Safaris

I will not be bringing my laptop to the safaris since I heard that there is no wifi or internet access in those areas.  So, I thought the best way for you to follow me is to share the full itinerary with you, as shown below.  Day 1 will be Monday, February 10th.  I'll share pictures and stories when I get back to the city or whenever I have a chance.
I apologize for the appearance of the blog.  I had to do a cut and paste of the information that was sent to me and I don't have time to make the necessary editing to make it look good.

Departs: Every Monday from your backpacker in Johannesburg or Pretoria

DAY 1: GAUTENG TO KHAMA RHINO SANCTUARY (BOTSWANA)

The tour departs early morning from Johannesburg and Pretoria. Your guide will stop en-route for breakfast (own cost), banks and last minute shopping while still on the South African side of the border. Your guide will assist you with exchanging currencies after crossing the border into Botswana. From there we head north towards Khama Rhino Sanctuary where we will have our first night sleepover at a campsite nearby. Here you can explore the various optional game drives and walking trails.
Accommodation: Camping with option to upgrade to bedded accommodation.
Included meals: Dinner

DAY 2: KHAMA RHINO SANCTUARY TO ELEPHANT SANDS (BOTSWANA)

Late morning, after breakfast, we head further north to Elephant Sands, which is a lovely lodge close to Nata, where we stay the night. Here you can relax at the swimming pool and bar overlooking a close-by waterhole, while watching animals such as large herds of elephants and others, including lions and leopards, coming to drink water.
Accommodation: Camping with option to upgrade to bedded accommodation.
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 3: ELEPHANT SANDS TO VICTORIA FALLS (ZIMBABWE)

After an early morning light breakfast we drive even further north to the Zimbabwean border post. This takes us through the Kasane forest where we always see herds of elephants and often see a variety of antelopes and sometimes lion, hyena and wild dog. From the border we drive another hour to the vibrant town of Victoria Falls where we will be staying the next two nights. The campsite, Victoria Falls Rest Camp, is situated in the middle of town, within 10 minutes walking distance of just about everything. Your guide will assist you with exchanging currencies and bookings for optional activities that you would like to do. This afternoon we visit the magnificent Victoria Falls waterfall, which is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It is 1700 meters (1.1 mile) wide, making it the largest sheet of falling water in the world. The Zimbabwean side is the best side to view the waterfall from, as 1400 meters of the waterfall is on that side, as well as the main falls. There is water there throughout the year.
Accommodation: Camping with option to upgrade to bedded accommodation.
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 4: VICTORIA FALLS (ZIMBABWE)

Victoria Falls and the surrounding areas offer a great variety of things to see and do. You will have plenty of free time to explore the town, meet the locals, visit the African markets with its wide variety of very affordable arts and crafts made from wood, stone and beads, or to relax by the pool at the campsite in the heat of the day. The Victoria Falls region is nicknamed the adventure capital of Africa for a reason. It is well known for the large variety of fantastic activities (optional excursions) such as the best one day white water rafting in the world, the 111 meters bungi jump off the bridge between Zimbabwe and Zambia which is the second highest bridge bungi jump in the world, elephant back and horse safaris, flights over the waterfall, canoe safaris, day trips to Hwange national park, fishing safaris, game walks, super fast jet boat trips, abseiling, gorge swings and much more. On day 4 dinner is out at one of the local restaurants (own cost), which is normally a festive outing.
Accommodation: Camping with option to upgrade to bedded accommodation.
Included meals: Breakfast

DAY 5: CHOBE NATIONAL PARK (BOTSWANA)

After a light breakfast we drive back to the Botswana border post through the Matetsi game reserve where we often see herds of elephants, sable antelope, buffalo and many more animal species. We arrive late morning in Kasane where we will be staying at a campsite on the shores of the Chobe River that is close to the gate of Chobe National Park. Here we often see hippo and large herds of animals. You will have the opportunity to change money and / or relax at the swimming pool and at the river shores. This afternoon we do a game drive in an open 4x4 vehicle inside Chobe national park, which is well known for its large variety and numbers of wildlife. These game drives are always very successful with spotting large numbers of wildlife. Dinner will be served on return to camp.
Accommodation: Camping with option to upgrade to bedded accommodation.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 6: ITUMELA CAMPSITE (BOTSWANA)

We leave Kasane after a light breakfast, driving south towards Palapye. We stop at Frances Town for lunch and a last bit of shopping (own cost). Arriving late afternoon at Itumela (Palapye) where we will be setting up camp for the night. Here you can enjoy the pool bar and local cuisine.
Accommodation: Camping with option to upgrade to bedded accommodation.
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 7: BASE CAMP (SOUTH AFRICA)

We depart early morning driving further south crossing the border into South Africa. You will stop en-route for breakfast & lunch (own cost). This night we spend at our Base Camp in Johannesburg.
Included meals None

DAY 8: JOHANNESBURG TO BASE CAMP

The tour departs early morning from Johannesburg and Pretoria. We will stop en-route for breakfast (own cost) and refreshments. We stop at Hoedspruit for all our shopping and then head out to visit the Maholoholo Wildlife Animal Rehabilitation Centre which is home for many of South Africa’s abandoned, injured and poisoned wildlife and a highly regarded contributor to wildlife education in our country. Here you can interact with a variety of animal species and one of the highlights is allowing a vulture to land on your protected arm and eat meat from your hand!
We will then head off towards our campsite, which is nestled in the Klaserie Nature Reserve at the border of theKruger National Park. With the arrival at the camp, you have the opportunity to relax; sitting around the campfire is one that must not be missed, the best time to take in the surroundings and listening to the sounds of the African Bush! The campsite is one of the most beautiful camping venues in the area and has a large variety of wildlife including nyala, zebra, giraffe, blue wildebeest, impala, warthog and much more, which are often seen around the camp and chalets. There is a large swimming pool where you can cool off at the end of the day after your game drive.
Camping accommodation: Camping in permanent erected 2-person dome tents
Bedded accommodation: Chalets with beds and en-suite bathrooms
Included meals: Dinner

