kitty will also on route contribute to one or two group restaurant meals. For vegetarians we do all possible throughout to ensure a good supply of veggies, salads, fruits, beans, pastas and rice. The diet is often vegetarian day to day as fresh quality meat is difficult to access and very hard to keep. Instead the diet leans towards pastas, rice as well as fresh fruit and vegetables when available and in season. When eating in restaurants and when meals are ordered ahead of time vegetarian options are always available with usually good supplies of fresh fruits, veggies and salads. Do be aware though how spoilt we are in the Western world with our constant supplies of fruit and vegetables regardless of the season. In reality and more naturally fruit and vegetable supplies are seasonal, may not be as chemically assisted and can also be difficult to access on route. We will do all possible to ensure supplies where possible. When booking do remember to let us know if you have any specific dietary requests. Clean drinking water is also a vital consideration on safari. At most campsites the truck can usually access clean drinking water but we can not guarantee this. Where this is not the case, particularly through Malawi and Zambia, it is usually advisable to buy your own bottled water which is readily available.
Update on costs on optional extras
These excursions are paid for in Africa. Paying for excursions in Africa allows you to decide as you travel what you wish to do. Bear in mind that some activities such as rafting and also some game parks can be seasonal. Please note also that prices constantly fluctuate in Africa, partly due to exchange fluctuation. Below are the very latest figures currently available to us at the time of writing. They can be taken as a reasonable guide only. Any optionals under £10 will be covered by the personal spending money quote of £70 - £100 a week. Please contact us if you would like further information about any of the below activities. Prices are quoted in sterling for ease of budgeting but you are advised that many of the optionals are payable in Africa in US$ (cash) and a few in local currencies. (Update May 2009 – rate 1.45) * Houseboats on Lake Kariba * Lion walk * Elephant rides * Jet Boating on the Zambezi * Rhino Trekking * Bungee jump * Gorge swing, abseil, flying fox * White water rafting The Zambezi * Flight of the Angels * Sunset cruise * Breakfast drift canoe (with park fees) * Interactive drumming * Chobe National Park * Okavango Delta guided mokoro safari * Flights over the Delta * Tandem sky dive Swakopmund * Sandboarding * Quadbiking * Open sea fishing * Dolphin cruise including brunch * Township tour * Rafting on the Orange River * Wine tour Stellenbosch £ 90 £ 83 £ 97 £ 50- £60 £ 62 £ 72 £ 41 - £86 £ 97 £ 45- £138 £ 28 £ 48 £ 17 £39 £ 77 - £97 £ 53 - £80 £ 132 £ 17 - £23 £ 17 - £34 £ 57 £ 30 £ 27 £ 13 £ 28
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Health and Immunisation
Travelling to Africa will expose you to some different diseases and health hazards that you may not have come across before so it is essential that you speak to a medical professional experienced in travel medicine before you go on safari. You will need to have the required immunisations and to commence a course of antimalarials prior to departure. Do remember to leave yourself an adequate amount of time to commence your vaccination program. Approximately four to six weeks should be more than adequate depending on how up to date you currently are. Nomad Travellers Store and Medical Centre have a live Travel Health Line. We do suggest you give them a call. Nomads Travel Health Line 09068 633414 (Calls cost £1 per minute). In Australia and New Zealand Travellers Medical and Vaccination Centre also have a Health Travel Line. (1902 261 560. ) There is a charge per minute on this health line as well.
