ADVICE ON ITINERARY TO ZAMBIA AND NAMIBIA
 

I have just about finalised an itinerary for our second trip to Africa in September - this time the focus is on Zambia and Namibia. The itinerary is as follows:

Lower Zambezi - Sausage Tree Camp (3 nights)
Old Mondoro Camp (2 nights)
South Luangwa NP - Tena Tena camp 4 nights)

We then fly to Port Elizabeth and do a self drive tour of the Garden route ending in Cape Town where we will stay for three nights at Ellerman House or Cape Cadogan.

Then to Namibia:
Swakopmund - Hansa Hotel (2 nights)
Soussusvlei - Desert Homestead (1 night)
Wolwedans - Wolwedans Dune Lodge (2 nights)
Onguma Reserve - Etosha - Onguma Tented Camp (3 nights)

Does anyone have any comments on this or the accommodation we have selected?

We had a life changing trip to Botswana in 2006 as some Fodorites will recall and I wanted to try and replicate that experience - such as being in an area where there are less people and lots of wildlife - i.e. I know there are crowds who go to Serengeti and Ngorogoro and the last thing I wanted was to be in a vehicle with dozens of other vehicles in the area. I love the feeling of remoteness and Botswana gave us such an amazing insight into Africa I am afraid we will never be able to better that. Hence Namibia where the Dunes are appealing!

I've been all the places in your Zambia trip and think you'll have a fantastic time. With more time on foot and in a canoe/boat, it will be a nice complement to what you did in Botswana.

If you are able to canoe between Sausage Tree and Old Mondoro, along the Chifungulu Channel, that will be a highlight.

You can tell me about Namibia when you return.

Thanks so much atravelynn - I wasn't sure about Zambia and was tossing up between there and Tanzania but you have confirmed my thoughts. When you mentioned "canoe" did you mean the craft is like a Mokoro as in Botswana? I was a bit worried about those because of the hippos.

You use a regular canoe, not a mekoro. Hippos tipping over canoes is almost unheard of, but it happened to a Fodorite. No injuries resulted. The woman who took the swim was planning to go back again the next year and canoe again.

I would go again in a canoe and I am not a daredevil. I wore a life jacket throughout as a precaution.

If the canoe is not for you, there are small motor boats for river trips from Sausage Tree. I don't think they fit down the Chifungulu Channel, but you could take them along the Zambezi and probably some other channels. The 2 motor boat safaris I did from Sausage Tree were great and offered better opportunities to position yourself for photos than canoes did.

In Sept, you may be decide to substitute some game drives for walking due to the heat. It will be a good time seeing animals.

We stayed at Desert Homestead and Wolwedans (at the camp, not the lodge) last September and really enjoyed both. Will you be self driving for the first 5 nights in Namibia and then flying from Wolwedans to Onguma?

I do recall one other hippo incident reported here. I can't find the thread at the moment, but their photo album was saved in my Kodakgallery http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...0&y=w952uc

It was Ruth who went with Steeliejim to Zambia that ended up in the drink. The incident happened on the Zambezi. Everybody was fine. She was even using a waterproof camera.

Lynn,
I was referring to another incident which I think was posted prior steeliejim's trip. The date on the album is 08/13/05.

Thank you both for your comments - the photos are quite incredible - I would have died a thousand deaths if it had been me! Ruth has guts! I think I will opt for the motor boat trip that you mentioned. I have to admit I didn't do the mokoro rides in Botswana either - there is something about those hippos............

Patty, we will be driving from Soussuslvei to the Desert Homestead and again from there to Wolwedans then we fly to Etosha where we will be met and transferred to Onguma Tented Camp. I must say I am excited about Namibia - I have looked at some of the Fodorites' photos and the colours of the desert are simply wonderful.

Hi there

You will so love Zambia, if you thought Botswana was remote, wait until you get to Zambia it is unbelievable, it really is one place that I truely felt I was intruding into the animals world.

Where on the garden route are you staying as you did not say. Cape Cadagon and Ellerman House are worlds apart. Ellerman House is 5 start and well beyond you will have a wonderful stay there.

Hansa Hotel is a warm city hotel, and one of the nicest places to stay in Swakopmund, Wolwedans is magical and breakfast on the dunes is so wonderful, Onguma tented camp I have not seen, but Etosha is really lovely.

You have a great combination of properties, you will have a wonderful trip!

Hi Doogle,

You have really whetted my appetite now! Thank you for your positive comments. I am sure that we have made the right choices based on what I have seen on this forum. I think we will stay at Cape Cadogan on the Garden Route - and I have yet to select a property at or near Knysna. We also thought we would have a round of golf at Pinnacle Point, Mossel Bay along the way. It is early days yet but we want to get the reservations confirmed now so we are not disappointed. Roll on September/October!