DAY 9: KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

A short drive takes us to Orpen gate, which is the most central gate to Kruger National Park, where we arrive as the gates open. Kruger is home to 147 mammal (including the Big 5), 114 reptile & 502 bird species. You will be transferred to open sided 4 x 4 game viewing vehicles in which we will do game drives. Kruger National Park is the same size as Israel, Wales or Netherlands and contains different vegetation types that attract different animals to different areas of the park. Therefore we spend as much time on game drives as possible, so that we give ourselves a better chance of seeing different animal and bird species. We concentrate the game drives around the central region of the park, where we have a better chance of seeing the big cats and a large variety of animals.
Breakfast and lunch will be prepared by your guide and enjoyed at one of the many picnic sites inside Kruger National Park. The guides will also stop at various view points and hides inside the park, where you can stretch your legs while looking for wildlife.
We then make our way back to camp. After dinner we get ready to journey back into the bush. This time in search of the nocturnal animals on the evening's Sunset Game Drive. This takes place in the Kruger National Park, which is well known for fantastic game and night drives, with excellent game viewing. This drive is done in 4x4 open game viewing vehicles.

Camping accommodation: Camping in permanent erected 2-person dome tents
Bedded accommodation: Chalets with beds and en-suite bathrooms
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 10: KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

We start the day with a cup of coffee or tea, before heading out on a game drive in an open game viewing vehicle shortly after the gates open. You will be on a game drive for the majority of the day, searching for as many animal species as possible. Breakfast and lunch will be enjoyed at picnic sites inside Kruger National Park.
Arriving late afternoon back at camp, your Guide will prepare one of South Africa’s favorite dishes, a Braai (South African barbecue). The night is spent sitting around the campfire listening to the night sounds in the African Bush.
Camping accommodation: Camping in permanent erected 2-person dome tents
Bedded accommodation: Chalets with beds and en-suite bathrooms
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

DAY 11: BLYDE RIVER CANYON & ECHO CAVES TO JOHANNESBURG

We depart after breakfast heading toward two of our well known touring spots: "The Three Rondavels", part of the Blyde River Canyon which is the "third largest canyon in the world” as well as a visit to the Echo Caves. From here we drive back to Nelspruit, Johannesburg and Pretoria, where we will drop you off at the airport or backpacker hostels and hotels.
Included meals: Breakfast
Included:

» All transport
» All accommodation
» Qualified and registered guide
» All camping and other equipment
» Meals as specified above
» Blyde River Canyon (Three Rondawels view point)
» Entrance & conservation fees to Kruger National Park
» Full Game drives in Kruger National Park (open vehicles)
» Sunset Game Drive
» Echo Caves
» Entrance Fees to Victoria Falls
» Entrance & conservation fees to Chobe National Park
» Chobe National Park game drive (open vehicles)

Excluded:

» All drinks (except coffee & tea with meals)
» Meals not specified above
» Optional activities in Victoria Falls
» Visas if required
Sleeping bag hire (Camping clients):

R80 (once off) per person, if you do not have a sleeping bag of your own.

Bedded accommodation:

For the Kruger portion of the tour (3 nights) passengers have the option to upgrade to bedded accommodation by paying an additional R1000 on tour. On the other nights passengers have the option to upgrade to bedded accommodation upon arrival at the camps / lodges, but not before.

Optional activities

Chobe National Park
Giraffe Tracking	Pula 280
Victoria Falls
Full day white water rafting (Low water, August to January) (rapids 1 to 21)	US$ 130
Full day white water rafting (High water, February to July) (rapids 11 to 24)	US$ 120
Half day white water rafting & river boarding (Low water, August to January) (rapids 1 to 21)	US$ 185
Bungee jump from the Victoria Falls bridge	US$ 120
Bridge slide	US$ 35
Tandem Bridge slide (2 people)	US$ 55
Bridge swing	US$ 120
Tandem bridge swifng (2 people)	US$ 190
Historical bridge tour	US$ 50
Helicopter flight over the Victoria Falls waterfall (13 minutes)	US$ 130
Helicopter flight over the Victoria Falls waterfall (25 minutes)	US$ 250
Elephant interactive safari	US$ 130
Walk with lions	US$ 130
Game drive: Night drive including bush dinner	US$ 110
Game drive: Morning or afternoon	US$ 90
Game walk: Morning walk	US$ 90
Half day upper Zambezi canoeing	US$ 110
Full day upper Zambezi canoeing	US$ 125
Upper Zambezi canoeing (wine route) (3 hours)	US$ 60
Multi day canoe safaris on the Zambezi River	On request
Morning elephant interactive safari + Lion walk	US$ 200
Morning elephant interactive safari + Lion walk + Rhino tracking & Vulture restaurant	US$ 230
Afternoon elephant interactive safari + Rhino tracking + night game drive + bush dinner under stars	US$ 260
Sunset cruise on the Zambezi river	US$ 35