Merci pour tes commentaires pertinents (comme d’habitude sur VF):
Avant propos :
Concernant le sujet initial de la discussion en cours (j’ai conscience d’avoir largement digressé) ça ne va pas être facile de boycotter les Parks du Botswana sous prétexte d’augmentation des « fees ». J’ai vécu la même situation avec l’instauration des « conservation fees » en Afrique du sud il y a quelques années, mais je n’ai pas pu résister et j’ai continué à y aller régulièrement (d’autant que pour le Botswana, j’ai déjà réservé et payé les campsites).
Concernant ton dernier message :
Je vais réserver le Water-lily à Kasane (20 chambres seulement, je vais m’y prendre rapidement).
L’avion d’AF arrive à 09h50, effectivement, ça va faire short pour rejoindre Serowe. Mais si je m’arrête à Mokopané, il reste encore 1000 km a faire jusqu'à Kasane avec la frontière à passer, la aussi ça va faire très long. Les femelles vont me tomber dessus, c’est sûre. Il faut que je trouve quelque chose (help welcome).
Je me suis donc inscrit sur 4x4comunity.za , la Boteti est toujours très haute. (Bon ; il reste un an, un bon siphon de baignoire et hop, la voila vide, ou presque).
Vicfalls :
Cette année, je privilégie les parks et les animaux (c’est ce que je préfère en fait, particulièrement les éléphants qui sont, à mon avis, les animaux les plus sympa de la création) donc pour les Vicfalls, un jour peut-être mais j’appréhende la foule et les formalités, j’ai peur d’un truc genre « piège a touriste » mais c’est certainement un apriori, non ?
Pour l'avoir vécu l'an dernier, en convoi de 3 véhicules (pas plus !), avec des amis, c'est vraiment très sympa de voyager à travers Chobe et Moremi. Ça lève pas mal des angoisses qu'on pourrait trouver à se retrouver seul face à une piste inondée. Et les soirées sont inoubliables. Un seul bémol peut-être : j'ai l'impression que du fait de notre nombre autour du feu les visites nocturnes ont été peut-être un peu moins nombreuses qu'en petit comité.
Vous prévoyez de prendre le temps dans chaque parc, c'est bien ! Nous étions passés trop vite. J'espère seulement que le niveau du delta ne va pas continuer à battre des records chaque année, sinon, il va finir par devenir quasi impossible de circuler dans Moremi. Par exemple, en 2010, entre North Gate et Xakanaxa on passait avec 1m d'eau environ, cette année, plus d' 1m50 et piste fermée. L'an prochain ???
Comment et à qui (une adresse?) payer les parks fees en avance pour eviter l'augmentation?
Ce qui me semble le plus évident, c'est ce qu'avait fait Michelle (Rivièrefox), contacter directement la DWNP. MaunSelfDrive est réputé, mais j'imagine qu'il prendront une com.
Department of Wildlife and National Parks
P. O. Box 131 Gaborone, Botswana Tel. +267 397 1405 Fax: +267 391 2354 E-mail: dwnp@gov.bw
Si le mail n'obtient pas de réponse, tu peux faxer ou téléphoner.
des idées d'hebergements sympas et pas cher pour : kasane, maun, serowe et gweta?
Le seul que je puisse suggérer, c'est Maun Lodge à Maun. Prix raisonnables, chalets plutôt sympas, bon buffet, clientèle mixte tourisme/affaires et blancs/noirs ce qui est plutôt rare.
Pas vraiment dans la nature, mais après 10 jours en immersion, un petit retour vers la civilisation ne fait pas trop mal !
Mes choix de campsites sont ils bons pour: la faune? pour le confort (sanitaires)?
Oui, ils sont "évidents". Les sanitaires de Savuti sont un peu bof, mais il n'y a pas d'autre choix ! Tu pourrais peut-être juste basculer une nuit ou deux à 3rd bridge (North Gate, 1 nuit - Xakanaxa, 2 nuits - 3rd Bridge, 2 nuits) sauf que tu as déjà payé !
La Boteti monte plus haut que jamais, mais il y a un "ferry" vers Khumaga (connais pas personnellement). Le coup de la vidange de baignoire, je ne compterais pas trop dessus, la montée des eaux dans ce coin faisant suite non seulement à la montée des eaux de l'Okavango, mais aussi à des mouvements tectoniques quasi-imperceptibles qui inversent les pentes de ces étendues ultra-plates. Je peux me tromper, mais j'ai bien l'impression que la situation actuelle va perdurer quelques années.
Vic Falls… Je ne ferais pas le voyage exprès. Je ne ferais pas non plus tout le Caprivi juste pour y aller. Mais être si près et ne pas aller voir… Quand même !
Une fois payé les 30 USD de visa (Les formalités sont de la rigolade) et les 30 USD d'entrée dans le parc qui semblent surtout disproportionnées par rapport au niveau de vie apparent, c'est quand même un spectacle ! Après… rafting, saut à l'élastique, hélico etc, etc, on est pas obligé d'y passer !