Suggested travel clinics in the United Kingdom Nomad Travellers Store and Medical Centre 3-4 Wellington Terrace, Turnpike Lane, N8, 0208 8897014, 40 Bernard Street, Russell Square, WC1N, 0207 833 4114 1 Contact Travel Clinic Castlewood House, 77/91 New Oxford Street, London WC1A 1DG Suggested travel clinics in Australia Travellers Medical and Vaccination Centre Brisbane (07)3221 9066 Melbourne (03)96025788 Sydney, George Street (02)9221 7133 Sydney, Parramatta (02)9891 4850
st
0800 039 3073
Suggested Immunisation Requirements (guide only)
The immunisations usually suggested for the countries visited on this safari are:Typhoid Polio Tetanus Hepatitis A Diphtheria Tuberculosis (three months)
It is also considered essential to take a course of anti-malarials. It is best to discuss the type of anti-malarial medication you should take with a travel clinic such as Nomad for the latest information on which medication is most effective in preventing malaria, all possible side effects and which drug will best suit you. Please be aware that there can be negative side effects from anti-malarial drugs. The choices usually suggested are Larium, taken x1 a week. Or doxycycline, taken x1 a day. Or malarone, taken x1 a day. General information on avoiding malaria The best way to avoid malaria is to guard against being bitten and stick to your chosen medication regime. To avoid against being bitten........ Cover exposed skin thoroughly in insect repellent, such as DEET, from dusk to dawn, reapplying regularly ~ Wear long sleeved and long legged light weight clothing in light colours as well as sockS Always sleep under a treated mosquito net ~ Wear impregnated wrist and ankle bands ~ Treat clothing
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The Southern Explorer Itinerary
Zambia/Malawi Days 1 – 4 The Southern Explorer commences in Lusaka, Zambia at Eureka Campsite. Day one finds us on the road heading to the beautiful Lake Kariba for a houseboat cruise. The houseboat is a wonderfully relaxing environment to meet your fellow travellers and to enjoy your first experience of Africa’s wildlife up close as we cruise through the national park. The boats also have tender boats so we can get up close to game at the water’s edge, as well as head out on fishing trips, the lake being famous for tiger fish. We spend two nights relaxing on the boats which have bedrooms, kitchen and entertainment areas including a splash pool. Please note also you can join us five days earlier in Lilongwe, Malawi if you wish. On certain months in particular this would allow you to travel with us out to the remote and wild South Luangwa National Park for game drives. South Luangwa is particularly famous for its large herds of elephant and evening game drives when we regularly get to see leopard. Your optional excursion: Houseboat cruise on Lake Kariba. Days 5 - 9 From the houseboats we travel into Victoria Falls usually staying over on the Livingstone Zambian side of the border. There is an immense amount to do at the Falls and everyone is usually busy with the different activities on offer from the gorge swing to microlighting to white water rafting to canoe trips. Time can be spent in the national park overlooking the Falls or on a township tour. Drum up some wild beats at one of the interactive drumming sessions. Take a round of golf, browse in the markets, or have a night out in the casino. We usually meet up at in the evening for meals in local eating places and one evening take a sunset cruise together. Your Optional excursions: Horse and elephant rides, lion walks, polo cross, whitewater rafting, canoeing on the Zambezi, “Flight of the Angels”, bunji jump, abseil/gorge swing, evening sunset cruise and many other activities. Zimbabwe - Botswana Days 10 - 15 From the Falls we leave for Chobe National Park, for a game drive and cruise, the park being particularly famous for its elephant herds of 400 plus which roam across the park and spends days in and by the waterfront. The following day we travel past the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans on our way to Maun. It is from here we organise our mokoro safari for 1 or 2 nights in the Okavango Delta, a wonderland of lush waterways where staying amidst unspoilt wilderness we gain a sense of the remoteness and beauty of the African bush camping under the stars. For a total change of pace lie back in your mokoro and enjoy the soothing sensation of meandering silently through the maze of waterways in traditional canoes. Here we can spot buffalo, hippo, crocodile, antelope, elephant and lion as well as bird life such as kingfishers, ducks, marabou storks, sacred and glossy ibis, herons and egrets. We also take guided game walks on the small islands in the Delta during this time. A time to relax and soak up the sights, sounds and smells of the African bush. Your Optional excursions: Chobe National Park game drive and cruise, Okavango Delta guided mokoro safari, flight over the Delta.
Namibia Days 16 - 22 Leaving Maun we head to the border of the mysterious "nothingness land", Namibia. Here we again spend time on a walk with local Bushmen on the edge of the Kalahari or visit a traditional Himba tribe in the Kaokoveld. We also visit Hoba, the largest meteorite in the world. Discovered in the 1920’s, Hoba has been estimated at between 410 and 190 million years old. We now arrive for the most special of our game drives during the trip entering Etosha National Park for two nights in one of the world’s greatest conservation areas. The park centres around the vast Etosha Pan, an extensive flat depression of 5,000 square metres of shimmering mirages and home to the "big five" - lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino. Etosha means "place of dry water ", water being a key focal point, one of the special features of the park being the floodlit water holes. Here elephant, rhino and other game come to drink. In the evening we can wait quietly for game to arrive late into the evening thanks to special lighting.
