Je reviens vers vous pour vous soumettre le nouvel itinéraire de notre voyage pour avoir vos avis et suggestions .
Nous avons supprimé, entre autre, le Sud et 1 journée sur Etosha ( 1 journée pleine + 2 nuits nous semblent peut être suffisante), afin de se dégager plus de temps sur le delta de l Okavango, et le Namib-Naukluft .
Voici la nouvelle ébauche de notre futur périple:
J1: Windhoek ( pension Londighini)
J2: Anib lodge ( camps) et sa gamedrive sundown
J3: direction le Naukluft et son Zebra River lodge ( chambre)
J4: rando waterkloof ( si possible à cette époque??), route pour camps Sesriem
J5: Dune 45, sossuvlei, dead vlei... canyon; nuit au camps Sesriem
J6: Solitaire et ballade + nuit au Barchan Dune ou au Camp Gecko Desert ??
J7: direction Walvis Bay nuit Lagoon lodge
J8: combiné croisière Pelican + 4x4 sandwich ; nuit au Lagoon Lodge
J9: survol des dunes du Namib + ballade Welwitshias mirabillis ( ou autre ?, ) . Nuit à Swakopmund ?
J10: direction le Spitzkoppe ( via cape cross ) et nuit au camps
J11: Direction le Brandberg et nuit au White lady camps ou au Brandberg rest camp ou Ugab camp
J12: track rhino ou éléphant et nuit au Grootberg lodge
J13: Warmquelle et nuit au Ongongo camps
J14: Opuwo: village Himbas et nuit au camp ( opuwo country, Oreness ou Kunene?)
J15: Etosha- Okaukuejo
J16: Etosha - Namutoni ( ou nuit à l'extèrieur Est)
J17: Rundu et nuit au N'kwazi camps
J18: route vers Bagani : mokoro l'après midi et nuit au N'gepicamps
J19: drive de 2/3h dans Mahango Réserve et route pour Kongola et nuit au camps Kwando
J20: Kasane: Chobe cruise et nuit au Kubu safari ( ou chobe lodge)
J21: Chutes coté Zimbabwé; nuit ??? ( plutot que coté Zambie à cette
époque, à cause du faible débit, ???)
J22: Survol des chutes et retour Kasane et nuit au camps Ihaha
J23: journée drive et nuit au camps Ihaha
J24: drive et nuit au camps Kubu ( ou Chobesafarilodge)
J25:route pour Maun; nuit au Crocodile camps
J26: survol du delta + mokoro ; nuit au camps Crocodiles
J27: route pour Gobabis
J28: Windhoek, formalités 4x4 et avion à 13h45 pour Johannesbourg
Voilà, qu'en pensez vous ? quelles sont vos suggestions de modif à faire, de lieux à supprimer ou rajouter, ...?
Cela parait il plus cool en rythme pour mieux profiter? pour le 4x4, on me propose un nissan Navarra: choix correct??
Pour les chutes : vaut il mieux passer la frontière avec le 4x4 ou faire faire le transfert par le lodge ( et laisser le 4x4 au lodge au botswana pour la journée et nuit??) question budget et facilités?
BON? ballade welwishias le J9 AMHA ça vaut pas le coup
pourquoi ?
parce qu'en quittant cape cross tu va tirer tout droit dans une région où y'n a des wagons
bon y'aura peut être pas l'énorme planquée derrière un grillage avec marqué
la plus grosse du monde mais sinon ça sera mieux par le chemin des écoliers
donc je dirais t'affolle pas la dessus.
j19 mahango
2/3 heures pour une réserve aussi exceptionnelle ça me semble peu
la partie gauche oui mais la partie droite ça peut occuper une journée...
je reviens au j9 le survol des dunes vaut le coup le soir pas le matin donc moi le j9 j'irais à cape cross
comme il semble que tu as un peu de sous tu prévois une nuit au cape cross lodge tu leurs demande de faire une ballde welwishias ça sera infiniment mieux avec un guide du lodge et puis le soir tu te fais le meilleur repas de tes vacances
ah pas au niveau gastronomie mais au niveau ambiance
tu demande au lodge (ils ont l'habitude de le faire )
de te faire un diner aux chandelles sur la plage
Salut,
là c'est beaucoup plus équilibré et surtout plus réaliste que la première fois 😉
Jour 6 et 7 ? ces 2 journées peuvent se regrouper en une seule, tu peux aller dormir au barchan dunes après la journée dunes et faire une petite balade le matin (où ?) et la route pour walwis l'après-midi
ce qui te dégagerait une journée pour un endroit plus intéressant
Jour 13 ? toute une journée à Warmquelle ? et Puros tu y as pensé ?
