Botswana Travel Forum

My wife and I are in our mid-fifties and seasoned backpackers. We have travelled widely, but never in Africa. We have 3 weeks starting in mid-July. We want to see elephants, lions, tigers, zebras, giraffes and rhinos plus anything else lurking in the bush. We would also like to see Victoria Falls.
My question; what's the best way to do it? Should we hire a car and travel alone, taking short safaris and finding our own accomodation?? Or should we take one or two reasonably priced tours??
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Thanking you in anticipation,
Bruce and Chris

When you are in Africa, you just can't do without the great African safari. I think it's a good idea to pick up a tour from amongst an endless maze of choices available nowadays. But again, Africa is a vast continent, so basically it all depends on where are you headed to?

You sound to me like experience traveller, joining a group tour for the whole visit will not be a great pleasure, at list that is what I think. I just like to have my own plans and schedule, having my own rental car and total freedom.
In South Africa and Namibia the parks are self drive where you can enjoy the safari on your own and see lots of animals without the need for a guide. However, as you already probably know, when booking accommodation in Southern Africa some of the places will have their own safari tour included in the pack, that will be your opportunity for having a guided tour and someone to take you and find for you all the great animals you might not find on your own. Try also walking safari, that was my favourite experience in South Africa. Check my pages for more interesting info if you wish.
What ever will be your choice, you would love Africa, it is just a fantastic place to visit and to have a holiday.

I would fly into Johannesburg, and either rent a car, or fly to a place called Hoedspruit, and then I would spend 3 days in the Timbavati Game reserve which boarders the Kruger National park. These camps in the Timbavati range in price from good value to expensive, but your big advantage is you get to do morning and evening game drives in open game viewing vehicles, and get to walk in the park as well if you so which. You are then accompanied by trained game rangers in the bush. I would then fly/drive back to Johannesburg, and fly to Victoria Falls, but from the Zambian side. You fly into a town called Livingstone. I would spend 3 or 4 days here, and would include a day, or a 2 day trip to the Chobe game reserve in Botswana. These trips include time spotting game from the Chobe river, and time driving in the Chobe Game reserve.. I would use these ideas as the centre point of my trip, and then use the rest of the time to travel around Southern Africa.. Maybe from Chobe cross over to Namibia, and experiance the Namib desert...Your choices are endless. July is the middle of winter, and while the day temperatutre in these areas will be around 20 degrees, the nights get very cold, with temperatures dropping down to freezing.

Hope you have a great trip

Regards

Mike

Mate, I'd go with self-drive. Three weeks gives you sufficient time to travel from Johannesburg to northern Botswana (great game reserves), perhaps even visiting the Caprivi strip before crossing the Zambian border for the Vic Falls - and back again for your flight home.
We did this in my sisters 4WD, so not sure what the car rent companies will or will not allow.
Best to communicate with them direct.
Obviously, if the budget allows, fly!

Bookmark

I did it all in a 2wd including the great paved roads of Kruger. You can drive to Zimbabwe/Vic Falls easy from the north corner of Botswana. Do not drive across Zim - no fuel. Also do not drive in Zambia. I don't know any rental company based in South AFrica that will allow it.

Please see my South AFrica page for the car company I sued. They allow the car in Zimbabwe, Bots, and Namibia. Great prices too.