Quand je dis regarder ailleurs, je pense à la Zambie, au Zimbabwe, au Malawi… De toute façon, je sais bien que le self drive dans la région revient très cher, mais c'est la seule façon (presque) raisonnable.
Merci pour ces réponses, ça commence a bien se préciser, super.
J’ai « mailé » au DWNP. Si j’ai une réponse positive et que j’arrive à payer les « park fees » 2012 au tarif 2011 je ne manquerai pas de vous le faire savoir.
Sur tes conseils, pour Maun
Je vais réserver au Maun-Lodge des familly challets, bon compromis et très raisonnables.
Sur les conseils d’Eric pour Kasane.
Le water-lily lodge, plus cher et il y a du pour et du contre sur les différents blogs en cours mais j’y crois (il est quand même pas donné).
Sous la pression, je vais étudier un crochet aux Vicfalls, vous pensez qu’il faut combien de temps ? Une demi-journée en se levant de bonne heure, c’est bon ?
Je vais essayé de supprimer une nuit à Khumaga (soit 1 iso 2) j’ai en effet peur qu’avec la flotte, ce soit pas aussi intéressant, un avis ?
Je vais réserver au Maun-Lodge des familly challets, bon compromis et très raisonnables
On avait dormi dans nu bungalow famillial du "Maun Rest Camp". C'était propre et agréable. Le prix était acceptable. On avait bien apprécié après les nuits de camping.
Le water-lily lodge, plus cher et il y a du pour et du contre sur les différents blogs en cours mais j’y crois (il est quand même pas donné).
On a passé une nuit au Water Lily et une au Chobe Safari Lodge. A prix équivalent, le CSL était vraiment plus luxueux (bouffe pas terrible compte tenu du prix).
Sous la pression, je vais étudier un crochet aux Vicfalls, vous pensez qu’il faut combien de temps ? Une demi-journée en se levant de bonne heure, c’est bon ?
Mais alors, une grosse demi journée, bien grosse. Ca dépend de ce que tu veux faire après.
Il faut prévoir la journée à Vic Falls quand même… Je suis aussi certain que pour rentrer, s'il n'est pas tard, ça vaut le coup de prendre par le parc le long du Zambèze. C'est ce qu'on avait prévu. Mais 2 4x4 sur 3 étant arrivés avec 20 h de retard, nos plans avaient été bien perturbés dans ce coin.
AMHA, personne de ton groupe ne regrettera d'arpenter le petit chemin qui fait face aux grandioses chutes....
Tu peux l'organiser cela via un TO local qui embarque tout le monde (plus simple pour les formalités) mais de toute façon il faudra se lever tôt (passage frontière) compte 3-4 heures pour bien prendre le temps de savourer, avec pique nique sur place. Retour donc dans l'après midi. A voir avec un TO local si tu peux enchainer avec une Chobe Cruise dont le départ se fait vers 15H00 mais cela risque d'être short. Si c'est faisable, la nuit qui suit va être un festival pour les neurones qui en auront pris plein la vue....bouh..que d'émotions
Pour les logements regarde la discussion du 2 décembre 2010 oùj e donnais des infos et des photos:
http://voyageforum.com/...4;page=unread#unread
Re: Circuit de vingt et un jours au Botswana en hiver austral 2011
Au Water Lily (photo 5-6-7 du message ci-dessus renseigné) nous étions au 2ème ét., jolie petite chb, sdb, WC privé, avec Air Co, - photo ci-dessous- donnant sur le jardin et piscine (calme), Chb 7 (+ n°6 pour notre fils).
Les dames ...qui t'accompagnent devraient apprécier.
Situation intéressante (banque et Spar), l'hôtel s'occupe d'organiser de nombreuses d'excursions.
Je te conseille de reconfirmer ta résa 2 ou 3 mois avant de partir et encore la veille de ton départ !
Plusieurs personnes (dont nous)ont eu la mauvaise surprise qu'on leur dise qu'il n'y avait pas de résa !
Un des gérants du camp Kwando (Caprivi) nous a raconté avoir eu aussi cette blague : résa qlq jours plus tôt, OK puis lors de son arrivée, pas de résa !
Heureusement cela s'arrange finalement bien en général.
Il faut souvent s'armer de patience pour les échanges avec le Botswana : DWNP, pareil pour le Water Lily ( Pimprenelle a eu les mêmes difficultés), pour le Liya (photo 3)et pour le Gweta lodge.
Est-ce dû au tempérament assez lymphatique des Botswanais, aux mauvaises connections internet ? Un peu des deux je pense 🙂
Pour les paiements des entrées de Moremi , dès le paiement exécuté par notre banque j'ai reçu confirmation du DWNP par mail puis les "vouchers" et preuves bancaires une 2 ou 3 semaines plus tard par courrier.
A Maun nous avons logé à l'Okavango river lodge, notre chb était propre + moustiquaire+ ventilo au plafond mais elle avait vraiment bien besoin d'être rafraîchie .
Merci à Michelle, Pierre, Eric et/ou Carole et Alex pour leurs précieux conseils.