jour 25 : route pour Maun, il faut environ 7 h00 pour faire ce trajet, si tu pars suffisamment tôt de Kasane tu peux faire un arrêt au Nata bird sanctuary si il a plut et que l'eau est revenu dans les pans cela peut être une bonne expérience
jour 26: attention les mokoro trip partent tôt (8h00) donc tu n'auras pas le temps de faire le survol avant, par contre tu peux le faire le soir en rentrant ou encore mieux le matin de bonne heure (J27) avant ta longue journée de route- c'est d'ailleurs mieux le matin - 7h30 - 8h00 pour la lumière
" Jour 6 et 7 ? ces 2 journées peuvent se regrouper en une seule, tu peux aller dormir au barchan dunes après la journée dunes et faire une petite balade le matin (où ?) et la route pour walwis l'après-midi
ce qui te dégagerait une journée pour un endroit plus intéressant "
Effectivement, apparemment 1h30 de route environ de Sesriem à Solitaire, donc bonne idée d'aller direct dormir après la journée Dunes du côté de Solitaire et comme ça 1 jour sur le planning pour voir autre chose, ou alors gagner cette journée en plus à caser au départ de Gobabis pour se faire 1 jour de farniente totale dans un lodge sympa pas loin de Windhoek avant le retour ??
Pour Puros, combien de temps de route à partir de warmquelle ???
Ton idée " programme du cape cross lodge avec diner aux chandelles sur la plage ", sympa, très sympa, 😊, mais pour ça, il aurait fallu que mon chéri (qui n'est pas dispo 😠 ) parte avec moi et malheureusement c'est pas le cas 🙁🙁 . Vacances routardes entre copines, alors bon, c'est pas trop de circonstances 😉 .
Mais, si l'occas se représente 1 jour, c'est sûr que ce sera le passage obligé!!!
c'est aussi la raison pour laquelle je voulais savoir si le 4x4 proposé par 1 TO ( qui passe lui par Asco car ), un Nissan Navarra équipé, était un bon 4x4 pour notre itinéraire, pour éviter, en tout cas limiter, les désagréments mécaniques et facilités de conduite 😛😛 le plus possible 😉
Tous les 4x4 équipés se valent plus ou moins, Nissan ou Toyota c'est du kif, par contre ce qui fait et fera la différence c'est l'usure de celui-ci. Si tu as la chance d'en avoir un neuf c'est tout bon, si c'est un vieux coucou vérifie bien tout. Avec Asco en principe pas de problème.
Pour aller à Puros depuis warmquelle il faut 3h30 à 4h00 malgré les 120 km de route, mais cela en vaut vraiment la chandelle, paysages à couper le souffle, éléphants du désert, une faune riche, le petit côté aventure... mais il vaut mieux y coucher car l'aller-retour dans la journée ça le fait pas vraiment
mais ça dépend réellement des destinations et là ya pas apparement de destinations à risque
y'a que mahango et encore ça dépend ce que vous faites à mahango.
au passage j'ai vu le messages sur le forum du routard également
Hello,
j'ai vu que tu pars de Nice. Nous sommes aussi partis de Nice, mais pour Frankfurt et après vol direct sur Windhoek: tu pars le soir vers 19.00 de Nice et tu arrives à Windhoek vers 8.30 : çà te laisse toute la journée pour déjà avancer dans ton circuit. Le vol retour Windhoek-Frankfurt-Nice est aussi très pratique: il part le soir à 20.30 et tu arrives à Nice vers 10.30 matin. Avec ces vols, tu n'as pas le transit sur Joburg.
J2 : on est allé à Bagatelle Kalahari près de Mariental (superbes bungalows, dunes rouges, excellente bouffe et sundowner au vin blanc d'Afrique du Sud extra !
J3 : Zebra river lodge : des gens supers et un cadre magnifique, demande le chalet le plus haut, la 9, je crois.
J6 : Barchan Dune Lodge : un couple de fermiers très accueillants, une cuisine excellente, un tour du propriétaire très agréable (on a compté les nouveaux-nés parmi les Oryx) et un couple de suricates adoptés tout mignons ! il y a des chevaux aussi.
