SafariCraig

Hi Susie,

I have flown IAD-JNB several times. If you continue to Cape Town on the same day you arrive at JNB you end-up getting to your hotel in CPT around 10pm so the day is shot. You will also be utterly shattered from the long flights, layover, and domestic flight JNB-CPT. This is why I said it can be nicer to just stay at the airport at a cheap 3-star like Metcourt at Emperor's Palace or City Lodge OR Tambo then start your safari the next morning. In the end, you know best how your body reacts to long travel in coach class and you will have a great trip no matter how you do it.

What's the latest?

Craig Beal – owner – Travel Beyond
2011-2013 Travel & Leisure A-List agent for Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana

susiesan

The latest is Rhino Africa agrees with you that the flow will be better by reversing the order. They propose to fly to Vic Falls, Zimbabwe side only so as to avoid the need for the yellow fever shot, then Okavanga Delta safari, then Capetown, then Kruger safari.

I asked if it was worth the time and expense to visit Victoria Falls in November, when the water is low. I also asked about the timing of the trip, moving it to after Nov. 1 for better value in Botswana. And I asked about taking out Victoria Falls and adding to the time in Botswana as an option.

I may be able to work in the flight to Vic Falls as part of my award ticket inbound, or the flight CPT-JBH as part of the outbound ticket. This would save some airfare that could be applied to the safaris. I still want to stay close to my budget of $5000 pp for a 13-15 day trip.

GadgetFreak

We were in Livingston near the beginning of the rainy season (early December maybe) and the falls were very nice. But I do think if possible to wait until the falls have water would be best. They tour companies should be able to give you precise dates.

In terms of rainy versus dry season, each has their advantages. In in the dry season the game is typically more concentrated at a few waterholes. Also of course you stay drier. The disadvantage is that it's more dusty. Our guide said that the photographs from the rainy season and dry season looked different as a result. We went during the rainy season and while we had one or two interruptions, brief ones at that, for rains it overall was great due to the lack of dust.

StartinSanDiego

I did a 10 day South Africa/ 1 day Germany/2 days Egypt on miles about 6 months ago. (Mid January). The grasses are high, but the game viewing was terrific and included several species of newborns.

I took Johan Rebel's advice and stayed at both Rhino Post and Shindzela, as well as a couple of Kruger camps and a great place in Blyde Canyon. The trip was unforgettable... my favorite trip out of many, many travels. A girlfriend and I self-drove. It was easy. The scenery was gorgeous and the road system mostly terrific. They have very good maps of Kruger in the park shops. My AAA map (the spiral bound one/the only one they have) was absurd as the only reference point once inside the park.

It can be done on an extreme budget. I used UA miles to get there, and, of course, that means that the airfare is dirt cheap, like $150 r/t in my case. But SA was very affordable. I think the whole trip, souvenirs included, was less than $2000 USD. I just got back from Israel and literally spent twice as much on that trip.

I would go again in a heartbeat. My route would be more leisurely, starting at the bottom of Kruger, down by Crocodile Bridge, and going north as far as time allows. We criss-crossed a bit, not knowing exactly what would be the plan.

susiesan

Craig: here is the latest revision of the order of the itinerary:

arrive JHB evening, overnight airport hotel
day 2: fly to VFA, 2 nights at Ilala Lodge
day 4: road transfer to Chobe Marina Lodge for 2 nights
day 6:road transfer to Kasane, air to Kana Kara Camp in Okavango Delta for 3 nights
day 9:air to Maun, fly to JHB-CPT, Capetown for 3 nights
day 12:fly CPT-Kruger Mpumalanga, road transfer to Elephant Plains Lodge 3 nights
day 15: road transfer Kruger airport, fly to JHB

The trip is now 15 days and at $7000 pp which is too much. With the arbitrary dates being used, we are in Botswana in late October so prices may still be high. The first plan had us in Botswana after Nov. 1.

