Group trip to Victoria Falls, Okavango, Hwange, Matobos & Chobe NP

Botswana & Simbawe “Ivory Route”

Tour Code:
bZAC15

Small-group safari:
max. 12 people

countries visited:
Botswana, Namibia & Zimbabwe

Travel time:
15 days

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Summary:

• A real journey of discovery through southern Africa — seeing and experiencing everything without sacrificing a comfortable bed
• A hands-on safari with fixed accommodation at a reasonable price — nights in chalets, log cabins and in a tent camp on the Okavango Delta at the heart of the wilderness.
• Everything included: cultural encounters, adventures and wilderness
• Matobos National Park, Hwange National Park, Victoria Falls, Moremi Game Reserve, Mahangu Game Reserve, Chobe National Park and the Okavango Delta.

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Why travel with Sunway Safaris?

We understand that you have certain ideas when it comes to choosing your African trip. We also know that you want to make the best safari decision. You're probably asking yourself: “What will I watch, what will I experience? ”

When choosing your operator, it is therefore of great importance what is offered on a safari tour and which inclusive services are self-evident.

Here are some Sunway qualities and facts:

• small groups — Small travel groups of up to 12 participants make it possible to experience Africa and experience this wonderful continent and its people. This is the key to our success. Our trips appeal to all ages. The average age is 37 — most are between 25 and 60. The variety of participants makes for a special safari experience.
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• 2 Sunway Expedition Leaders —Group tour guides are the key to any safari. On a Sunway safari, you will be traveling with 2 qualified and registered field guides (FGASA) (nature guides) who make up the crew. That means maximum knowledge, informative and interesting travel. Our expedition leaders are passionate about Africa, its people, and wildlife, and they love sharing their knowledge with our guests.
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• Guaranteed departures — Departures in “bold” are guaranteed departures. All other departures are guaranteed for a minimum of 4 people.
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• package price — When we plan the Sunway routes, we make sure that each route includes the best highlights. On a trip to Botswana, for example, you should definitely have visited the national parks in an open four-wheel drive vehicle, that is the essence of the Botswana wilderness. When traveling to Zambia, be sure to visit South Luangwa National Park and take a walk through the wilderness with a local scout. When booking a Sunway Safari, all entrance fees, a variety of activities and food are included. We have included all highlights in our tours so that you can see and experience the highlights without having to pay on site. There are therefore no hidden costs. So this should be an important aspect of your decision to book Sunway Safari.
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• surety — Our vehicles are all custom-made. We ensure comfortable and safe travel. Each vehicle was designed by a certified passenger vehicle manufacturer in accordance with the latest safety requirements, it has a safety housing and every seat is fitted with a seatbelt. This gives you peace of mind when you travel on the often demanding roads with Sunway Safaris.
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• Good2Go - Our commitment to sustainable and responsible tourism is reflected in our environmentally friendly travel style, where we only take photos and only leave footprints. As an African company, we have the right contacts to significantly change the lives of the people whose area we visit. In every itinerary in the brochure, you'll find this symbol, which highlights just one of the many sustainable travel initiatives we support.
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• solo travelers — Traveling alone won't weigh on your wallet, as the reservation staff will accommodate you of the same gender in a room to make the trip more affordable. Nevertheless, you have the option to book a single room or tent for a small additional charge.
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• experience — Sunway Safari has been planning trips through southern Africa for 27 years now. As a result, the routes have been perfected over many years. The smooth running of a tour is guaranteed here. We visit many highlights of southern Africa, but assure that we don't follow the busy tourist trail. Our guides have extensive experience in Africa and all over the world.
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• Based in Africa — Sunway Safari is an African travel agency, which means we live in Africa, we travel in Africa and our passion belongs to this wonderful continent. That makes Sunway Safari the best travel option
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• age limit - On all scheduled tours, we accept children from 12 to 17 years of age accompanied by an adult. We have no upper age limit. Guests who are over 65 years of age at the time of travel need a medical certificate showing that the guest is fit and healthy to join an adventure group trip. We have lots of travelers over 65 who are perfectly able to enjoy every aspect of a Sunway tour, both lodging and camping. Please feel free to contact us for more details.
  

SOS tree project — Okavango Botswana

For hundreds of years, locals and nearby residents of the Okavango Delta in Botswana have been using the wood of the liver sausage tree to make their traditional “mokoros” (floating dugout trees). This knowledge has been passed on over all generations and has been a permanent source of income for them up to now. The number of visitors to the Okavango Delta is increasing year by year. This means that more “Mokoros” are needed and therefore more trees are cut down. Due to growth in tourism, liver sausage trees are unfortunately disappearing from this region. Traditional “mokoros” must be replaced after 5 years. This puts additional pressure on the dwindling number of liver sausage trees.