7 Leaving Okaukuejo, the last of our Etosha camps, we travel to the Cheetah Park where we can get up close to tame cheetah and get some fabulous photos before travelling into some of the most scenic country in southern Africa in Damaraland. We head to Twyfelfontein for local walks and to explore the large collection of rock engravings up to 5,000 years old situated near two well known geological features the Organ pipes and Burnt Mountain. From here we travel down the lower section of the Skeleton Coast, to stop over at the Cape Cross Seal Colony on our way to Swakopmund. Swakopmund is rich with German colonial charm. It is also from here that a range of adventure activities can be organised. There is the thrill of quad biking and sand boarding. Paraglide or sky dive over the desert floor, a free-fall jump being an an exciting way to view the Namib, with paragliding being slightly more sedate as coastal winds lift and carry your glider in silence over the dune crests and valleys. Open sea fishing is also available for keen anglers and township tours offer an insight into day to day life. Then to Sossusvlei and the extraordinary environment of the Namib Naukluft National Park in the vast, arid regions of southern Namibia. The guided walk here provides information about the vlei area as well as the dunes and the creatures like the toktokkie beetle that survive here. An early morning rise is essential to attempt scaling the dunes which measure up to 325 metres and for photo opportunities as the colours of sunrise spill over the fantastic sand formations. The colour transformations are at their best usually immediately after sunrise. Your Optional excursions: Quad biking, sand-boarding, skydiving, paragliding, desert flights, township tour, open sea fishing, ballooning. Namibia - South Africa Days 23- 27 Fish River Canyon is our next destination. It is the second largest canyon in the world, created by the rushing waters of the Fish River. Following our hike down the canyon and then back up we enjoy a soak in the hot springs at Ai Ais in the lower reaches of the Canyon, a short drive from our camp at Hobas. Crossing the border into South Africa at Noordoewer we camp by the wild and beautiful Orange River before travelling through the South African wine region including a stop over at historic Stellenbosch for a wine tour. We finish at the Ashanti Lodge with Table Mountain as the backdrop for our stay. Do give yourself a few days to unwind and explore a little of the beauty of this city, as well as the fascinating sites in the local surrounds once the safari has finished. We enjoy a final meal together and say our goodbyes. Optional excursions:- Fish River hike, Orange River rafting. Wine tour.
Please note the above itinerary is given as a guide only. Your crew will select the most favourable route to take depending on local conditions and seasonal variations. Many factors need to be taken into consideration when organising the final itinerary including political considerations, road and weather conditions, and where and when animals are best viewed. You are travelling a vast distance on this safari to see an immense amount. Do be aware that to cover this distance and see what you wish to see during the trip there are approximately 3- 4 full days of long drives. Your crew will give you options as to how to best break the drives depending on information at hand in regard to local road conditions, camp facilities and options the group may wish to do on the way. In regard to optional excursions there are usually choices of other things to do when you choose not to do an optional excursions. These are also often times when you can write letters, get your washing done and explore local African communities. Food, drinks and sometimes a swimming pool are available at the campsites where we park the truck. You will find the facilities at campsites will vary. Hot showers and flush toilets are not as unusual as you might expect. You will find we will also a few times on safari we will camp out in the wild.
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What do I need to bring for the Southern Explorer
Usually passengers carry their possessions in 1 x large back pack, 65 to 85 litre and carry day to day necessities in an additional small day bag. Remember travelling light is always wise and particularly when going overland. Passengers also often buy a lot of African souvenirs on the way. The vehicles have good storage capacity to carry souvenirs and lockups in the vehicle for your valuables, pack and day bag. There is a locker under your seat for easy access for day to day needs. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------Travel documents including passport, visas, air tickets Vaccination documentation, particularly for yellow fever shot Insurance policy Travellers cheques and some US$ cash for your optionals, kitty and spending money Sleeping bag and sheet, roll mat Eating utensils, including cutlery, cup, plate/bowl. 1 litre water container Pocket knife Torch and batteries, a head torch being the most useful. Small medical kit Mosquito repellent Sun block cream Clothes Please double check the weather conditions for your particular safari when packing. Cotton and loose fitting items are preferable. Do realise anything white will not stay that way. Women should dress "modestly" respecting the sensibilities and attitudes and attitudes of the people and countries they are visiting. Lightweight cotton clothing, long sleeves and pants, including casual wear for nights out. Long pants, skirts, and sandals are fine for these times. Lightweight water proof jacket and a fleece Swimming costume. Sun hat. Sun glasses. Sandals Lightweight closed in walking boots or shoes/trainers. Avoid shoes that get too heavy and hot. Towel Toiletries Emergency sewing kit Ipod or MP3 player if you wish to listen to your own music, books Writing paper, pens, Camera, and spare memory cards/film. If bringing equipment to charge it can be charged from the trucks. To do this bring along a 12 volt adapter fitted with a standard cigarette lighter plug to charge from the truck. It is also wise to bring an international mains adapter and a spare battery pack as well as extra memory sticks if you are taking a digital camera .
Absolute Africa 41 Swanscombe Road, Chiswick, London W4 2HL tel: 0208 742 0226, fax: 0208 995 6155 absaf@absoluteafrica.com
www.absoluteafrica.com
This document is correct as at 1st June 09 and can be taken as a guide only. Please check the website for any price or itinerary adjustments which are made as regularly as possible.