Victoria Falls-Caprivi-Etosha-Sossusvlei-Okavango Small-Group Tour

Namibia & Botswana “Southern Circle”

Tour code:
NBA21/2023

Small-group safari:
maximum 12 people

Countries visited:
Botswana, Namibia & Zambia

Duration:
21 days

Synopsis

• A true exploration of Namibia and Botswana.
• Package holiday with cultural experiences, adventures and wildlife.
• Victoria Falls, Caprivi, Etosha, Damaraland, Namib Desert, Kalahari, Okavango Delta & Chobe.

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 decision for a safari. You are probably asking yourself: “What am I going to watch, what am I going to experience? ”

When choosing your tour 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 a maximum of 12 participants make it possible to experience Africa and have experiences with this wonderful continent and its people. This is the key to our success. Our trips appeal to all age groups. The average age is 37 — most are between 25 and 60. The diversity of participants each contributes to a special safari experience.
  
  
• 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. This 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.
   
• Guaranteed departures — Departures marked “in bold” are guaranteed departures. All other departures are guaranteed for groups of 4 or more people.
  
  
• Package price — When we plan the Sunway routes, we ensure 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, which 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 incorporated all highlights into 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.
   
• Surety — Our vehicles are all custom-built. We ensure comfortable and safe travel. Each vehicle was designed by an approved passenger vehicle manufacturer in accordance with the latest safety requirements, it has a safety housing and each seat is fitted with a belt. This gives you peace of mind when you travel on the often demanding roads with Sunway Safaris.
  
  
• Good2Go - Our commitment to sustainable and responsible tourism is reflected in our environmentally friendly travel style, in which we only take photos and leave only 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.
  
  
• Solo travelers — Traveling alone won't put any further strain on your wallet, as reservation staff will place you of the same sex 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.
  
  
• Experience — For 27 years now, Sunway Safari has been planning trips through southern Africa. The routes were therefore perfected over many years. The smooth running of a tour is guaranteed here. We visit many highlights of southern Africa, but assure you that we are not following the busy tourist track. Our guides have plenty of experience in Africa and all over the world.
  
  
• 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
   
• Age limit - On all planned tours, we accept children aged 12 to 17 years 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 when it comes to accommodation and camping. Please feel free to contact us for further details.

SOS tree project — Okavango Botswana

For hundreds of years, the locals and nearby residents of the Okavango Delta in Botswana have been using the wood from the liver sausage tree to produce their traditional “mokoros” (floating dugouts). This knowledge has been passed on over all generations and has been a steady income for them up to now. The number of visitors to the Okavango Delta is increasing from year to year. This means that more “mokoros” are needed and therefore more trees are cut down. Unfortunately, due to tourism growth, liver sausage trees are disappearing from this region. Traditional “mokoros” must be replaced after 5 years. This is putting additional pressure on the dwindling number of liverwurst 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 produced without any negative effect on the environment. Project implementation is currently still struggling to finance these replicas. Although part of our tour costs already go into 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 a cause that is close to our hearts and we hope for a successful project.

Local Payment

No local payment is required for this safari.

Reading recommendations:

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

• Sands of Silence by Peter H Capstick
• Skeleton Coast by John H Marsh (Wreck of the DunedinStar and its Survivors)
• The Skeleton Coast by Benedict Allen (A Journeythrough the Namib Desert)
• The Smell of Apples by Mark Behr (Story of Boy in CapeTown by Then Army on Caprivi)
• Etosha by Daryl and Sharna Balfour (A coffee tablebook of photography)
• Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela (Autobiography- Nelson Mandela is one of the great moral and political leaders of our time.)
• #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

Shopping

The range of souvenirs such as carvings, batik paintings and clothing is best at Victoria Falls in Livingstone, where you can find a wide selection. There are beautiful weaves to buy in Botswana. There are also unusual and beautiful souvenirs and handicrafts to buy in Namibia. If you see something you like, you should buy it straight away, as it is rare that you will be offered something similar again somewhere along the way.

Meals

• We are proud to offer our travelers high-quality, delicious and healthy meals three times a day. Exceptions are mentioned in the itinerary, then we will try out local restaurants.
• The tour guide takes care of all shopping and menu planning. He/she will buy fresh groceries for the group whenever and wherever possible.
• What you can expect:
• Breakfast cereal with milk or bread/toast, jam and fruit with coffee and tea or occasionally English, i.e. hot breakfast.
• Lunch cheese, cold meat, fish, fruit, pasta salads and bread
• Dinner stews, barbecues, fried meat or curries prepared over wood fires or with gas stoves. We have all cooking utensils as well as plates, cups and cutlery with us.
• Of course, we cater to the special needs of vegetarians and people with allergies. Sunway Safaris offers the following drinks: fruit juice for breakfast and tea or coffee for breakfast and dinner. All other drinks must be purchased by yourself. Sunway Safaris does not provide you with bottled drinking water.

Difficulty level

• Anyone with a good general health condition will be able to enjoy the tour without any problems. Simple camping in the wilderness is a real pleasure for nature boys and women. You can get a little dusty and sweat, but that's what Africa is all about!
• The itinerary involves a few longer days “on the road”. The roads in remote areas are not in the best condition and the journey can sometimes be slow and dusty. Border checks, road damage or the weather can make some schedules a mess. But never forget: The journey is the destination! Take in the diverse, exotic impressions and enjoy the African adventure in moments when things are not progressing so fast.
• An important part of a safari with Sunway is getting involved. Inviting luggage and equipment in the morning, helping to clean up, helping to prepare food — it's all part of the adventure and when everyone makes their small contribution to success, the journey is smooth. The tour guides prepare all meals themselves, but they ask participants to help with the dishes. Team spirit is fun!

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 enter Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. Please also have a look at the Federal Foreign Office website for detailed information on the current entry requirements.
• When packing, please keep in mind a weight limit of twelve kilos, brought along in a lightweight bag (not a hard-shell suitcase). Also consider a small lightweight bag for our day trips. On Classic trips, bed linen is provided and there is no need to bring a sleeping bag or pillow. Most accommodations provide towels, 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 no towels are provided there.
• Money - It is recommended to bring Euro, US$ or South African Rand for personal use. In Namibia, only Namibian $ and South African Rand are accepted as means of payment and must therefore be purchased at exchange offices in Namibia. In Botswana, only Botswana Pula are accepted as a means of payment and must therefore be purchased at exchange offices in Botswana. In Zambia, it is only possible to pay in Zambia Kwacha, but all major credit cards (Master Card/Visa) can be used to pay for optional activities in Livingstone and other places. Further information on the approximate costs of meals or drinks can be found in the Sunway dossier

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 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 accommodation is being used (SA 220 V).
  
  
• Safety?
  Namibia, Botswana and Zambia are relatively safe and your tour guide will make every effort to show you the most beautiful sides of the country and, by the way, be careful about their safety. In the wild, your guide will tell you about the behavioral guidelines — please stick to them, watch your personal belongings and then nothing stands in the way of a great and memorable safari.
  
  
• Do I need malaria prophylaxis?
  Yes, the tour goes through malaria areas. Prophylaxis is highly recommended, please talk to your doctor.
  
  
• 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 dash of adventurous spirit.

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