Namibia & Botswana safari: experience 21 days of nature & wilderness

Why travel with Sunway Safaris?

• Small groups — maximum experience With a maximum of 12 participants per trip, we create space for personal encounters, genuine experiences of nature and sustainable travel moments. Our guests are usually between 25 and 65 years old — the diversity makes our groups so attractive.
• Two experienced expedition leaders All tours are led by two qualified, registered guides (Field Guides Association of Southern Africa). That means double expertise, safety and a more intensive travel experience — not just a driver, but real experts at your side.
• Guaranteed departures Many of our tours — especially those with German-speaking accompaniment — are guaranteed. For others, a minimum of four guests is sufficient for the tour.
• Everything included — no hidden costs Our trips include all entrance fees, lots of activities and most meals. What is in the itinerary is actually included. This allows you to relax on site instead of constantly paying up.
• Safety and comfort Our safari vehicles are specially designed, equipped with safety cells and lap belts. For particularly rough routes, we use robust trucks and comfortable minibuses on other stages.
• Sustainability — travel responsibly We specifically support environmental and social projects along our routes. Our motto: We only leave footprints — and take unforgettable memories with us.
• Ideal for solo travelers Individual travelers pay no additional charge if they share a room/tent with a person of the same sex. Of course, a single room can also be booked for an additional charge.
• Over 30 years of experience Sunway Safaris has been planning and organizing guided trips through southern Africa for over three decades — always with the aim of providing intensive experiences off the beaten path.
• Based in Africa Probably 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 accompanied by an adult. We don't have an upper age limit. Guests who are over 65 years of age at the time of travel need a medical certificate confirming that they are fit and healthy in order to participate in a group trip. We have many guests over 65 years of age who are perfectly able to enjoy all aspects of a Sunway tour, both in accommodation and camping.

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. These replicas last 10 years, are much more stable and are 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
A suburban payment is not required for this tour.

Recommended reading:
‍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.

• Sands of Silence by Peter H Capstick
• Skeleton Coast by John H Marsh (Wreck of the Dunedin Star and its Survivors)
• The Skeleton Coast by Benedict Allen (A journey through the Namib Desert)
• The Smell of Apples by Mark Behr (Story of Boy in Cape Town by then Army on Caprivi)
• Etosha by Daryl and Sharna Balfour (A coffee table book 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 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

Shopping
Handicraft products such as carvings, batiks, paintings, and clothing are best purchased in Livingstone, Zambia, where there is a wide range of curiosities. There are beautiful grass weaving mills in Botswana. Namibia also has unusual and interesting curiosities and crafts. If you see something you like, it's best to buy it because it's unlikely that you'll see anything similar any more. Arts and crafts differ from region to region.

Meals

• We are proud to offer our travelers high-quality, delicious and healthy meals three times a day. Exceptions are stated in the itinerary, then we will try out local restaurants.
• The tour guide takes care of all shopping and menu planning. He or 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 cookers.
  We have all cooking utensils as well as plates, cups and cutlery with us.
• Please note that due to the different tastes of our guests, we are unable to accommodate individual meal requests on our group trips. The communal meals we offer depend on the products available, and in remote destinations, the range of ingredients is sometimes limited. However, we take allergies, vegetarian and vegan requirements into account to ensure that everyone gets a suitable meal.
• Sunway Safaris offers the following drinks: fruit juices 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 overall health condition will be able to enjoy the tour without any problems. Simple camping in the wild is a real pleasure for nature boys and women. You get a little dusty and sweaty, but that's what makes Africa special!
• Full itinerary with some long trips, but also lots of outdoor activities and some time to relax. This is a long distance safari across Africa — it's a long distance to cover and therefore there will be a few long days of travel. There may be changes to the route and schedule due to local conditions, border crossings, road detours and weather — please remember that this continent has its own time scale and things are different here. Stay open-minded and humorous — it's all part of the adventure!
• Everyone is asked to help organize the camp on the tour. In other words, if everyone spends a little time setting up camp, preparing meals, and cleaning up, the tour will go smoothly and everyone will have a good time. Participating is the be-all and end-all

What you should know

• Includes parking fees, game drives and a trip to the Okavango Delta
• You need a valid passport and visa to enter Namibia, Botswana and Zambia.
• When packing, please keep in mind a weight limit of 12 kilos, brought in a lightweight bag (not a hard-shell case). Also think of a small lightweight bag for our day trips.
• You are taking part in a camping trip. You must bring your own sleeping bag (and pillow) and a towel. If you don't have a sleeping bag or don't want to buy one, you can rent a sleeping bag and pillow via Sunway for 1 euro per day on tour. Please book this at time of booking! Please book this at time of booking.
• For the Okavango Delta Wilderness Camp, they must pack clothes and personal items in their daypack for two nights as space on the Mokoro is limited. Your main luggage remains in Maun.
• We recommend that you bring a small amount of euros, US$ or South African rand, for personal expenses on this trip. Please note that in Namibia, euros and US$ must be changed to Namibia $ or South African rand, as shops, restaurants and market sellers only accept N$ and ZAR. Please also note that in Botswana, foreign currencies must be converted into Botswana Pula, as shops, restaurants and market sellers only accept BWP. Mastercard and Visa credit cards can also be used for restaurants, shops, and optional activities throughout the tour. Zambia requires that all services be paid in local currency, but major credit cards (Mastercard/Visa) can also be used for optional activities in Livingstone. See the Sunway tour dossier for approximate costs for drinks, meals, etc.

Frequently asked questions about this tour

• safety? Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia are relatively safe, and your tour guide knows the countries very well and will make every effort to show you the most beautiful areas and take care of you. In the wilderness areas, your guide will tell you the necessary precautionary measures, follow this advice and nothing will happen to you. Take care of your personal belongings and you'll have a great trip! We are taking every precaution to ensure you have a great vacation.
• Do I need malaria prophylaxis? Yes, the tour goes through malaria areas. Prophylaxis is highly recommended.
• What should I bring with me? All details are in our general tour information (available at www.sunway-safaris.com) the basic things are: a warm sleeping bag, comfortable clothing for warm days and cold nights, hiking boots, rain jacket, hat and sunglasses, swimming clothes, small binoculars are also very handy but essential — a sense of adventure.