Sunway Safari — Your 11-day trip through Botswana & Okavango Delta

Summary

• A true African experience - wild and free!
• All-inclusive trip featuring cultural experiences, adventure, and wilderness.
• Victoria Falls, Moremi Game Reserve, Savuti & Chobe National Park & the Okavango Delta.

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The following information is provided by our long-standing partner, Sunway Safaris, and outlines their travel philosophy and services.

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Why travel with Sunway Safaris?

We know you have many options when choosing your African safari. We also know you want to make an informed decision about your trip—what you get, what is included, and what you will see and experience. Here are just a few of the qualities and facts that define Sunway:

• Small groups – Small travel groups of no more than 12 participants (this trip is limited to a maximum of eight guests) make it possible to truly experience Africa and connect with this wonderful continent and its people. This is the key to our success. Our trips appeal to all age groups. Our guests range from 25 to 65+, with an average age of 45. The diversity of our participants always contributes to a unique safari experience.
• 2 Sunway tour guides – Group guides are the key to any safari. On a Sunway safari, you will travel with two qualified and registered field guides (Field Guides Association of SA). Having two guides as a crew, rather than one guide and one driver, ensures an engaging journey with a wealth of knowledge and information. Our guides have a passion for Africa, its people, and its wildlife, and they love nothing more than sharing their knowledge with you.
• Guaranteed departures – Departures in "bold" are guaranteed. All other departures are guaranteed with a minimum of 4 people.
• All-inclusive pricing – When we travel ourselves, we believe in seeing the very best a country has to offer. When planning Sunway routes, we ensure that every trip includes the best content and experiences. For example, when traveling in Botswana, you must visit the national parks in an open 4x4 vehicle—that is the essence of the Botswanan wilderness. When visiting Zambia, you must visit South Luangwa NP and go on a game drive with a local scout. When you book a Sunway safari, there are no hidden costs. All entrance fees are included in the price, as is a wide range of activities and most meals. We have built many highlights into our tours so that you can see and experience the best of each destination without having to pay extra on the ground. So, when choosing a safari company, take a close look at what you are actually getting. You may only visit a place once, so make sure you get the most out of it.
• Safety – Our fleet of vehicles is custom-built to ensure comfortable and safe travel. Each vehicle is constructed by an authorized manufacturer to the latest safety standards and is equipped with a safety roll cage and lap belts. This gives you peace of mind while traveling on the often challenging African roads with Sunway Safaris.
• Good2Go Sunway Safaris is committed to responsible travel and supporting local projects and initiatives in the regions we visit. In our trip descriptions, the Good2Go icon highlights selected projects or measures associated with each specific journey.
• Solo travelers Due to group size and lodge occupancy, a single supplement applies if you are traveling alone.
• Experience – With over 31 years of experience planning trips throughout Southern Africa, we have perfected our itineraries over many years to ensure your journey runs smoothly. We visit the highlights of Southern Africa while ensuring you avoid the well-trodden tourist paths. Everyone at Sunway Safaris has extensive travel experience in Africa and around the world. As adventure travelers ourselves, we know how to plan trips that give you a comprehensive insight into the countries you will visit.
• Based in Africa – Perhaps the most important part of a Sunway Safari is that we are an African company with offices in South Africa and Botswana. We live in Africa, we travel in Africa, and it is our passion for this amazing continent that makes Sunway your best travel option.
• Age limit On all scheduled tours, we accept children aged 12–17 when accompanied by an adult. We have no upper age limit. Guests over the age of 65 at the time of travel require a medical certificate confirming they are fit and healthy enough to participate in a group tour. We have many guests over 65 who are perfectly capable of enjoying all aspects of a Sunway tour, both in lodges and while camping. Please contact us for further information.

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Local payment

No local payment is required for this tour.

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Recommended reading

Before you travel, you might like to read the following books. These books are not specific to Sunway tours, but they provide good background information and an understanding of the countries you will be visiting.

• #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 Richard D. 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 selection of souvenirs, such as carvings, batiks, paintings, and clothing, can be found at Victoria Falls. In Botswana, you can find beautiful woven goods, though markets are rare, so these are usually only available in shops.

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Dining

• Most meals on this safari are provided by the lodges.
• Please note that due to the diverse tastes of our guests, we are unable to accommodate individual meal requests on our group tours. The group meals we provide depend on available produce, and the selection of ingredients can sometimes be limited in remote destinations. However, we do cater to allergies as well as vegetarian and vegan requirements to ensure that everyone has a suitable meal.
• All drinks are at your own expense. We do not provide bottled drinking water, but it is available for purchase in many shops along the route.

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Difficulty level

• Anyone who is active and in good health should be able to enjoy this trip.
• This tour includes a few long days of driving. Road conditions within the reserves and parks are often quite poor, making travel slow and dusty. Remember to hold on tight and enjoy the ride!

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Good to know

• National park fees, game drives, and the excursion into the Okavango Delta are included.
• Since this tour involves spending a lot of time in wildlife areas, it is essential that guests follow the instructions of the tour leader (and local guides) regarding wildlife interaction, camp safety, and the rules for game drives and walks.
• To enter Zimbabwe and Botswana, you need a valid passport and a visa (issued upon arrival).
• Please pack your luggage in a soft duffel bag with a 12 kg limit. Also, bring a daypack for hikes and for keeping items with you in the vehicle. For Safari Lodge & Classic tours, all bedding is provided, so there is no need to bring a sleeping bag or pillow. Most accommodations provide towels, but it is always a good idea to bring a small travel towel for the beach or pool.
• We recommend bringing a small amount of Euros or US Dollars for personal expenses on this trip. Please note, however, that foreign currency must be exchanged for Botswana Pula, as shops, restaurants, and market vendors in Botswana only accept BWP. Expenses in Victoria Falls can be paid in US Dollars. Mastercard and Visa credit cards can also be used for restaurants, shops, and optional activities throughout the tour. You can find estimated costs for drinks, meals, etc., in the Sunway tour dossier.

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Frequently asked questions about this tour

1. Safety? South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe are relatively safe, and your tour guide will strive to show you the best sides of the country while diligently looking out for your safety. In the wilderness, your guide will brief you on behavioral guidelines—please follow them, keep an eye on your personal belongings, and nothing will stand in the way of a great and unforgettable safari.

2. Do I need malaria prophylaxis? Yes, the tour passes through malaria areas. Prophylaxis is strongly recommended. Please consult your doctor about this.

3. What should I bring? All details are listed in our general tour information (available at www.sunway-safaris.com). However, the essentials are: comfortable clothing for warm days and cold nights, hiking shoes, a rain jacket, a hat and sunglasses, swimwear, a small pair of binoculars—which are quite handy—and, essential of all, a sense of adventure.

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