Info :
AJC4x4 en en joint venture avec Bushlore (le saviez-vous?), les véhicules réservés appartiennent à Bushlore, j’espère qu’ils sont en bon état (j’ai entendu de tout sur cette agence de loc.).
Petit souci avec AJC4x4, Nandi m’a fait une cotation valable 60 jours. 15 jours après, au moment de payer l’acompte, la facture était plus élevée de 70 rand par jours et par véhicule.
Apres de longues palabres, nous avons fini par nous entendre sur la mise à disposition d’un GPS à 0€ mais ça ne compense pas tout, soyez vigilants.
Apres réflexion, nous zappons certainement les Vicfall (au maximum, nous prendrons la decision sur place) , je sais que ça ne va pas plaire à tout le monde, mais nous avons peu de temps a Kasane et je ne veux pas tenter de modifier les resa dans Chobe et Moremi, c’est déjà assez compliqué a organiser avec la multiplicité des agences gestionnaires de campsites.(à mon avis, ils ne veulent plus de self drivers)
Salut,
Oui, j'ai fait des demandes de prix pour 2012 et j'ai vu qu'AJC4x4 travaillait avec Bushlore. Du coup ils demandent un peu plus cher pour la même prestation et ne proposent pas les mêmes possibilités de pick up/drop off !
Dommage, ça semblait intéressant de passer par une compagnie plus petite…
La plupart des retours sur Bushlore sont bons, en tout cas leurs véhicules semblent corrects. Le problème, c'est qu'en cas de panne dans le bush, ils t'abandonnent à ton sort (en tout cas c'est ce qui est arrivé à Eric et Carole). Mais je me demande si d'autres loueurs feraient mieux à ce point de vue… D'où l'intérêt de louer un bon véhicule bien équipé pour limiter au maximum les risques de panne.
Comme convenu, je reviens vous faire part des mes démarches avec le DWNP.
La question était de faire le point sur :
o les démarches à suivre pour payer les « park fees » en avance.
o Les rumeurs d’augmentation
o La possibilité de payer en 2011 les tarifs en vigueur pour un voyage réservé pour 2012 ;
J’ai téléphoné au bureau de Maun au + 267 686 12 65 .
J’ai été en contact avec Seemong (très sympa).
Elle m’a confirmé qu’une augmentation des tarifs était à l’étude pour 2012 mais que rien n’était encore décidé.
Démarche :
Envoyez les vouchers de réservation confirmés et payé (au moins les acomptes) par fax à l’agence de Maun au + 267 686 12 64 avec un courrier expliquant que vous souhaitez payer les « park fees ».
Préciser les nombres
o d’adultes
o d’enfants
o de 4X4.
o De jours
o Les campsites.
o Vos coordonnées
(Pour moi : Kwalate Safari pour Ihaha et Kakanaxa et SKL pour Savuti, north gate et Kumaga, en tout 12 jours).
Seemong m’a envoyé (rapidement) une facture avec un formulaire de débit de carte de crédit.
J’ai renvoyé le formulaire dument rempli et signé.
J’ai payé les tarifs en vigueur (AD 120 pj/pp , ENF 60 pj/pp, 4X4 50 pj) soit les tarifs 2011 pour une résa pour aout 2012 ;
Voila. Si vous avez des résa en cours pour 2012, vous pouvez payer maintenant, ça marche.
East and Southern Africa › Botswana / Zambia · 5 replies
Hey everyone, I m in the middle of planning a road trip in Southern Africa, and I m specifically working on the itinerary especially the distances. I ve got…
Happy New Year 2026! We re planning a trip to Botswana. Thanks in advance for your tips on getting from Maun to Kasane (or the other way around) by road (taxi…
I m just starting to plan our trip for late August 2026, but I ve read multiple times that campsite bookings need to be made *way* in advance if we want to…
The departure: David was on time, as always, to drive us to the airport. At the check-in counter, I was told my passport was damaged and they needed to check…
Hi everyone, I m just back from my first overland trip with a vehicle + tent, covering northern Namibia all the way to the Okavango Delta (18 days). In short:…
I’m starting to plan a trip to Tanzania + Zanzibar in August 2027 for 2 to 3 weeks with my partner.
I’ve never been there before and I’d love some advice, especially for Tanzania where we’re planning to do several safaris in the North.
Specifically:
Do you recommend using a travel agency to organize the trip, or are guidebooks and internet recommendations enough?
If you’ve used a local agency (rather than one in France), which one?
Would you recommend hiring a guide for the entire stay in Tanzania, or is it better to travel independently except in the parks where I’ve read that guides are mandatory?
If you’ve used a local agency (rather than one in France), which one and at what price?
Have you had any bad surprises (hidden fees, inexperienced guide, poor vehicle condition)?
Looking forward to reading your tips! 🙂
Thanks in advance
Hello everyone!
