My Dream Vacation to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana

[rkolinski]

Leaving for South Africa in April and will return in May 2015. Will spend 6 nights in Cape Town and will visit Robben Island, Shark Cage Dive at Kleinbaai, full day minibus tour of the Cape Peninsula and the rest is free time to explore on my own. Then I'm off to Durban to spend one day at the Islandlwana and Rorkes Drift Battlefields (which are depicted in the BDs Zulu and Zulu Dawn). The next day I will go on the Shakaland Tour and hopefully get to also see Fort Nongqyai. Next it's my first safari at Kapama Buffalo Camp which is a private camp next to Krueger National Park. I will spend 3 nights there. Then I am off to Johannesburg for 2 nights to see Soweto and the rest of the city. Next I will spend 3 nights at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe where I will go on one land tour and one Zambezi River cruise and one helicopter flight over the Falls. Last, I will spend 2 nights at the Chobe Safari Lodge in Botswana for my last safari in Africa before heading home.

I plan on taking my Nikon D5000 with the 50mm 1.8 lens and a Nikon P600 and ten Sony 64gb SDXC cards for photos and movies. I will only be able to carry a mini portable tripod because luggage restrictions on small flights in South Africa are very strict. I will have to do laundry often.

This is my first trip outside of the US since the 1980's and my first visit to the continent of Africa.

[Scarriere]

That should be way cool!
Make a thread when you're back and we can check out your pics!

[rkolinski]

Originally Posted by Scarriere

That should be way cool!
Make a thread when you're back and we can check out your pics!

Will definitely do that upon my return.

[murphywmm]

South Africa is quite an awesome place to visit. I went there in 2009 and it was really the trip of a lifetime. The Kruger National Park was definitely a highlight.

If you get a chance to head into Mozambique at all, I would also highly recommend it. It's more under-developed compared to SA (which is both good and bad), and has some of the most beautiful coastline I've ever seen.

[rkolinski]

Just ordered 2 more cameras to take with my Nikon D5000 w/50mm f1.4 lens; a Nikon Coolpix P600 (because of the weight restrictions placed on travelers and the zoom telephoto length for the 2 safaris I'm going on) and a Sea life Micro HD+ camera (to use during the white shark cage dive in Cape Town and when I'm very close to Victoria Falls). Also purchased ten 64gb Sony memory cards so this should take care of all of my photo needs.

[Jutty]

I was born in the UK and in 1989 my family moved over to SA (CapeTown ( i was 15 at the time).
Then i thought it was the worst time of my life, moving to a different country,,leaving all i knew behind.
But now,, all i got to say that its an amazing place,so beautiful, and if you can hike up skeletons gauze (Table mountain),, at the top its a super sight.
The shark diving experience is amazing,, i can honestly say it scared the crap out of me,but totally worth it.
Of course do all the travelling you can do Rorkes Drift , stellenbosh gardens and wine routes, there's so much to do.
Only problem is that you're only going for a short time.. and so many things to do..
Hope you have a wonderful time.

[rkolinski]

Here's my itinerary:

LV Nashville 8:30a AR Dulles 11:20a
LV Dulles 5:40p AR Johannesburg 4:40p (next day)
LV Johannesburg 6:15p AR Cape Town 8:25p

Day 1 Cape Town - Hop on/hop off 1 day bus pass
Day 2 Cape Town - 1/2 day Robben Island
Day 3 Cape Town - Shark Cage Dive
Day 4 Cape Town - Full Day Peninsula Tour w/entrance to
Penguin Colony
Day 5 Cape Town - Free day

LV Cape Town 10:35a on Day 6 AR Durban 12:35p

Day 7 Durban - Full day private tour of Islandlwana and
Rorke's Drift Battlefields
Day 8 Durban - Free day
Day 9 Durban - Full day private tour of Shakaland and Fort
Nongqyai

LV Durban 9:50a on Day 10 AR Johannesburg 11:00a
LV Johannesburg 12:15a AR Hoedspruit for start of 1st
safari

Day 11 - Hoedspruit - 2 game drives morning and afternoon/
evening
Day 12 - Hoedspruit - 2 game drives morning and afternoon/
evening

LV Hoedspruit 1:55p on day 13 AR Johannesburg 2:55p

Day 14 Johannesburg - 1/2 day Soweto tour, 1/2 day City
tour

LV Johannesburg 10:50a on Day 15 AR Victoria Falls
12:35p

Day 16 - Tour of Victoria Falls including rainforest (walking)
and then evening/sunset cruise above falls on
Zambezi River
Day 17 - Helicopter flight over the falls and Zambezi River

LV Victoria Falls on Day 18 AR Chobe Botswana Bush
Lodge

Day 18 - 1 game drive daily and 1 boat cruise daily
Day 19 - 1 game drive daily and 1 boat cruise daily

LV Kasane 1:55p on day 20 AR Johannesburg 3:45p
LV Johannesburg 5:45p AR Dulles 6:25a next day
LV Dulles 8:05a AR Nashville 8:54a

Already received all of my shots except for one which happens tomorrow when I also pickup my Malaria tablets. Purchasing a Nexto 1TB storage device as memory card backup for my 3 cameras.