Against this background, Sunway Safaris has founded a project to convince “Polers” (Mokoro drivers) in the region to buy replicas made of fiber glass. This replica lasts 10 years, is much more stable and is manufactured without any negative effect on the environment. Project implementation is currently still struggling to finance these replicas. Although part of our tour costs money for this project, further support is still needed. We also give our guests the opportunity to help solve this problem. For more information about the SOS tree project or if you would like to make a donation, please contact the Sunway Safari office. It is something that is close to our hearts and we hope for a successful project.

Local Payment

Local payment is not required for this safari.

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Reading recommendations:

Before you travel, you might want to read the following books. These books aren't specific to Sunways' tours, but give a good background and understanding of the countries you'll be traveling to.

• A Falcon Flies by Wilbur Smith (Fictional story of life in pre-colonial Rhodesia/Zimbabwe)
• Wankie by Davidson Ted (a story about Hwange National Park)
• Selous Scout's Top Secret War by Ron Reid-Daly (an account of the Zimbabwe War of Independence)
• How I found Livingstone by Henry M. Stanley (a factual account of Stanley's Travels in Africa)
• #1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (Fictional story of life in Botswana)
• Trees of the Okavango by Veronica Roodt (A Reference Book with Traditional Uses and Myths)
• Okavango: Jewel of the Kalahari by Karen Ross (A Comprehensive Description of the Delta Ecology)
• Don't run whatever you do by Peter Allison (A guide's perspective of Botswana lodge life)
• Okavango: Africa's Last Eden by Frans Lanting (A coffee table book of photography)
• Newman's Birds of Southern Africa by Kenneth Newman
• Sasol Birds of Southern Africa by Ian Sinclair, Phil Hockey, and W.R. Tarboton
• The Safari Companion: A Guide to Watching African Mammals Including Hoofed Mammals, Carnivores, and Primates by RichardD. Estes and Daniel Otte
• Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa (Field Guides) by Braam Van Wyk, Keith Coates Palgrav and Piet Van Wyk

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Shopping

The best place to buy souvenirs such as carvings, tie-dye, paintings and clothing is at its best at Victoria Falls, where you'll find a wide selection. There are beautiful weaving works to buy in Botswana.

meal

• The majority of meals on this safari are provided by lodges.
• We cater to specific dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarians or allergies).
• All drinks are at your own expense. We won't be offering bottled drinking water, but these are available at many stores on the tour.

Difficulty level

• Anyone who is generally active and in good health should be able to enjoy this trip.
• The entire route takes a few long driving days. The road conditions through the wilderness are sometimes very poor, and the journey can sometimes be slow and dusty.

What you should know

• All entrance fees and fees for parks, game drives, and the Okavango excursion are included in the tour price.
• You need a valid passport and visa to travel to South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. Please also check the website of the Federal Foreign Office for detailed information on the current entry requirements.
• When packing, please keep in mind a weight limit of twelve kilos, brought in a lightweight bag (not a hard-shell case). Also think of a small lightweight bag for our day trips. Bed linen is provided on Classic trips and it is not necessary to bring a sleeping bag or pillow. Towels are provided in most accommodations, but it is advisable to bring your own small towel for the pool and beach. On tours that visit the Okavango Delta, please bring your own small towel, as towels are not provided there.
• Money - We generally recommend bringing euros, US dollars or South African rand. However, please note that in South Africa and Namibia, foreign currencies must be converted into rand or Namibian dollars. Similarly in Botswana, foreign currency is not accepted in shops, restaurants and markets. Only Botswana pulas are accepted here. In Livingstone, individual activities can be paid for with euros and US dollars as well as credit cards. Traveller cheques can be exchanged in Cape Town, Swakopmund, Windhoek, Maun and Livingstone. Please also check the Sunway Policy for estimated prices for drinks and food, etc.

Frequently asked questions about this tour

• Can I buy memory cards for my camera?
  ‍Memory cards and other photo accessories are available from time to time on the tour. A camera with a zoom lens ranging from wide angle to telephoto lens, 35-200mm, is recommended for landscape and animal photography. Each vehicle is equipped with a 12/24 V cigarette lighter — but you can't rely on being able to charge your batteries there, so we recommend that you bring a second battery. Don't forget that you can also (almost) always charge your camera when using accommodation (SA 220 V).
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• safety?
  South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zambia are relatively safe and your tour guide will do their best to show you the most beautiful sides of the country and, by the way, to ensure their safety. In the wild, your tour guide will explain the rules of conduct — please stick to them, take care of your personal belongings and then nothing stands in the way of a great and memorable safari.
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• Do I need malaria prophylaxis?
  ‍Yes, the tour goes through malaria areas. Prophylaxis is highly recommended, please talk to your doctor.
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• What should I bring with me?
  ‍All details are listed in our general tour information (available at www.sunway-safaris.com). But the basic things are: comfortable clothing for warm days and cold nights, hiking boots, rain jacket, hat and sunglasses, swimming clothes, small binoculars are also very handy and essential — a sense of adventure.

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