It's been a year since I've been longing for South Africa. Our first trip in August 2025 amazed us, and—rarely—it was a unanimous hit with our little family! We were touched to the core, and from the moment we got home, we couldn’t stop talking about going back. 😄
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who gave me advice on the itinerary for that first trip (Johannesburg loop: Blyde, Kruger, Eswatini, St. Lucia, Durban, Drakensberg)! Thanks to you, our trip went like a dream!
Since then, I haven’t stopped reading articles and discussions on VoyageForum to keep my head in South Africa a little longer!
So, we finally caved and just booked our tickets for January 2027 (from the 3rd to the 26th), with a plan to do a road trip from Cape Town to Johannesburg in about 3 weeks.
I’ve got a rough itinerary that seems great based on what I’ve read on various forums, but there are still some uncertain points, and that’s where I could use your advice.
3/01: Arrival in Johannesburg at 11:45 PM
4/01: Flight to Cape Town, pick up rental car. Afternoon sightseeing
5,6,7/01: Cape Town to visit the big classics in the area (any tips for finding accommodation: which neighborhood, a specific place?)
8/01: Overnight stop before Oudtshoorn—but where??? (Is it essential, or is the CT-Oudtshoorn drive manageable? If so, I’d gain a day in Oudtshoorn. Google Maps shows over 5 hours of driving...)
9,10/01: Oudtshoorn (or would 3 nights be better to really enjoy the area?)
11,12/01: Knysna, Plettenberg Bay (to have time for hiking—if you’ve got hiking tips, I’m all ears!)
13,14/01: Tsitsikamma (still to have time for hiking—who knows the must-do hikes in the area? But maybe 4 nights in the Knysna-Tsitsikamma area is too much—I’m not sure)
16,17/01: Addo Elephant (I’m torn between 3 nights at Addo or 3 nights at Mountain Zebra. Based on travel journals, especially Michel’s on MZ, I’ve scheduled 3 nights at MZ 😄...)
18,19,20/01: Mountain Zebra NP
21/01: Camdeboo NP (because it looks so beautiful!)
22/01: Overnight stop (where?) before wrapping up the trip with either 2 or 3 nights at Golden Gate NP or the Lesotho option, which appeals to me, but I don’t know if it’s doable in 3 days to be back in Johannesburg by the afternoon of the 26th.
That’s my trip idea for now...
I’m eagerly waiting for your advice, ideas, and comments...
Can’t wait to be back there again!
March or May 2027.
Around 15 days in the Western Cape,
then 15 days in the southern KNP.
Arrival either in PE or George.
The pros know I’m somewhat familiar with the area... that I don’t camp... that my accommodations can be simple and remote, self-catering but with basic comforts... that I’m looking for spots that are a bit off the beaten path... in a relaxed mode...
From George:
Late arrival... need some rest... Herolds Bay from George to the N1.
Tsitsikamma is catching my eye (Storms River)... with or without a stop in Knysna.
Question:
What’s the current condition of the pass from Knysna to Uniondale? R339.
And while I’m at it, the condition of the R340.
Tsitsikamma, Knysna, and my questions still apply if arriving in PE.
Is the Swartberg still closed?
Any recommendations for accommodation in Prince Albert?
If I cross the escarpment, I’ll continue via Anysberg NR, Touwsrivier... any thoughts?
From there... Tankwa Karoo or Mount Cedar (or both).
Then heading back down to the coast... the highlands of Hermanus or Kogelberg NR (any opinions on the latter?).
Or,
A more classic route along the coast...
If I arrive (fairly late) in PE... any ideas for accommodation in that little area?
Given that Nyathi Camp is winking at me...
(For context... a while back, I stayed at Riverbend (same Addo sector, private concession)... and I visited the ruins of that abandoned lodge at the time, which has clearly been renovated since... located in a very quiet part of Addo...).
Any feedback from the pros?
Well, that’s about it...
I’m open to any other tips or advice!
Here’s my feedback after a recent trip to Ethiopia, organized with a local guide.
Despite a signed quote, months of prep exchanges (over eight months!), and phone calls right up to departure day, the guide didn’t honor the commitments we’d agreed on.
Haile Haftu FANUAILE, manager of the agency www.charmethiopiantours.com—who we’d organized everything with—didn’t meet us as promised when we arrived in Addis Ababa. Without any warning, he sent a different guide to accompany us for the entire trip (with a flimsy excuse).
Several parts of the signed quote weren’t respected:
– Services included in the quote but not provided on-site (meals, water),
– Hotels we’d chosen, booked, and paid for were swapped for lower-category places,
– Visits were canceled because the timing wasn’t calculated properly,
– One stop on the itinerary was dropped without any reason or explanation.
We’d paid a deposit for domestic flights, with a promise to refund any overpayment. A month after returning, 150 € per person (there were three of us) still hasn’t been refunded.
I’m sharing this to warn fellow travelers about the importance of solid guarantees to ensure contracts are actually honored. Double-check everything before committing!
Wishing everyone safe and smooth travel prep—Ethiopia is an incredible country!
---
Hello,
Feedback following a recent trip to Ethiopia, organized with a local guide.
Despite a signed quote, numerous preparatory exchanges over eight months, and phone calls right up until the day of departure, the guide did not fulfill his commitments.