Now I have to trim it. I'm looking at dropping Victoria Falls completely to save money. I may be able to hook the flight from JHB-VFA on to my inbound award ticket and the last flight from Kruger-JNB on to my outbound award ticket. As it is now, that flight time SA8848 would miss connecting with SA 207 to IAD so we would have to take an earlier flight to JNB if there is one.

Or I keep Victoria Falls and eliminate of of the Botswana safaris. Which would be the better location if you could only do one-Chobe or Okavango Delta? Is Victoria Falls ever visited for the day from a stay at Chobe Marina Lodge? How far of a drive is it between the Falls and Chobe?

I'm not sure why Gomo Gomo was dropped and Elephant Plains added as it is more expensive.

Another way I can save is by using hotel points in Capetown and doing the city on my own. I can arrange my own tours once we get there.

The more I research this trip the more confusing it gets.

SafariCraig

Hi Susie,

I am just seeing this now. Sorry for the delay! There is no way to alert me when someone posts a question on here so I just check every few days. I suggest you skip the entire Vic Falls/Botswana portion of the trip and do two safaris in South Africa + Cape Town. When you factor in the airfare to Vic Falls and the return flight from Maun to Jo’burg you are going to spend even more money!

Ask them to price out three days in Kruger ecosystem at Kambaku, Tanda Tula, or Shindzela then Cape Town and then four nights at Mashatu tented camp. This will be within your ORIGINAL budget. Mashatu is technically in Botswana but on the South Africa border. It has some of the healthiest lion and leopard populations in Southern Africa. This will be an epic budget safari and best value for money in my opinion with diversity in ecosystem.

Chobe Marina Lodge is NOT In the Chobe. It is OUTSIDE the gate and you have to drive through a gate each day to get to the wildlife area. There are over 800 hotel beds within 10 miles of this same gate so massive human crowds try to go through it each day (massive relative to my preferred human densities). It is a 90 minute drive + border formalities from Victoria Falls town (I did the drive a few months ago). Not a good way to see Botswana in my opinion but my opinions are not shared by all and I am much more luxury focused in my experience and opinions.

Kana Karo is a new camp (opened last year). Not sure what type of guides that can attract with their super low rates. I am pretty skeptical of what you will get at any lodge INSIDE the Okavango Delta that costs less than $500 per night in peak season.

Craig Beal – owner – Travel Beyond
2011-2013 Travel & Leisure A-List agent for Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia

flyernick

To me, the lodge not being inside Chobe was not a big deal at all. I visited in July, so maybe not the busiest season, but for our land tours to Chobe National Park, we left our hotel (Chobe Safari Lodge) very early (dawn-ish) in the safari vehicles, drove the 10 miles to the park, waited around at the park gate for a short while (15 min?) and proceeded onward. For the river-based boat safari, we just left from our hotel. As first time visitors to southern Africa, even the moderately priced Chobe Safari Lodge was so amazing to us and out of our normal expectations, that we really enjoyed everything. We were only there a few days so there were only a couple drives made to the park/reserve, so it wasn't a big deal. But maybe you have higher expectations than we did. We were not luxury focused at all.

I remember that our lodge did offer day tours to Vic Falls.

SafariCraig

Thanks Flyernick - yes - for sure everything depends on our frame of reference to include travel history, expectations, other properties booked on the same trip etc. Thanks for sharing! I did a boat cruise from Chobe Marina lodge in Feb of this year and it was cool.

Craig Beal - owner - Travel Beyond

susiesan

Which boat did you go on, Craig? I've looked at Pride of Zambezi as an option to staying in a land camp/lodge while at Chobe.

To stay inside Chobe at a camp instead of at Chobe Marina Lodge, do you have any recommendations at the low price point? I could always arrange to be in Botswana in November if the prices drop dramatically then.