J8 : on a fait la croisière Pelican Point en kayak : c'est mieux, à mon avis, qu'en bateau, on était au plus près des phoques et des dauphins, c'est Eco marine Kayak tours à Walvis Bay qui propose cela, c'est une dame très sympa, brunch sur place (on mange souvent en Namibie !)
J12: Grootberg lodge : une vue sur un canyon époustouflante, une petite piscine juste au bord de la falaise, une ambiance très cool mais une bouffe tjrs merveilleuse: il est tenu par la communauté, donc les revenus reviennent aux gens du coin.
il faut prévoir dans le budget le pourboire des guides, ceux qui te font le plein aux stations d'essence aussi !
Bon voyage !
moi non plus bien sur, je parlais juste des 4x4 proposés pour ces trips, Toyota ou nissan ce sont les mêmes.
Maintenant vaut mieux avoir un defender pour les passages difficiles mais là ce n'est pas le cas 😉
moi non plus bien sur, je parlais juste des 4x4 proposés pour ces trips, Toyota ou nissan ce sont les mêmes.
Maintenant vaut mieux avoir un defender pour les passages difficiles mais là ce n'est pas le cas 😉
Bonjour à Tout le monde,
Nous devons partir nous aussi en Namibie début Novembre pour 11 jours .
Nous avons accepté l'itinéraire proposé par Tourmaline et qui est le suivant : J1 Windhoek J2 OTJIWARANGO :okonjima J3 ETOSHA : okaukuejo J4 et 5 : TWYFELFONTEIN :Mowani Mountain Camp J6 et 7 : SWAKOPMUND J8 et 9 : SESRIEM : Kulala desert Lodge J10 :MARIENTAL j11 : WINDHOEK
N'ayant aucune idée des distances à parcourir entre chaque étape (en terme de temps) quelles sont les endroits prioritaires à ne pas manquer ?
Merci de vos avis
J6: Solitaire et ballade + nuit au Barchan Dune ou au Camp Gecko Desert ??
J7: direction Walvis Bay nuit Lagoon lodge
Même avis que précédement : tu peux aller directement de Sesriem à Walvis Bay en prenant le petit déj à Solitaire. Tu gagnes une journée à recaser là où c'est plus dense, notamment du côté de Chobe et des chutes
Bonsoir à tous et merci aussi à nouveau à tous ceux qui ont répondu à mes messages 😎😎😎
Grace à vous tous ( 1 spécial merci aussi à Miesele 😉, elle comprendra), je pense que l'itinéraire final va ressembler à ça:
J0: Départ de Nice via Lisbonne pour Johannesbourg : nuit dans
l’avion
J1: Windhoek ( pension Londighini)
J2: Anib lodge ( camps) et sa gamedrive sundown
J3: direction le Naukluft et son Zebra River lodge ( chambre)
J4: ballade, route pour camps Sesriem et coucher de soleil sur Dune Elim
J5: Dune 45, sossuvlei, dead vlei... canyon; route pour Solitaire et nuit au Barchan Dune ( camps ou lodge ?)
J6: ballade + direction Walvis Bay nuit Lagoon lodge
J7: combiné croisière Pelican + 4x4 Sandwich ; nuit à Swakopmund
J8: survol des dunes du Namib + Cape cross + route pour le Spitzkoppe .Nuit au camps Spitzkoppe
J9:ballade et route vers le Brandberg et nuit au White lady camps ou au Brandberg rest camp ou Ugab camp
J10 : track éléphant en visitant villages Ugab et route pour Palmwag . nuit au camps
J11: Puros (via les chutes de Warmquelle ): nuit au camps
J12 : route pour Opuwo ( via seisfontain) : visite village Himbas et nuit au camp ( Opuwo country ou Oreness ou Kunene)
J13: route pour Etosha et nuit au camps Okaukuejo
J14 : route pour Etosha- Hallali
J15: Etosha – et nuit à l'extèrieur du parc au Onguma safari camp
J16: Rundu et nuit au N'kwazi camps
J17: route vers Bagani : mokoro l'après midi et nuit au N'gepicamps
J18: drive de 2/3h dans Mahango Réserve et route pour Kongola et nuit au camps Kwando
J19: Kasane: Chobe cruise et nuit au camps Chobe safarilodge (ou Kubu safari)
J20: on laisse le 4x4 au lodge et transfert pour Chutes coté Zimbabwé; nuit hotel ? ( ou avec notre 4x4, on verra sur place )
J21: Survol des chutes et retour Kasane .nuit au camps Chobesafari (ou kubu safari)
J22: journée drive et nuit au camps Ihaha
J23: drive et nuit au camps ihaha ( ou autre)
J24:route pour Maun; nuit au Crocodile camps
J25: mokoro +survol du delta ; nuit au camps Crocodiles
J26: route pour Gobabis
J27 : secteur Windhoek pour 1 journée détente et nuit dans un lodge
J28: Windhoek, formalités 4x4 et avion à 13h45 pour Johannesbourg, nuit hotel
J29 : départ pour la France via lisbonne
Et le départ est pour dans 15jours !!! vite vite vite, on a trop hate d'enfin découvrir à notre tour 😎😎😎.
