pour tous les connaisseurs de l'Ouganda, je viens à vous pour avoir quelques "feedbacks"/commentaires/idées/conseil par rapport à l'itinéraire que j'ai commencé.
Je voyage en mode backpack et à petit budget, la raison pourquoi je n'ai pas mis beaucoup de parcs nationaux, afin d'éviter ces dépenses très cher et j'ai plutôt opté pour quelques "alternatives".
J1 Arrivée à Kabale city (venant de Kigali). Se rendre au lac Bunyonyi
J2 Lac Bunyonyi
J 3Lac Bunyonyi
J4 Île Byonna Amagara. (ou autre)
J5 Masaka
J Queen Elizabeth N.P
**Avant d'entrer dans le parc, j'ai lu qu'il y a Katunguru, ville où il y a possibilité de voir des animaux sans payer, puisque c'est avant l'entrée du parc. Quelqu'un pourrait me confirmer si c'est vrai? Et surtout si ça vaut la peine de faire le détour si je n'entre pas dans le parc?
J6 Katwe
J7 Kasese (?pas certaine encore?)
J8 Fort Portal (Qu'est-ce qui est le mieux entre le marais de Bigodi ou Kihingami swamp walk (qui est aussi beaucoup moins cher, mais peut-être aussi pour une raison ..))?
J9 Fort Portal
J10 Murchison falls National Park
J11 Murchison falls National Park
J12 Gulu (?voir la sécurité?)
J13 Région de Karamoja (?voir la sécurité?)
J14 Région de Karamoja (?voir la sécurité?)
J15 Mbale (?pas encore certaine?)
J16 Jinja (?pas encore certaine? A-t-il autre chose à faire que le rafting?)
J17 Kampala
J18 Kampala
J19 Entebbe
J20 Entebbe
J21 Îles Sesse (un ou deux jours?)
J22 Départ en bus pour Malaba ou Busia pour traverser au Kenya.
J'ai quand même noté plusieurs parcs connus. Si j'avais à en ajouter un, lequel me conseillerez-vous? forêt de Mgahinga, P.N du lac Mburo, P.N de Queen Elizabeth, forêt de Bwindi, P.N de Semuliki, P.N de Kidepo, P.N du mont Elgon, forêt Mabira ??
Il ya aussi des parcs moins connus (et beaucoup moins cher): Ajai, Bugungu, East Madi, Kabwoya, Karuma, Katonga, Kigezi, Kyambura. Vos conseils?
Je m'attends à rester environ 1 mois en Ouganda. Pour le moment, je n'ai que 22jours dans l'itinéraire, donc encore flexible sur le programme (rallonger des régions, ajouter des endroits qui ne nécessite pas un prix fou d'entrée, villages/visites hors des sentiers battus ..)
Merci de bien vouloir me donner un p'tit coup de main 😉
Je vais essayer de te répondre, mais je ne connais pas tous les endroits que tu cites.
Je voyage en mode backpack et à petit budget, la raison pourquoi je n'ai pas mis beaucoup de parcs nationaux, afin d'éviter ces dépenses très cher et j'ai plutôt opté pour quelques "alternatives".
J1 Arrivée à Kabale city (venant de Kigali). Se rendre au lac Bunyonyi
A Kabale, tu peux faire quelques courses, changer de l'argent, etc. A part ça, il n'y a pas grande chose à y voir, mais s'arrêter dans une ville et toujours sympa, observer la vie des ougandais, discuter avec des marchands, etc.
Le lac Bunyonyi est magnifique, je te conseille de faire une sortie en bateau avec un guide. Le vendredi c'était jour de marché dans le petit village juste à côté du Lodge Birdnest@Bunyonyi. Bizarrement, ce petit village ne semble pas avoir de nom, en tout cas, je ne trouve pas de nom sur ma carte, ni sur google maps. Nous y étions trois nuits et avons fait le tracking pour voir les gorilles depuis là (une heure de route pour y aller).
J2 Lac Bunyonyi
J 3Lac Bunyonyi
J4 Île Byonna Amagara. (ou autre)
J5 Masaka
J Queen Elizabeth N.P
**Avant d'entrer dans le parc, j'ai lu qu'il y a Katunguru, ville où il y a possibilité de voir des animaux sans payer, puisque c'est avant l'entrée du parc. Quelqu'un pourrait me confirmer si c'est vrai? Et surtout si ça vaut la peine de faire le détour si je n'entre pas dans le parc?
Effectivement, tu as la possibilité de voir des animaux en dehors de la partie payante. Mais si cela te fait un grand détour, je ne suis pas sûr si ça vaut la peine d'y aller. Nous avons vu pas mal d'animaux dans le parc et aussi lors de la croisière sur le canal de Kazinga, mais en dehors, il faut, comme toujours, avoir de la chance. En dehors du parc, nous avons vu des antilopes, des singes et des éléphants au loin. Mais c'était de loin pas une grande concentration d'animaux.