Haile Haftu FANUAILE, manager of the agency www.charmethiopiantours.com with whom we had organized everything, did not meet us as agreed upon our arrival in Addis Ababa; without warning us, he sent another guide in his place to accompany us throughout the trip (with a bogus excuse).
Several points in the signed quote were not honored:
– services included in the quote but not provided on site (meals, water),
– hotels chosen, booked, and paid for, replaced by lower-category establishments,
– visits canceled due to lack of time, which had not been calculated correctly,
– one stop on the itinerary canceled without reason or explanation.
A deposit had been paid for the booking of domestic flights, with a commitment to refund the overpayment.
To date, one month after our return, 150 € per person (there were three of us) has still not been refunded.
This testimony is intended to alert travelers to the importance of solid guarantees for contracts that are actually honored, so that everyone can be extra vigilant before committing.
Good luck with your travel preparations, everyone.
Ethiopia is an extraordinary country!
I’m thinking (thanks to some tips from forum members 😉) of taking this route to get to the Cederberg.
Apparently, the road was damaged by the May rains, and traffic is still slow there.
Has anyone taken this route recently?
If not, is one direction (toward or from the Cederberg) more scenic than the other?
Thirty years ago, I traveled to Zanzibar (Tanzania) with my children. Since I’ve since started a new family, I took the opportunity of a trip to Kenya to bring my new family along: my wife, who’s Kenyan, and my 10-year-old daughter.
Zanzibar has really changed in 30 years.
It’s become the island of taxes.
It all starts upon arrival: I think it’s the only country in the world, besides the visa, where Zanzibar insurance (and no other) is mandatory—it costs 40 €. If you didn’t purchase it before arriving, good luck getting it: the IT systems are unreliable. With a bit of luck, it’ll take at least an hour to process! And of course, this insurance is useless—if you get sick, it’s recommended to use your home country’s insurance because if you use Zanzibar’s, your national insurance won’t cover you anymore.
I wanted to show my daughter the red colobus monkey, which is endemic to Zanzibar. I paid for a tour that was supposed to be all-inclusive. First, we visited a spice farm, where a farm guide took charge of us—meaning commissions were involved, of course! The tour was very good and informative, though. When we arrived at Jenzhi Park (the colobus park), the guide told us he "forgot" there was an entrance fee (50$).
Aware of the system, I decided to book an Ocean Blue tour through the Zanzibar Tourism Office. After two hours of driving, we stopped at a beach—and were left there. No boat was ready to take us. Since my wife speaks Swahili (the language in Zanzibar), after an hour, a captain with his own boat agreed to take us along with his family.
Another attempt. The main attraction in Zanzibar (besides the city) is Changuu, the Prison Island. You have to take a motorboat and pay the captain, which is normal.
But in Zanzibar, to even get on a boat, you first have to pay a tax! Once we arrived at the island, it started all over again! Thirty years ago, access was free, and the entire island (about 1 km²) was open. Today, there’s a small office, and you have to pay a hefty fee to enter. But enter where? A paved path leads to about 15% of the island—the rest is off-limits. In total, I paid 100 € for my wife, daughter, and myself just to visit a tiny portion of the island! Avoid this!
For the rest of our stay, we stayed at a 5-star hotel with golf, horseback riding, tennis courts, evening concerts, etc.—undeniably high-level comfort. One last thing: if you want to rent a car, it’s affordable and useful for exploring the island’s diverse landscapes, but there are speed cameras at every corner on the main roads. The fine is supposedly 100 $, and it’s hard not to get one!
I told you: Zanzibar, the land of taxes. I used to think my country, Belgium, was the tax champion—I’ve found something even better!
In Nov./Dec. 2022, I went on a safari in the region and we suffered from the extreme temperatures caused by the "El Niño" phenomenon in the Indian Ocean at that time. On top of the extreme heat, there can be torrential rains, flooding, etc., which have led to disasters with casualties.
Hi everyone!
I’m still planning my Cape Town to Johannesburg trip in January 2027.
I saw a documentary about the San people in Namibia, and the same day, I stumbled upon the Lonely Planet page about !Kwah Ttu.
I checked out their website to learn more, including Michel’s travel journal about it. I’m really keen to go.
So, I’m thinking of dedicating:
- either 1 day out of the 4.5 I have in Cape Town...
- or making a detour to !Kwah Ttu on the day I leave Cape Town for Montagu, instead of visiting Franschhoek and its Saturday market...
To the VFers who’ve already been: is it really worth spending a day there?
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Malijp
We're heading to South Africa for a month with 5 adults.
We'd like to rent a vehicle that can accommodate 5 people and all our luggage.
We're starting in Cape Town and ending in Johannesburg.
What vehicle would you recommend?
EDITH
Hi there,
I’m planning a gorilla trek in Bwindi, Uganda. I’m torn between the classic option (1 hour with the gorillas) and the habituation trek (4 hours with the gorillas but a more expensive permit). Has anyone done the habituation trek? Both? If so, I’d love to hear your feedback (including on the difficulty).