Tout compte fait et grace à vos conseils, on opte plutot pour ne pas réserver à l'avance les camps et lodges, juste ceux de J1/2/3 ( pour pas à avoir à s'en préoccuper dès notre arrivée et se retrouver sans rien) J5 et J13 .
on attend les propositions du TO .
Voilà pour les dernières news, et si vous avez des remarques sur ce nouvel itinéraire pour encore l'améliorer, je prends 🙂
Merci merci et à très vite pour de nouvelles questions d'ordres pratiques ( matériel à emporter, chargeur et convertisseur ??...)
J5 nuit au barchan dune. sur le site se trouve le kuangukuangu. Si tu veux passer une nuit inoubliable, d'un romantisme absolu sous la voie lactée... mais je te conseille de réserver car il n'y a qu'un bungalow et c'est pas dit qu'il soit libre à 15 jours du départ.
J12 si tu ne vas à Opuwo que pour visiter un village himba, tu peux t'éviter tous ces km en en visitant un près de seisfontein, il en a aussi un à Puros bien qu'un peu trop touristique à mon goût
J23 nuit Ihaha ou autre ?
il n'y en a pas d'autre à part les lodges hors de prix, c'est soit ihaha soit retour kasane
Voilà je te souhaite un bon voyage, vous allez en prendre plein les mirettes
Personnellement je trouve ton passage par Puros trop bref pour pouvoir bien en profiter :
pour faire Palmwag-Sesfontein, il faut compter deux heures (de mémoire), Sesfontein-Puros : 3 heures sans compter les pauses photos (ça j'en suis sure). Si tu passes par Warmquelle, tu arriveras en fin d'après-midi.
pour le retour : toujours 3 heures pour arriver à Sesfontein et deux heures pour aller à Opuwo.
Difficile dans ces conditions de caser une ballade autour de Puros, par exemple pour chercher les éléphants du désert.
De plus, la piste entre Sesfontein et Puros est vraiment mauvaise avec pour double conséquence :
la nécessité d'une attention très soutenue, bien plus fatigante que sur une piste normale ; du moins pour qui n'a pas l'habitude.
un risque accru de crevaison.
je pense effectivement que si on a la possibilité de visiter un village himba, un vrai de vrai ( pas un "genre recomposé pour les touristes"), on zappera Opuwo si rien d'autres là bas d'intéressant et profiter des élképhants du désert ou autre
merci de ton conseil ainsi qu' à Vinnylove qui me donne le même avis; 😉
si d'ailleurs qq un sait ou nous pourrons trouver ce village dans le secteur puros /sesfontein ?????
Il y en a un dans Puros fléché (en continuant la piste jusqu'au bout, la flèche est juste avant la rivière) !!! De ce que j'ai lu dans d'autres postq, il est plutôt "vitrine pour touristes", mais permet de bien comprendre la vie des Himbas. Mais je ne peux pas t'en dire plus : nous n'y sommes pas allés ayant passer la matinée dans le lit de la rivière et ayant de toute façon l'intention d'aller à Opuwo.
Salut,
j'ai souvent eu l'occasion déjà de le dire sur ce forum mais le village himba près de puros est effectivement une attraction touristique qui permet de voir et comprendre la vie des Himbas, démonstrations à l'appui, mais il n'y a guère d'authenticité dans ce village.
les vrais villages sont par définition difficiles à trouver car itinérant et mieux vaut passer par un guide local.
A seisfontein il a plein de petites échoppes sur le bord de la route qui proposent des visites de village, autrement le camping de khovarib près de warmquelle le fait aussi.
Inutile d'aller jusqu'à Opuwo et passe une nuit + une journée à puros tu ne le regretteras pas 😉
Hello, We already did a self-organized trip to Namibia in March 2019, covering Windhoek and the southern part up to the South African border, then heading back…
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