I am Sooooo excited!

[rkolinski]

Three weeks from today; I can't sit still and am so excited!

[schan1269]

I went to SA during the World Cup.

Didn't shark dive, but the safari. Never forgotten.

My take on Durban, a little like Amsterdam...but not everything is, uhm....legal.

My flight went through Heathrow(met my GF there as she had 2 weeks leave from Jerez, Spain and there aren't any Madrid-SA direct flights...).

It was my 4th Africa visit. But I technically don't count Egypt and Morocco.. Been to Morocco twice(helps when your better half is stationed in Jerez) and long time ago dated a 1st generation American Israeli(parents are Lebanese and Israeli). Took 3 weeks going to Israel, Syria(back when it was friendly), Egypt and UAE.

[Carlanga]

Seems like something cool, what are you hoping to see? Can I ask, why are these locations your dream vacation?

[Nielsb90]

Sounds like a great trip! Would love to check out parts of Africa eventually

[x3ntaur]

I went in 2006 (from what I recall) to Johannesburg and Cape Town for two weeks. I was fortunate to stay with an ex-colleague who moved back to live in Jo'Burg.


I remember our 4 day trip to Cape Town was amazing. Done the drive along Chapman's Peak Drive, Smith Town, Hout Bay, Cape of Good hope, also boulders beach. It was an amazing route. Also good visit to Robben island.

Most of my stay in South Africa was in Johannesburg. I remember we stayed in a rented villa of some sort which was brilliant. Also visited pilanesberg national park and Sun City resort.

I didn't get a chance to do any diving which would have been awesome in Cape Town.

Have a trip of a lifetime! I am sure it will be very memorable.

[rkolinski]

Originally Posted by Carlanga

Seems like something cool, what are you hoping to see? Can I ask, why are these locations your dream vacation?

My undergraduate major was history with heavy emphasis on Africa and I did my graduate thesis on the first three elections after the end of British colonial rule in Botswana (one of the three counties I'm visiting although I'm only doing a safari there because Chobe National Park in Botswana has the largest population of elephants in the world). I've always been fascinated by Africa so I'm finally realizing a dream. I will visit as many historical sites as I can while in Cape Town, including where the late President Nelson Mandela was imprisoned and shark cage dive there. My trip to Durban is mainly to visit Zulu related sites; the major British-Zulu battlefield sites, a recreated Zulu village and seeing current and recreated Zulu life and visiting one of the best museums containing Zulu art. Two safaris; one at a private reserve next to Krueger National Park and the one mentioned in Botswana. Lastly, I don't think a south African vacation would be complete without a visit to Victoria Falls!

[Carlanga]

Originally Posted by rkolinski

My undergraduate major was history with heavy emphasis on Africa and I did my graduate thesis on the first three elections after the end of British colonial rule in Botswana (one of the three counties I'm visiting although I'm only doing a safari there because Chobe National Park in Botswana has the largest population of elephants in the world). I've always been fascinated by Africa so I'm finally realizing a dream. I will visit as many historical sites as I can while in Cape Town, including where the late President Nelson Mandela was imprisoned and shark cage dive there. My trip to Durban is mainly to visit Zulu related sites; the major British-Zulu battlefield sites, a recreated Zulu village and seeing current and recreated Zulu life and visiting one of the best museums containing Zulu art. Two safaris; one at a private reserve next to Krueger National Park and the one mentioned in Botswana. Lastly, I don't think a south African vacation would be complete without a visit to Victoria Falls!

Niceee

Do show us some pics when you get back please!

Enjoy your trip!

[rkolinski]

Originally Posted by Carlanga

Niceee

Do show us some pics when you get back please!

Enjoy your trip!

Will definitely share pics and maybe a movie from that shark cage dive; six days and counting!

[rkolinski]

As promised, here are some pics - all were taken in Chobe National Park in Botswana last week. More to come!

[Show spoiler]

[x3ntaur]

Fantastic pics. Look foward to seeing other pics and to read about your adventures.

[crazyBLUE]

Originally Posted by x3ntaur

Fantastic pics. Look foward to seeing other pics and to read about your adventures.

I will second this

[Scarface32]

Originally Posted by rkolinski

As promised, here are some pics - all were taken in Chobe National Park in Botswana last week. More to come!

What type of bird is this?

Great pictures.

[rkolinski]

Originally Posted by Scarface32

What type of bird is this?

Great pictures.

I was tempted to say it was a marabou stork but the spoon-shaped bill throws me; I just thought it made a beautiful picture. I know the guide probably gave us the name but I didn't write it down. Any bird experts out there? Also, thanks for the compliment!