Thanks
I’ve read some travel journals here but I still have a question.
We’re heading to Uganda next February. The gorilla permits are booked, and the flight tickets are sorted too.
My question is about the chimpanzee trek. I’d love to know whether it’s better to book the habituation experience (4 hours) or the standard trek (1 hour).
The price difference isn’t huge, but I keep wondering and I’d hate to miss out on a great experience.
Hi everyone,
We’re revising our travel plans for January 2027. Originally, we were considering Uganda for about 14/15 days, but given the current health situation and the restrictions that might affect my partner, who’s American, we’ve decided to switch to Tanzania instead.
I’m used to traveling in South Africa and organizing my trips myself, but I get the impression that planning a safari in Tanzania is quite different.
I know self-drive isn’t really an option in Tanzania. So my main question is: can you organize your own itinerary and book lodges directly, then hire a local driver-guide? Or is it better to go through a local agency that handles the entire safari?
For the itinerary, which parks would you recommend for a first-time visit in January? Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire, Manyara, Ruaha, Arusha, Selous…
We’d also like to include Zanzibar to end the trip with a few days at the beach. Over 14/15 days, does that sound realistic or too ambitious?
Finally, for flights, is it better to arrive at Kilimanjaro (JRO) or Dar es Salaam (DAR) based on the itinerary we’re considering?
Thanks in advance for your feedback, especially on the best way to organize the safari and which parks to prioritize in January!
We're now just 5 weeks away from our trip to South Africa 🙂 and *so* excited to explore (just a tiny bit of) this amazing country.
I need to buy some binoculars but have no idea which model to choose. I don’t really know what to look for (and I don’t want to spend too much).
Thanks in advance to anyone who can give me some tips!
We just got back from ten days in Tanzania. We were lucky enough to be guided by Gishaman. Always in a great mood, a good driver, and an excellent guide. Thanks to him, we not only saw the Big Five in one day but also loads of other animals. He works for the local agency Blit Safaris, which provided excellent support throughout our trip. Highly recommended!
I’m planning a potential trip to Namibia for a classic circuit in April 2027.
I’m surprised by how expensive the accommodations inside the parks are—really steep! Is it possible to stay outside the parks but still close enough to enjoy the game drives?
Do you have any recommendations for more reasonably priced lodging? I’m okay with spending 200 to 250 € per night.
No camping—the friend I’m traveling with absolutely refuses 😉, but maybe upgraded tents would work.
Hi, I'm looking for information on the road conditions in Moremi. We're leaving in 15 days, and from what I've heard, the roads are pretty tough to drive on. Any advice?
Thanks
My trip to South Africa is getting closer (still 2 months to go 😏), and I’m diving back into my itinerary: from Saturday to the following Sunday around Cape Town, then from Sunday to the following Saturday in Kruger.
For Cape Town, the plan was to avoid changing accommodation every day (we’ll do enough of that in the second part) but still see different landscapes.
I know, I’m missing out on a lot, but you’ve got to make choices, and after all this time, I know what I like—and especially what I don’t (or like less) 😉
Here’s the breakdown:
Arrival Saturday at 11 AM: heading to Hermanus (2 nights). The idea is to stroll along the cliff path in the afternoon, and possibly drive to the Klein River Lagoon. Sunday: Stony Point, then depending on time and weather, a hike in Kogelberg Nature Reserve or Fernkloof Nature Reserve (which seems less scenic but has shorter walks).
Monday: drive to Franschhoek (1 night). If everything lines up, a hike in Jonkershoek NR and a visit to a wine estate.
Tuesday: drive to Mountceder Lodge in the Cederberg (2 nights). I’m thinking of visiting the Stadsaal Caves and the elephant paintings, and maybe one of the hikes listed on the lodge’s site or Maltese Cross.
Thursday: heading to Hout Bay for 3 nights. In no particular order: a classic day trip around the peninsula, half a day at Kirstenbosch Gardens, and half a day at Lion’s Head.
Sunday: flight to Johannesburg.
My questions are mostly about (short) hikes:
Has anyone here done hikes in Kogelberg, Fernkloof, or Jonkershoek?
At Mountceder Lodge (Michel, if you’re reading this… 😉), has anyone tried the hikes (guided or not) offered by the lodge?
There’s still half a day to fill when we’re in Hout Bay—any ideas (not necessarily hikes)?
Lastly, regarding safety: the French foreign ministry (always alarmist, but still) recommends hiking in groups. Is it really risky in broad daylight? (I’m not sure a group of two women counts as a "group"…)
Thanks in advance for your answers, ideas, and comments!
Question: we’re doing a 3-week trip in Namibia, including 5 days for Victoria Falls.
I’ve booked one night in Brandberg, and then I have some questions.
I was thinking of spending 2 nights in Palmwag, then heading to Etosha for one night in Okaukuejo and then 2 nights in Halali.
Alternatively, from Brandberg, I could book a night near Galton Gate and then enter Etosha.
I’m not really sure about the distances, especially with a 4x4.