J6 Katwe
J7 Kasese (?pas certaine encore?)
Pourquoi pas, ça dépend ce que tu recherche. C'est une ville et perso, les villes ne me branchent pas beaucoup. Je préfère les petits villages.😉 Après, je pense que tu peux faire des visites dans les environs.
J8 Fort Portal (Qu'est-ce qui est le mieux entre le marais de Bigodi ou Kihingami swamp walk (qui est aussi beaucoup moins cher, mais peut-être aussi pour une raison ..))?
Nous avons fait une marche avec un guide dans le marais Bigodi. C'était très sympa, nous y avons vu beaucoup de singes et d'oiseaux. Je ne connais pas Kihingami, je ne peux donc rien dire.
J9 Fort Portal
J10 Murchison falls National Park
Nous avons beaucoup aimé ce parc. D'ailleurs, à refaire, j'y passerais une nuit de plus.
J11 Murchison falls National Park
J12 Gulu (?voir la sécurité?)
J13 Région de Karamoja (?voir la sécurité?)
J14 Région de Karamoja (?voir la sécurité?)
J15 Mbale (?pas encore certaine?)
J16 Jinja (?pas encore certaine? A-t-il autre chose à faire que le rafting?)
J17 Kampala
J18 Kampala
J19 Entebbe
J20 Entebbe
Pour moi, trop de ville. Mais il y a quoi à y faire.
J21 Îles Sesse (un ou deux jours?)
J22 Départ en bus pour Malaba ou Busia pour traverser au Kenya.
J'ai quand même noté plusieurs parcs connus. Si j'avais à en ajouter un, lequel me conseillerez-vous? forêt de Mgahinga, P.N du lac Mburo, P.N de Queen Elizabeth, forêt de Bwindi, P.N de Semuliki, P.N de Kidepo, P.N du mont Elgon, forêt Mabira ??
Il ya aussi des parcs moins connus (et beaucoup moins cher): Ajai, Bugungu, East Madi, Kabwoya, Karuma, Katonga, Kigezi, Kyambura. Vos conseils?
Nous avons beaucoup aimé Kibale pour ses chimpanzés, mais aussi pour sa végétation. Dans le secteur Fort Portal - Kibale, il y a pas mal de forêts, donc des singes.😉 Bwindi est pour moi un must, mais voir les gorilles coûte cher.
Je m'attends à rester environ 1 mois en Ouganda. Pour le moment, je n'ai que 22 jours dans l'itinéraire, donc encore flexible sur le programme (rallonger des régions, ajouter des endroits qui ne nécessite pas un prix fou d'entrée, villages/visites hors des sentiers battus ..)
Merci de bien vouloir me donner un p'tit coup de main 😉
Bonjour,
Je ne réagirai que sur certaines parties et qq remarques générales. Comme Ticapi, je trouve qu'il y a assez peu d interet dans les villes. Sauf a avoir y faire qq chose de bien spécifique, généralement autour.
Alors pour ma part, 2 jours Kampala et 2 jours Entebbe, c est trop (ce qui revient a peu pres a la meme chose), je prefere Entebbe et son calme, mais chacun ses gouts. Je n'aime pas Kampala et le pire, ses bouchons, qui obligent a traverser la ville tres tot ou l'eviter ou prendre pas mal de marge.
Sur la question de la sécu, il faut suivre car avec les tensions politiques pourraient venir qq pbs sécuritaires. Mais a vrai dire, cela concernera en premier lieu Kampala et les villes importantes ensuite. Il faut aussi s informer si ponctuellement il n'y a pas un pb. Dans le Karamoja la situation est vraiment revenu a plus de normalité depuis plusieurs années donc pas de pb particulier (sauf si vous avez un troupeau de bovins).
J12 Gulu (?voir la sécurité?)
J13 Région de Karamoja (?voir la sécurité?)
J14 Région de Karamoja (?voir la sécurité?)
J15 Mbale (?pas encore certaine?)
J16 Jinja (?pas encore certaine? A-t-il autre chose à faire que le rafting?)
Si vous conservez cette partie du voyage, selon moi, la plus belle région du pays, alors il serait dommage de ne pas aller au parc Kidepo. En réduisant Kampala et Entebbe, vous gagneriez des jours pour avoir un peu plus de temps pour la région.