Rhino Africa is telling me that the cost of the Victoria Falls visit for 2 nights not including airfare JNB-VFA is:

Victoria Falls Portion: Ilala Lodge + tour of the falls + sunset cruise + one transfer from VFA Airport to Hotel
Total Cost for 2 people:- US$ 1076.00

If we skipped the falls I presume we'd fly to Kasane from JNB to start the portion in Botswana, right?

Susie

SafariCraig

That is a good price. I am not sure what the exact name of the boat I went on was. It was a private charter for a group of 8 people that I took to Africa with me. Yes - you can fly direct into Kasane/BBK from JNB.

Craig Beal - owner - Travel Beyond

susiesan

Here's an option I discovered:

http://www.africantravel.com/tours-s...oat-adventure/
I really like the idea of the houseboat to see the Chobe Park.

I would do this at the beginning of the trip after arriving at Jo'burg and spending the night at an airport hotel.

Then after the 6 days Botswana tour concludes fly to Kruger are for a 3 day safari at one of the lower end camps like Gomo Gomo. Then fly from there direct to Capetown if possible or through Jo'burg. We'd end the vacation with 3-4 days in Capetown. AS most of the flights back to the US leave in the evening, we'd be able to spend the last morning in Capetown and take an afternoon flight to Jo'burg then home.

susiesan

Craig and anyone else following along:

This is the latest itinerary proposal taking into account the suggestions Craig and others have made:
day 1: fly JHB-VFA, BA 6285 transfer to Ilala Lodge, sunset cruise
day 2: tour Victoria Falls. Transfer to Kasane for Pride of Zambezi houseboat
day 3: Pride of Zambezi
day 4: transfer to Elephant Valley Lodge, Chobe
day 5: Elephant Valley
day 6: transfer to VFA, fly to JNB, overnight Peermont Metcourt Hotel
day 7: fly JNB-HDS SA 1225 transfer to Gomo Gomo afternoon arrival
day 8: Gomo Gomo
day 9: Gomo Gomo
day 10: transfer to HDS, fly to CPT SA 1242 arrive afternoon, 2Inn1 Kensington
day 11: Capetown City & Table Mtn, Robben Island
day 12: Capetown Winelands
day 13: Capetown free day
day 14: free morning, afternoon flight CPT-JNB, SA 332 connect back to US

This is for arbitrary dates of Oct. 18, 2015 to Oct. 31 for a total per person of around $5400. I know there will be extra costs like visas, park fees, tips, etc.

This will give us a 2 night Chobe/Namibia houseboat safari, 2 night Chobe park safari, and a 3 night Kruger safari. It should give us 3 very different safari experiences with a variety of wildlife viewing opportunities.

So what do all of you Africa experts and veterans think of this proposal?

susiesan

I just scored award tix for April 2015 for my trip. Arrive VFA on April 7, depart from CPT on April 21. I can fit the current version 5 of my safari into these dates and now have 2 of the flights included as part of the award, JNB-VFA at the beginning and CPT-JNB at the end.. This should lower the cost. I have asked Rhino Africa for a revised price.

Weather wise, should I stick with the early April trip or try to change the tickets to Sept.-Oct. 2015 if I can. I know it will be a lot colder in South Africa, especially Capetown, then which I prefer to extreme heat. But what about game viewing in Chobe and Kruger in early April?

johan rebel

April is at the very end of the rainy season. Assuming there has been sufficient rainfall, the grass will be high, the bush lush, and surface water available to thirsty animals all over the place. Not exactly conditions conducive to seeing as much game as possible in a short time. Furthermore, the Chobe in particular is a dry season destination, because the river attracts animals in huge numbers when there is a paucity of water elsewhere. These animals also hammer the vegetation, so as soon as the first rains come they move away from the river to greener pastures.ø

Johan

NLflyer26

We went on safari in Kruger in early March this year. We were at a Kruger-adjacent private game reserve in Sabi Sands (Dulini). It was hot (should be a bit better in April), but we were able to see many animals on each drive. Winter is supposed to be best for game viewing, but our experience was fantastic.