Same for the return trip: Halali to Windhoek seems long. Maybe it’d be smart to break it up on the way back? (We have 2 days to get back if needed.) If so, where?
Jambo! I organized my trip through this kind of group, so I thought I’d share my experience here. We traveled as a group of four, including two kids aged 9 and 11. After requesting around twenty quotes, I decided to book the safari portion with MAKING MEMORIES IN AFRICA. Ally responded quickly and listened to all my requests—unlike other agencies—such as having a French-speaking guide, the order of park visits (Tarangire, Manyara, Serengeti, then Ngorongoro), and a mix of budget hotels and camping to keep costs down. There were still four agencies in the running, and price was the deciding factor. Even though they were the cheapest, I felt better taken care of than with others. For example, all meals were prepared by a Maasai chef, Louis, who accompanied us throughout the trip, while some others ate meals out of cardboard boxes. Samuel, our guide, explained so many things and answered all our questions. José drove us safely the whole way. Everything was done with great cheer!
At the end of the stay, Ally came to meet us and gave us t-shirts with the agency’s logo—we loved that they took the time to hear our feedback in person. In short, I highly recommend them +++, especially since it’s a local agency that also supports a charity for women and children.
For Zanzibar, I organized everything myself. I hesitated for a long time but eventually booked all four nights at the same place. We don’t like crowds, so I initially considered Jambiani but ended up choosing EVERGREEN BUNGALOWS in Bwejuu. We took their first airport-to-hotel transfer since we arrived at night, and it felt safer. Great value for money, in our opinion. Just be aware that it’s quite isolated—perfect for relaxing and going on excursions. There were very few beach vendors, unlike what I’d read about Zanzibar. We lived with our feet in the sand from morning to night, with a small basin of water outside our room to rinse off. Such a lovely spot!
I had asked for some excursion prices before leaving but ended up booking on-site. Not at our hotel, but at a nearby restaurant that was cheaper. After some thought, since we were based in Bwejuu, I wanted to do Blue Lagoon and Pungume (both departing from the south of Zanzibar).
Blue Lagoon: About 3 hours total, with snorkeling on a small reef full of fish (coral wasn’t great) and a stop at a spot with tons of starfish, plus local snacks, fruit, and drinks.
Pungume: An amazing day with a 50% chance of seeing dolphins (we missed them), a visit to the mangroves, then snorkeling at a spot with some nice coral and, of course, fish. We ended with a fantastic grill (tuna, shrimp, squid, lobster, and fries) on a sandbank in the shade.
Finally, before heading to Stone Town, we visited Paje Cave, which is much less known than Maalum. It’s smaller, but we saw bats, went for a swim, and fed the chickens and rabbits (great for the kids). To finish, we explored Stone Town on our own and had dinner at Forodhani Market.
For flights, we flew with Turkish Airlines from Barcelona to Kilimanjaro and back from Zanzibar—no issues there. However, I don’t recommend the Kilimanjaro-Zanzibar leg with Precision Air. Our luggage didn’t arrive, and according to the hotel, this happens often. We only got it back a day and a half later.
I’m reaching out with a question about which park to choose for a 3-day safari in Kenya.
After 20 days in Uganda, I’m meeting up with my dad for a 3-day safari (that works for him). We’ll be meeting in Nairobi and have a full day to travel to a park (preferably the farthest from Nairobi to avoid crowds?) and spend 4 nights there before heading back to the capital for our flight to France.
I’d love to hear your recommendations since I’ve read so many great tips on this forum.
At the end of July, we’re heading to Namibia with a group of five for a three-week road trip and visit to the national parks.
We’ve read conflicting info about buying entry tickets—either online (where?) or at the gate when we arrive?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the agencies you used to plan your trip to Uganda.
There’s the whole issue of gorilla permits, which need to be booked in advance and involve a significant financial commitment. That’s where I’m at with my trip planning. Between checking lutb.go.ug/ and reading online reviews, it’s hard to move forward with confidence.
I contacted the French Embassy, but they don’t provide any recommendations. I almost booked with an agency that had a really bad review from February specifically about the permit process.
How did you go about choosing your agency? Given the large sum involved, I’m this close to booking through a travel agency in France for this part.
From what I understand, no matter which agency books the permit, you’re ultimately guided by professionals trained for gorilla trekking based on the permit itself? I’m assuming that’s how it works.
Thanks for your feedback, and I’m really happy to see the forum’s new energy—it’s been super helpful to me in the past.
We’re heading to Uganda next summer for three weeks with our two kids, who’ll be 7 and 9 years old.
We’ve been to Southern Africa before but not East Africa, and after a trip to South Africa two years ago, the kids wanted to return to Africa, while we wanted to explore a new region while staying independent... Uganda’s been catching our eye for a while, and with Rwandair offering relatively attractive prices, we’re going for it!
We’ll be traveling in a 4x4 (self-drive) with roof tents. I don’t have any 4x4 driving experience, so it’ll be a first for me, but we’ll manage 😉 No great apes for us—kids need to be 15, and we don’t want to do that experience without them.