Apres Kidepo, il est possible pour revenir vers Kampala de faire étape à Kaabong, à Kotido, à Moroto et à Mbale. Pour faire Moroto Mbale, on peut passer par Soroti ou Nakapiripirit. Mieux vaut prendre Nakapiripirit (et idéalement l'ancienne piste) car on passe en plein pays Karamoja, on traverse un parc (ou il n y a pas grand chose mais on peut voir qq animaux tt de meme). Dans les villages type Kaabong et Kotido, il y a des petits hôtels ou pensions, pas chers du tout, facile ensuite de manger pour pas cher non plus, possible de tenter dans les restos du coin, assez roots et ambiance un peu western, pas mal d alcool et bcp de mixité entre des gars qui sont dans la zone pour le boulot, qq femmes Turkana en tenue traditionnelle...
Dans la zone, il est bon d avoir de temps en temps un guide si on veut visiter une manyatta ou un kraal et en connaître plus sur les karamojong et tous les groupes qui cohabitent dans la zone (Ik, Pokot...). Au matin, la collecte de lait et de sang, avec de la chance une fete traditionnelle, un jour de marché (de mémoire le mercredi un gros marché à Kotido)...
A Moroto, il est possible de monter vers le mont Moroto (plusieurs jours) ou simplement sur une journée de monter dans la montagne vers qq piscines naturelles ou tout simplement pour la vue magnifique sur la plaine.
Si vous faites étape à Mbale, selon moi, pas d arret nécessaire à Jinja que je trouve plutôt triste et moche. Comme la région qui va grosso modo de Jinja a Kampala.
Bonne préparation avec en plus qq photos, pas top car prises avec un tél, des environs de Moroto
A Kabale, tu peux faire quelques courses, changer de l'argent, etc. A part ça, il n'y a pas grande chose à y voir, mais s'arrêter dans une ville et toujours sympa, observer la vie des ougandais, discuter avec des marchands, etc.
Oui, je n'ai pas prévu y rester, c'est juste que l'autobus fait un arrêt là qui, je crois, semble être le plus près du lac Bunyonyi. Le taux de change était bien dans cette ville?
J7 Kasese (?pas certaine encore?)
Pourquoi pas, ça dépend ce que tu recherche. C'est une ville et perso, les villes ne me branchent pas beaucoup. Je préfère les petits villages.😉 Après, je pense que tu peux faire des visites dans les environs.
Car il me semble que je n'ai pas vu beaucoup de choses à faire? Je dois revérifier ..
Nous avons beaucoup aimé Kibale pour ses chimpanzés, mais aussi pour sa végétation. Dans le secteur Fort Portal - Kibale, il y a pas mal de forêts, donc des singes.😉 Bwindi est pour moi un must, mais voir les gorilles coûte cher.
C'est certain que je ferai pas les gorilles, question budget! Alors Bwindi c'est seulement pour les gorilles .. je peux donc l'enlever de la liste?
Alors pour ma part, 2 jours Kampala et 2 jours Entebbe, c est trop (ce qui revient a peu pres a la meme chose), je prefere Entebbe et son calme, mais chacun ses gouts. Je n'aime pas Kampala et le pire, ses bouchons, qui obligent a traverser la ville tres tot ou l'eviter ou prendre pas mal de marge.
Je vais voir si je 1) enlève une des villes. 2) mets une autre plus "calme" entre les deux. 3) laisser tel quel. Mais perso, des grandes villes je trouve ça bien aussi, Ça reflète aussi une tout autre réalité du pays, souvent beaucoup de marchés à visiter, etc.!
Dans le Karamoja la situation est vraiment revenu a plus de normalité depuis plusieurs années donc pas de pb particulier (sauf si vous avez un troupeau de bovins).
C'est ce que j'ai lu sur un autre forum, comme quoi c'était redevenu sécuritaire. Cependant, sur le site du gouvernement (lui du Canada), il a encore un avis assez élevé. Alors merci de reconfirmer que tout est Ok! 🙂
Si vous conservez cette partie du voyage, selon moi, la plus belle région du pays, alors il serait dommage de ne pas aller au parc Kidepo. En réduisant Kampala et Entebbe, vous gagneriez des jours pour avoir un peu plus de temps pour la région.
Apport l'entrée du parc qui coûte, a-t-il moyen de faire quelques activités gratuites dans le parc ou à faible coût? Merci pour tous les conseils concernant la région de Karamoja, wow!!!
C'est certain que je ferai pas les gorilles, question budget! Alors Bwindi c'est seulement pour les gorilles.. je peux donc l'enlever de la liste?
Je ne vois pas trop ce qu'on peut y faire à part aller voir les gorilles. Mais peut-être, je me trompe.
Je pense que tu feras un très beau voyage. Certainement beaucoup plus accès population qu'animal, mais les rencontres avec la population locale d'un pays sont toujours très intéressantes et surtout, enrichissantes.🙂
Quelques remarques; je trouve votre itinéraire assez chargé en distance mais bon après chacun sa façon de voyager; perso je préfère faire moins mais à un rythme plus tranquille et laissant le temps nécessaire aux imprévus.