I don’t usually ask the forum much for trip planning, but this time, I’d love your thoughts and advice!
First question: Karamoja or not? At first glance, if we want to add it to a "classic" loop in the southwest, it doesn’t seem realistic—too packed, too much driving. We could consider doing the full loop via Kidepo and then heading down to Murchison, but I’m worried the trip might feel less varied and less kid-friendly. That said, the region looks stunning, and I’m struggling to accept not going at all... What do you think?
If we skip Karamoja, we’d do a loop: Murchison/Fort Portal/QENP/Bunyonyi/Mburo, which seems pretty comprehensive and would let us take our time, which is nice. A few random questions:
- How much time should we plan for the Fort Portal area? I was thinking at least 3 days to visit Bigodi Swamp, walk around the craters, and maybe do a community walk (any thoughts on that?).
- Between Murchison Falls and the Fort Portal area, is it worth breaking up the drive? I spotted Lake Albert Safari Lodge on the shores of Lake Albert—it’s not too expensive and looks nice.
- I’d love to do some easy walks/hikes at the foot of the Rwenzori Mountains, ideally without a guide, but it doesn’t seem straightforward. Do you know if it’s possible to do nice walks independently? I’ve read about hikes in the hills near Kilembe but nothing very specific. Maybe staying somewhere at the foot of the mountains, like Ruboni Community Camp, would allow that.
- Lake Mutanda looks really cool, and so does Lake Bunyonyi... Ideally, I’d like to see both, but won’t that feel repetitive? Is Lake Mutanda worth the detour?
Last practical question, since we don’t have experience with this: for the car with kids, would you recommend two tents (a bit more space) or a four-person tent?
I’ll stop here—already a lot of questions...
Thanks in advance for your feedback, and looking forward to exchanging ideas!
Gabriel
We’re planning our second trip to South Africa in July 2026. In 2023, we did a loop from Joburg, Golden Gate, Drakensberg, Hluhluwe, St Lucia, Eswatini, Kruger, Blyde River Canyon, and back to Joburg.
This time, we’d like to go to Cape Town and do a road trip to Port Elizabeth, then fly back to Joburg to return to Kruger. At this stage of my planning, here’s what it could look like:
D1 to D4: Cape Town and Cape of Good Hope (Table Mountain, Lion’s Head, Waterfront, Bo-Kaap, Boulders, Cape Point, Chapman’s Peak Drive). I’ve spotted a few places to stay between Camps Bay and Hout Bay (3 nights).
D5 and D6: Either Karoo NP or Hermanus and De Hoop. Any opinions to tip the scales? I’ll admit I’m already leaning toward Karoo (the "wild" vibe of the landscapes and wildlife encounters appeal to me much more than the seaside, which feels less exotic). If we go for Karoo, where should we stay? Inside the park or in Beaufort West? I’ve seen good reviews for Ko-ka Tsara Bush Camp, but maybe it’s better to stay in the Sanparks cottages to make the most of the park? (2 nights)
Option B is to do Stellenbosch (though vineyards aren’t great in winter) and/or the Whale Route—Betty’s Bay, Hermanus, De Hoop (2 nights near Gansbaai).
D7 and D8: Klein Karoo, Oudtshoorn. Staying at De Cango Guest Farm (2 nights).
D9 and D10: Knysna, Robberg Nature Reserve, Tsitsikamma (2 nights in Plettenberg Bay and 1 night in PE).
D11: Flight from Port Elizabeth to Joburg at 7 AM and drive to Marloth Park.
For Kruger, I’ve booked 2 nights in Marloth Park, 1 night in Skukuza, 2 nights in Satara, and 1 night in Talamati, which we loved. I’ll book the last night in Graskop later since we want to revisit the Blyde Canyon area.
I’d love all the feedback you can give on my itinerary, especially for days 5 and 6.
If you have recommendations for accommodations for 4 people, I’d appreciate those too.
Thanks! 🙂
We’re a family of four (two daughters aged 18 and 21) and we’re planning a three-week trip to Tanzania. Zanzibar would be our main base, but we’d also like to do a safari on the mainland.
Could you share any tips on:
- the ideal length for such a safari, the best place to go during this period (and easily accessible by flight from Zanzibar)
- your recommendations for the most suitable type of stay for a family like ours
- reliable local agencies with reasonable prices that could help us with this plan
Hi everyone, I’m here to get some advice on visiting KRUGER Park.
From what I’ve gathered through my reading, I understand there are two ways to visit the park:
- Independently with your own vehicle
=> Do you drive all day?
- By booking with a professional
=> Safari early in the morning and late in the afternoon. But what do you do in between?
When it comes to accommodations, the options are:
- Booking in one of the park’s camps, where the lodging is basic but functional
- Booking in a private reserve, which is more comfortable but prohibitively expensive
- Booking outside the park, which means entering the park every morning. But if you want to stay for 3 days, that doesn’t seem practical to me.
Do you have any advice for accommodations?
To be honest, I’m really struggling to understand how it all works...
Thanks to everyone for your help.
Bidule 27