Contrairement à d'autres, je trouve intéressant kampala et aussi entebbe; Kampala n'est pas une jolie ville au sens occidental du terme mais c'est la capitale, c'est vivant, vert (certains quartiers); de super restos, du shopping, qq visites culturelles, marchés etc bref à moins d'être allergique à l'urbain ça mérite bien deux petites journées (moi j'y passe plus de temps mais pour des raisons personnelles). Entebbe pareil en plus petit ça mérite bien ces deux jours; les plages ne sont pas baignables mais sont sympas pour se reposer; il y a le zoo, jardin botanique;
Kasese moins d'intérêt par contre; ville moyenne ougandaise sans charme, peu d'infrastructures touristiques,
Fort portal, par contre sympa et plein de choses à voir autour ; idem pour le queen elizabeth park, superbe et relativement facile à organiser (cf mon compte rendu sur ce coin dans mon profil, ça pourra vous donner une idée d'organisation)
îles sesse pour un jour, trop court et pour deux jours c'est short aussi; avec la traversée ça fera que peu de temps de repos sur place; à mon avis, 3 ou 4 jours serait mieux.
Perso mais ça n'engage que moi, vu votre itinéraire venant de kigali et pour que ça reste des vacances, je zapperai le nord du pays et me concentrerai sur le lac Bunyonyi 3 ou4 jours queen elizabeth park 2 jours, fort portal et autour 3 ou 4 jours (kibale sympa si ça rentre dans votre budget, mais aussi les craters lakes), entebbe, kampala et stop à jinja optionnellement sur le chemin du kenya; si vous avez le temps, 3 ou 4 jours aux sesse aussi; à voir^^
ça vous laisserait le temps de respirer et profiter et parer aux imprévus inévitables sur 20 jours environ^^
Merci Alex pour tes conseils, j'apprécie! Moi aussi en temps normal j'aime bien visiter les grandes villes/capitales.. Je trouve que ça réflète un autre côté de leur réalité. Suite à ton message, j'ai 2 questions;
- j'avais bien noté les craters lakes, mais je me demandais s'ils faisaient partis d'un parc payant ou accès gratuit?
- l'itinéraire que tu as proposé est sur env. 20 jours comme tu as mentionné. Cependant, je peux prolonger mon séjour jusqu'à 1 mois. Si c'est le cas, est ce réaliste de conserver le nord?
Bonjour
Pour ma part et comme c etait indiqué dans votre mail initial, sur 1 mois, c est faisable sans courir. Ce serait vraiment dommage de ne pas passer par le Nord, certainement la plus belle et fascinante région d'Ouganda. Très différente de tout le reste du pays.
Pour les capitales, c est les gouts et les couleurs, et si j aime passer du temps à Buja, Ouaga, Tana, Kigali ou Niamey. Kampala, franchement j accroche pas, Nairobi non plus d ailleurs. Et si 1 journée, je vois, 2 jours par contre, surtout pour les 2 (Kampala et Entebbe)...
Mais comme dit, chacun fait comme il le sent et selon ses envies. Heureusement on est pas tous fait pareil, ce serait d un ennui. 😉
Crater lakes tu peux visiter gratuitement, ce n'est pas un parc mais il vaut mieux prendre un guide; tu peux organiser ça de fort portal.
Tout est faisable; perso je ne ferai pas le nord après cet itinéraire si c'était mon trip mais j'ai un rythme lent en voyage; surtout si tu rajoutes les îles; faut pas oublier les journées de transport en bus ça fatigue mais bon après techniquement parlant oui c'est faisable avec le nord mais tu vas bouffer de la route; ça dépend vraiment de ton style de voyage et des attentes^^😉
j'aime bien toujours trainer un peu dans les capitales, j'aime le shopping et qq bons restos aussi mais comme tu dis si bien, on a tous un rythme propre de voyage et des gouts différents😉
Bonjour,
Tu (je me permets le tutoiement, on s'est croisé depuis si longtemps sur ce forum) as parfaitement raison, moi non plus, je ne zappe pas les capitales et pour certaines, je les adore même. En particulier Tana ou j'ai passé vraiment du temps à marcher sans m'ennuyer. Et Dieu sait que bcp détestent Tana.
Mais à Kampala, je ne dois pas connaître les bons coins, je n'arrive pas à apprécier la ville tout bonnement.
Peut être qu'en connaissant mieux...
Merci encore 🙂! Je crois tout de même que j'enlèverais les îles avant le nord .. Surtout qu'après l'Afrique je vais en Asie; déjà plusieurs îles à visiter là-bas .. pas la même chose qu'en Afrique j'imagine, mais tout de même ..
De toute façon, je suivrai la "vibe" ou mes envies du moment :)
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!
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
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
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!
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.
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!
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
